Effective communication is key in any conversation, whether you’re presenting, debating, or having a casual chat. One of the challenges we often face is finding the right words quickly, especially when we’re asked difficult questions or need to explain complex ideas. Thankfully, there are phrases that can help buy time while speaking and make your speech flow more smoothly.

In this post, we’ll explore phrases that will help you stay calm, think clearly, and keep the conversation going, even when you need an extra moment to gather your thoughts.

---

Table of Contents

What Does It Mean to Buy Time While Speaking?

Why Using Filler Phrases Is Important

Categories of Useful Time-Buying Phrases

Clarifying Your Point

Introducing a New or Opposing Point

Buying Time to Think

Emphasizing Key Points

Top 15 Phrases to Help You Buy Time While Speaking

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Pausing in Conversation

---

What Does It Mean to Buy Time While Speaking?

Buying time while speaking refers to using strategic phrases or techniques that allow you to think while maintaining the flow of conversation. Whether you’re giving a presentation or responding to questions in a discussion, these phrases help ensure you’re not left fumbling for words or awkwardly silent.

---

Why Using Filler Phrases Is Important

Using filler phrases isn’t just about avoiding awkward silences. They also serve several essential functions:

• Giving you time to organize your thoughts: Not every response comes naturally, and it’s okay to take a moment to gather your ideas.
• Maintaining control of the conversation: By using filler phrases, you prevent interruptions while you prepare your next point.
• Clarifying complex thoughts: Sometimes, we need to explain things in more detail. Using the right phrases helps to slow the pace and improve comprehension.

---

Categories of Useful Time-Buying Phrases

1. Clarifying Your Point

When you need to explain your point more clearly or add additional information, these phrases can help:

• What I mean is…
  Example: “What I mean is, we should focus on long-term solutions.”
• To put it another way…
  Example: “To put it another way, we need to innovate, not just cut costs.”
• What I’m trying to say is…
  Example: “What I’m trying to say is, collaboration is crucial for our success.”

2. Introducing a New or Opposing Point

These phrases can help when you want to introduce a contrasting view or new perspective:

• On the other hand…
  Example: “On the other hand, we also need to consider the environmental impact.”
• I see your point, but…
  Example: “I see your point, but we may need more data before making that decision.”
• If you think about it…
  Example: “If you think about it, this decision affects not just us, but future generations.”

3. Buying Time to Think

Sometimes you just need a moment to collect your thoughts. These phrases help you do just that:

• Let me think about that for a moment…
  Example: “Let me think about that for a moment… I believe the best strategy would be…”
• That’s a good question…
  Example: “That’s a good question. Let me consider the best approach.”
• Let me see…
  Example: “Let me see… I think the proposal was submitted last week.”

4. Emphasizing Key Points

These phrases help you stress the importance of what you’re about to say:

• The thing is…
  Example: “The thing is, we need to act quickly if we want to seize this opportunity.”
• What’s important to remember is…
  Example: “What’s important to remember is that this project will benefit everyone in the long run.”

---

Top 15 Phrases to Help You Buy Time While Speaking

---

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Pausing in Conversation

Using time-buying phrases is an essential communication skill. These phrases give you the breathing space to organize your thoughts and ensure that your message is delivered clearly and confidently. Practice using these in everyday conversations or presentations, and soon they’ll become second nature.

Start integrating these phrases into your conversations today, and you’ll notice how they help you sound more confident and polished, even in challenging situations.

Songs for B2 Levels English Learners

---