1. Conversations between friends.

Watch the videos of different parts of a conversation between two friends. For each part, mark the statements true or false.

2. Conversations between friends.

Watch the videos again and choose the correct options to complete what is actually said.

3. Headers.

Headers are a feature of spoken English. A header is a word or phrase that we move to the start of a sentence to introduce a chosen topic. The header is followed by added information and then a comment on that topic. These constructions are not usually used in written English. Look at the following examples from the videos in the previous exercise.

My niece, Jill – her boyfriend, Ryan, who's a good surfer – we went to their place for the weekend, and he showed us how to surf.

Oh, that bag I bought, the red one that's not made of leather but I thought it was, well it's broken already.  

In written English these sentences could be as follows:

Last weekend we went to my niece Jill's place. Her boyfriend, Ryan, is a good surfer and showed us how to surf.

I bought a bag that I thought was made of red leather, but as it turned out, it wasn't. Well, that bag has broken already.


Put the phrases in order to complete more spoken sentences with headers. Remember, the order is usually:

Topic  > added information  > comment

4. Spoken English.

Use the words to complete parts of the conversation. Drag the words to the gap, or you can click the word and then click the gap. This exercise is in two parts. Scroll down to see Part 2.


Now complete Part 2.

5. Spoken English.

Use the words and phrases to complete the last part of the conversation. This exercise is in two parts.  Scroll down to see the second part.

Part 1

Now complete Part 2.

Part 2

6. Discourse markers.

Choose the correct function for each of the highlighted examples.

7. Discourse markers.

Sort the phrases into the categories.

8. Discourse markers.

Sort more phrases into the categories.

9. Discourse markers: Review.

Record the complete sentence with the correct option.