Recommended resources
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Hello. In the previous lesson, you practised launching familiar answers within three seconds with frames such as I usually ..., To be honest, I think ..., and It depends on .... That gave you a way to start before you had planned every word.
Now we add the next fluency skill: staying in control of your turn when you need a moment to think. Natural speakers do not always answer immediately. They use short, meaningful chunks that show, “I heard you, I’m thinking, and I’m still speaking.” Your goal is not to remove every pause. It is to replace an anxious silence with a calm, useful bridge into your answer.
What it means to “maintain the floor”
In a conversation, the floor is simply the right to speak at that moment. If you stop completely after a question, the other person may assume you have finished, do not know what to say, or want them to speak next.
A thinking chunk protects your turn. Compare these two responses:
Question: “What would you change about your city?”
Response A: “...”
Response B: “That’s a good question. Let me think for a second. I’d probably improve the public transport.”
Response B is not faster. It is more fluent because the speaker stays present in the conversation while planning.
A useful principle for this lesson is:
Do not wait silently for the perfect answer. Say a natural thinking chunk, take a short breath, then continue with the best answer you have.
This is especially helpful with unexpected, personal, or opinion-based questions. For a simple factual question, however, answer directly:
“What time does the meeting start?”
“It starts at nine.”
You do not need a thinking chunk for every question. Use one when you genuinely need a moment.
Hear how fluent speakers buy thinking time
The video below introduces the central idea: pausing is normal, but a short spoken signal keeps you engaged and helps you avoid freezing. Listen for the difference between an empty silence and a phrase that clearly tells the listener you are still forming your answer.
“That’s a Good Question…” — How to Buy Time While Speaking
Watch “That’s a Good Question…” — How to Buy Time While Speaking from Go Natural English - Real Life English with Gabby. It gives you several ready-to-use thinking chunks and shows how to connect them to a real answer.
Begin with the problem to notice why a blank pause can feel stressful. Then watch three core phrases; repeat each phrase aloud, copying the calm pace rather than rushing it. Continue with complete responses and listen for the structure: thinking phrase first, then a clear personal answer.
The important point is not to memorise every phrase in the video. Build a small bank that you can retrieve automatically.
Your floor-holding chunk bank
Think of these as complete conversational moves, not as grammar to analyse.
| Communicative situation | Use this chunk | Continue with... |
|---|---|---|
| You need a brief moment | Let me think for a second. | I’d say it’s probably confidence. |
| The question is genuinely interesting or difficult | That’s a good question. | I’ve never looked at it that way before, but ... |
| The question is unexpected | I’ve never really thought about that before. | I guess I’d say I prefer working independently. |
| You are searching for a precise way to express an idea | How can I put this? | I enjoy it, but only when I don’t feel under pressure. |
| You want to give a careful, not fully certain answer | Hmm, I guess ... | Hmm, I guess I’d choose somewhere quieter. |
| You are about to explain the main issue | The thing is, ... | The thing is, I don’t have much free time during the week. |
| You need only a tiny pause | Well, ... | Well, it depends on the situation. |
Notice that these chunks do different jobs.
1. Chunks that openly create thinking time
Use these when you truly need a moment before answering:
- That’s a good question.
- Let me think for a second.
- I’ve never really thought about that before.
They work well with questions about opinions, experiences, plans, or personal preferences.
“What kind of job would make you happiest?”
“That’s a good question. Let me think for a second. I think I’d enjoy work where I could solve problems and help people.”
You can combine two chunks occasionally, as in the example. But do not stack several every time:
“Well, um, you know, that’s a good question, I mean ...”
That sounds less clear because the listener is waiting too long for the real message. Usually, choose one main thinking chunk, pause briefly, and continue.
2. Chunks that help you shape an unfinished idea
Sometimes you know your answer, but you cannot immediately find the best words. In that case, use:
- How can I put this?
- The thing is, ...
- Hmm, I guess ...
“Do you enjoy big social events?”
“How can I put this? I like meeting new people, but I get tired if the event is too crowded.”
“Would you rather live in the city centre?”
“The thing is, I like being close to everything, but I also need some peace and quiet.”
These phrases do not just fill silence. They tell the listener what kind of answer is coming: a careful explanation, a qualification, or a tentative opinion.
3. Tiny fillers: useful, but use them lightly
In spontaneous English, people also use short sounds such as um, erm, and hmm. They can be natural when they occur briefly inside a sentence:
“I usually, um, listen to a podcast on the way to work.”
“Hmm, maybe I’d choose a smaller place.”
Um is common in many varieties of English; erm is especially associated with British English. You do not need to choose one permanently. The key is moderation: one brief filler can give you time, but repeated fillers can hide your message.
Why fillers can support fluency
The BBC’s Better Speaking uses an authentic interview to show that real speakers repeat words and use fillers while they think. Read the short passage to see why this is normal spoken communication, not evidence that a speaker has failed.
Read the opening of BBC Learning English’s “Better Speaking.” It provides a useful reminder that a clear message and continued communication matter more than producing a perfectly polished sentence in real time.
In the section “Becoming a confident speaker,” find the interview extract about Goran Ivanisevic. Then read why fillers work. Focus on the idea that repetition and brief fillers give a speaker planning time while the listener can still follow the message. Continue through the following short paragraphs, “Practise often” and “Relax and think about the message,” and notice the shift away from trying to monitor every grammar rule while speaking.
A filler is useful only when it helps the message continue. It is not a replacement for an answer. After um, well, or let me think for a second, aim to say something meaningful.
Combine a thinking chunk with last lesson’s opening frames
You already have response starters. Now you can use a thinking chunk as a bridge when the question needs more planning.
Here are three useful response shapes:
| Response shape | Example |
|---|---|
| Thinking chunk + opinion frame + reason | That’s a good question. I think working from home can be useful because it saves time. |
| Thinking chunk + routine frame + detail | Let me think for a second. I usually spend Sunday preparing for the week and seeing friends. |
| Unexpected-question chunk + tentative answer | I’ve never really thought about that before. Hmm, I guess I’d prefer to live near the sea. |
The thinking chunk does not replace the answer. It gives you time to reach the answer.
Listen to the rhythm in this model:
“What would you like to get better at this year?”
“Let me think for a second. I’d quite like to become more confident speaking English, especially in group conversations.”
The first chunk holds your turn. The second chunk launches your answer. The final detail makes it personal and complete.
A practical speaking routine: bridge, pause, continue
Use the following routine for about 15 minutes. Record yourself if you are practising alone. If you have a speaking partner, ask them to give you the questions in a mixed order.
Round 1: Choose the right bridge
Read each question. Within three seconds, say only one suitable thinking chunk. Do not answer the question fully yet.
- “What is something you would like to change about your daily routine?”
- “What makes a person easy to talk to?”
- “Would you like to live somewhere completely different?”
- “What is one thing you enjoy about learning English?”
- “What kind of holiday helps you relax?”
Possible starts include:
“That’s a good question.”
“Let me think for a second.”
“I’ve never really thought about that before.”
“Hmm, I guess ...”
Repeat the round until choosing a chunk feels fast. The goal is not to find the one perfect phrase; it is to avoid a complete freeze.
Round 2: Add one complete answer
Now use the same questions, but follow the bridge with a full sentence and one detail.
“What makes a person easy to talk to?”
“Hmm, I guess it’s someone who listens carefully and doesn’t make you feel judged.”
“Would you like to live somewhere completely different?”
“I’ve never really thought about that before. I think I’d like to try it for a year, just to experience a different lifestyle.”
If you pause after the chunk, keep it short: one calm breath is enough. Then continue, even if your wording is simple.
Round 3: Keep going when the wording is imperfect
Choose three answers from Round 2 and say them again without restarting from the beginning. If you need time in the middle, use a short phrase:
“I’d like to live somewhere quieter because, um, I find busy places tiring after a while.”
“The thing is, I enjoy city life, but I also want to be close to nature.”
Your target is continued meaning, not a flawless sentence. You will practise more deliberate self-correction later in the course. Today, simply stay in the conversation.
Make your pauses sound intentional
A natural thinking chunk should sound calm, not apologetic. Try these delivery choices:
- Say That’s a good question with a slightly warm, interested tone.
- After Let me think for a second, take one short breath instead of rushing into random words.
- Say How can I put this? when you are genuinely searching for a clearer expression.
- Use Hmm, I guess ... when your answer is uncertain or personal, not when you already know a direct fact.
- Put a little pause after The thing is, so the listener expects an explanation.
Avoid saying Sorry, my English is bad when you need planning time. That gives attention to the problem rather than the message. A thinking chunk is more useful because it keeps the interaction moving forward.
At the end of a recording, check only these three things:
- Did I signal that I was still answering rather than falling silent?
- Did I use a chunk that suited the situation?
- Did I continue with a real idea after the chunk?
If the answer is “not yet,” repeat the same response once. Keep the meaning, but make the bridge shorter and clearer.
Key takeaways
Natural fluency includes brief pauses. The difference between a controlled pause and a breakdown is that you signal your intention to continue.
Keep these high-value chunks available:
- That’s a good question.
- Let me think for a second.
- I’ve never really thought about that before.
- How can I put this?
- The thing is, ...
- Hmm, I guess ...
Use one chunk when you need planning time, then connect it to an answer frame and one real detail. Do not try to eliminate every hesitation; learn to make hesitation useful.
In the next lesson, you will build on this skill by expanding a short response with a reason, example, or detail. That will help you move from “I can start and keep my turn” to “I can develop my answer naturally.”