Which term refers to language items used to indicate some kind of change of direction in the discourse, or to engage the listener?

• A. Discourse markers
• B. Information gap activity
• C. Eclecticism
• D. Determiner

Answer: (A)

Discourse markers are language items that help shape how a conversation unfolds. They signal shifts in direction, such as moving from one point to another, returning to a previous idea, or signaling that you want the listener to take part or pay attention. These words or phrases don’t add new factual content by themselves; instead, they manage the flow of talk and invite engagement. Think of how you might say, “Anyway, let’s move on,” or “So, what do you think about…?” or “Well, I suppose,” which show a transition or cue the listener to respond. These markers help both speakers and listeners follow the progression of ideas and feel connected to the exchange.

The other terms don’t fit because they refer to unrelated concepts: information gap activity is a type of classroom task, not a feature of language used to steer discourse; eclecticism is a philosophical approach; a determiner is a grammatical word that specifies a noun but doesn’t manage conversation flow.