Listening: Understanding Interactional Cues & Discourse (Basic) B1 - Lesson 1: Identifying Simple Discourse Markers (e.g., so, because, but, then)
🎯 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand what discourse markers are and why they are important in conversations.
- Identify common simple discourse markers in spoken English (e.g., so, because, but, then, and, or, for example).
- Recognize the basic function of these discourse markers (e.g., showing a reason, a result, a contrast, a sequence).
- Improve your ability to follow the connections between ideas in spoken English.
💡 Key Concepts: Signal Words for Connections
Hello B1 learners! When people talk, they use special words and phrases to connect their ideas and show how one idea relates to another. These are called discourse markers. They are like signposts on a road – they guide the listener and help them understand the direction of the conversation.
Here are some common simple discourse markers and what they often show:
| Discourse Marker | Common Function | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| and | Adding information | I like coffee, and I like tea. |
| but / however | Showing a contrast or opposite idea | It was sunny, but it was cold. |
| because / as / since | Giving a reason | I was late because there was a lot of traffic. |
| so / therefore | Showing a result or consequence | It was raining, so I took my umbrella. |
| or | Showing a choice or alternative | Would you like tea or coffee? |
| then / next / after that | Showing a sequence (order of events) | First, I woke up. Then, I had breakfast. |
| for example / for instance | Giving an example | I like many fruits, for example, mangoes and bananas. |
| well / actually | Often used to introduce a point, a slight change, or to hesitate | Well, I think it's a good idea. |
Listening for these "signal words" can greatly help you follow the speaker's train of thought.
🇰🇭 Cambodian Context: Connecting Ideas in Khmer and English
Sua s'dei! In Khmer, you use words like "និង" (neung - and), "ប៉ុន្តែ" (bon-tae - but), "ដោយសារតែ" (daoy saa te - because), and "ដូច្នេះ" (dochneh - so) to connect your ideas when you speak. These are like the "signal words" or discourse markers in English.
When you listen to English, whether it's a teacher in Battambang explaining something, or a conversation with an international friend, these small connecting words are very important. They help you understand how one idea links to the next. If you miss them, the meaning can sometimes be less clear. This lesson will help you tune your ears to these useful English connectors!
🎧 Pre-Listening Activity: Match the Marker to its Job!
Think about these discourse markers. What job do they usually do? (This would be a matching exercise on your platform.)
- because -> Shows a REASON
- but -> Shows a CONTRAST
- so -> Shows a RESULT
- then -> Shows SEQUENCE (what comes next)
- for example -> Shows an EXAMPLE
🔊 Listening Tasks: Identifying Discourse Markers and Their Function
Important Note for Learners: This lesson uses your browser's Text-to-Speech (TTS) to "speak" sentences. Click the "🔊 Listen" buttons. For B1 level, clear human narration is best for hearing how these markers are naturally used in connected speech.
Task 1: What's the Connecting Word?
Click "🔊 Listen" to hear a sentence. Identify the main discourse marker used to connect ideas.
1.
Which discourse marker connects the two ideas in this sentence?
2.
Which discourse marker connects the two ideas in this sentence?
Task 2: What's the Function of the Marker?
Click "🔊 Listen" to hear a sentence with a discourse marker in bold (the TTS will just say the sentence). What is the main job or function of that bolded word?
Sentence: "He likes playing football because it is exciting."
What does "because" do here?
Sentence: "First, wash the vegetables. Then, cut them into small pieces."
What does "Then" do here?
📝 Post-Listening Activity: Connect the Ideas!
Try to connect these simple ideas using an appropriate discourse marker from the list: (and, but, so, because).
1. I like mangoes. They are sweet. -> I like mangoes because they are sweet.
2. It rained. We stayed home. -> It rained, so we stayed home.
3. He is tired. He wants to sleep. -> He is tired, and he wants to sleep.
4. She likes coffee. She doesn't like tea. -> She likes coffee, but she doesn't like tea.
(On your platform, this could be a drag-and-drop or fill-in-the-blank exercise.)
🚀 Key Takeaways & Listening Strategies
- Discourse markers are "signal words" that help you understand how ideas are connected.
- Listen for words like because (reason), so (result), but (contrast), and (addition), then (sequence).
- These words help you follow the speaker's logic and understand the overall message better.
- Recognizing them makes listening to longer talks or conversations easier.
💬 Feedback & Learner Tips (Self-Assessment)
After the exercises:
- Could you identify the discourse markers in the sentences?
- Did you understand what job (function) each marker was doing?
- Try to notice these "signal words" when you listen to English songs, videos, or your teacher.
🇰🇭 Tips for Cambodian Learners:
Think of these English discourse markers like the small connecting words you use in Khmer to make your sentences flow well and show relationships between ideas. For example, "ដូច្នេះ" (dochneh) is like "so" or "therefore." "ប៉ុន្តែ" (bon-tae) is like "but."
When listening to English conversations, for example in a cafe in Battambang where foreigners might be talking, try to catch these connecting words. They will help you understand if the speaker is giving a reason, showing a contrast, or telling things in order. It's like following a map for the conversation!
📚 Further Practice & Application
- Read simple English texts or dialogues and circle all the discourse markers you can find. Think about their function.
- Listen to B1 level English podcasts for learners. The speakers often use clear discourse markers.
- When you write simple English sentences, practice using different discourse markers to connect your ideas.
- There are many online quizzes and exercises for practicing discourse markers for ESL learners.