One of the most daunting moments in any English speaking examination (like IELTS, TOEFL, or Matura) is when the examiner asks a complex, unexpected question, and your mind goes blank. Many candidates panic, freeze, or use repetitive sounds like "uhm..." or "err...". This silence is called a "hesitation marker" and can heavily penalise your Fluency and Coherence score.
However, native speakers hesitate too! The difference is that they use **verbal fillers** (or stalling devices) to buy thinking time while maintaining a natural flow of speech. Using these phrases demonstrates high-level vocabulary control and keeps your speech active while your brain processes the answer.
The Golden Rule of Hesitating
Never stay silent for more than 2 seconds. Use a structured thinking phrase immediately to acknowledge the question. This shifts the focus from "forgetting English" to "structuring a complex opinion".
The 15 Best Thinking-Time Phrases
These phrases are categorized by the type of question asked, helping you deploy them dynamically under pressure:
| Category | Filler Phrase | Exam-Style Example |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledging Complexity | "That's a very interesting question..." | "That's a very interesting question. To be honest, I've never really thought about it, but..." |
| Acknowledge Novelty | "I've never thought about that before, but..." | "I've never thought about that before, but off the top of my head, I'd say..." |
| Searching for Words | "How can I put this..." | "Well, how can I put this... it's a bit of a double-edged sword, really." |
| Simplifying Opinions | "To put it another way..." | "To put it another way, most people in my country would prefer to shop online." |
| Expressing Doubt | "I'm not entirely sure, but..." | "I'm not entirely sure about the statistics, but it seems to me that..." |
1. Reframing the Question: The "Echo" Technique
If you need extra thinking time, you can reframe the question in your own words. This is called the "Echo" technique. It shows paraphrasing ability (which gets you high marks in vocabulary) and gives you a solid 5 seconds of speaking time without having to formulate a new thought:
- Examiner: "Do you think online shopping will eventually replace physical stores?"
- Candidate: "Will digital commerce completely take over traditional high-street shops? Well, that is a highly relevant debate. If you ask me..."
"Verbal fillers should be used sparingly. If you start every sentence with 'That's a very interesting question,' it will sound robotic. Use them only when you truly need to pause and structure your thoughts."
2. Building a Speculative Bridge
When asked about the future or abstract issues, you can bridge your hesitation by admitting you are speculating. This justifies your pause and allows you to use high-level conditional structures:
Interactive Candidate Notes: Stalling Formulas
- "That's a tough one to answer, but if I had to guess..." (Great for Part 3 abstract questions)
- "Well, looking at it from another angle..." (Gives you time to switch opinions)
- "Let me see... I suppose you could say that..." (Saves you when vocabulary fails)
Before you go...
Stalling is a natural part of conversation. By replacing raw silence with native-like filler phrases, you keep your fluency score intact, calm your nerves, and give yourself the time needed to formulate a grammatically rich response. Next time you take our speaking test, try to use at least one of these phrases during Part 3 opinion questions!