Discourse Markers — The Art of the Brilliant Conversation
Grammar: Discourse markers and connectors
Free ESL grammar exercise on discourse markers themed around the art of the brilliant conversation. Printable worksheet from classplan.ai.
What's on this worksheet
A Level 6 (proficiency) ESL grammar exercise on work, practising discourse markers and connectors. The worksheet has a short reading excerpt, a grammar reference and graded practice items.
From the reading
Critics called it an inefficiency. Zappos called it the business model. Both were right, which is precisely what makes outstanding customer service so difficult to teach. Patience is frequently cited, yet patience without precision produces warmth with no result.
Grammar: Discourse Markers
- Concessive connector
- Empathy is essential, yet competence often matters more under real pressure. — signals a surprising contrast between two true ideas
- Additive marker
- Furthermore, vague language signals a lack of professional commitment to the customer. — introduces a stronger, related point in formal writing
Sample items
- Empathy is widely valued, ______ competence consistently outranks it when the situation is serious.
- The best agents read the situation quickly; ______, they reconstruct the conversation without a script.
- The agent chose to stay on the call; ______, she did not transfer the customer to another department.
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