Vocabulary
Spoken vs Written Modes
fillers · discourse markers · contractions · lexical density
a word like "um" or "like" that fills a pause in speech
/ˈfɪlə/"Um" and "you know" are common fillers in conversation.
a word that organises talk, like "well" or "anyway"
/ˈdɪskɔːs ˌmɑːkə/"Anyway" is a discourse marker that changes the topic.
a word that makes a statement less direct
/hedʒ/"Sort of" works as a hedge in speech.
a shortened form like "don't" or "it's"
/kənˈtrækʃn/Avoid contractions such as "can't" in formal essays.
imprecise words like "stuff" or "and things like that"
/ˌveɪɡ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/"We bought snacks and stuff" contains vague language.
small sounds a listener makes to show attention, like "mm-hm"
/ˈbækˌtʃænl/"Mm-hm" and "right" are backchannel responses.
leaving out words that are understood
/ɪˈlɪpsɪs/"Want a coffee?" is ellipsis for "Do you want a coffee?"
the proportion of content words in a text
/ˌleksɪkl ˈdensəti/Academic writing has a much higher lexical density than chat.
writing that uses many nouns instead of verbs
/ˌnɒmɪnl ˈstaɪl/"The introduction of the policy" is an example of nominal style.
the way speakers share the conversation
/ˈtɜːn ˌteɪkɪŋ/Good turn-taking means not interrupting all the time.
1
Tell a story naturally, then retell it in formal written style.
2
Which fillers do you use in your own language? In English?
3
Turn "We got loads of stuff and things" into precise written English.
4
Why is lexical density higher in writing than in speech?
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