Listening for Interactional Cues & Discourse B2: Understanding How Speakers Manage Topics
Lesson 2: Introducing, Changing, and Closing Topics
Welcome! Conversations are not random; they are organized. Skilled speakers use special "signal phrases" to guide the conversation smoothly. In this lesson, we will learn to recognize how speakers introduce a new topic, change the topic, and close a topic. This is a key skill for understanding the flow of natural discourse.
1. Signal Phrases for Topic Management
Listen for these common phrases that speakers use to manage the conversation.
| Function | Common Signal Phrases |
|---|---|
| Introducing a Topic | "So, I wanted to ask you about...", "Speaking of that, it reminds me...", "By the way...", "Did you hear about...?" |
| Changing a Topic | "Anyway, moving on...", "Not to change the subject, but...", "On a completely different note..." |
| Closing a Topic / Conversation | "Well, that's all I had to say about that.", "Anyway, I should probably let you go.", "It was great talking to you." |
2. Putting It All Together: A Natural Conversation
Listen to this conversation between two friends, Srey and Bora. Notice how they use signal phrases to guide the topic.
Srey: Hi Bora! I'm so glad I ran into you. I wanted to ask you about that new cafe near the old market. Have you been?
Bora: Oh, yes! I went last week. The coffee is excellent, but the cake was a little too sweet for me.
Srey: Good to know. I might check it out this weekend.
Bora: Speaking of the weekend, do you have any plans? I was thinking of going to the national park.
Srey: That sounds amazing! I'm free on Saturday. What time were you thinking of going?
Bora: Let's plan on meeting at 8 AM. I'll send you a message tonight with the details.
Srey: Perfect! Anyway, I should probably get back to work. It was great to see you!
Bora: You too! Talk to you later.
Analysis: Srey used "I wanted to ask you about..." to introduce the topic of the cafe. Bora used "Speaking of the weekend..." to change the topic. Finally, Srey used "Anyway, I should probably get back to work" to close the conversation.
Quiz: What is the Speaker's Intention?
Listen to the beginning of a speaker's sentence and choose their most likely intention.
-
Speaker says: "I know we're talking about the project, but not to change the subject..."
What will they do next? (a) Introduce a new topic, (b) Close the conversation, (c) Agree with the current topic -
Speaker says: "Well, it was really nice chatting with you..."
What is their intention? (a) To change the topic, (b) To ask a new question, (c) To close the conversation -
Speaker says: "By the way, did you hear what happened to Dara?"
What are they doing? (a) Introducing a new, unrelated topic, (b) Closing the topic, (c) Agreeing with you
Click to Show Answers
Answers: 1-a, 2-c, 3-a
Homework Task
1. Listen for the Signals: Listen to a 5-minute segment of an English podcast or a talk show on YouTube where two or more people are speaking. Listen specifically for topic changes. Write down one phrase a speaker used to change the subject.
2. Practice with a Friend: Have a short conversation in English with a friend. Start by talking about the weather. Then, your mission is to use a signal phrase from this lesson to smoothly change the topic to food.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Discourse (noun) - Khmer: សុន្ទរកថា - Written or spoken communication or debate. ↩
- Topic Management (noun phrase) - Khmer: ការគ្រប់គ្រងប្រធានបទ - The way speakers in a conversation introduce, change, and close topics. ↩
- To introduce (a topic) (verb phrase) - Khmer: ដើម្បីណែនាំ (ប្រធានបទ) - To start talking about a new subject. ↩
- To change (a topic) (verb phrase) - Khmer: ដើម្បីផ្លាស់ប្តូរ (ប្រធានបទ) - To move from one subject to a different one. ↩
- To close (a topic) (verb phrase) - Khmer: ដើម្បីបិទ (ប្រធានបទ) - To signal the end of a discussion about a subject. ↩