Listening: Understanding Interactional Cues & Discourse (Basic) B1 - Lesson 2: Recognizing Basic Turn-Taking Signals in Conversations
🎯 Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand that conversations involve "taking turns" to speak.
- Identify common verbal cues (words, phrases) that English speakers use to signal they are finishing their turn or inviting someone else to speak.
- Recognize basic intonation patterns (e.g., falling intonation to end a turn, rising intonation for some questions inviting a response).
- Improve your ability to follow the flow of a simple English conversation and know when it might be your turn to speak (or when someone else is expected to).
💡 Key Concepts: Knowing When to Talk
Hello B1 learners! Conversations are like a game where people take turns to speak. It's usually not polite to interrupt too much, and it's also important to know when it's okay for you to start talking, or when someone is waiting for you to say something. Speakers use different signals or cues for this.
Common Ways Speakers Signal Turn-Taking:
- Finishing a Turn:
- Falling intonation at the end of a statement.
- Completing a thought or grammatical sentence.
- A short pause after speaking.
- Using phrases like "...so, yeah." or "...you know?" (sometimes with falling intonation).
- Inviting Someone Else to Speak:
- Asking a direct question: "What do you think, Sothea?"
- Using a tag question with rising intonation: "It's a nice day, isn't it?" (sounds like an invitation to agree/comment).
- Looking expectantly at the other person (a non-verbal cue).
- A longer, more noticeable pause after their turn.
- Wanting to Take a Turn (Holding/Taking the Floor):
- Making a short sound like "Mm-hmm," or "Well..." "Actually..." "But..."
- Taking a slightly louder breath.
- Slightly increasing their speaking volume or speed if the other person seems to be pausing. (This is more advanced to do, but good to recognize).
Understanding these cues helps make conversations smoother and more polite.
🇰🇭 Cambodian Context: The Dance of Conversation
Sua s'dei! In Khmer conversations, you also have ways of knowing when it's your turn to speak, when someone is finished, or when they are asking for your opinion. Maybe you use certain words, a change in your voice, or even just eye contact and pauses. For example, asking "មែនទេ?" (maen te? - isn't it?/right?) can invite a response.
English has similar signals. Learning to recognize them will help you participate more confidently in English conversations, whether you're chatting with friends in Battambang, talking to tourists, or in a more formal meeting. It helps you avoid interrupting or awkward silences.
🎧 Pre-Listening Activity: What Do These Signals Mean?
Think about these common conversational cues. What might they mean?
- Speaker A finishes a sentence with a clear falling tone and looks at Speaker B. (Likely: Speaker A is finished, Speaker B can talk).
- Speaker A says, "I think we should go to the market, what about you?" (Likely: Speaker A is inviting Speaker B to give their opinion).
- Speaker A is talking, and Speaker B says, "Umm..." or "Well..." softly. (Likely: Speaker B wants to say something soon or is thinking about what Speaker A said).
🔊 Listening Tasks: Recognizing Turn-Taking Signals
Important Note for Learners: This lesson uses your browser's Text-to-Speech (TTS) to "speak" dialogues. TTS can say the words, but it's very limited in showing natural intonation and pauses which are key for turn-taking. For the best learning, listen to authentic human conversations, and focus on the verbal cues (words and phrases) in these TTS examples.
Task 1: Who Speaks Next?
Click "🔊 Listen to Dialogue" to hear short conversations. Pay attention to the end of Speaker A's turn. What signal suggests it might be Speaker B's turn (or that Speaker A is inviting Speaker B)?
Speaker A: I went to see a new movie yesterday. It was really exciting, with lots of action. So, that was my weekend.
Speaker B: Oh, cool! Which movie did you see?
How did Speaker A mainly signal they were finishing their turn or inviting a response?
Speaker A: This new coffee shop in Battambang is excellent, isn't it?
Speaker B: Yes, I agree! The coffee is delicious.
How did Speaker A invite Speaker B to respond?
📝 Post-Listening Activity: What Would You Say?
Imagine you are in these situations. What could you say or do to take a turn or invite someone else to speak?
1. Your friend is telling a long story, and you want to ask a quick question.
Possible action: Wait for a slight pause, then maybe say, "Excuse me, can I ask something quickly?" or make a small sound like "Um..." to signal you want to speak.
2. You have just shared your opinion, and you want to hear what your friend thinks.
Possible action: Say, "What do you think?" or "How about you?"
🚀 Key Takeaways & Listening Strategies
- Pay attention to the end of people's sentences. Falling intonation often means they are finishing.
- Listen for questions – they are a clear invitation for you (or someone else) to speak.
- Tag questions (..., isn't it? ...don't you? ...can't they?) with rising intonation often ask for agreement or a response.
- Notice short pauses. They can signal that a turn is ending.
- Recognizing these cues makes conversations feel more natural and less like an interview.
💬 Feedback & Learner Tips (Self-Assessment)
After the exercises:
- Could you identify some of the ways speakers showed they were finishing or inviting a response?
- Which cues were easier to notice: verbal phrases or (simulated) intonation/pauses?
- Think about conversations you have in Khmer. What turn-taking signals do you use naturally? How are they similar or different to English ones?
🇰🇭 Tips for Cambodian Learners:
Learning turn-taking signals is like learning the "rules of the road" for conversations. In English, just like in Khmer, there are polite ways to join a conversation or show you're ready for the other person to talk. For example, in Cambodia, you might wait for a clear pause or a specific question before speaking, especially with elders.
When listening to English, try to notice these small signals. It's not just about understanding the words, but also the "flow" of who is talking. This is a great skill to practice when you hear English being spoken around you in Battambang or elsewhere!
📚 Further Practice & Application
- Watch short, natural English conversation videos (e.g., interviews, vlogs with two people). Pay attention to how they take turns. Don't worry about understanding everything they say, just focus on the turn-taking.
- Listen to B1 level English podcasts that feature interviews or discussions.
- Practice short conversations with a friend in English. Try to consciously use phrases to invite your friend to speak (e.g., "What's your opinion?", "And you?").