Listening: Understanding Interactional Cues & Discourse (Basic) B1 - Lesson 2: Recognizing Basic Turn-Taking Signals in Conversations

B1 Discourse: Recognizing Basic Turn-Taking Signals

Welcome! In this lesson, we will learn about turn-taking¹. A conversation is like a game where people take turns to speak. We will learn to recognize the simple signals⁴ people use to manage their turn in a conversation.

1. How to 'Take' a Turn (Interrupting Politely)

Sometimes you need to interrupt² someone to add an important point. You can use these phrases to do it politely.

Speaker A: "...so the first thing we need to do is organize the schedule for the..."
Speaker B: "Sorry to interrupt, but have you checked the new booking dates first?"
Speaker A: "Oh, that's a good point. No, I haven't."

Other phrases include: "Can I just say something?" or "Excuse me for a second..."

2. How to 'Hold' a Turn

If you need to pause and think, but you want to continue speaking, you can use fillers. These signal "I'm not finished yet."

Speaker A: "So, why did you decide to move to Siem Reap?"
Speaker B: "Well, um... there are a few reasons. First, my family is here, and second, you know, I really love the history of the temples."

3. How to 'Yield' a Turn

When you are finished speaking, you need to signal that it's the other person's turn. The easiest way to yield³ your turn is to ask a question.

Speaker A: "I think that new restaurant near the river is the best in town. The food is amazing and the price is reasonable. What do you think?"
Speaker B: "I agree. I went there last week and..."

Using a tag question like "...isn't it?" or just letting your voice fall and making eye contact are also common ways to yield your turn.

Final Quiz: Identify the Signal

Listen to the short dialogues. What is the purpose of the bolded phrase?

1. Dialogue 1: "...and that's why I think..." / "Can I just add something quickly? I think..."

   The phrase is used to: (a) Yield a turn, (b) Take a turn, (c) Hold a turn

2. Dialogue 2: "I really believe that, um... we need to, well... consider all the options first."

   The phrase is used to: (a) Yield a turn, (b) Take a turn, (c) Hold a turn

3. Dialogue 3: "So that's my opinion about the project. What about you?"

   The phrase is used to: (a) Yield a turn, (b) Take a turn, (c) Hold a turn

Click to Show Answers

Answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-a

Homework Task

1. Watch a Conversation: Find a video of a natural conversation or interview on YouTube (search for "English conversation"). Watch two people talking. How do they know when it's their turn to speak? Can you spot any of the signals we learned today?

2. Practice Turn-Taking: Have a conversation with a friend in English. Practice using one phrase to politely take a turn (e.g., "Sorry, can I say something?") and one phrase to yield your turn (e.g., "...what do you think?").

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Turn-taking (noun) - Khmer: ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរវេន - The process in a conversation where people decide who speaks next, in an organized way. ↩
2. To Interrupt (verb) - Khmer: រំខាន - To stop a person from speaking by saying something yourself. ↩
3. To Yield (verb) - Khmer: បោះបង់ - In conversation, to give up your turn to speak so that someone else can talk. ↩
4. Cue / Signal (noun) - Khmer: សញ្ញា - A word, phrase, or action that tells someone what to do or what is happening. ↩