{"id":375,"date":"2019-08-19T00:00:21","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T00:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.engoo.com\/tutors-blog\/?p=375"},"modified":"2021-03-30T06:04:31","modified_gmt":"2021-03-30T06:04:31","slug":"smart-expressions-voicing-opinions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Expressions for Voicing an Opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/#Expressions_for_Describing_Initial_Impressions\" >Expressions for Describing Initial Impressions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/#Expressions_for_Evaluating_Ideas\" >Expressions for Evaluating Ideas<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/#Expressions_for_Evaluating_Outcomes\" >Expressions for Evaluating Outcomes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/#%F0%9F%91%8B_Thats_it_for_now\" >\ud83d\udc4b That\u2019s it for now!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Have you ever noticed that some students always use the phrase \u201cI think \u2026\u201d? Or maybe you\u2019ve noticed a student who always sounds a little blunt: \u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d or \u201cNo, I disagree.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or maybe you\u2019ve been in those shoes yourself! (I know I have.)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065830\/image3.png\" alt=\"we sound smarter in our native language\" width=\"624\" height=\"276\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065830\/image3.png 624w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065830\/image3-300x133.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s fine for beginners to use basic expressions, many intermediate and advanced students want to sound intelligent but don\u2019t know how.<\/p>\n<p>So let\u2019s give them a hand by introducing the following expressions!<\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expressions_for_Describing_Initial_Impressions\"><\/span>Expressions for Describing Initial Impressions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Discussions often start with questions about what someone thinks about the information that was just presented. For example, here are some Daily News questions that ask for students\u2019 initial impressions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cDoes it surprise you that 57% of Swedish students support a smartphone ban?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat are your thoughts on the technology featured in the article?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWhat are your thoughts on the planned railroad project between South and North Korea?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When I\u2019m asked these questions in a second language, I often respond with something like, \u201cI think it\u2019s cool\u201d or \u201cIt sounds interesting,\u201d and then cringe at my lack of expressive abilities. If you suspect your student is in the same boat, suggest some of these alternatives!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065753\/image1.png\" alt=\"words and phrases to use instead of interesting synonyms\" width=\"624\" height=\"383\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065753\/image1.png 624w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065753\/image1-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So next time a student says, \u201cI think this is interesting,\u201d you can encourage them to use these expressions by asking, \u201cDo you think it\u2019s surprising? Impressive? Exciting?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then, if your student doesn\u2019t follow-up with a reason, make sure to ask, \u201cWhy?\u201d If your student says, \u201cIt shows that North and South Korea are working together,\u201d you can put the two statements into the chat box like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I think this project is impressive. It shows that North and South Korea are working together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This will show the student how to organize their thoughts into longer statements. Here are some other examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I don\u2019t find the technology particularly exciting. I read about a similar kind of technology many years ago.<\/li>\n<li>I think this statistic is surprising. I didn\u2019t expect students would support a smartphone ban. This seems like a very mature choice for people their age.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expressions_for_Evaluating_Ideas\"><\/span>Expressions for Evaluating Ideas<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Some Daily News questions ask students to evaluate an idea. Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cIn your opinion, should there be any limits on free speech?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWould you support a ban on smartphones in schools?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your student struggles to answer, start by encouraging them to use the wording of the question in their answer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cIn my opinion, there should be limits on free speech.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI would support a ban on smartphones in schools.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your student isn't comfortable with the above responses, you might introduce them to these expressions:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065956\/image5.png\" alt=\"words and phrases to use instead of good or bad idea\" width=\"624\" height=\"410\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065956\/image5.png 624w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065956\/image5-300x197.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Advanced students may be interested in these more nuanced expressions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I think limiting free speech is a <em>double-edged sword<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>The <em>pros<\/em> (of banning smartphones in school) outweigh the <em>cons<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>A smartphone ban is a good idea <em>in theory<\/em>, but <em>in practice<\/em> students will find other ways to get distracted in school.<\/li>\n<li><em>I\u2019d support<\/em> these limitations on free speech if the country were in a state of emergency, <em>but I think they\u2019re unwarranted<\/em> at this moment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expressions_for_Evaluating_Outcomes\"><\/span>Expressions for Evaluating Outcomes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Lastly, some discussion questions ask students to evaluate the results of an event. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\"Would you describe the meeting as a success?\"<\/li>\n<li>\"What are your thoughts on the failed moon landing?\"<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When responding, students often default to \u201cI think ....\u201d Here are some expressions they can use instead of \u201cI think\u201d to express educated guesses and firm opinions:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065820\/image2.png\" alt=\"words and phrases to use instead of i think\" width=\"624\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065820\/image2.png 624w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2019\/07\/09065820\/image2-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For example, if your student says, \u201cI think the meeting was a success,\u201d you can show them another expression like, \u201c<em>I\u2019d say<\/em> the meeting was a success.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or if your student says, \u201cI think the failed moon landing wasn\u2019t a failure,\u201d but you notice that they don\u2019t seem too confident about their answer, you can teach them, \u201c<em>The way I see it,<\/em> the moon landing wasn\u2019t a total failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%F0%9F%91%8B_Thats_it_for_now\"><\/span>\ud83d\udc4b That\u2019s it for now!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Hopefully this gives you some ideas for expressions you can introduce to your students \u2014 whether during the discussion or as part of your feedback at the end of the lesson (e.g. \u201cOne tiny thing I noticed is that you usually say, \u2018I think.\u2019 It\u2019s totally OK to say that, but maybe you can try other options, such as \u2018I\u2019d say ...\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019d argue that ...\u2019 to sound more natural).<\/p>\n<p>Not all students see value in \u201cupgrading\u201d their expressions, but those who do will  appreciate you taking the time to help them sound smarter! If you want more of these, see <a href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/22\/smart-expressions-reasons-predictions-and-recommendations\/\">this post on expressions for providing reasons, recommendations, and predictions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, if you want to copy and paste the expressions, here they are in text format!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Initial Impressions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Intermediate<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I think this project is exciting.<\/li>\n<li>I think this statistic is surprising.<\/li>\n<li>I don\u2019t think this project is that impressive.<\/li>\n<li>I don\u2019t think this statistic is that surprising.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Advanced<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I find the technology intriguing.<\/li>\n<li>I don\u2019t find the technology particularly intriguing.<\/li>\n<li>I don\u2019t find the project particularly newsworthy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Evaluating Ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Good Idea<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I\u2019d like to see a ban on smartphones in schools near me.<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019d welcome a ban like that.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s probably not a bad idea to ban smartphones in school.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bad Idea<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I wouldn\u2019t want to see limits on free speech.<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019m not sure it would be a great idea.<\/li>\n<li>Honestly, I wouldn\u2019t say it\u2019s a great idea.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Instead of \u201cI think\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Weaker Expressions<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Personally, I think ...<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019d say ...<\/li>\n<li>I\u2019d argue that ...<\/li>\n<li>In my opinion, ...<\/li>\n<li>As far as I can see, ...<\/li>\n<li>The way I see it, ...<\/li>\n<li>It seems to me that \u2026<\/li>\n<li>\u2026 but maybe that\u2019s just me.<\/li>\n<li>\u2026 but maybe I\u2019m missing something.<\/li>\n<li>\u2026 but I could be wrong.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Stronger Expressions<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I really think that ...<\/li>\n<li>I firmly believe that ...<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s no doubt that\u2026<\/li>\n<li>In my honest opinion, \u2026<\/li>\n<li>To be (brutally) honest, ...<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever noticed that some students always use the phrase \u201cI think \u2026\u201d? Or maybe you\u2019ve noticed a student who always sounds a little blunt: \u201cI don\u2019t think so,\u201d or \u201cNo, I disagree.\u201d Or...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":137,"featured_media":353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[51,69],"tags":[57,56],"class_list":["post-375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teaching-conversation","category-vocab-expressions","tag-discussion","tag-pragmatics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Smart Expressions for Voicing an Opinion | Engoo Tutor&#039;s Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-conversation\/smart-expressions-voicing-opinions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Smart Expressions for Voicing an Opinion | Engoo Tutor&#039;s Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have you ever noticed that some students always use the phrase \u201cI think \u2026\u201d? 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