Listening to others and building on arguments
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 itâs your own turn to talk.
You can show that you have been listening by building on peopleâs 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 butâŠ
- Iâd like to add to what you saidâŠ
- When you talked about⊠it made me thinkâŠ
- In addition to your comments aboutâŠ
Remember, you donât 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 thinkâŠ
- I disagree with your point aboutâŠ
- I donât think what you said about⊠is valid. I would suggestâŠ
- When you said⊠I wonder whether you had consideredâŠ
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.