What are the signposts the speaker uses to move from one point to another?

Signposting language is the words and phrases that people use in order to guide the listener coherently through what is being said. 

It is used to make clear what has just happened, and what is going to happen next. 

So in other words, it acts as a guide so the listener can follow what you are saying.

Why is this important for IELTS?

In section 4 of the listening you have to listen to a talk in an academic setting, such as a university.

It is usually a lecture by a professor, a presentation by a student, or a talk by a university staff member. So it is possible that signposting will be used within this.

This lesson is designed to help you with Section 4 IELTS listenings that are a lecture, though the language for a presentation or talk may be the same or similar.

If you know the type of language that is used to guide you, it will help you to follow the lecture.

This is particuarly important if your listening skills are weaker than they should be because you will easily get lost if you don't know where you are.

Also, the lecture may be split into two parts (see for example the section 4 of this lecture).

It may be the case that these two sections follow the sections that the speaker divides their talk into i.e. two parts. Knowing then the lecture structure and the language the speaker uses to tell you they are moving onto the second section will help you to follow where you are.

The signposting language we'll look at in this lesson is the words and phrases that introduce the topics and subsections of the lecture.

Examples of Lecture Signposting Language

This list sets out some of the key language that guides you on the overall topic and content of the lecture, and when different sections of the lecture are being discussed.

The table includes the signposting language to signal the end of the talk. However you are every unlikly to hear this used in IELTS because as section 4 of the listening is only around 4-5 minutes, you only usually hear the first part of the lecture or presentation.

Remember there are lots of different ways to say these things, so what you hear could be phrased slightly differently.

Introducing the topic of the lecture:

• Today we are going to talk about…
• The topic of today’s lecture is…
• This morning we are going to take a look at…
• Today I’ll be talking about / discussing...
• What I’m going to be talking about today is…
• The purpose of today’s lecture is…
• The subject/topic of my talk is ...

Explaining the lecture structure (sections / subtopics):

• In today’s lecture I’m going to cover three points.
• I’m going to divide this talk into three parts.
• First we’ll look at….. Then we’ll go on to … And finally I’ll…

Introducing the first section / subtopic or first of a list of points:

• Let’s start by talking about...
• To begin,…
• Firstly,…
• I’ll start with,…
• The first advantage / reason / cause etc. is...

Finishing a section:

• We've looked at...
• I’ve talked about….

Starting a new section:

• Let’s move on to…
• Now, let’s turn to…
• And I’d now like to talk about…
• The next / second …
• I'd like now to discuss...
• The next issue/topic/area I’d like to focus on …

To signal the end of the talk / Summing up:

• To sum up, …
• So it is clear from what we have discussed today that…
• I'd like now to recap...
• Let's summarise briefly what we've looked at...
• In conclusion, …
• To summarise, …
• In summary, …
• Overall, …
• The three main points are …

Practice

Have a listen to the start of this lecture. What is the signposting language used?

So you need to listen and identify the phrases or words you here such as "What I’m going to be talking about today is…", "I’m going to divide this talk into three parts", "To begin,..." etc.

There are two kinds of public speaking signposts.  Both of them keep your listeners informed about where you’re going — and where you want to take them.

Public Speaking Signposts Can Be Verbal

One of the most effective ways to sound more professional as a public speaker is to alert your audience whenever you transition to a new topic, reiterate a point, or change the direction of your argument.  That’s what’s going on when you hear speakers say things like,

• “So, we’ve talked about X; now let’s move on to Y.”
• “Why does that matter?  I’ll tell you why.  It’s because…”
• “I want to leave you with the following thought…”

Each of these audio signposts signals a transition.  They are formulaic because they have a “ceremonial” function:  They let your listener know that something important is coming, and remind you to slow down and emphasize what you’re about to say.

Public Speaking Signposts Can Be Visual

The other kind of public speaking signpost grabs your audience by the eyes rather than by the ears.  In his classic  post on “Really Bad Powerpoint,” blogger Seth Godin famously argued that it’s better to show a photo of a dead bird than a list of bulleted points about air pollution.

Godin was right (though PowerPoint hating has since gone to silly lengths).  Pictures are signifiers that, like transitional phrases, help move your audience’s attention to wherever your speech is going next.

Signs Can Be Public Speaking Signposts

Which brings us to the picture, above, of Occupy Wall Street.  I wish I knew (a) who shot this image, and also (b) who created the row of signs it shows.  Like a dignified Greek chorus, those signs stand in for people who are suffering in our winner-take-all economy.  They testify to harsh realities, such as:

• I will never pay off my student loans
• I will never own a home in my life
• I will never get a job in this economy

These signs are also signposts.  Like transitions in a speech…   like Seth Godin’s startling bird image…  they focus our attention on where things are going next.  Only in this case, it’s not about showing us where a speech is headed.

These signposts point out where we’re headed as a country — and whether that’s really where we want to go.

What are the 3 types of signpost?

What are examples of signposts?

What are the types of signposts?

What are signposts in a presentation?