SPEAKING
• To express simple agreement
• I agree.
• I really agree with you.
• I think you are right.
• I accept your point
• I’m 100% with you on this!
• I couldn’t agree with you more.
• Great idea !
• You said it.
• Can’t say I don’t agree.
• I’m with you on this.
• I partly agree
• I agree on this but not that.
• It’s partly true.
• Simple disagreement or refusal
• I disagree with you.
• Sorry, I can't accept this.
• Sorry, I can't take it.
• Everyone has their own opinion, right?
• I think you’re wrong on this.
• I’m sorry but I have to refuse your request.
• You’re wrong.
• No way!
• You’ve got to be kidding!
• How can you even say that?
• Where is your logic?
• Strong disagreement
• I completely disagree with you.
• You are very wrong to say that.
• I totally disagree with you.
• I can’t find myself to agree with you.
• You’re dead wrong.
• You’re way wrong.
Introducing paraphrasing
• So you mean….
• What you mean is…
• What you’re saying is…
• So what you mean to say is…
• Let me get this clear…
• Let me get this straight,…
How to interrupt
• Actually…
• Excuse me…
• I’m sorry, but…
• I just want to say…
• May I interrupt here?
• Do you mind if I say something?
Hesitation Strategies - Conversation Time Fillers
Techniques Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Pretend you haven’t Pardon? Simple – only one word Everyone does it.
heard Sorry? to remember.
Eh?
Repeat the question You mean…what is forty- Lots of thinking time. Can you remember the
five divided by nine? question?
Use delaying noises Well… You can use them If you use them too
Um… several times in the often you sound stupid.
Er… same sentence.
Use it depends It depends. You will sound You can only use it
It depends on (the intelligent. (Stroke your when there is more
situation). chin at the same time). than one possible
answer.
Sorry? You want to know
what I think about this?
Well…um…it depends,
really.
Directing conversations
Look at these expressions for directing conversation in a formal situation, like a business meeting. Put
them into three groups:
A including quiet people
B stopping interruptions
C keeping the conversation to the point
• What’s your opinion, Sam?
• May I continue?
• Let me finish.
• Shall we continue?
• Let’s go back to the point.
• You haven’t said anything yet, Sam.
• Do you want to add anything here?
• I haven’t finished my point.
• Please allow me to finish.
• Does anyone want to say anything before we move on?
Control strategies
Conversation is a turn-taking process and it is more difficult when there are several people in a
conversation. In different cultures there are different standards for interrupting and turn-taking, however
there are also a few universal points that apply to most situations.
.
1. The speaker can choose the next speaker. You can stop someone dominating the conversation, and
you can include quieter people.
2. You can stop someone interrupting by avoiding eye contact with them, and continuing eye contact
with your partner in the conversation. Don’t drop the volume of your speech (i.e. don’t begin to
speak more quietly).
3. If someone interrupts you, and you haven’t finished making your point, tell them clearly. You can
use phrases like:
Let me finish / May I finish?
Excuse me, I haven’t finished.
Just a moment / Hang on a second.
• When someone won’t stop talking, and you are not interested in what they are saying, you
can avoid eye contact, turn away or look at something else. Do not use conversation fillers.
EXPRESSIONS FOR CONVERSATION
[Link]
Express an opinion :
The way I see it, ...
I'd say that ...
What I think is ...
It seems to me that ...
To my mind, ...
I reckon ...
It is undeniable that ...
I'm certain that ...
I would argue that ...
I feel that ...
I hold the view that ...
My impression is that ...
I have the feeling that ...
I have no doubt ...
To give reasons :
Well, the thing is, ...
Let me explain ...
The main reason why ... is that ...
They are quite a few reasons why ...
First, ... then, ... lastly ...
..., that's why …
Express uncertainty :
I haven't the slighest idea ... / the faintest idea ...
I haven't got a clue about ...
How could I know what / who / why / ...
I'm at a loss to say ...
It's beyond me.
On the face of it I would say ...
It may / it might represent ...
to explain
The reason why he loved New York was that ...
What made him love New York was that ...
If he loved New York, it was because ...
He idolized Manhattan simply because / for the reason that ...
He adored New York. That's why he ...
According to me ... / In my mind ... / In my opinion ...
to generalize
Broadly speaking ...
All things considered ...
All in all ...
On the whole ...
By and large ...
Most of the immigrants ...
Most Americans ...
A large proportion of ...
They usually ...
They will ...
Most often, they ...
It's quite a common thing to …
To wish
I wish you would ...
I wish you were here. I wish it were true.
I dreaming of ...
I'd so much like to ...
If only I could ...
It would be so nice if ...
If I had my choice ...
If I could do what I want ...
If I were really free to choose, ...
I wish I could ...
I wish I had ...
I wish I were ...
EXPRESSIONS FOR CONVERSATION AND PERSONAL COMMENT
(1)When you start saying something contributing to a conversation making a contribution
First of all, I would like to say/state that.............To begin with, I...................In the first line, I.............
(2)What can you say instead of "I think" (don't sink, please)
I would say/thinkIn my opinionTo my mindI am of the opinion thatI hold the opinion that
(3)When you want to stress your "personal opinion":
Personally I thinkAs far as I am concernedAs for meAs I take itAs far as I can see
(4) When you "agree" or when you "don't agree":
I entirely/quite agree with you.I agree to (with) her plan.I am of the same opinion.I differ from/with you
entirely.I disagree with you: I am sure you're mistaken.I stick to my [Link]'s agree to differ!
(5) When you want to say the "opposite" of what someone else said:
on the contrary! quite the contrary! just the opposite!That is the very opposite of what I [Link] is quite
the contrary to what I said.I maintain the [Link] contrast to what you said, I maintain that...........
(6) When you are "quite sure" of something:
of course!That goes without saying (It goes without sayingthat......)I contend/maintain that................It's
my conviction that..................
(7) When you want to "ask a question":
May I interrupt you?There arises the question/point whether/if......This question raises the whole issue