強い意見を言う場合、一番重要なポイントを明確に提示する事でより説得力が増します。このレッスンでは、様々な表現を駆使し発言を強調する事によって、話し方に抑揚をつけることに焦点を当てます。トピックは職場です。
Using the appropriate phrases to add emphasis to your arguments makes them more effective, more convincing and more natural. We're going to look at a variety of ways that you can add emphasis to your arguments or points.
Stress the point that speaking test examiners often criticize students for not using discourse markers (words or phrases that we use to connect, organize and manage ideas). The types of phrases we are considering here are very effective for adding emphasis to your arguments.
In the Language section: the student should give a short answer to each question. Only focus on the phrase at hand. Don't move too quickly. Make sure the student is confident with each one before moving on.
What are your general opinions about your workplace? How would you describe it?
This warm-up should take 2-3 minutes. Start by making this topic of workplaces vibrant and relevant. Working only on transitions can get a bit dry, so add words and phrases regarding workplaces.
You can ask: Would you prefer to work in a very creative-type office, or a traditional one? What are the benefits/drawbacks of them?
Please consider each transition phrase. Your instructor has an example and a question regarding each one, so please practice it.
- The first thing to remember is... — There may be many important aspects of this issue, but this one is essential to keep in mind.
- It’s important to realize that... — This is a significant point that you may not know.
- One point that is often overlooked is that... — People often forget this, but I think it is important.
- As a matter of fact... — What I’m about to say is definitely true.
- Not to mention... — This is another thing I think is important, and I want to emphasize it.
- Of course... — This is obvious.
Spend as long or as short a time as necessary on each phrase, but make sure the student can use it smoothly before moving on.
Note: For struggling students, elicit the adjectives/sentences from the student before adding the transition phrase. For higher levels, you may be able to skip right to the question.
1. The first thing to remember is...
E.g. 1: When we talk about any major city, the first thing to remember is that it's very crowded, so office space can be extremely expensive.
E.g. 2: When considering the effectiveness of senior management in our company, the first thing to remember is that we have a very traditional hierarchy.
Practice: What's one thing to remember when considering senior management in your company? (E.g., When considering senior management in my company, the first thing to remember is that we are a young startup, so many managers are on the younger side.)
Question: Which layout would suit your company best: open plan, cubicles or offices? Why?
2. It’s important to realize that…
E.g.: I think it’s important to realize that everyone suffers from stress at some point. It’s an inescapable fact of life in modern business.
Practice: What's a fact of life in modern business that's important to realize? (E.g., It’s important to realize that anyone can burn out.)
Question: Do you like the daily duties in your work? Why or why not?
3. One point that is often overlooked is that...
E.g. Speaking of efficiency, one point that is often overlooked is that a lack of sleep has a huge effect on our ability to work quickly.
Practice 1: Give me an example of an overlooked movie, book or TV show. (E.g. One great movie that is often overlooked is, The Hidden Fortress. It's Kurosawa's masterpiece that inspired George Lucas to make Star Wars.)
Practice 2: Give me an example of an overlooked point about your country. (E.g. One point about Australia that is often overlooked is that the arts scene is incredibly vibrant.)
Question: How can/does your country encourage women’s participation in the workplace?
4. As a matter of fact
E.g.: There isn’t a high turnover of staff at my organization. As a matter of fact, many employees stay with us for a number of years before they move on.
Practice: Give me one somewhat surprising fact (or opinion) about your company. (E.g. People think consultants are cold, but as a matter of fact, EQ is very important.)
Question: Are you satisfied with the working environment at your company?
5. Not to mention—note: we add this as a surprise to the listener.
You can find example sentences here.
E.g.: His desk is so messy! There is paper everywhere, not to mention used coffee cups.
Practice: Add "Not to mention"—Clients had given the firm their trust, and they had also given money.
Practice 2: Finish this sentence: "My workplace is great! There is/are... "(is a lot of teamwork and collaboration, not to mention free pizza.)
Question: If you got a retirement package, what would you like to use it on?
6. Of course
Language note: Many people think "of course" is a positive phrase. It is not. It is neutral and means "clearly", "obviously" or "you should know this".
E.g.: When it comes to choosing a job, salary is an important consideration. Of course, money isn’t everything—there are a lot of other factors to take into consideration, too.
Practice: Tell me a main opinion and a side note about your work/workplace, (E.g., "I enjoy my work because it's challenging and rewarding. Of course, the salary is nice, too.")
Question: What would your ideal workplace look like?
More phrases for keeners and quick finishers
Some students are keen on new language or they learn really quickly. Here are some more phrases for those kind of people:
1. It must be kept in mind that... — It’s important to realize that...
E.g.: It must be kept in mind that my company is a bit different compared to a typical internet company because the turnover rate is very low. That means we have a good working relationship with everyone.
Question: How would you describe the culture at your company?
2. To say nothing of... — The same as Not to mention...
E.g.: I live in the capital, which is very expensive. The bulk of my income is spent on rent and bills, so there is very little left for other essentials, to say nothing of luxuries. They are out of the question.
Question: How can companies retain female workers?
3. By the same token... — What I’m about to say is true for the same reasons, or following the same logic, that something that has just been said is true.
USUALLY: [Claim 1]. By the same token, [Claim 2].
E.g.: Companies have a duty to look after their employees. By the same token, employees have a responsibility to do their jobs as well as possible.
Question: What impact does work-life balance have on your effectiveness at work?
Now that you've had some practice using these phrases, try to answer some more questions. Use as many of the above phrases as you can.