Speaking: Monologue. Tips and Linkers

ORAL EXAM: Monologue


In the oral exam each candidate is asked to talk about issues related to the topic for about four minutes. The issues listed are in the form of a question or a statement:

The environmental impact of tourism.

The advantages and disadvantages of the job of a teacher.

In other cases the candidate is provided with questions:

Are video games dangerous for young people?

How have new technologies changed our daily life in the past ten years?

KEY TIPS

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1. Structure your monologue well

Use a clear and logical structure for your monologue:

• Introduction: Briefly introduce the topic and what you’re going to talk about.

• Main Body:

  • Address each of the three questions in turn.

  • Use linkers to move smoothly between points (e.g., firstly, in contrast, on the other hand, furthermore).

• Conclusion: Give a brief summary or final opinion.

Tip: Think of it like a mini-essay spoken aloud.

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2. Use Signposting Language

Help your listener follow your ideas. Phrases like:

• Let me begin with…

• As for the second question…

• That leads me to…

• To sum up…

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3. Expand Your Answers

Don’t give short answers—develop each point with:

• Personal experience

• Examples

• Hypothetical situations (If I were in charge of education…)

• Comparisons and cause/effect (Compared to the past…, This is important because…)

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4. Show Off Your Range

Use a variety of:

• Tenses (past experience, present habits, future hopes)

• Structures (conditionals, passive voice, relative clauses)

• Vocabulary (topic-specific and idiomatic expressions where appropriate)

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5. Practice Timing

If you’re given 4 minutes, aim to:

• Spend about one minute per question

• Leave time for a short intro and conclusion

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6. Practice with Prompts

Use mock questions and record yourself (you could use a recording website like https://vocaroo.com/). Example questions:

• What role does technology play in education today?

• How can we encourage people to live healthier lives?

Then listen and self-evaluate:

• Was it clear?

• Did I cover all three points?

• Did I use a range of language?

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7. Manage Nerves

• Breathe and pace yourself

• It’s okay to pause briefly to gather your thoughts

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8.  Phrases to Buy Time Thoughtfully

Avoid filler words like you know, like, um—instead, use natural hesitation phrases:

🔹 When thinking or hesitating briefly:

• Let me think (for a moment/ second). 

• That’s an interesting point

• That’s a good question.

• Well, I suppose…

• I haven’t really thought about that, but…

• Let’s see...

• Hmm, how can I put this...?

• If I had to choose…

• I’d say that...

🔹 When clarifying your direction:

• What I mean is…

• How can I explain this clearly…

• Let me put it another way.

• To put it simply…

• If I understand the question correctly…

🔹 When returning to your main point:

• As I was saying…

• As I mentioned earlier...

• Getting back to the point…

• Getting back to what I was saying...

• Where was I? Oh yes...

• Anyway…

• So, going back to the main idea…

• Let me go back to the earlier point about...

• Just to pick up where I left off...

🔹To introduce a new point or shift focus:

• Now, moving on to...

• Let’s turn to...

• Another thing to consider is...

• On a related note...

• This brings me to my next point...

• Speaking of that, it reminds me..

• Turning to the next question...

• Let’s look at another aspect...

• In the same way, / Similarly,

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OTHER USEFUL PHRASES FOR YOUR MONOLOGUE

YOU SHOULD START YOUR MONOLOGUE MENTIONING THE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT

First... First and foremost,... In the first place... To begin with...First of all... I'd like to start by giving my opinion on the impact of tourism on the environment (it's a good idea to rephrase the issue)

To start with... let me express my view on the pros and cons of working as a teacher (use synonyms whenever possible)

Then.... In the second place... Besides, I'll move on to the issue of whether video games are dangerous... (Use an indirect question)

Last but not least, I'd also like to answer / deal with the question of how new technologies have changed our daily life in the past ten years.

 
EFFECTIVE OPENINGS

In order to grab the attention of the audience you may employ one or two of the following devices:

- Rhetorical questions:

Can crime really be prevented?

Has the role of teachers really changed in the past years?

- Interesting facts:

According to an article I read recently,...

Did you know that...?

I’d like to share an amazing fact / figure/ statistic with you.

Have you ever heard of...?

- Starting with an anecdote:

Let me tell you what happened to me.

- Problems to think about: (use conditional type 2 or 3)

Suppose / Supposing you wanted to...

Imagine you had to...

Have you ever wondered what would happen / would have happened if...?

- Quoting a well-known person

As Shakespeare once said,...

To quote a well-known writer,...

To put it in the words of...

INTRODUCING A POINT

When delivering a monologue on a particular subject it is important to introduce the key points first.

You may use one of the following phrases:

First of all I'd like to point out...

The main problem is...

The fact is that...

The question of...

Speaking of...

With regard to video games.

In regard to video games,...

As regards video games,...

Regarding video games,...

As to video games,...

As for video games,...

When it comes to video games,...

On the question of video games,...

As far as video games are concerned,...

Concerning video games,...

In relation to video games,...

In respect of video games,...

With reference to video games,...

In reference to video games,...

In the case of video games,...

 

OR YOU MAY BEGIN BY STATING SOMETHING AS A FACT

As everyone knows...

It is generally accepted that...

There can be no doubt that...

It is a fact that...

Nobody will deny that...

ENUMERATION OF POINTS

If you want to provide several reasons, factors or arguments in a row, you have to organize them in the logical way. In order to structure your answer properly enumerate the main points using one of the suggested phrases:

First of all... First and foremost... In the first place... To begin with...To start with... I'd like to say / to mention that...Let's start with...

Second... Secondly... A second area to consider is …In the second place... In addition to that... Apart from that... Besides...

Moreover,...

Furthermore,...

Another example of this is...

Finally,... Lastly... Finally, and perhaps most importantly,...

In conclusion... All in all... All things considered...

What is more, ...

If this were not enough, ....

On top of all this...




MOVING TO THE NEXT POINT

🔹 To move from the first to the second question:

• As for the second question...

• Now, turning to the next point...

• Moving on to the second topic...

• Let’s shift focus to the next question, which is about...

• The next thing I’d like to talk about is...

• Regarding the second part of the task...

• This leads directly to my next point.

• This brings us to the next question.

• Let’s now move on / turn to...

• After examining this point, let’s turn to...

• Let’s now take a look at...

🔹 To introduce the third question:

• Finally, let’s consider the third question...

• Now let’s look at the last point...

• Turning to the final issue...

• As for the last question...

• To wrap things up, I’ll talk about...

Use these transitions with brief rephrasing of the question to show off your language range:

“Now, turning to the next point—how online learning has changed our habits—I’d say...”

GOING BACK

As I said / mentioned / pointed out earlier,...

Let me come back to what I said before...

Let’s go back to what we were discussing earlier...

As I’ve already explained...

GIVING YOUR OPINION

• I think / feel / believe that...

• As far as I'm concerned....

• As I see it...

• To my mind...

• In my view / opinion...

• From my point of view...

• I tend to think that...

• It seems to me that...

• To my knowledge,...

• I have the impression that...

• I reckon...(informal)

• For my part...

Note: We use from my point of view to express how we see something or how it affects us personally. When we are expressing our beliefs or opinions, we use in my opinion or in my view. E.g. From my point of view, driving is not a good option. I get very tired if I drive more than about two hours. I spent two months working in England. From my point of view, that was the easiest way to learn English. (How the speaker is personally affected by something) In my opinion/In my view, in 100 years’ time people will still be wearing jeans. In my view, everyone should stay in school until they are 18.

GIVING A STRONG OPINION

• I'm absolutely convinced that...

• I'm sure that...

• I strongly believe that...

• I have no doubt that...

• There's no doubt that...

• My own view is that...

• I'm absolutely certain that...

• If you want my honest opinion...

• To tell you the truth / to be honest / frank

EXPRESSING UNCERTAINTY

• I definitely doubt if that...

• I'm uncertain / not sure that...

• As far as I know...

• It is very doubtful whether...

• I don’t know about you, but I ...

GIVING OPINIONS USING IMPERSONAL LANGUAGE

It is vital that more is done to prevent the illegal trade in wild animals. ◇ (Compare: We have to do more to stop people trading wild animals illegally.)

Journalists play a vital/crucial/essential role in educating the public.

The ability to write well is essential for any journalist.

The Internet has become an indispensable /ˌɪndɪˈspensəbl/ tool for reporters.

In journalism, accuracy is paramount. / ...is of paramount importance.

It is imperative that journalists maintain the highest possible standards of reporting.

This case emphasizes/highlights the importance of honest communication between managers and employees.

It should be noted that / It is important to remember that / An important point to remember is that ...

I would like to draw attention to the role of listening in effective communication.

MAKING AN OPINION SOUND LESS DEFINITE

Most cybercrime involves traditional crimes, such as theft and fraud, being committed in new ways. Phishing is perhaps/possibly/probably the best-known example of this.

It seems/appears that the more personal data which organizations collect, the more opportunity there is for this data to be lost or stolen.

It seems clear that introducing national ID cards would do little to prevent identity theft.

It could be argued that the introduction of national ID cards might actually make identity theft easier.

It is possible that/It may be that the only way to protect ourselves against DNA identity theft is to avoid the creation of national DNA databases.

EXPANDING A TOPIC SENTENCE

In other words, develop it with explanations, examples, or implications

To Explain or Clarify a Statement

• In other words,

• That is to say,

• What I mean is,

• To put it another way,

• Basically,

• This means that…

• In simpler terms,

• Let me explain…

Example:
Topic sentence: Technology has changed the way we work.
Expansion: In other words, many jobs can now be done remotely, thanks to online platforms and communication tools.

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To Add Emphasis or Clarify a Statement

These help you expand by reinforcing or sharpening your point:

• As a matter of fact,

• Actually,

• In fact,

• Indeed,

• To be more precise,

• Let me stress that…

• It’s worth noting that…

Example:
Technology has changed the way students learn. In fact, many courses are now delivered entirely online.

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To Give an Example

• For example,

• For instance,

• Such as,

• A good example of this is…

• To illustrate this point…

Example:
For instance, people can attend meetings from home using Zoom or Teams, which wasn't possible 15 years ago.

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To Introduce Specific Examples or Evidence

Use these to give weight and depth to your statement:

• In particular,

• A case in point is…

• To give you an example,

• Specifically,

• Such as…

• Take, for example…

• Especially…

Example:
Environmental issues affect us all. A case in point is air pollution in major cities like Delhi and Beijing.

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To Add More Detail

• Moreover,

• What’s more,

• In addition to that,

• Another point worth mentioning is…

• Not only that, but…

Example:
What’s more, people often use apps to manage their schedules or track their productivity.

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To Show a Cause or Effect

• As a result,

• This leads to…

• That’s why…

• Due to this,

• Consequently…

Example:
As a result, many companies are rethinking the need for physical office space.

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Linkers & Phrases to Expand Topic Sentences with examples

1. To Add Emphasis or Clarify

Phrase	Example
As a matter of fact,	As a matter of fact, many people prefer working from home now.
Actually,	Actually, the number of smokers has decreased in recent years.
In fact,	In fact, studies show that green spaces improve mental health.
Indeed,	Indeed, it’s one of the fastest-growing industries today.
To be more precise,	To be more precise, it affects nearly one in five teenagers.
It’s worth noting that…	It’s worth noting that diet plays a key role in mental clarity.

2. To Introduce Specific Examples

Phrase	Example
In particular,	In particular, younger generations are most affected.
A case in point is…	A case in point is the rise of remote healthcare services.
For example,	For example, many schools now use digital platforms.
To give you an example,	To give you an example, Finland has one of the best education systems.
Such as…	Some countries, such as Norway and Sweden, lead in renewable energy.
Take, for example,…	Take, for example, how smartphones are used in classrooms.
Especially…	Especially in cities, pollution is a growing concern.

3. To Add Extra Information

Phrase	Example
What’s more,	What’s more, it’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
Additionally,	Additionally, it helps people manage their time better.
Besides that,	Besides that, regular exercise improves concentration.
Not only that, but…	Not only that, but it also reduces healthcare costs.
On top of that,	On top of that, it's accessible to people of all ages.
Another key point is…	Another key point is that public transport reduces traffic congestion.

4. To Rephrase or Restate

Phrase	Example
To put it another way,	To put it another way, we rely on our phones for almost everything.
That is to say,	That is to say, we need more funding for mental health programs.
What I mean is,	What I mean is, schools should teach more life skills.
In simpler terms,	In simpler terms, it’s a way to save energy and cut emissions.
Let me explain…	Let me explain—this system tracks usage and reduces waste.

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GIVING REASONS AND MAKING A POINT

There are several reasons why I think that...

The reason for this is that / why I say that is....

I base my argument on...

I tell you all this because...

What I'm basically saying is...

The point I'm trying to make is that...

Let me put it this way:...

..., which means that...

INDICATING THE END OF YOUR MONOLOGUE

Well, this brings me to the end of what I wanted to say about ....

That covers just about everything I wanted to say about...

As a final point I'd like to say / add that...

Finally, I'd like to highlight one final / key issue.

My final comments concern....

I would like to finish by mentioning...

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMING UP

The obvious conclusion is...

Last but not least...

The only possible solution / conclusion is....

In conclusion I can / would like to say that...

To cut a long story short...

All things considered...

Let me summarize by saying...

Briefly said,...

In short,...

To recap what I've said so far...

To sum up,..