Lesson 5: Linking & Discourse Markers
connect your ideas with natural discourse markers so your speech flows instead of sounding like a list.
Why this matters
Band 5 speakers over-use "and… and… but…". Band 7 speakers use connectives and discourse markers flexibly — words that signal how ideas relate. Good linking makes you sound fluent even while you think.
The Tip/Trick
Use discourse markers as "thinking time" that also adds coherence. Phrases like "Well,", "To be honest,", "The thing is,", "Having said that," buy you a second AND link ideas — far better than silent pauses or "ummm".
- Before: "I like reading. And I like music. And sometimes sport."
- After: "Well, I'm really into reading — that said, when I want to switch off, I'll put on some music. On top of that, I play a bit of badminton at weekends."
Grammar Focus — Gerunds vs infinitives
Rule: after some verbs use -ing (enjoy, love, avoid, consider, can't stand); after others use to + base (want, plan, decide, hope); after prepositions always use -ing. Reference: the "Gerunds vs infinitives" section.
- "I really enjoy cooking at the weekend."
- "I'm planning to take up tennis."
- "I relax by listening to music." (preposition + -ing)
Vocabulary Cluster — Hobbies & free time
Add to under "Hobbies & free time".
- to be really into (something) — very interested in — "I'm really into street photography."
- to switch off / unwind — relax mentally — "Gaming helps me switch off after work."
- to take something up — start a new hobby — "I recently took up climbing."
- a creative outlet — a way to express yourself — "Painting is my creative outlet."
- to keep me on my toes — keep me alert/challenged — "Chess keeps me on my toes."
- in my downtime — in free time — "In my downtime I binge-watch series."
- to dabble in — do casually, not seriously — "I dabble in cooking."
- a change of pace — something different from routine — "Hiking is a nice change of pace."
Drill these as flashcards — flip, then grade yourself.
Answer Outline
- Opener marker: "Well, / To be honest, …"
- Main hobby: "I'm really into ____."
- Link + second idea: "That said, / On top of that, I also ____."
- Reason: "I love it because ____."
Model Answers: 5.0 vs 7.0
Question: What do you like to do in your free time?
Band 5.0 answer: "I like watch movie. And I like play game. And music too. It's fun."
Band 7.0 answer: "Well, to be honest, it depends on my mood. Most of the time I'm really into gaming because it helps me switch off after a long day. That said, when I want a change of pace, I'll go out for a run or dabble in some cooking. They're all good ways to unwind."
What changed:
- Discourse markers: "Well, to be honest,", "That said,".
- Gerunds correctly: "into gaming", "ways to unwind".
- Collocation: "switch off", "a change of pace", "dabble in".
- Coherence: ideas are related (mood → option A → option B), not listed.
- Verb after "like/enjoy": "I enjoy to cook" → "I enjoy cooking."
- Over-using "and": replace some "and"s with discourse markers.
- Flat delivery of markers: say "Well," and "To be honest," with a slight rise so they sound natural, not robotic.
Your Turn (Record)
Task: Answer these in 2–3 sentences each, using at least one discourse marker per answer: (1) What do you do to relax? (2) Have your hobbies changed since you were a child? (3) Is there a hobby you'd like to take up? (4) Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities? ⏱ ~3 min.
Your turn — record & get scored
Part 1- What do you do to relax?
- Have your hobbies changed since you were a child?
- Is there a hobby you'd like to take up?
- Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities?
Self-Check + Spaced Review
Done when:
- I used a different discourse marker in each answer.
- My gerunds/infinitives after enjoy/like/plan were correct.
- I used ≥2 phrases from the vocab cluster.
Spaced review:
- From Lesson 04: keep answers to 2–3 sentences (Answer + Reason + Extra).
- From Lesson 03: use present perfect ("I've recently taken up…") when talking about a new hobby.