50 Expressions to Sound More Fluent

50 Expressions to Sound More Fluent in Cambridge Speaking Exams (B2 & C1)

One of the biggest secrets of success in Cambridge speaking exams (B2 First and C1 Advanced) is not perfect grammar. Yes, grammar matters. Yes, vocabulary matters. But what really makes a candidate sound confident, fluent, and natural is something else: 50 expressions to sound more fluent

The way they connect ideas, gain thinking time, react, and express opinions naturally.

Many students speak like this:

“I think it is good. I agree. It is important. I like it.”

Nothing is wrong here. But it sounds simple, flat, and a little… robotic

A strong candidate sounds more like this:

“Well, to be honest, I’ve never really thought about it, but I’d probably say it’s quite important — especially these days.”

Same idea. Totally different impression.

In this lesson, you will learn 50 extremely useful expressions that Cambridge examiners love because they show natural spoken English, good discourse management, confidence and flexibility and the ability to develop answers.

You don’t need to use all of them. Even using 5–10 regularly can dramatically improve your speaking score.

Let’s divide them into clear, practical groups.

Expressions to start speaking naturally (and buy time)

In real life, nobody answers difficult questions instantly. These expressions help you sound natural while you think:

1. Well, …
2. To be honest, …
3. Let me think for a moment, …
4. That’s an interesting question.
5. I’ve never really thought about it, but …
6. It’s hard to say, but …
7. Off the top of my head, I’d say …
8. That’s a good question, actually.
9. Hmm, let me see…
10. I suppose…

Example:

“That’s an interesting question. I’ve never really thought about it, but I suppose it depends on the person.”

Expressions to give opinions (like an educated adult )

Instead of always saying “I think”, try these:

1. I’d say that…
2. I’d probably say…
3. From my point of view, …
4. In my opinion, …
5. Personally, I think…
6. If you ask me, …
7. The way I see it, …
8. As far as I’m concerned, …
9. I tend to think that…
10. It seems to me that…

Example:

“From my point of view, online education has a lot of advantages, especially for people who work.”

Expressions to add ideas and develop your answer

Cambridge examiners love extended answers. These help you keep going:

1. For example, …
2. For instance, …
3. In particular, …
4. Especially when…
5. Not only that, but…
6. Another thing is…
7. On top of that, …
8. What’s more, …
9. Also, …
10. And that’s why…

Example:

“It’s quite expensive. On top of that, it takes a lot of time, especially when you live far away.”

Expressions to compare and balance ideas

Perfect for Part 3 (the collaborative task):

1. On the one hand…, on the other hand…
2. Compared to…
3. In contrast, …
4. Whereas…
5. It depends on…
6. Both have their advantages.
7. One advantage is…, but a disadvantage is…
8. They’re quite similar, but…
9. The main difference is…
10. I’d say this one is more…

Example:

“On the one hand, working from home is comfortable, but on the other hand, it can be quite lonely.”

Expressions to agree and disagree politely

Cambridge loves polite interaction, not fights 😄

1. I agree with you.
2. I totally agree.
3. I see what you mean, but…
4. I’m not sure I agree with that.
5. You might be right, but…
6. That’s a good point, but…
7. I think we see this differently.
8. I partly agree, but…
9. Exactly!
10. That’s true.

Example:

“I see what you mean, but I’m not sure I agree. I think it depends on age.”

How to use these expressions in the exam (very important!)

❌ Don’t memorise them like a parrot.

❌ Don’t force them into every sentence.

✅ Do practise using a few favourites until they feel natural.

✅ Do combine them with real ideas and examples.

A natural exam answer sounds like this:

“Well, to be honest, I think it depends on the person. For example, some people prefer working alone, whereas others work better in a team.”

That’s fluent. That’s confident. That’s Cambridge-style speaking.

Final tip

Fluency is not about speaking fast. Fluency is about speaking smoothly, naturally, and confidently.

These expressions help you think, connect ideas, and sound calm and organised.

And the examiner will feel it.

Your turn

Try this today:

• Choose 10 expressions from this list.
• Use them when answering any speaking question.
• After a week, they’ll start coming out automatically.

And that’s when your English really starts to sound impressive.

If you really want to learn English but don’t know how or where to start, don’t hesitate to contact us. Book an online English lesson with one of our certified and experienced English teachers and take a test and consultation! Tap the banner to learn more!