LECTURE 5

Aims to develop students’ speaking skills by:

improving ss’ confidence in expressing agreement and disagreement in

discussions,

helping ss’ use an appropriate speaking style in presentations.

DISCUSSION SKILLS

Agreeing and disagreeing

Useful languageAgreeing: Yes.

Yes, that’s right.Yes, that’s true.Yes, you’re (quite/absolutely) right.Yes, I agree.That’s a good point.That’s what I think.Absolutely.

Partly agreeing: Yes, OK, but…I see what you mean, but…I take your point, but…I accept that, but…That may be true, but…

Expressing doubt/weak disagreement:

I’m not sure about that.Is there any evidence for that?

Disagreeing: But…But surely…But don’t you think…?But you can’t really mean…?But there’s no evidence for that.But that goes against…But what about…?I don’t (really) agree (with you/that…)I don’t think that’s right/true.I don’t see how you can say…

PRESENTATION SKILLSSpeaking in an appropriate styleFormal and informal styles

The following sentences express similar meanings. Which is the most formal in style? Which is the least formal? Would all examples be appropriate in an academic

presentation?

A) Lots of people don’t have enough money to get food.B) Many people don’t have enough money to buy food.C) Poverty and hunger are widespread.D) Many people do not have sufficient money to purchase

food.

Solution:Sentence A:− the least formal, conversational style, short verb form,

basic vocabulary Sentence B:− more formal, simple speaking style, vocabulary is simple

but precise Sentence C:− more formal than B, typical of academic speaking and

writing, short and clear, with abstarct nouns.

Sentence D:− more formal than B, vocabulary is more elaborate, the

style sounds heavy and pompous.

Formal Informal

- passive voice - abbreviated auxiliary

verbs- complex sentences - simple sentences or

with subordinated coordinate clauses

clauses- abstract nouns and - lexis with general meaning

nominalisations (e.g. thing, nice, get)

- words of Latin origin - words of Anglo−Saxon origin

(eg. sufficient) (e.g. enough)

1. a) We’re just beginning to find out that this is a problem. b) The problem is only now being discovered.

2. a) In Mexico they recently discovered that pollen had spread hundreds of miles.

b) Pollen was found to have spread hundreds of miles in Mexico.

3. a) The human population is projected to peak at 10 billion in the 21st century.

b) Scientists think that there will be 10 billion humans in the 21st century.

4. a) Because there will be more people, we will need more food.b) The greatly increased population will require increased farm outputs.

Academic speaking styleA presentation composed entirely of long heavy sentences

would be monotonous.

A presentation composed entirely of short plain sentences would be monotonuous.

In practice:

most effective speakers mix styles B, C and D. For example, a short plain sentence after longer

sentences can sound dramatic and catch attention.

Speakers also vary in their choice of a more or less informal personal style.

It is important to keep in mind:• academic presentation → a very informal speaking style

is not appropriate• an academic presentation is spoken, not written → so reading aloud a typical

written academic text is not appropriate.

An appropopriate academic speaking style falls between the two extremes, as shown below.

informal academic formalspeaking presentation academic written

style style style

SUMMARYAn academic speaking style should be:• more formal than in a casual conversation with a friend,• more simple than in academic written style.

Important feature: • the use of language signals• speakers differ from each other in their personal styles• individual speakers vary their style, often to good effect.

If you listen with awareness of style, you become more confident of recognising what is appropriate and what you are personally comfortable with.