Ch 30 · Lesson 9English · Chapter 30 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
Anyway and by the way: changing the subject
Anyway closes a subject: back to the point, or goodbye. Anyway, I should let you go ends a phone call. By the way opens a new, small subject.
The short version
Anyway closes a subject; by the way opens a small one
, .
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Anyway goes back to the point, moves to a new subject, or ends the talk. Anyway, I should let you go is a polite way to end a phone call. By the way starts a new, small subject that is not part of the talk so far: By the way, your mum called.
Anyway: back to the point, or goodbye
Anyway . What comes next decides the meaning:
| Next | Example |
|---|---|
, , . | |
, ? | |
, . |
Anyway, I should let you go is a polite way to end a phone call. It says the other person is busy, which is a polite story: both people know it often means "I want to go now".
Anyway sounds rude mainly in the middle of someone else's story, because it closes a subject they had not finished.
By the way: a new subject
By the way starts , , one that is not part of the talk so far:
, ., , .
Listen to what comes after it. Sometimes the "small" subject is the
real one: , ?
Both people know that is not small.
Going further: What a discourse marker is and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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