The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002

9.1. Linking signals
Unit nine. Linking

Sections 351-359; 238; 470-472

We help people to understand our messages by signalling how one idea leads to another. Most of the words and phrases which have this connecting function in English are sentence adverbials, and they generally come at the beginning of a sentence. Their most important functions are:

• making a new start

• changing the subject

• listing and adding

• reinforcement

• summary and generalisation

• explanation

• reformulation

Task **

Complete the dialogue by adding a suitable linking signal as suggested by the function in brackets.

Andy: Didn’t it snow heavily last night. (1. Making a new start), not heavily, but a lot. (2. Reformulation), I’ve had a bad time getting into work this morning.

Ben: It wasn’t easy. (3. Changing the subject), you do realise that that report has to be finished by Friday, don’t you?

Andy: Friday? That’ll never happen.

Ben: Why not?

Andy: There just isn’t the time. We haven’t got all the information we need. (4. Explanation), we don’t have the figures for the last quarter of the year.

Ben: I can easily get those. (5. Making a new start), what other problems are there?

Andy: (6. Making a new start), (7. Listing): what about staff reductions? How are they to be included?

(8. Listing): what about the “bad debt” write-offs?

(9. Listing): Is the Managing Director’s pension enhancement to be included in the whole of last year’s figures?

All these things have made a dent in our profits. (10. Generalising), they do not reflect on the increased business, (11. Explanation), the fact that we have opened up new markets, (12. Explanation), in South-east Asia and some of the Russian republics.

Ben: (13. Summary), you want to be able to say that the business is improving, so we have to figure in special items for this year.

Andy: Yes. (14. Adding), I want to stress that things like the bad debts are one-off items, (15. Explanation), of course, they won’t be repeated.

Ben: Not even the managing director’s pension?

Andy: (16. Summary), no! Not even the Managing Director’s pension provision. (17. Reinforcement), I think that was already considered in the mid-year report. (18. Changing the subject), what do you think about the proposed branch closures?

Ben: It’s terrible.

Andy: It will be for some people. (19. Explanation) the older staff who won’t easily find another job.

Ben: It won’t?

Andy: No. Not here at head office. (20. Reinforcement), we may take on more staff.

Ben: Glad to hear it.