Hello, and welcome to Study English, IELTS Preparation.
I'm Margot Politis.
One of the things you will often need to do, in both spoken and written English, is give
examples. Today we'll look at some of the language you can use for giving examples,
and also for clarifying.
First let's listen to someone talking about an analysis of bird songs:
We're researching the effects of traffic noise on the calling behaviour of birds.
Normally, if there was no background noise from roads or other human-generated noise,
they'd be able to hear each other at least 100 metres apart. But where we have loud traffic,
it's likely they can only hear each other 20 or 30 metres apart.
We can analyse the frequency of the different notes in the calls. So for example, this is
the grey fantail - how it would sound at a quiet site.
She gives an example of one bird call they have analysed, and introduces that with the
phrase 'for example'.
So for example, this is the grey fantail - how it would sound at a quiet site.
For example can be used to introduce the example, as it is here, or it can be placed after the
example:
This is the grey fantail, for example.
But formally, it is better to introduce the example with the phrase. Listen:
The birds aren't changing their tune very much, so on average, they're only going up
one note on the musical scale. For example, with the grey shrike-thrush,
it goes from here to here.
The speaker makes a general statement about the behaviour of birds then illustrates it
with one specific example.
The birds aren't changing their tune very much, so on average, they're only going up
one note on the musical scale. For example, with the grey shrike-thrush,
it goes from here to here.
Another phrase with exactly the same meaning is 'for instance'. Listen for the phrase used
by this woman talking about kite-flying:
Kiting has developed over the years. It's just amazing the difference and the variation.
For instance, with the inflatable kites we don't use any spars with them. But you can't
make inflatable kites unless you've got the right materials so today we work with rib-stock
nylon so we're able to sew it. So, it's sort of like balloon fabric so we can fill them
up with air and they go up in the sky.
Again the phrase 'for instance' introduces the example. She makes a statement about the
variety of kites, and then gives one example, of a kite with no spars:
It's just amazing the difference and the variation. For instance, with the inflatable kites we
don't use any spars with them.
In informal language, when speaking, we can use less formal terms for giving examples.
But you can't make inflatable kites unless you've got the right materials so today we
work with rib-stock nylon so we're able to sew it. So, it's sort of like balloon fabric
so we can fill them up with air and they go up in the sky.
It's 'sort of' like balloon fabric. Here the speaker is using an example of something that
might be familiar to the listener - balloon fabric - to clarify what type of fabric is
used in the kites. 'Sort of' would not be used in this way in a formal essay.
There's another way of giving examples, listen:
We here have so far only studied two species of birds, the grey shrike-thrush
and the grey fantail.
Here the examples are not introduced with a phrase - the speaker simply pauses before
giving the examples.
We here have so far only studied two species of birds, the grey shrike-thrush
and the grey fantail.
When both speaking and writing, it's a good idea to try to be as specific and precise
as possible when giving examples, or describing something. Listen to the bird scientist again,
and see if you can hear the words that she uses to make her statements more precise.
Normally, if there was no background noise from roads or other human-generated noise,
they'd be able to hear each other at least 100 metres apart. But where we have loud traffic,
it's likely they can only hear each other 20 or 30 metres apart.
Traffic can be very noisy, depending on how many cars there are on the road and how fast
they're travelling and how many big trucks there are. So at the largest roads that we've
included in our study, there are about 150,000 cars coming past a day and that makes a noise,
if you're right next to it, of up to 95 decibels, which is loud!
Firstly, let's look at some of the expressions used to make descriptions of numbers more
exact:
they'd be able to hear each other at least 100 metres apart. But where we have loud traffic,
it's likely they can only hear each other 20 or 30 metres apart.
at least 100 metres apart. 100 metres is the minimum distance the birds would be able to
hear each other.
there are about 150,000 cars coming past a day and that makes a noise, if you're right
next to it, of up to 95 decibels, which is loud!
about 150,000 cars - possibly a bit more, or less than 150,000.
up to 95 decibels - 95 decibels is the loudest noise recorded.
There are about 150,000 cars coming past a day and that makes a noise, if you're right
next to it, of up to 95 decibels, which is loud!
Using words and phrases such as 'about', 'up to', 'more than',
'less than' and 'most of' helps to make your meaning more precise, and
more convincing.
Expanding on an idea, clarifying and giving examples and reasons, are all important language
functions you should demonstrate. Let's see how the bird scientist illustrates her theory
about bird calls and traffic:
It's a problem because communicating acoustically with sound is really a very important thing
for birds. It's a matter of life and death.
If they can't hear, in the first place they may have trouble attracting mates and breeding
and keeping the population going. And also, if they can't hear each other's
warning calls, they may be more likely to be taken by predators.
Wherever you are, wherever there are roads and wherever there are birds, there are likely
to be this problem. Birds will have difficulty hearing each other and they may be responding
in the only way that they can.
She is explaining why it is important for birds to be able to hear each other. She illustrates
the importance with this phrase:
It's a matter of life and death.
Using idioms like this is a good way of demonstrating your familiarity with English.
She then goes on to give specific examples why birds need to hear each other.
If they can't hear, in the first place they may have trouble attracting mates and breeding
and keeping the population going. And also, if they can't hear each other's warning calls,
they may be more likely to be taken by predators.
Problems occur when birds can't hear each other.
She uses some signpost words to help the listener understand the different examples.
What are those words?
If they can't hear, in the first place they may have trouble attracting mates and breeding
and keeping the population going. And also, if they can't hear each other's warning calls,
they may be more likely to be taken by predators.
'In the first place' is a sign that an example is going to follow, but also it tells the
listener there will be another one.
If they can't hear, in the first place they may have trouble attracting mates and breeding
and keeping the population going.
The second signpost word is 'also'. This introduces the second example.
And also, if they can't hear each other's warning calls, they may be more likely to
be taken by predators.
That's all for now.
To find out more about giving examples and to watch this episode again, visit the Study
English website.
(The address is: australianetwork.com/studyenglish)
I'll see you next time.