Which term covers the words and phrases used to signpost discourse and manage conversation?

• A. Discourse Markers
• B. Hedging
• C. Fillers
• D. Interjection

Answer: (A)

Discourse markers are the words and phrases that signal how the discourse should unfold and help manage the flow of conversation. They guide listeners through ideas and transitions, showing when you’re adding information, contrasting, drawing conclusions, or signaling a move to a new topic. This makes them ideal for signposting how a discussion develops. Examples include well, so, therefore, anyway, however, and you know. They differ from hedging, which softens statements like probably or maybe; from fillers, which are pauses or sounds like um and uh that fill gaps; and from interjections, which express emotion or surprise like wow or oh. So, discourse markers are the terms that cover signposting and conversation management.