Put up signposts
It’s Friday. Let’s keep it short.
Essayists and speechwriters use signposts to remind their audience where they are in a complex argument, signaling what’s coming next, a change in direction, or that important information is about to appear. You can use these verbal equivalents of headers in everyday conversation, to keep a listener with you.
Here are a few phrases to make your own:
Now, let’s move on to…
And the third point I’d like to make is...
Let me summarize what I’ve covered so far…
Another example is...
On the other hand…
This is where things get complicated…
In conclusion…
Have a good weekend.
Adapted from Messages, The Communications Skills book, by Dr. Matthew McKay.
