Speaking Gambits

Intermedate Level

EXPRESSING PERSONAL PREfERENCES

I'd prefer ... to ...

I'd rather do ... than... I could never do /be ... but I'd really enjoy ...

GIVING YOORSELf TIME TO THINK

VJell, ... Now, let me see... What elsc (can I say)? Is there anything I can add to that? It's difficult to say exactly but... I can't be sure but... I'm not quite sure, but I think... I haven't thought about it before, but perhaps... I don't really know. but I imagine...

POLITELY ASKING SOMEONE TO REPEAT SOMETttING

Sorry, could you say that again, pisase? Could you repeat that. please? I'm so sorry, but I'm not sure I understand correctly.

SMMING P
In a word...
So, to sum up...

In other words...

mvs2010

Speaking Gambits

Intermedate Level

SAYING YOU'RE INTERESTE

I'm very keen on... I find... fasctnating. Actually, this type of ... really interesas me

SAYING YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED

I find ... rathcr boring. ... isn't my kind of thing at all. I can't soy I have any great inters! in...

SAYING YO AREN'T SURE

Hmmm... I'd have lo think about it. I can't make my mind up.

ARGING YOR POINT

You may be right, but... I may be wrong, but... I agree to some extent, but...

mvs2010

Speaking Gambits

Intermedate Level

DESCRIBING LOCATION
...at the very top / bottom of the picture..
in the top right-hand / left-hand comer... n the bottom right_hand / left-hand crner. on the left-hand / right-hand side... in the foreground / background... right next to ... just / a little to the right / left of...

DESCRIBIWG SIMILARITI6S ANO PREfERENCES

compared to... in contrast to... similar / almost idntica! to... (completely) different from... as .... as... not so ... as... ess ... than .

GIVING YOR PERSONAL OPININ

In my opinin / view... Generally speaking, I think... As far as I'm concerned... To be quite honest...

mvs2010

Adding *and as well as besides Moreover, Furthermore, What is more. In addition, not only .... bul also another poinl is that relativc clauses wlio wherc that ,which \e to vvhoni
vvhen why what

Oontrasting *but 1 lowever, Although despite In spite of Nevertheless, On the contrary, on tt>4 onc hand on the other hand. vvliile bul while For one thing. In contras!, Neither...nor

Expressing cause / reason becau.se

as

si tice As a resiilt, 'lilis is why becausc of Duc to

Owing lo r.pi;,-^, . ,

l-'or this reason.

Expressing eftect / result

*so

so.. ..that such a. ..that Therefore 1 Thus '- -i Consequently. too...for/to not enongh...for/to Expressing purpose
to so as to in order that so that br (Non-specifie)

-- ~

Narration First {of all) Immediately At frst Once At the beginning .. . ^ r '- Suddenly In the beginning. ,,, . . , i ,- As soon as then on next No soner....than Before Hardly...whcn After Finally After that Fventually afterwards At the end When In the end While At last during To begin witli. Soon Until prior to Giving exainples br example. for instance. this ncludes snch as eg. (for example) i.c. (that is) Suinming up / concluding A I I in all overa!) general!}1 In conclusin. on the wholc n the raan To sum up.

Exprcssin opinin I would say that In my opinin, I think (that) 1 believe ( t h a t ) Personally Apparently.

Emphasis
I Especial ly particularly N atura lly.
exacth 1 becausc alx)ve a l l

Whatcvcr Whenevcr loo / enough The more....

* Avoid starting a sentencc with Ihcse words. The linking words beginning witli a capital letter oen start a scntencc. For thosc without, position in a senlcncc is optional.