Phrases for expressing an opinion

Summary

This video guide teaches essential speaking skills for exams, focusing on how to express opinions and engage in discussions. It covers useful phrases for stating your views, such as ‘I think’ and ‘in my opinion’, along with ways to strengthen your opinions using adverbs and adjectives. The video also demonstrates how to ask others for their opinions and how to agree or disagree respectfully. Additionally, tips are provided on justifying your opinions in a conversation, making it an ideal resource for preparing for English-speaking exams and improving conversational skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Use phrases like 'I think', 'I believe', 'I like', and 'In my opinion' to express your opinion.
• 😀 To express dislike, use negative forms like 'I don’t like' or 'I don’t believe'.
• 😀 Strengthen your opinions with adverbs and adjectives, such as 'I strongly believe' or 'In my honest opinion'.
• 😀 To keep a conversation flowing, ask questions like 'What do you think about...?' or 'How do you feel about...?'
• 😀 You can agree with someone by saying 'I agree', 'That’s right', or 'Me too'.
• 😀 To disagree, use phrases like 'That’s not right', 'I don’t think that’s very good', or 'I disagree'.
• 😀 If you have mixed feelings, respond with neutral phrases like 'I’m not sure about that' or 'I partly agree with you'.
• 😀 Justify your opinions with additional statements like 'Me too; they have amazing presenters!' or 'It’s way more interesting than reading textbooks!'.
• 😀 Engage in the conversation by asking about others' opinions or explaining your own in more detail.
• 😀 Knowing how to express, agree, and disagree with opinions will help you succeed in speaking exams.

Q & A

What are some common phrases for expressing your opinion?

Some common phrases to express your opinion include 'I think', 'I believe', 'I like', and 'in my opinion'.

How can you express a negative opinion using these phrases?

To express a negative opinion, you can use the negative forms of these phrases, such as 'I don't like' or 'I don't believe'. For example, 'I don't like horror movies' or 'I don't believe the world needs any more Transformers films'.

How can you make your statements stronger?

You can make your statements stronger by using adverbs and adjectives, such as 'I strongly believe' or 'in my honest opinion'. These help show you are serious about your opinion.

What are some good ways to ask others for their opinions?

You can ask for others' opinions with phrases like 'What do you think about...?' or 'How do you feel about...?' For example, 'What’s your opinion on climate change?'

How can you keep a conversation going when discussing opinions?

To keep a conversation going, you can follow up on your own statement with a question, like 'I think the blue jacket is the nicest. What do you think?'

What are some ways to show agreement with someone's opinion?

To show agreement, you can use short phrases like 'I agree!', 'That’s right!', or 'Me too'.

How can you politely disagree with someone's opinion?

To disagree politely, you can say 'That’s not right', 'I don’t think that’s very good', or simply 'I disagree'.

What can you say if you have mixed feelings about an opinion?

If you have mixed feelings, you can use more neutral phrases like 'I’m not sure about that' or 'I partly agree with you'.

Why is it important to justify your opinion in a discussion?

Justifying your opinion is important because it helps explain why you feel the way you do and encourages a deeper conversation. For example, 'I agree, it’s way more interesting than reading textbooks!'

How can someone prepare for an exam that involves discussing opinions?

To prepare for an exam that involves discussing opinions, practice using different phrases to express, agree, and disagree with opinions. Also, be ready to justify your opinions and ask others for their views.