Expressing Your Opinion

TSLB3023 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC

PURPOSES
WEEK 3
 Expressing
Opinion

Opinion- how an individual feels about something.

*Note: An opinion may contain or be based on facts, but an opinion should never be
stated as a fact.

2 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Expressing Personal Opinions
• Start with a phrase like:
• In my experience…
• As far as I'm concerned…
• Speaking for myself…
• In my opinion…
• Personally, I think…
• I'd say that…
• I'd suggest that…
• I'd like to point out that…
• I believe that…
• What I mean is…

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EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Expressing Personal Opinions
• State your opinion
• Ex. “I think that the library should be open longer.”
• Then, provide reasons and evidence to support your opinion.
• Examples:
• “It closes at 8 pm, and I am usually studying until 10 pm, which
means I have to find a new place to go.”
• “It is inconvenient to have to interrupt my studying.”

4 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Expressing General Opinion
• To express general points of view, start with:
• It is thought that...
• Some people say that...
• It is considered...
• It is generally accepted that...

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EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Expressing General Opinion
• Then, make the opinion clear, in statement form.
• Ex. “Many people say that he is a bad leader.”
• Then, provide reasons and details to support the opinion.
• Examples:
• “He is not visionary enough to create more employment
opportunities and generate income for the country.”
• “He has caused friction in the department and lost the respect
of his staff.”

6 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Responding To Opinion
• You can agree or disagree.

7 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Agreeing with an Opinion
• Of course. • Neither do I.
• You're absolutely right. • I agree with you entirely.
• Yes, I agree. • That's just what I was
• I think so too. thinking.
• That's a good point. • I couldn't agree more.
• Exactly.
• I don't think so either.
• So do I.
• I'd go along with that.
• That's true.
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EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Disagreeing with an Opinion
• That's different. • I'm afraid I have to disagree.
• I don't agree with you. • I'm not so sure about that.
• However… • I must take issue with you
• That's not entirely true. on that.
• On the contrary… • It's unjustifiable to say
• I'm sorry to disagree with
that...
you, but…
• Yes, but don't you think…
• That's not the same thing at
all.
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EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Asking for opinion
Formal Situation
 Have you got any comments on...?
 Do you have any opinion on...?
 Would you give me your opinion on...?
 What is your reaction to...?
 What is your opinion about...?
 What are you feeling about...?
 What are you views on...?
 I'd be interested to know your thoughts on/what you
think about...
 How do you feel about...
 Giving opinion
Formal situation
• I personally believe ...
• I personally consider ...
• I personally think/feel ...
• I hold the opinion ...
• My own view of the matter is ...
• As far as I'm concerned...
 I'm convinced that...
 I strongly believe that...
 I suspect that...
 Agreeing with an opinion
 My view about this is positive.
 I agree with this idea.
 I agree completely with this idea.
 I would like to reiterate what has been said earlier.
 This idea is absolutely right.
 I would like to echo what the earlier speaker has
said.
 I couldn't agree more on this.
 This idea carries a lot of substance.

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 Disagreeing with an opinion
 As much as I’d like to be part of this notion, I still believe the practical
element is not taken into consideration / impractical / may not be
feasible/ may not be plausible…
 I think this idea is possible, but……
 I have serious doubt about how this project will be implemented within …
 I don't agree with this idea…
 I think it is a bad idea.
 I'm not sure that I agree with this idea completely…
 The project is feasible, but…….
 I understand what you are saying, but don't you think that ...
 However, I beg to differ on this idea…
 It's rather unjustifiable to say that...

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 General point of view
 It is thought that...

 Some people say that...

 It is considered...

 It is generally accepted that...

14 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 Exercise Expressing Opinions

 Directions: Here is a list of controversial topics/images. Pick

two topics that interest you and write out three opinion
statements that clearly express your point of view or position on
each one:
 1. Women in military combat
 2. Violence portrayed in movies
 3. Polygamy is the answer to help widows due to wars.

15 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 What is your opinion?

16 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 What is your opinion?

17 EAP- WK 3 (FS)
 What is your opinion?

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 What is your opinion?

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 Tutorial tasks
 In groups of 5, choose an issue that is rather controversial. Debate
on the issue chosen. Two of the group members will be for the
notion and while the other two will be against it. The fifth
member will be the moderator.
 While the debate is going on, the audience have to decide on:
- the effectiveness of expressing opinions
- how were the opinions expressed?
- ways of agreeing and disagreeing
- how was the opinion supported?
 Finally decide which team is a more deserving winner

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 Tutorial task
 The four-corner activity.

 Note: If time permits, your lecturer will carry out this

activity

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