Signposting expressions
Signposting expressions are words or phrases that help guide the reader or listener through a piece of writing or a conversation. They serve as cues that indicate the structure and flow of the information being presented, making it easier for the audience to follow the logical progression of ideas.
Coherent speakers use signposting words and phrases which indicate the structure, content, and progression of their talk.
Some of the most commonly used signposting expressions are:
- Introduction:
- “Firstly…”
- “To begin with…”
- “In this [essay, article, discussion]…”
- “One important aspect is…”
- Addition:
- “Furthermore…”
- “Moreover…”
- “In addition…”
- “Additionally…”
- Contrast:
- “However…”
- “On the other hand…”
- “In contrast…”
- “Although…”
- Conclusion:
- “In conclusion…”
- “To sum up…”
- “Therefore…”
- “As a result…”
<INSERT AUDIO>
Listen to the audio again and identify some signposting expressions to complete the table below.
| Signposting expressions | Function |
|---|---|
| Introducing the talk | |
| Transitioning from one area of focus to the other, usually in the middle sections of the talk | |
| closing the talk |
Answers (underlined) and alternative suggestions
| Signposting expressions | Function |
|---|---|
| Welcome to today’s talk about / thank you for coming to … / My name is …. / and today I am going to talk about… | Introducing the talk |
| First, let’s look at/Moving on to / Let’s now look at… / another thing.. / If I can draw your attention to… / Another aspect.. / the next issue… / now let’s turn to… |
Transitioning from one area of focus to the other, usually in the middle sections of the talk |
| Finally, / to sum up / in conclusion / to conclude… / to summarise… / it is clear from what we talked about today… / overall… / in summary… / in this lecture we talked about… | closing the talk |
Signposting expressions in the IELTS Listening test help by:
1. Guiding you through the conversation’s structure.
2. Highlighting main ideas and supporting details.
3. Predicting upcoming information.
4. Showing relationships and contrasts between ideas.
5. Locating answers efficiently.
6. Keeping you focused and engaged.
7. Assisting in organized note-taking.
Recognizing and using these expressions will improve your comprehension and performance in the test.
Further examples of signposting expressions include:
1. **Introduction:**
– “In this essay, we will explore…”
– “Firstly, let’s consider…”
– “To begin with…”
2. **Addition:**
– “Furthermore…”
– “Moreover…”
– “In addition to…”
– “Additionally…”
3. **Contrast:**
– “On the other hand…”
– “However…”
– “In contrast…”
– “While X is true, Y is also true…”
4. **Comparison:**
– “Similarly…”
– “Likewise…”
– “In the same way…”
– “Compared to…”
5. **Example:**
– “For instance…”
– “As an example…”
– “To illustrate this…”
– “A case in point is…”
6. **Conclusion:**
– “In conclusion…”
– “To sum up…”
– “To wrap things up…”
– “In summary…”
7. **Sequencing:**
– “Next…”
– “Then…”
– “Afterward…”
– “Finally…”
8. **Cause and Effect:**
– “As a result…”
– “Because of this…”
– “Due to…”
– “Therefore…”
9. **Clarification:**
– “In other words…”
– “To put it differently…”
– “That is to say…”
10. **Emphasis:**
– “Indeed…”
– “Notably…”
– “Of course…”
– “Importantly…”
By using signposting expressions effectively, writers and speakers can enhance the coherence of their communication, allowing the audience to better understand the relationships between ideas and the overall structure of the content.
