Evolve Digital Level 6

Speaking skills summaries

Unit 1, Lesson 3: Acknowledging arguments and proposing counterarguments.........3
Unit 2, Lesson 3: Discussing similar experiences.......................................................4
Unit 3, Lesson 3: Describing a bad experience and offering sympathy and
reassurance................................................................................................................ 5
Describing a bad experience...................................................................................5
Offering sympathy and reassurance........................................................................5
Unit 4, Lesson 3: Clarifying a problem........................................................................6
Unit 5, Lesson 3: Signaling cause and effect..............................................................7
Signaling cause....................................................................................................... 7
Signaling effect........................................................................................................7
Unit 6, Lesson 3: Adding emphasis.............................................................................8
Adverb-adjective combinations................................................................................8
The adverbs "even" or "actually".............................................................................8
The auxiliary verbs "do/does" (simple present) and "did" (simple past) in positive
statements to make the main verb more emphatic .................................................8
Clefts....................................................................................................................... 8
Unit 7, Lesson 3: Commenting on your own story, responding to someone else's
story, expressing an opinion....................................................................................... 9
Commenting on your own story...............................................................................9
Responding to someone else's story.......................................................................9
Expressing an opinion............................................................................................. 9
Unit 8, Lesson 3: Speaking persuasively about a product........................................10
Describing the positive impact of using a product.................................................10
Summing up the product's purpose.......................................................................10
Describing the company's intention.......................................................................10
Using clefts and fronting for emphasis...................................................................10
Using direct address to customer..........................................................................10
Unit 9, Lesson 3: Asking and deflecting probing questions.......................................11
Asking probing questions...................................................................................... 11

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 Buying time to think............................................................................................... 11
Deflecting questions..............................................................................................11
Unit 10, Lesson 3: Defending an opinion and concluding a turn...............................12
Concluding a turn.................................................................................................. 12
Defending an opinion.............................................................................................12
Unit 11, Lesson 3: Responding to questions.............................................................13
Clarifying or asking for repetition...........................................................................13
Thinking aloud to formulate an answer..................................................................13
Redirecting the question........................................................................................13
Unit 12, Lesson 3: Retelling a story...........................................................................14
Referring to the original.........................................................................................14
Skipping details..................................................................................................... 14
Signaling a retelling............................................................................................... 14

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Unit 1, Lesson 3: Acknowledging arguments and
proposing counterarguments
When having a discussion in English, it's important to be polite and use expressions
that show the other speaker that you are considering their opinion, even if you don't
agree with it. If you want to propose a counterargument, you can introduce it with the
word but.

I can see how that might be interesting, but…

I understand what you're saying, but I still don't get it.
It's a valid point, … but consider the other side.
You have a good point there.
I get where you're coming from, but…
I hadn't really thought of it like that. I guess you're right.
I guess so, but I'm still not convinced.
You could look at it that way, but that doesn't mean…
That may be true…

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Unit 2, Lesson 3: Discussing similar experiences
I hear you.
I can relate to that.
I know exactly what you mean.
Has that been the case for you?
That reminds me of the time (when)…
That's just like the time (when)…
I know how you feel.
Tell me about it!
What a coincidence!
Same here!

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Unit 3, Lesson 3: Describing a bad experience and offering
sympathy and reassurance
Describing a bad experience
Everything that could possibly go wrong did go wrong.
I just couldn't believe this was happening!
I wish I'd just stayed in bed today.
It was a total and unmitigated disaster!
It was the worst presentation ever!
You haven't heard the worst part yet.
Offering sympathy and reassurance
Everybody (goes blank) now and then.
I'll bet no one even noticed.
I'm sure it just felt that way.
It can't have been that bad.
I think you're blowing it out of proportion.
Things are never as bad as you think they are.
We've all been there.
You'll see – everything'll be just fine.

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Unit 4, Lesson 3: Clarifying a problem
It's not quite that straightforward when you look at it more closely.
That's the key to finding a solution.
That has a major impact on…
There's considerably more to it than…
The truth of the matter is…
This gets to the heart of the problem.
… isn't a bad thing in itself.
It all comes down to…
Looking at it objectively…

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Unit 5, Lesson 3: Signaling cause and effect
Signaling cause
Spoken and written:
due to…
thanks to…
for all the reasons…
seeing as how…
because of…
Formal, mainly written:
as a result of…
owing to…
the consequences of…
Signaling effect
Spoken and written:
that's why…
so…
a side effect of…
Formal, mainly written:
thus…
consequently…

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Unit 6, Lesson 3: Adding emphasis
Adverb-adjective combinations
"Since then, Seattleites have been totally obsessed with the drink."
The adverbs "even" or "actually"
"Vinyl is really making a comeback. Even new music is coming out on vinyl."
"So, actually, we're talking about two trends here…"
The auxiliary verbs "do/does" (simple present) and "did" (simple past)
"Not long ago people really did think that we'd stop buying books altogether."
"I do wonder whether this trend… is having an effect on the corporate world yet."
Clefts
"But the thing that's most surprising is… small local coffee shops are actually
coming back."
"It is local businesses (that) they want to support now."
"What they have in common is that desire for interaction."

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Unit 7, Lesson 3: Commenting on your own story,
responding to someone else's story, expressing an
opinion
Commenting on your own story
It's difficult to put into words.
… if you know what I mean.
It's hard to describe.
That was the best part!
It's difficult to say why exactly.
Responding to someone else's story
I can see how it would be strange.
Sounds intriguing.
I think I can understand that.
How did you handle that?
It must have been very exciting / pretty overwhelming.
It can't have been easy.
Expressing an opinion
I have to admit, …
To tell you the truth, …
To be perfectly honest, …
Don't get me wrong…

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Unit 8, Lesson 3: Speaking persuasively about a product
Describing the positive impact of using a product
It's (an app) that enables users to…
This is a great opportunity to…
Summing up the product's purpose
That's the whole point of...
The bottom line is, …
Describing the company's intention
Our goal is to…
We're aiming to give users...
We're all about…
Using clefts and fronting for emphasis
What (the app) also offers is…
No other app on the market offers...
Using direct address to customer
You won't want to miss out on...

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Unit 9, Lesson 3: Asking and deflecting probing questions
Asking probing questions
Isn't it fair to say that…?
Wouldn't you agree that…?
How do you explain the fact that…?
Are you suggesting that…?
Surely you can't be suggesting that…?
Is that a policy (your department) supports?
What's your reaction to…?
Could you give me some concrete examples?
How exactly are you proposing to…?
Buying time to think
I'm glad you brought that up…
Well, that's an interesting point…
That's certainly an interesting claim…
What do you mean?
That's a very good question.
Deflecting questions
I'm afraid I can't comment on…
I can't confirm… at the moment.
I'll need to get back to you on that.
I'm afraid I don't have (those figures) in front of me.

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Unit 10, Lesson 3: Defending an opinion and concluding a
turn
Concluding a turn
It all comes down to…
That's all I'm saying.
That's the point I'm trying to make.
There's so much more that can be done.
We're going to have to agree to disagree on this.
Defending an opinion
You might think so, but actually…
I mean, it's not that difficult.
It's not as simple as that.
I just don't see why anything so radical is necessary.

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Unit 11, Lesson 3: Responding to questions
Clarifying or asking for repetition
Let me just check that I've understood your question.
Sorry, but what do you mean by that, exactly?
I'm not sure I understand. Could you rephrase the question, please?
Thinking aloud to formulate an answer
That's a good question.
I guess I would have to say…
I'm glad you asked that.
Well, the short answer is yes/no.
Let me think…
Well, I've never really thought about it like that, but now that you ask,…
Redirecting the question
Would you like to take this one?
I'm afraid that's not really my area.
Perhaps (Professor Suarez) can answer that one.

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Unit 12, Lesson 3: Retelling a story
Referring to the original
Those were his exact words, …
In his own words…
That's what he said.
I got it straight from the horse's mouth.
Skipping details
To make a long story short, …
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Signaling a retelling
I can't tell it the way he does.
I don't remember/know all the details, but…
I can't speak for him, but…
It's much better the way he tells it!

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