ORAL PRODUCTION EXAM. USEFUL PHRASES TO IMPROVE YOUR
INTERACTION
Interaction is one of the five criteria
evaluated in the first part of the oral exam. It accounts for 20 % of your
final mark. Your examiners will evaluate to what extent you can initiate a turn
and respond appropriately to a partner’s turn. Here are some tips to improve
your communicating skills.
SHOW INTEREST IN THE TOPIC
• Really?
• That’s interesting!
• Right!
• I see!
• I can’t believe it!
• Tag questions: You like science fiction
films, don't you?
• Uh huh
• As you said before, ... (referring to
what the other speaker said before shows you’ve been paying attention)
• How wonderful / exciting / depressing /
embarrassing / ironic!
• I don’t / can't believe it!
• I know. I know (just) what you
mean.
• Lucky you!
• No!? / No way!
• Oh my goodness!
• That sounds great / awful /
horrible.
• That’s a pity! / That’s a shame! / What
a pity! / What a shame!
• That’s amazing!
DIRECT THE CONVERSATION TOWARDS THE
TOPIC
• By the way,
• Speaking of...
• That reminds me of...
FILLERS
• So,
• ..., you see, ...
• You know,
• I mean,...
KEEPING YOUR LISTENER ENGAGED
• Rhetorical
questions (questions you don’t really expect an answer for, you sort of answer
them yourself): What do I mean by that? / Is smoking dangerous? Of course it
is.
• As you very well know, ...
LOOKING FOR AGREEMENT:
• Don’t you think?
• Question tags (Isn’t it / Has it? /
Don't you?...)
• You know what I mean.
GIVING THE FLOOR (turn to speak):
• Don’t you think?
• Question tags (Isn’t it, has
it?...)
AGREEING:
• I agree with you on that completely. / I
couldn't agree more.
• I see what you mean.
• I see your point.
• Exactly.
• Definitely.
• That's absolutely right.
• Absolutely! I'm with you 100 % on
that.
• Indeed!
• That's very true.
• That makes sense.
AGREEING UP TO A POINT
• I agree with you up to a point.
• I suppose you've got a point,
but...
• I see your point, but...
• Your point is well taken, but ...
• If you ask me (often used for giving a
critical opinion afterwards)
• To tell you the truth / To be
honest,...
• You're right, in a way, but we have to
consider...
• Although it's true that... we must
remember that...
• Despite your arguments, I still feel
that...
DISAGREEING
• Surely you don't think that.
• Where's the logic of that?
• You can't honestly think that...
• That goes against my better judgement
because...
• It just doesn't make sense to me.
SAYING “NO”
• Not really, no (rather than a plain
“no”)
• ex. –Do
you like football? – Not really, no (instead of “noooo!”)
INTERRUPTING:
• I’m sorry to interrupt, but...
• Can I interrupt you just for a second
(here)?
• Before you continue, (can I just
say)...
• Before you go on,...
• Before you move on,...
• Can I / Could I (just) say something
(here)?
• Can I / Could I come in (here/
there)?
• Can I / Could I interrupt you (for a
minute / moment / second)?
• I’d like to make a point here (if I can
/ could / may / might)
• If I can / could / may / might (just)
interrupt you (for just a minute / moment / second), I’d like to add / say /
point that...
• If you will allow me (to say something /
to speak for a second),...
CHANGING YOUR MIND ABOUT
INTERRUPTING
• Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.
• Sorry, I thought you’d finished.
• Sorry, please carry on. / Sorry, please
go on.
• Sorry, you were going to say...? /
Sorry, you were saying...? /Sorry. What were you saying?
REPHRASING EXPRESSIONS Sometimes we say
things that other people don't understand, or we give the wrong impression. If
you are asked to explain or clarify your idea, do not use the same expressions
and / or phrases, try to reformulate them starting your answer using one of the
following phrases:
• What I meant to say was...
• Let me rephrase that...
• Let me put this another way...
• Perhaps I'm not making myself
clear...
• The basic idea is...
• One way of looking at it is...
• Another way of looking at it is...
• What I want to say is...
ASKING FOR THE OTHER SPEAKER’S
OPINION:
• How do you feel about...?
• What’s your take on...?
• What do you reckon (informal)?
CHALLENGING A POINT
• Do you think that's always the
case?
• Can you be sure about that?
• Is there any way / evidence to prove
that?
• But that's not the point.
• I don't see why you can say that.
• But that doesn't take account of the
fact that...
OFFERING OTHER PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO
SPEAK
• (No, please). After you. I'll let you go
first.
• I’d like to hear your opinion first. /
Please tell me your opinion on...
• I’m not sure what I want to say yet,
so...
• Please go ahead.
• You know more about this than me,
so...
• You must have an opinion on this,
so...
• (Now) I’d be (very) interested to hear
your views (on...) / what you think (about...)
• ..., but I’d be interested in hearing
your take on it.
• ..., but I’m sure you have another point
of view.
• Can you give me your thoughts
on...?
• Do you agree?
• Do you have
an opinion on...? / any opinions on / about...?
• Do you have any (particular) thoughts /
views on...?
• Do you/ Did you want to add
anything?
• Do you want to say anything before we
move on?
• Don't you think (so)?
• How about you?
• (Now) I'd like to hear what you think
(about...) / your views (on...).
• From your point of view,...?
• How do you feel about...?
• I imagine you will have strong opinions
on...
• I know this is not your specialist
subject, but...
• What are your (first) thoughts
on...?
• What are your feelings about...?
• What are your views on...?
• What do you reckon?
• What do you think (about...)?
• What reaction do you have to...?
• What’s your experience (of this)?
• What’s your opinion (on this)?
• What’s your position on...?
• What’s your take on...?
• What’s your view on...?
• Would you agree (that...)?
• You haven’t said anything yet.
• You must
have a view on this too.
SIGNALLING THE END OF YOUR TURN
• I think I’ve made my point.
• That’s all I wanted to say.
• (I think)
you get the idea.
TURNING DOWN THE CHANCE TO SPEAK
• I can’t add anything to that.
• I don’t have any view on this at
all.
• I think you’ve covered everything.
• I’m still just digesting what you
said.
• I’m still
thinking about what I want to say.
How to Improve your Interaction?
