Sequence organization in conversation focuses on how utterances are ordered in an orderly, coherent manner. The basic unit of sequence is the adjacency pair, which consists of a first pair part by one speaker requiring a second pair part in response. However, sequences can be expanded in complex ways. Expansions can occur before the first pair part (pre-expansion), between the first and second pair parts (insert expansion), or after the second pair part (post-expansion). Pre-expansions include actions like checking availability before inviting. Minimal post-expansions use responses like "oh" and "ok" to acknowledge information or actions, while non-minimal post-expansions provide more elaboration.

1. SEQUENCE
ORGANIZATION

2. SEQUENCE
 Meaning of sequence organization
 Sequence organization in conversation
 Functions of sequence organization
 Adjacency Pairs
 Sequence Expansion
a. Pre-Expansion
b. Insert Expansion
c. Post Expansion
 Conclusion
Sequence Organization 2

3. What is meant by sequence
organization?
Ordered series of related events,
movements, or items that follow each other
in a particular order.
Relative positioning of utterances or actions
Sequence Organization 3

4. Sequence organization in conversation
Conversation is sequentially organized
Turns are connected with one another in
systematically organized patterns or
sequences
No haphazardness in conversation
Sequence Organization 4

5. Functions of sequence organization
Provides a coherent, orderly and
meaningful series of interrelated
communicative actions
Helps participants to accomplish and
coordinate an interactional activity
Sequence Organization 5

6. BASICS OF SEQUENCE ORGANIZATION
IN SOCIAL INTERACTION
 Adjacency pairs
 Sequence expansion
a. Pre-expansion
b. Insert-expansion
c. Post-expansion
Sequence Organization 6

7. SOCIALACTION SEQUENCES
 The social actions, we perform in social
interaction, occur sequentially one following
another
 Instances of social action form adjacency pairs
 Adjacency pairs are the fundamental units to
conversational organization
Sequence Organization 7

8. ADJACENCY PAIR
 A sequence of two utterances
 Adjacent
 Produced by different speakers
 Ordered as a first pair part (FPP) and a second
pair part (SPP)
 A FPP requires a SPP
 Pair type related such that particular FPPs are
paired with particular SPPs
Sequence Organization 8

9. Basic rules for the production of
adjacency pairs by Schegloff and
Sacks(1973)
Given the recognizable production of a first
pair part, at its possible completion its
speaker should stop, a next speaker should
start, and should produce a second pair part
of the same type.
Sequence Organization 9

10. FPPACTION
 Summons
 Greeting
 Invitation
 Offer
 Request for action
 Accusation
 Farewell
SPPACTION
 Answer
 Greeting
 Acceptance/Declination
 Acceptance/Declination
 Granting/Denial
 Admission/Denial
 Farewell
Sequence Organization 10

11. Examples of Adjacency Pairs
 Question-Answer
John: What time is it?
Betty: Three uh clock.
 Greeting-Greeting
Amy: Hello
Jean: Hi
Sequence Organization 11

12. SEQUENCE
EXPANSION
Sequence expansion can precede,
intervene in or follow the basic (or base)
sequence

13. Types of expansion
 There are three types of expansion
1. Pre-expansion
2. Insert-expansion
3. Post-expansion
 Pre-expansion
First pair part
 Insert expansion
Second pair part
 Post expansion

14. Pre-expansion
Involve an expansion of a sequence of a sequence
before the occurrence of a base first pair part.
Preparatory for projected work to be done in the
sequence.
’ Type-specific’
 Project a specific base first pair part
Type-specific pre-expansions typically check on a
condition for the successful accomplishment of the
base first pair part.

15. Types of pre-expansion
 Pre-invitations
E.g. Hey are you busy tonight?(Example P 96 frag 1)
 Function
Checks on the availability of the intended invitee
 Pre-requests(Example: P 96. frag 2, P 97.frag 3)
 Function
It typically checks on the availability of the item to be
asked for.

16.  Pre-announcement (Example P97 frag 4)
Recipient does not already know the thing to be told
or announced.
It can be misinterpret (Examples P 98 frag 7)
Story telling
Speaker often reaches to the completion of a turn unit
A story preface allows the recipient to see that points
of possible turn completion but does not constitute
opportunity for another speaker to take a turn.

17. Summon-answer sequence
Response can be a go ahead one
What?
Yes dear.
Can be deferring
“Wait a minute!”
 Can be blocking
“I am not interested in what you want to say.”

18. Pre-pre (Example P101 frag 12)
Conclusion

19. Insert Expansion

20. It comes before SPP and before FPP.
On some occasions the two utterances of
adjacency pair are not adjacent.
This expansion occurs at post-first and pre-
second position.
The most common form of post first insert
expansion consists of a “next turn repair
initiator”(NTRI) (Ex.13, page 103)

21. Pre-second insert expansion is oriented not
to trouble with FPP but with an expected
SPP(Ex.15, Pg 104)
It can be more complicated case as in
example 16, Page 104.

22. Post expansion
 As the word post implies that it
comes later in the sequence to
expand it to some length

23. Functions
To register information receipt
To acknowledge some bit of action

24. Features of post expansion
Highly variable with respect to their
function
Complex as compared to other forms

25. Types of post expansion
Minimal post expansion
Non-minimal post expansion

26. Minimal Post expansion
Produced by the speaker of relevant
initiating action
Virtually convey that the response to the
action was adequate
Adequacy doesn’t mean a positive response

27. Response can be negative
Consists of one turn
Doesn’t itself initiate a new sequence
Response tokens include: Oh, Ok, Great
and variants of these(Ex.17,18.page
104,105)
Tokens also known as sequence closing
third as they occur at a 3rd position in a base
pair and propose to end the sequence, but
not always

28. Functions of different response
markers
Heritage(1984) described “oh” as a change
of state marker.
i.e, not knowing to knowing
 Schegloff(2007) suggests that
“ a sequence closing third “oh” registers
information receipt

29. Schegloff suggests that “Ok” is oriented
more to the action being implemented in a
sequence than information being conveyed.
Response may be preferred or disprefered
(Ex.19, Page 105)
Exception with sequence closing third “Ok”
It may propose a closure but not
necessarily in all situations.(Ex.21, L.106)
If the outcome of an offer is in the form of
rejection, the recipient goes on some
lengths to give a rationale for this

30. Oh and ok in combined form
They retain their identity and perform their
distinct functions
(Ex.22, Page 106)
Also involves some puzzling cases, where
it appears in rather strange way.
(Ex.23, Page 107)

31. Non-minimal Post Expansion
Composed of more than a single word
Treats a sequence as not adequate for sequence
closure, thus followed by a second pair part
Occurs in a variety of forms
Commentary upon the prior sequence and
thereby expands it (Ex.24, Page 107)

32. Schegloff notes that post-expansions include
cases in which
A recipient initiates repair of the base second
pair part(BSPP)
(Ex.25, Page 107)
There can be several or series of expansions in
a conversation
Can be in the form of question
Comes in a sequence in a variety of ways to
perform certain functions

33. Summary
Sequence organization focuses on how
actions are ordered in conversation
Adjacency pairs are basic unit of
sequence construction
Sequence is composed of two turns FPP
and SPP
FPP provokes a responding utterance
SPP

34. Sequence can be much more complex then
only adjacency pairs
Many sequences involve expansions of
adjacency pairs
Such expansions involve additional
participation through additional turns
Expansions occur in three possible places

35.  Before FPP (pre-expansion)
 Between FPP and SPP (insert expansion)
 After SPP (post expansion)
Pre expansions can be :
 “Pre invitations” e.g. “Hey are you busy tonight?”
 “Preannouncement” e.g. “Guess what happened to me”

36. Pre requests check the availability of item to
be asked for.
Insert expansions come at post first and pre
second position
Post expansions come after SPP
They can be of “minimal” and “non-
minimal” types

37. Oh ,ok are example of minimal type
Oh is used for receipt
Ok is more concerned with registering and
acknowledging
Non-minimal come in a variety of forms e.g.
commentary on just prior , repair of the SPP
etc.

38. Conclusion
Sequences are expanded beyond
adjacency pairs
Possibility of one sequence occurring
before, within and after another results in
vast variety of actual sequences
The possibilities are infinite.