Hello and welcome to six minute vocabulary.

I'm rob and I'm Catherine And this program is all about linking words that the words and phrases.

We used to connect ideas and events when we speak.

All right, yes.

We call them linking words and phrases.

They help people to follow what we're saying by showing how ideas are connected to each other.

First we'll look at some examples.

Next there will be a short quiz and finally we'll leave you with a top tip for learning vocabulary.

But to start with, let's listen to Angela talking about a lucky escape she had.

While you listen, try to answer this question, Who or what saved Angela in the end, here's Angela.

So Angela tell us what did you escape from a shark?

Wow!

Really?

Yes.

What happened was I was swimming off the coast when all of a sudden I saw a huge black shape coming towards me to begin with.

I thought it was a dolphin but it wasn't.

So, what happened next?

Well, I then quickly realized it was a shark, luckily I'm a very far swimmer.

But in the end it was a boat that saved me.

That's an incredible story.

We asked who or what saved Angela and it was a boat.

Angela said In the end a boat saved me.

Lucky lady.

Now Angela helped us to follow her story by using linking words and phrases to tell us what happened when it happened and how she felt about it.

Let's have a look at some of them.

Okay, right now the first one was right at the beginning.

Angela said what happened was and this is a really good way to introduce a story because it grabs the listeners attention and it tells them to get ready to hear a story.

Have a listen.

What happened was I was swimming off the coast when all of a sudden I saw a huge black shape coming towards me.

Okay, good start.

Now another way to tell your story clearly is to use words that show the order of events.

Catherine and I did this at the beginning of this program when we said words like first, next and finally when we said first we'll look at examples.

Next there will be a short quiz and finally we'll leave you with a top tip.

Exactly.

Now let's listen to how Angela used words and phrases like these.

What happened was I was swimming off the coast when all of a sudden I saw a huge black shape coming towards me.

To begin with.

I thought it was a dolphin but it wasn't.

So what happened next?

Well, I then quickly realized it was a shark, luckily I'm a very far swimmer, but in the end it was a boat that saved me.

So when you get to the end of your story, use a phrase like in the end or finally to show that your story is about to finish.

But in the end it was a boat that saved me.

Okay now let's hear Angela tell us about how the boat saved her fortunately the boat had already seen the shark and fired a rocket which scared the creature off.

That was lucky, wow!

So Angela uses the adverb fortunately as a linking word to comment on this.

Yes.

And in the first clip Angela said, luckily I'm a fast swimmer and other comment adverbs you may hear include unfortunately, sadly and so on.

And we can also use adverbs and that verbal phrases like suddenly or all of a sudden, which we heard in the first clip to say how things happen to BBC learning english.

We're talking about words and phrases that link different sentences and parts of a story and it's time for a quick recap.

So to start a story we had, well what happened was for ordering events first of all to begin with.

Then next after that to finish the story.

Finally in the end to make a comment, luckily, unfortunately, sadly and lastly we had suddenly all of a sudden, great now it's quiz time, choose the correct linking word or phrase to fill the gaps.

Ready, Number one, I tried for weeks to get a ticket to the final.

I gave up.

Is it A in the end or be next?

It's a in the end, Well done.

Now number two, it started to rain.

I had an umbrella with me.

Is it a suddenly or be luckily it's b luckily, yep.

And finally number three, which is the correct phrase to introduce your story.

Is it a what happened?

Was or be what happened?

It?

Mm hmm.

And it's a what happened was It is indeed and well done to you.

If you got those right now, before we finish, here's rob with a quick tip for learning vocabulary.

Yes.

Why not make a note of new linking devices when you hear other people speak english on the bus, waiting in a queue or watching tv note them on your phone or just write them down somewhere and then try to use them yourself.

Top tip rob.

Thank you.

And there's more about this at BBC.