USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Sample 1:
- One of the things that
- In the last few decades,
- For this reason,
- First, / Second, / Third,
- Finally,
- By doing so,
- For example,
- In conclusion,
Sample 2:
- Nowadays,
- However,
- Firstly, / Secondly, / Thirdly,
- Otherwise,
- On the other hand,
- For instance,
- Finally,
- Take into account
- On the whole,
- I am of the opinion,
- In order to
Sample 3:
- we can all agree that
- First of all,
- It is not advisable to
- However,
- Finally,
- As a result,
- To sum up,
• More Useful Expressions - Linking devices:
- on the one hand, / on the other hand,
- nevertheless
- Even so,
- Even though
- However,
- In spite of
- Despite
- Although
- Because of this/that
- Therefore,
- It is therefore
- Thus
- As a result,
- As a result of this/that - For this/that reason,
- Consequently,
- As a consequence,
-
- Giving someone else’s opinion:
- Some people say
- Many experts claim - According to
- It is said that
- It is believed
- Itisafactthat
- The truth is that
Providing examples:
- Such as
- For example
- For instance
- Like
Concluding:
- In conclusion,
- I am of the opinion that
- On the whole, I would say that
- In my view,
- The way I see it,
- To sum up, if you ask me

Useful Expressions

Sample 1:
- I love it!
- One of the cool things about
- straight away
- Isn’t that fantastic?
- For example,
- Imagine that
- However,
- the greatest thing about
- In fact,
- I totally recommend it to everyone! - In conclusion,
- For me,
- What about you?
Sample 2:
- Don’t worry!
- Keep on reading, you will thank me later!
- First of all,
- Instead,
- Secondly,
- Finally,
- pay attention to
- super important
- especially if
- If you follow all these tips, I’m sure you will
Sample 3:
- Since I was a young boy,
- Impressive, right?
- I’d love to share my views with you.
- Although
- my favourite kind of
- but the best one is
- As for
- However,
- All in all,
- In fact
- What about you
More Useful Expressions - Rhetorical questions:
- Have you ever...?
- Do you ever wonder...?
- What do you think about...?
- Are you a... like me?
- Are you one of those people who...?
- What would you say if I told you that...?
- Introducing different paragraphs/ideas:
- Firstly,
- First,
- In the rst place,
- The coolest thing about
- What attracts me most
- To begin with,
- One thing to consider is
- Another consideration,
- Secondly,
- As for
- As to
- Also, as regards
- In addition,
- In addition to that,
- Moreover,
- Concluding
- In conclusion,
- On the whole,
- Tosumup,
- To conclude
- Allinall
- ... you will not regret it!
- Being a huge fan of..
- a wide variety
- Another cool thing about
- absolutely fantastic
- The only negative thing I can say is that - Nevertheless,
- In fact,
- But despite being
- I would highly / strongly recommend...
- I certainly wouldn’t recommend...
- I strongly advise you against / not to...
- For this reason,
- Also,
- In order to …........................ I suggest
- immediately
- Although
- As a result,
- To sum up, I believe that
 - However, ..., so...
- In order to solve the problems above, I recommend
- Firstly,
- Secondly,
- Finally,
- If we do these things,
- As a result,
- This has resulted in
- As a consequence,
- Therefore
- It is therefore necessary to
- For this reason,
- because of
- in order to
- in order for
- so that
- so
- It would be advisable to
- You may wish/want to consider
- If you wish to..., you should
- If we wish to..., we ought to

- Besides,
- Furthermore,
- For this reason,
- Finally, I must say that
- Therefore,
- First of all,
- Firstly,
- In the first place,
- My first complaint is
- The first problem is
- My firrst concern is
- Secondly,
- In addition (to this/that)
- Another possibility is
The test-taker must read the question posted by the professor and the
two student responses. Finally, they should write their own response
which addresses the question and adds to the conversation.
—
Your professor is teaching a class on social studies. Write a post
responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Today, we’re going to discuss the impact of social

media on society. On one hand, social media platforms like
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have connected people from all
over the world. However, there are concerns about the negative
effects of social media, such as the spread of misinformation, the rise of
cyberbullying, and addiction to social media use. What do you think? Does
social media cause more harm than good?

Sarah: I think that social media has caused more harm than good.
While it’s true that social media platforms have connected people
in unprecedented ways, they have also caused real harm to
individuals and societies. Additionally, when people spend too
much time on social media platforms, they could suffer from mental health
problems such as anxiety and depression. This is probably because they
allow people to anonymously bully and harass other users.
Mark: I think that social media has mostly improved society. For
instance, it has given a voice to people that previously were
ignored. Moreover, it has provided platforms for political
activism that has led to positive change. And, of course, social
media has made it easy for everyone to stay connected to family and
friends who are far away. In the past we had to make expensive phone
calls to contact our loved ones, now we can talk to them and send them
pictures for free on social networks.
Sample Answer One
While I totally understand what both of you mean, I mostly
agree with Mark. I think social media is beneficial. I like how
social media sites help people to hear the opinions from a diverse
range of people. Traditional media outlets are controlled by the
rich and powerful nowadays, so they don’t often include the
voices of common people. On the other hand, everyone can use
social media as a platform to share their ideas. For instance, last
week I read a Facebook post about an effort to unionize a coffee
shop in Washington. That’s not the sort of thing we can hear
about on CNN or in the New York Times.
Sample Answer Two
In my opinion, social media is incredibly beneficial. I strongly
agree with Mark’s idea that social media gives a voice to people
that society used to ignore. I’d add that it is almost impossible
for most people to get their messages on television or in print
media because those are controlled by companies and wealthy
individuals. Sarah raised the relevant point that social media
causes mental health problems in some young people, but she
didn’t mention that social media can also help us to cope with
and recover from such problems. For example, there are a lot of
support groups on communities like Facebook where people can
talk about their struggles and get advice from people going
through similar experiences. Many people have mentioned that
such groups are critically important to their lives.

Your professor is teaching a class on computer science. Write a post

responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: A new story about Artificial Intelligence (AI) is in the

news almost every day. And, of course, companies are spending
an enormous amount of money to develop new technologies
related to AI. Before next class, I want you to consider the
following question: Is AI a dangerous technology that, overall, will be
harmful to society, or is it a powerful tool that will improve the lives of
people?
Megan: Personally, I think AI is a threat. As AI advances, many
jobs may become automated, leaving people without work. That
will certainly increase income inequality. Additionally, there’s the
risk that AI systems could be programmed with biases or used to
discriminate against certain groups. We need to be careful and ensure that
AI is developed in an ethical and responsible way. Since we can’t
guarantee that right now, I think it is best to slow down.
David: I disagree with Megan. I’m of the opinion that AI has the
potential to solve many of the world’s problems, from climate
change to disease. Additionally, AI can help us make better
decisions by analyzing vast amounts of data and identifying
patterns that humans may miss. That said, I agree with Megan that we
must ensure that AI is developed and used in a responsible way that
benefits society as a whole.

Sample Answer 1
While I can understand both points of view, I think that AI is
mostly helpful and will improve our lives over time. Like David,
I’m really confident that AI will help us deal with many serious
problems currently affecting society. It has already been used to
make driving safer and reduce car accidents, so we currently have
some proof that AI is helping people around the world.
According to statistics I read last week, self-driving cars get in
accidents 80% less frequently than cars driven by humans. That
seems like an incredible advantage to me. Remember that new
 technologies are always scary at first, but we shouldn’t let our
fears prevent us from making progress.
Sample Answer 2
No one can predict the future with absolute certainty, but I am
pretty sure that AI will cause a lot of problems in the long run.
For instance, think about the effect it will have on education.
We’ve already heard that many university students are using
artificial intelligence to cheat on their assignments. It is almost
impossible for teachers to detect when an essay has been written
by an AI bot, so lazy students have stopped writing their papers
altogether. Not only are students using AI to write their essays,
but some are even using it to do math assignments… or even
write computer code for their computer science classes. While
I’m sure that no one in THIS class is dishonest, we cannot ignore
the overall trend.

Your professor is teaching a class on public administration. Write a post

responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Funding for education is a really hot topic nowadays, so

today we’re going to talk about how universities use their limited
resources. In the discussion board please respond to the following
question: Should universities prioritize funding academic facilities
like libraries, or is it okay to spend just as much money on sports and
athletic programs?
Rachel: I think universities should prioritize funding for libraries.
Libraries are essential for academic research, and they provide
students with access to information and resources that they might
not have otherwise. Investing in libraries can also help attract and
retain the most talented professors, which can ultimately benefit the
university as a whole. Sports, on the other hand, appeal to just a few
people.
 Mike: While I agree that libraries are important, I think that sports
programs should also be a priority for universities. Sports can bring
the campus community together, even if that just means they attend
sports and cheer for their favorite athletes. Meanwhile, among the athletes
themselves, sports promote teamwork and leadership skills. Additionally,
successful sports programs can generate revenue for the university and
boost its reputation.

Sample Answer
In my opinion, universities should spend more money on academic
facilities. I’m convinced that they also help schools recruit the best
possible students, which improves their whole academic environment.
Everyone enjoys classes a lot when their classmates are intelligent and
devoted to their studies, so this seems like an obvious choice to make.
Mike raised the relevant point that athletic events bring people close
together, but he didn’t mention that there are other ways to do that which
are much more affordable. For example, organizing a campus festival is a
more cost-effective way to help students bond than funding an entire
football team.

Another Sample Answer

While Rachel brought up a few great points, I still believe that it is
worthwhile to fund athletics. Remember that most universities in this
country are pretty much the same in terms of classes and professors, but a
winning sports team can help a school stand out from the crowd. Many
high school students pick their university based on the success of its sports
teams, so it is probably a smart idea to make sure those teams get enough
funding. I certainly agree that libraries are ultimately more important than
football stadiums, but when enrollment goes up there will be more money
for libraries and other academic facilities.

Your professor is teaching a class on political science. Write a post

responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor: As you know, city governments have a responsibility to
improve the lives of residents. In today’s class we’re going to
discuss the best way for them to do that. What strategy do you
think governments should use to improve the overall quality of life
of residents? Why do you think it’s important?
Maria: I think investing in infrastructure should be the main
priority for every local government. This could include things like
repairing roads and bridges, expanding public transportation, and
improving access to clean water and sanitation. When cities have
good infrastructure it’s easier for residents to get around, and new
businesses are attracted to the area. They also experience fewer serious
accidents.
Tom: While I agree that infrastructure is important, I think that
social programs should also be a major focus. The government
could invest in things like education, affordable housing, and
healthcare, which can help address issues like poverty, inequality,
and access to basic needs. By providing these types of services, the
government can help improve people’s well-being. These are things that
everyone benefits from… unlike a road which is only used by people who
drive cars.

Sample Answer
In my opinion, the government should help people by providing more
funding for education. I don’t just mean that they should spend more on
schools. In fact, I think that the government should also spend money on
adult education. Nowadays, a lot of people have a hard time finding
regular employment, but if they have access to training and programs that
improve their skills they might have more success in the job market.
Cities with higher employment rates have happier people and lower crime
rates, so I think this approach is a wise one. Although it is true that
governments already spend a lot on education, I think investing even more
in this area will help a wide range of citizens.
Sample Answer 2
Some people in the class might disagree, but I am convinced that
governments should invest more in maintaining national parks. As
countries become more urbanized, the need for green spaces increases.
While people in cities can easily access a great number of fantastic
amenities like stadiums and cinemas, sometimes we need to spend some
time surrounded by nature. By making national and state parts easier to
access, governments can help citizens unwind and feel better about their
lives. Whenever I visit a park I am able to forget about the stress and
anxiety I get from my classes, but the closest one is more than a two hour
drive from campus! This might sound superficial compared to things like
building schools or maintaining bridges, but I really think that mental
health is a critical issue nowadays.

Your professor is teaching a class on business management. Write a post

responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words. You have ten
minutes to write.

Professor: Today, we’re going to talk about the benefits and

drawbacks of remote work. Many companies have implemented
remote work policies in the past few years, and many others are
considering joining them. Given that this represents a major
change in the way we work and interact with each other, companies must
carefully consider all relevant details before making a decision. What do
you think? Is remote work beneficial, or do you think it’s a bad idea?
Sara: I think remote work is a very positive trend. When we work
from home, we spend less time commuting and we have more
flexible schedules. Plus, many people find that they are more
productive when working from home. Some people say this is
because they aren’t distracted by their coworkers, while others suggest it’s
because their energy isn’t drained during a long and bothersome commute.
Michael: While I can see the benefits of remote work, I don’t
think it should become the new normal. There’s something to be
said for the atmosphere that comes from being in the same
physical space as your colleagues. I also think that remote work
can make it harder to build relationships and collaborate effectively. This
means it might limit our chances to earn promotions and raises. And what
about people who don’t have enough room for a home office? They’ll
suffer if this trend continues.

Sample Answer
While a lot of people favor traditional workplace arrangements, I really
think that letting employees work from home is a fantastic idea which
more companies should consider. Most of us just feel much more
comfortable when we are in our own house, and that makes it possible for
us to think more creatively about our assignments. Nowadays, employers
value creativity above all else, so this option is probably best for everyone.
While communicating with people in person can certainly inspire us to
think about things from new perspectives, so can talking to people via
social networks. Actually, the ability to quickly share links to relevant
articles sometimes leads to even greater inspiration and more rapid
progress on work projects.

Sample Answer 2
It’s certainly true that remote work arrangements make our lives more
comfortable and more flexible, but I think those advantages come at a cost.
When we work from home, we don’t have many opportunities to interact
with our colleagues or our supervisors. Consequently, we are likely to be
overlooked when it comes time to be promoted. Remember that company
managers only promote people they have very close personal connections
with, and such relationships cannot be established via Zoom sessions. In
today’s precarious economic situation, everyone wants to advance in their
careers, so I think it is a smart idea to give up remote work and return to
our offices.
Your professor is teaching a class on education. Write a post responding to
the professor’s question. In your response, you should:
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor: Over the next few weeks, we’re going to talk about
recent trends in education. Specifically, we’ll discuss how many
universities have started letting students take classes from home
instead of taking them in person on campus. I want to know what you
think about this issue, so here’s a quick question for the discussion
board: “What do you think is the most significant impact of online
classes? Why do you think it has this impact?”
Jack: The main thing is that online classes make education more
accessible. For one, they help reduce commuting time and costs
and give students more flexibility in their schedules. Plus, online
learning can be more accessible for students who have disabilities
or live far away from campus. Traditionally, high costs have
prevented many people from pursuing an education, but thanks to online
classes cost is less of a problem.
Emily: I think that online classes cause people to learn less than
before. There’s something to be said for the energy and
engagement that comes from being in the same physical space as
your classmates and instructor. Moreover, when we take classes in person
it is easier to build relationships and collaborate. We learn just as much
from personal connections as we do from our actual lectures and
textbooks.

Sample Answer (with template)

While there are certainly some advantages of online learning, I think its
biggest impact is that it makes people more likely to cheat on their
assignments. When we study on campus, we can easily access resources
like an academic library or a science lab. We can even schedule meetings
with our professors or other experts who work on campus. That means it
is easier to complete our assignments all by ourselves. In contrast, when
we study entirely at home it can be difficult to access beneficial
resources. Consequently, some people might feel that they have no
choice but to plagiarize content online, or use AI to complete their
essays. Honestly, I think people who study at home do this just to keep up
with their peers on campus.

Your professor is teaching a class on sociology. Write a post responding to

the professor’s question. In your response, you should
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Lately we’ve talked a lot about the impact of

technology on our lives. With the prevalence of smartphones and
other devices, we’re more connected than ever, but some people
are distressed by this trend. We’ll discuss this in our next class, but
before we do I’d like to hear your thoughts on the issue. Overall, do
devices like smartphones have a positive impact on the way we
communicate? Or a negative one?
Rachel: This sort of technology has had a negative impact on our
ability to communicate face-to-face. People are too reliant on text
messages and social media, and that reduces the nuance and depth
in our interactions. It’s harder to read body language and tone of
voice over text, and that can result in misunderstandings. If people want to
become effective communicators, they should talk to people in person.
Mike: While I agree that it can sometimes be challenging to
communicate in person, I also believe that modern technology is
beneficial. Smartphones make it possible for us to stay connected
with acquaintances and loved ones who are far away, and social
networks provide a platform for introverted people to express themselves
in ways that they may not be able to do in person.

Sample Answer 1 (with template)

In my opinion, having a smartphone is advantageous in the modern
world. Certain groups of people just aren’t able to share their ideas in
traditional media like newspapers and television broadcasts, but if they
have smartphones they can easily share whatever is on their mind by
posting to social networks like Twitter and Facebook. When people are
able to share how they feel about political and sociological
issues, they can bring about positive change in society. Think about the
last election in our country. People were really upset about the policies of
the Red Party, so they flooded social media with complaints and
encouraged people to vote for the Blue Party. I think those posts had a
profound impact on the final result.

Sample Answer 2 (with template)

While I can see where Mike is coming from, I am convinced
that smartphones have a really detrimental impact on communication in
the modern world. People everywhere have become obsessed with
watching short videos and reading social media posts when they have
some time to kill, so their attention spans are almost non-existent. This
means they have a hard time interacting with each other for long periods of
time. When my parents were young, they spent their free time reading
newspapers and books. I think that improved their overall academic
abilities, so when they went to college they were able concentrate on
things for hours at a time, including conversations. In contrast, I get
pretty anxious when I have to talk to someone and am unable to look at my
phone every five minutes!

Your professor is teaching a class on marketing. Write a post responding to

the professor’s question. In your response, you should:
express and support your personal opinion
make a contribution to the discussion in your own words
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor: Hello class! Next week we will be discussing the impact
of social media influencers on consumer behavior. With the rise of
social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, we’ve seen the
emergence of a new type of celebrity: the social media influencer. These
influencers have large followings and can sway consumer behavior by
endorsing products or services. What are your thoughts on this?
 Jack: I think social media influencers have a significant impact.
When young people start admiring these influencers and trust their
recommendations, they are more likely to buy products or services
that they endorse. However, I also think there are some concerns
about the authenticity of these endorsements, as some influencers may
promote products that they don’t actually use or believe in.

Emily: I’m not convinced that social media influencers have a significant
impact on consumer behavior. While they may have large followings, most
people are smart enough to make their own purchasing decisions
based on their needs and preferences. Plus, there are so many
influencers out there promoting different products that it can be
hard to know who to trust.

Sample Answer 1 (with template)

In my opinion, social media influencers aren’t as significant as
some people suggest. I agree with Emily’s idea that people are
too smart to be influenced by them. I’d add that twenty years
ago a charismatic person might have convinced us to buy
something we didn’t really need, but I think that doesn’t happen
so much nowadays. That’s because we can thoroughly research
whatever products we are interested in using blogs, consumer
magazines and social media. Since we can use these sources of
information to find goods that exactly suit our needs, we aren’t
swayed by the exaggerated claims of social media
influencers. Jack raised the relevant point that young people
are especially vulnerable, but I think most parents these days take
the time to educate their kids about misinformation and monitor
their internet use. As a result, young people aren’t likely to make
rash decisions about what to buy.
Sample Answer 2 (with template)
While I appreciate the points mentioned by Jack and Emily, I
think that social media stars aren’t particularly influential
nowadays. Nowadays consumer behavior is affected by many
 different things, not just what we see on the Internet. Twenty
years ago a charismatic person might have convinced us to buy
something we didn’t really need, but I don’t think that happens so
often today. Remember that the choices people make are also
impacted by their peers, by their family members and even by
traditional advertising, so the Internet isn’t a dominant force in
their lives. Some people may feel that influencers are more
powerful than ever, but I think their impact is actually declining.

The professor is teaching a class on business. Respond to the post with the
professor’s question in it and the posts by two other students. You should
express and support your opinion and add new information to the
discussion. You will have 10 minutes to read the question and the
student responses and to write your own response. Your response should
be at least 100 words in length.
Professor: As I briefly mentioned in class last week, starting a small
business involves both risks and rewards. So, let’s explore this topic
a little more. Before we meet again next week, I would like to have
your responses to this question: If you were offered a position with a large
company and also an opportunity to start your own business, which would
you choose to do? Why?
Jack: I would definitely prefer employment in a large company
because it would provide a regular salary and benefits like health
insurance and retirement options. And I would have more regular
hours. Starting a business would be more than I would want to take
on, especially at this stage of my career.

Emily: I’ve always been more of a risk-taker, so the idea of

starting a business appeals to me. Once the business was off the
ground, it would offer more potential for a higher income as well.
I’m not afraid to work hard and I really like to be able to make my
own decisions, which I would be able to do as an owner.