English Discourse Markers: 48 Essential Phrases by Function
Discourse markers are the signposts of fluent English. They tell your listener how ideas connect, when a new point begins, and when you are wrapping up. Native speakers use them automatically in presentations, essays, meetings, and conversation. Search below or filter by function.
48 items · 6 topics
"First of all"
used to introduce the first point
"First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming today."
"To begin with"
used to start a discussion or list of points
"To begin with, let us consider the main challenges."
"Let me start by saying"
signals an important opening statement
"Let me start by saying that this project has been a huge success."
"The purpose of this is to"
states the aim at the outset
"The purpose of this report is to outline the findings of our research."
"I would like to begin with"
polite formal opening
"I would like to begin with a brief overview of the situation."
"As a starting point"
introduces the first idea in a structured way
"As a starting point, we need to define what we mean by success."
"Before anything else"
emphasises that the first point takes priority
"Before anything else, we must address the safety concerns."
"Right from the outset"
from the very beginning
"Right from the outset, it was clear this would be a challenging negotiation."
"Moving on to"
transitions to the next topic
"Moving on to the next point, let us look at the financial data."
"With regard to"
introduces a new topic or aspect
"With regard to the budget, we are well within our targets."
"Turning to"
pivots attention to a new subject
"Turning to the question of staffing, we need to hire three people."
"As far as … is concerned"
limits scope to a particular topic
"As far as quality is concerned, the results are excellent."
"In terms of"
frames information within a specific area
"In terms of cost, the second option is far more efficient."
"On the one hand … on the other hand"
presents two contrasting perspectives
"On the one hand, it saves time. On the other hand, it increases cost."
"First … second … finally"
sequences a series of points clearly
"First, we gather data. Second, we analyse it. Finally, we report."
"Having said that"
introduces a qualification or contrast
"The plan looks solid. Having said that, the timeline is very tight."
"For example"
introduces a specific example to support a point
"Many animals migrate. For example, swallows travel to Africa in winter."
"For instance"
gives a concrete illustration of an idea
"There are several ways to reduce costs — for instance, renegotiating supplier contracts."
"Such as"
introduces items in a list of examples
"You should eat plenty of vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and kale."
"To illustrate"
signals that an example is about to follow
"To illustrate, consider what happened during the 2008 financial crisis."
"A case in point"
an example that proves or supports the argument
"Remote work has many benefits. A case in point is the increase in productivity at our company."
"Take … as an example"
invites the listener to focus on one specific case
"Take Japan as an example of a country with very high literacy rates."
"This is exemplified by"
indicates that evidence follows
"The trend is accelerating. This is exemplified by the latest sales figures."
"As demonstrated by"
points to evidence that proves a claim
"The strategy works, as demonstrated by the results in the pilot region."
"In other words"
restates something more clearly or simply
"The deadline has been moved forward. In other words, we have less time."
"That is to say"
clarifies or explains what was just said
"She works in the public sector, that is to say, she works for the government."
"To put it another way"
offers a different phrasing of the same idea
"The experiment failed. To put it another way, we need to start over."
"What I mean is"
informal clarification of a previous statement
"It's not that I dislike the idea. What I mean is, the timing is wrong."
"Or rather"
corrects or refines a previous statement
"We finished on time, or rather, just a few hours before the deadline."
"More precisely"
adds a more exact version of what was said
"The project was expensive — more precisely, it was three times over budget."
"To rephrase that"
signals a rephrasing for clarity
"That was unclear. To rephrase that, the data supports our hypothesis."
"Put simply"
simplifies a complex idea
"Put simply, if costs rise and revenue falls, the company loses money."
"In summary"
introduces a brief recap of the main points
"In summary, the project was completed on time and under budget."
"To sum up"
signals the conclusion of a discussion
"To sum up, there are three key reasons why this approach works."
"Overall"
gives a general, all-encompassing view
"Overall, the results were very positive, with only minor setbacks."
"On the whole"
indicates that something is generally true
"On the whole, the team performed well under pressure."
"All in all"
after considering everything
"All in all, it was a challenging but rewarding experience."
"In brief"
introduces a concise overview
"In brief, the plan involves three stages: design, test, and launch."
"The main point is"
highlights the core message
"The main point is that customer satisfaction has improved significantly."
"Taken together"
when all factors are considered as a whole
"Taken together, the evidence strongly supports our original theory."
"To conclude"
formally signals the end of a presentation or essay
"To conclude, I would like to thank the committee for their time."
"Finally"
introduces the last point in a sequence
"Finally, I would like to open the floor for questions."
"Last but not least"
indicates the final point is equally important
"Last but not least, we must acknowledge the work of the volunteers."
"In closing"
a formal phrase to end a speech or letter
"In closing, I hope you will consider our proposal carefully."
"To wrap up"
informal signal that the discussion is ending
"To wrap up, let me give you a quick recap of what we covered."
"On that note"
uses the previous point as a natural bridge to ending
"On that note, I think it is a good time to close the meeting."
"I will leave you with"
ends with a memorable thought or call to action
"I will leave you with one key insight: consistency beats intensity."
"Thank you for your attention"
polite formal closing used in presentations
"Thank you for your attention. I am happy to take any questions."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a discourse marker in English?
A discourse marker is a word or phrase that organises speech or writing by signalling relationships between ideas — such as contrast, addition, exemplification, or conclusion. Examples include "however", "in other words", and "to sum up". They do not change the core meaning but help the listener or reader follow the logic.
Why are discourse markers important for fluency?
Fluent speakers use discourse markers automatically to guide the listener through their message. Without them, even grammatically correct speech sounds choppy and hard to follow. Using markers like "moving on to", "to put it another way", or "all in all" makes your English sound structured, natural, and confident.
Are discourse markers used in both spoken and written English?
Yes, but the style differs. Formal markers like "furthermore", "in conclusion", and "with regard to" are more common in academic writing. Conversational markers like "I mean", "you know", and "anyway" are typical in spoken English. This guide focuses on markers that work well across both contexts.
How do I practise using discourse markers naturally?
The most effective method is to notice markers in real listening input — podcasts, lectures, interviews, and native-level video. When you hear a marker like "having said that" or "a case in point", observe how it works in context. Then try reproducing it in your own speech. Active listening on the InputEnglishHub platform gives you thousands of real examples.
Which discourse markers are most useful for IELTS and academic writing?
For IELTS Task 2 and academic essays, the highest-value markers are: "furthermore", "however", "in contrast", "as a result", "in conclusion", "for instance", and "in terms of". Using them correctly and precisely — rather than overusing simple connectors like "and" or "but" — is one of the clearest signals of a Band 7+ writer.
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