���˿���

Whether you are listening to a person successfully delivering a prepared speech or getting involved in a discussion or debate, you should pay attention to them to see what they do. It can help to take notes as you listen, write a few words or images down to trigger your memory when it’s your own turn to talk.

You can show that you have been listening by building on people’s arguments. Mention a point someone has made and then add your own experience or ideas. Here are some sentence starters to help you with this:

• I agree with what you mentioned about but…
• I’d like to add to what you said…
• When you talked about… it made me think…
• In addition to your comments about…

Remember, you don’t have to agree with everything a speaker says but conversation of any kind is a co-operative activity and it starts to fall down when it becomes confrontational or competitive. The purpose of a discussion is to open up an issue and invite a range of opinions and interpretations. In this case you can challenge a speaker. The following sentence starters should be useful:

• I understand what you said about… but I think…
• I disagree with your point about…
• I don’t think what you said about… is valid. I would suggest…
• When you said… I wonder whether you had considered…

Listening is as important as speaking, so avoid dominating a discussion, even if you have lots to say, and encourage others to share their views too.