English Discourse Phrases: 48 Essential Phrases by Function
Discourse phrases are the glue of fluent speech. They show a speaker knows how to organise thought in English. These 48 phrases cover the most important conversational and rhetorical functions you need at every level.
48 phrases · 6 categories
"Nice to meet you"
A polite greeting when being introduced to someone for the first time
""Nice to meet you, Sarah. I've heard a lot about your work.""
"How do you do?"
A formal greeting used when being introduced, especially in British English
""How do you do? I'm the new account manager.""
"It's a pleasure to meet you"
A slightly more formal version of "nice to meet you"
""It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor. I've read all your papers.""
"Allow me to introduce myself"
A formal phrase used to begin a self-introduction
""Allow me to introduce myself — I'm the director of marketing.""
"Long time no see"
An informal phrase used when meeting someone after a long absence
""Long time no see! Where have you been hiding?""
"What brings you here?"
A conversational way to ask why someone is present at a place or event
""What brings you here tonight? Are you a friend of the host?""
"I don't think we've met"
A polite way to introduce yourself to a stranger in a social setting
""I don't think we've met — I'm David from the finance team.""
"Good to see you again"
A warm greeting for someone you have met before
""Good to see you again, James. How was your holiday?""
"In my opinion"
Used to signal that what follows is a personal viewpoint
""In my opinion, the new policy will hurt productivity.""
"As far as I'm concerned"
Used to express a personal stance, often implying others may disagree
""As far as I'm concerned, the deal is off the table.""
"It seems to me that"
A tentative way to offer an opinion, suggesting it is based on observation
""It seems to me that the team lacks direction.""
"I tend to think that"
Used to express a leaning opinion that is not completely certain
""I tend to think that remote work increases focus.""
"If you ask me"
An informal phrase meaning "in my opinion", inviting attention to your view
""If you ask me, they should have launched six months ago.""
"From my point of view"
Used to frame a perspective relative to your own position or experience
""From my point of view, the customer experience needs work.""
"I would argue that"
A more assertive phrase used to put forward a position for discussion
""I would argue that consistency matters more than speed.""
"The way I see it"
An informal phrase introducing a personal interpretation
""The way I see it, both sides have valid points.""
"Even so"
Used to introduce a contrasting point despite what was just said
""The project was late. Even so, the quality was outstanding.""
"Having said that"
Used to introduce a qualification or contrast with what you just stated
""The food was expensive. Having said that, every dish was perfect.""
"That said"
A shorter version of "having said that", used to introduce a contrasting idea
""It's a tough market. That said, our product has real advantages.""
"On the other hand"
Used to present the opposing or alternative side of an argument
""Working from home saves commute time. On the other hand, collaboration suffers.""
"Nonetheless"
A formal word meaning "in spite of what was just said"
""The risks are significant. Nonetheless, we should proceed.""
"Despite this"
Used to acknowledge one fact while pointing to an outcome that might seem contradictory
""Sales dropped in Q1. Despite this, we remained profitable.""
"While it's true that"
Used to concede a point before introducing a contrasting argument
""While it's true that costs have risen, our revenue has kept pace.""
"At the same time"
Used to introduce a simultaneously relevant but contrasting idea
""We need to cut costs. At the same time, we can't reduce headcount.""
"What I'm saying is"
Used to restate or clarify a point to ensure it is understood correctly
""What I'm saying is, we can't afford to delay any longer.""
"The point is"
Used to get to the heart of an argument or cut through irrelevant detail
""The point is, we promised delivery by Friday and we failed.""
"What really matters is"
Used to highlight the most important aspect of a situation
""What really matters is whether customers trust our brand.""
"Above all"
Used to indicate the most important item in a list or argument
""Be on time, be prepared, and above all, be honest.""
"In particular"
Used to single out one specific element for special attention
""I enjoyed the conference — in particular, the panel on AI ethics.""
"To be more specific"
Used to narrow down a broad statement into precise detail
""We need improvements. To be more specific, the checkout flow needs redesigning.""
"Let me be clear"
Used to introduce a definitive, unambiguous statement
""Let me be clear: there will be no further extensions.""
"What I mean by that is"
Used to follow up a potentially vague statement with a clearer explanation
""It was a strategic error. What I mean by that is we entered too early.""
"First of all"
Used to introduce the first in a series of points
""First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming today.""
"Moving on to"
Used to signal a shift to the next topic in a structured discussion
""Moving on to next quarter's projections, we expect a 12% rise.""
"As I mentioned earlier"
Used to refer back to a point made previously, reinforcing continuity
""As I mentioned earlier, the deadline is non-negotiable.""
"To sum up"
Used to introduce a concise summary before concluding
""To sum up, we have three clear actions to take before Friday.""
"With that in mind"
Used to connect a previously stated fact to a conclusion or suggestion
""With that in mind, let's look at how we can reduce costs.""
"That brings me to"
Used to create a smooth bridge between two related topics
""That brings me to the second challenge we need to address.""
"To put it another way"
Used to restate something in simpler or different terms
""The margin is insufficient. To put it another way, we're spending too much.""
"Last but not least"
Used to introduce the final point in a list while emphasising its importance
""Last but not least, I want to recognise Sarah's contribution to the project.""
"Would you mind...?"
A very polite way to make a request, expecting a yes or no answer
""Would you mind closing the window? It's a bit cold.""
"I was wondering if you could"
A tentative and polite way to ask for help or a favour
""I was wondering if you could review my draft before the meeting.""
"Do you think you could"
A polite request phrased as a question about ability or willingness
""Do you think you could send me that report by Thursday?""
"If it's not too much trouble"
A phrase added to soften a request by acknowledging it may be an inconvenience
""Could you grab me a coffee, if it's not too much trouble?""
"I'd really appreciate it if"
Used to express gratitude in advance as a way of making a polite request
""I'd really appreciate it if you could keep this between us.""
"Could I possibly"
An especially polite way to ask for permission or a favour
""Could I possibly have until Monday to finish this?""
"Would it be possible to"
A formal way to inquire whether something can be arranged
""Would it be possible to reschedule the meeting to Thursday?""
"I hate to ask, but"
Used to preface a request while acknowledging it may be inconvenient or awkward
""I hate to ask, but could you lend me your notes from last week?""
Frequently Asked Questions
What are discourse phrases in English?
Discourse phrases are set expressions that connect, organise, and frame ideas in conversation and writing. They include transitions like "moving on to", hedges like "it seems to me that", and politeness markers like "would you mind". Unlike vocabulary words, discourse phrases signal the relationship between ideas, not just the ideas themselves.
Why do discourse phrases matter for fluency?
Native speakers use discourse phrases instinctively to signal turns, transitions, emphasis, and intent. When a learner omits them, their speech can sound abrupt or hard to follow. Learning these phrases dramatically improves listening comprehension too — once you recognise them, you can predict the structure of what comes next.
How many discourse phrases do I need to sound natural?
Around 40–60 well-chosen discourse phrases cover the most common conversational and professional situations. The key is not memorising lists but encountering them repeatedly in real speech. The Comprehensible Input approach — listening to natural English at your level — is the fastest route to internalising them.
Are these phrases suitable for formal and informal settings?
This collection includes phrases across a range of registers. Phrases like "the way I see it" and "long time no see" are conversational; phrases like "allow me to introduce myself" and "would it be possible to" are formal. Each card's example sentence helps you judge the appropriate context.
How do discourse phrases differ from idioms?
Idioms are fixed expressions with non-literal meanings (e.g. "cost an arm and a leg"). Discourse phrases are functional expressions that structure communication — they may be perfectly literal, like "first of all" or "to sum up". Both are essential for natural English, but discourse phrases are especially important in professional and academic contexts.
The fastest way to internalise discourse phrases is hearing them in real conversations.
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