English for University Studies
At university, the first test of your English is not an essay: it is introducing yourself, asking a question in a lecture, and speaking up in a seminar. Seven speaking topics come first, each with a conversation you can hear and take a part in.
How to practise each topic
Say the phrases
Read each phrase aloud twice.
Play the conversation
Listen for the phrases in use.
Take a part
Press a name and speak that person's lines.
Make it yours
Change the details to match your own course.
1. Introducing yourself at orientation
In your first week you will introduce yourself dozens of times. Prepare two or three sentences: your name, your course, and one thing about you.
| Say this | When |
|---|---|
| Hi, I'm Dilshan. I'm doing a degree in Computer Science. | Introducing yourself |
| Which course are you on? | Asking someone else |
| I'm from Matara, so this is my first time living away from home. | Adding something about you |
| Are you in the same tutorial group? | Finding classmates |
| Shall we swap numbers, in case one of us misses a lecture? | Keeping in touch |
The first morning
Two new students are waiting outside the lecture hall.
- DilshanHi, is this the room for the Introduction to Programming lecture?
- AnjaliI think so. I'm waiting for the same one. I'm Anjali, by the way.
- DilshanNice to meet you. I'm Dilshan. Which course are you on?
- AnjaliComputer Science. I'm from Jaffna. What about you?
- DilshanSame course! I'm from Matara. It's a bit strange being so far from home.
- AnjaliI know what you mean. Shall we swap numbers, in case one of us misses something?
- DilshanGood idea.
2. Asking questions in and after lectures
Many students never ask a question because they worry about their English. Lecturers are glad to be asked. A short, polite question is all you need.
| Say this | When |
|---|---|
| Excuse me, could you repeat the last point, please? | You missed something |
| Could you explain what you mean by variable? | A word or idea is unclear |
| Sorry, could you speak a little more slowly? | The lecture is too fast |
| Will these slides be available online? | Asking about materials |
| Is this topic likely to be in the examination? | Asking about assessment |
After the lecture
A student waits to speak to the lecturer at the end of a lecture.
- StudentExcuse me, Dr Wijesinghe. Do you have a minute?
- Dr WijesingheOf course. What can I do for you?
- StudentI didn't quite understand the difference between a sample and a population. Could you explain it again?
- Dr WijesingheCertainly. The population is the whole group you are interested in, and the sample is the smaller group you actually study.
- StudentI see. So if we survey fifty students, they are the sample?
- Dr WijesingheExactly. Good question.
- StudentThank you. And will the slides be available online?
- Dr WijesingheYes, I'll put them up this evening.
3. Talking to your lecturer during office hours
Office hours are times when lecturers are available to help students. Go prepared: know exactly what you want to ask, and bring your notes or draft.
| Say this | When |
|---|---|
| Good afternoon. Is this a good time? | Arriving |
| I'm in your second-year Economics class. | Saying who you are |
| I'm having trouble with... | Explaining the problem |
| Would it be possible to have an extension? | Asking for more time |
| Thank you, that's really helpful. | Leaving |
Asking for an extension
A student visits a lecturer during office hours.
- NadeeshaGood afternoon, Professor Silva. Is this a good time?
- Prof. SilvaYes, come in. How can I help?
- NadeeshaI'm Nadeesha, from your second-year Economics class. I've been ill this week, and I'm behind with the essay.
- Prof. SilvaI'm sorry to hear that. Are you feeling better now?
- NadeeshaYes, thank you. Would it be possible to have a few extra days?
- Prof. SilvaCan you bring a medical certificate? If so, you can submit it next Wednesday.
- NadeeshaYes, I have one. Thank you, that's really helpful.
4. Speaking up in seminars
In seminars, you are expected to speak. You do not need a perfect idea: agreeing with a reason, asking a question or adding an example all count.
| Purpose | Say this |
|---|---|
| Giving your view | In my view, ... / It seems to me that... |
| Agreeing with a reason | I agree with Kasun, because... |
| Disagreeing politely | I see your point, but I'm not sure that... |
| Adding an example | Just to add an example, in my village... |
| Asking for clarification | Could you explain what you mean by...? |
| Getting into the discussion | Could I just come in here? |
A seminar on social media
A tutor leads a small discussion group.
- TutorSo, does social media help students learn? Kasun, what do you think?
- KasunIn my view, it can help, because students share notes and ask each other questions in groups.
- FathimaCould I just come in here? I see your point, but I'm not sure it helps most students. It can also be very distracting.
- KasunThat's true. Maybe it depends on how it's used.
- TutorGood. Fathima, could you give an example?
- FathimaWell, I often start checking a study group and end up watching videos for an hour.
5. Group project meetings
Group projects succeed when everyone knows what to do and by when. Clear, polite English stops misunderstandings.
| Purpose | Say this |
|---|---|
| Starting | Shall we start? Let's decide who does what. |
| Offering | I can do the survey, if that's OK. |
| Suggesting | How about meeting again on Thursday? |
| Checking | So, just to confirm, you're writing the introduction? |
| Deadlines | Can we all finish our parts by Monday? |
Dividing the work
Three students plan a group presentation.
- RaviShall we start? We need to decide who does what for the presentation.
- HasiniI can do the survey and the charts, if that's OK.
- ImranGreat. I'll write the introduction and the conclusion.
- RaviThen I'll prepare the slides. Can we all finish our parts by Monday?
- HasiniMonday is fine. How about meeting on Tuesday to practise?
- ImranSo, just to confirm: survey and charts, Hasini; introduction and conclusion, me; slides, Ravi; practice on Tuesday.
- RaviPerfect.
6. Giving a presentation and answering questions
Tell the audience what is coming, deliver it clearly, and remind them what they heard. The hardest part for many students is the questions at the end: it is fine to take a moment to think.
| Stage | Say this |
|---|---|
| Opening | Good morning. Today I'm going to talk about... |
| Outline | My presentation has three parts. First..., then..., and finally... |
| Moving on | This brings me to my second point. |
| Concluding | To sum up, the key message is... |
| A difficult question | That's a good question. Let me think for a moment. |
| If you don't know | I'm not sure, but I'll find out and let you know. |
Questions after a presentation
A student has just finished presenting a survey on how students travel to campus.
- HasiniTo sum up, most students travel by bus, but many would cycle if there were safe cycle lanes. Thank you for listening. Are there any questions?
- LecturerThank you, Hasini. How many students did you survey?
- HasiniWe surveyed eighty students from three faculties.
- LecturerAnd do you think the results would be the same at other universities?
- HasiniThat's a good question. Let me think for a moment. Probably not, because our campus is close to the town centre.
7. The library and university offices
Registering, borrowing books and sorting out problems all mean speaking to staff. Explain the problem clearly and have your student number ready.
| Say this | When |
|---|---|
| I'd like to register for the second semester. | Registration |
| Could you tell me where I can find books on statistics? | In the library |
| How long can I borrow this for? | Borrowing books |
| My student ID card isn't working. | Reporting a problem |
| Here is my student number. | Giving your details |
At the library desk
A student needs help finding a book.
- StudentExcuse me, could you tell me where I can find books on statistics?
- LibrarianYes, they're on the second floor, in the mathematics section.
- StudentThank you. How long can I borrow a book for?
- LibrarianTwo weeks, and you can renew it online if nobody else has reserved it.
- StudentGreat. And my student card isn't working at the entrance gate.
- LibrarianLet me check. What's your student number?
8. Academic vocabulary, said correctly
These words appear in every subject. Learn the meaning, and practise the stress too: the stressed part is in capitals. A word said with the wrong stress can be hard for a lecturer to understand.
| Word | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| analyse | A-na-lyse | to examine something in detail |
| evidence | E-vi-dence | facts that show something is true |
| significant | sig-NI-fi-cant | large or important enough to notice |
| approach | a-PPROACH | a way of dealing with something |
| method | ME-thod | a planned way of doing something |
| hypothesis | hy-PO-the-sis | an idea that a study tests |
| conclude | con-CLUDE | to decide after looking at the evidence |
| research | re-SEARCH or RE-search | careful study to discover facts (both are heard) |
9. Understanding assignment instructions
The first word of an assignment question tells you what to do. Students lose marks by describing when the question asks them to evaluate.
| Instruction word | What you must do |
|---|---|
| Describe | Say what something is like, or what happened. |
| Explain | Say why or how something happens, with reasons. |
| Compare | Show the similarities and the differences. |
| Discuss | Look at different sides of an issue and reach a view. |
| Evaluate | Judge the strengths and weaknesses, and conclude. |
| Justify | Give good reasons for a decision or opinion. |
10. Academic writing in brief: style, paraphrasing and referencing
Your department will teach academic writing in detail. These four rules will keep you safe from the start.
The essentials
- Formal style: no contractions (it is, not it's) and no informal words (children, not kids).
- Careful claims: write this suggests, not this proves.
- Paraphrase properly: understand the idea, cover the original, and write it in your own words and sentence structure.
- Always reference: any idea or words from another writer need a reference, in the style your department asks for (such as APA or Harvard). Using them without one is plagiarism, even by accident.
Practise speaking out loud
Speaking Practice
Discussion questions to answer aloud, with feedback on reasons, examples and linking.
IELTS Mock Speaking Test
A full speaking test with an examiner voice: excellent practice for seminars.
Elocution Basics
Posture, pace, pausing and speaking to an audience, for presentations.
Listening Laboratory
Talks and lectures with note-taking questions.
Essay Writing Exercises
When you are ready for writing: thesis statements, paragraphs and linking.
IELTS Academic Practice Test
Academic listening, reading, writing and speaking together.