Lecture 26

Discussing IdeasAgreeing and Disagreeing

Review of Lecture 25

• In lecture 25, we learnt how to– Listen to and comprehend weather reports– Use weather related words and phrases– Use Comparative and superlative degrees of

adjectives– Use ‘will’ for forecasts and predictions– Ask about and describe weather in your own

words

Objectives of Lecture 26

• After completing lecture 26, you should be able to– Ask others’ opinions and state your own– Politely agree or disagree with other’s opinion– Use polite expressions of interrupting– Give pros and cons of a debatable topic

Fact or Opinion?

• Look at the following statements. Say if these are facts or opinions.– Summer is the best season of all.– London is the capital city of England.– Swimming is a good way to keep fit.– Everyone should swim once a day.– Daffodils are the prettiest of all the spring flowers.– A turtle has a hard shell.– Smoking is nasty.– Seeing is believing.– When you heat water, it boils.

Questions to Consider

• What’s your opinion about the following statements?– Co-education is good for education.– Death penalty should be banned.– Internet brings more harm than good.– We should ban junk food from schools.– Advertising is harmful.– We should allow corporal punishment in schools.– Housewives should be paid for their work.– All nations have a right to nuclear war.

Stating an Opinion

• In my opinion...• The way I see it...• If you want my honest opinion....• According to Lisa...• As far as I'm concerned...• If you ask me...

Asking for an Opinion

• What's your idea?• What are your thoughts on all of this?• How do you feel about that?• Do you have anything to say about this?• What do you think?• Do you agree?• Wouldn't you say?

Expressing Agreement• I agree with you 100 percent.• I couldn't agree with you more.• That's so true.• That's for sure.• (slang) Tell me about it!• You're absolutely right.• Absolutely.• That's exactly how I feel.• Exactly.• I'm afraid I agree with James.• I have to side with Dad on this one.• No doubt about it.• (agree with negative statement) Me neither.• (weak) I suppose so./I guess so.• You have a point there.• I was just going to say that.

So / NeitherALI FATMA

I’m in favor of old design. So do I.

I agree to Salma’s idea. But I don’t.

I don’t favor mercy killing. Neither / nor do I

I don’t fancy Chinese cuisine. But I do.

Expressing Disagreement

• I don't think so.• (strong) No way.• I'm afraid I disagree.• (strong) I totally disagree.• I beg to differ.• (strong) I'd say the exact opposite.• Not necessarily.• That's not always true.• That's not always the case.• No, I'm not so sure about that.

Interruptions

• Can I add something here?• Is it okay if I jump in for a second?• If I might add something...• Can I throw my two cents in?• Sorry to interrupt, but...• (after accidentally interrupting someone) Sorry,

go ahead. OR Sorry, you were saying...• (after being interrupted) You didn't let me finish.

Settling an Argument

• Let's just move on, shall we?• Let's drop it.• I think we're going to have to agree to

disagree.• (sarcastic) Whatever you say./If you say so.

Find the Mistakes (if any)

1. That's interesting, but I'm not sure if I am agree.

2. I think you might have right. 3. Exactly. Now, are you all agree? 4. I think you are right. 5. I'm not sure I disagree. 6. OK. Do we all agreed now? 7. I don’t entirely agree.

Task 1

• Listen to this audio clip.• you will hear that Tim and Carrie have two

different positions on an issue. As you listen, try and hear the phrases that are used to show disagreement.

Task 1 (Cont…)Now read the script below and check your answers:

Sean: The office move, as you know, the plans have been up by the main exit for a week now. I just wanted to see what kind of feedback you’ve got. Tim: Yeah, Sean, I’m sorry, but I really strongly disagree with the new floor plan. I think it's divisive to separate the secretaries and the assistants out from the editors and managers. I’d be much happier if we could be located in teams. Carrie: Actually, I think Sean is right. I’ve been chatting to some of the secretaries and they’re quite keen to all be sitting in the same area, and, speaking as an editor, I think I’d like to be with other editors so that we can bounce ideas off each other and things. So I think Sean’s floor plan is right.

Practice Situation

• Find someone to work with you in pairs.• Your partner will start giving their opinion on something and

you should agree or disagree using one of the phrases in today’s lecture, then give the reasons for your opinion. Your partner will then do the same.

• Possible topics:– Ways of improving this room– Ways of improving this city– What the government should do about the economy– Why one product is better than another (e.g. iPhone and Blackberry)– Why one method of transport is better than another– Why one type of food or restaurant is better than another

Summary of Lecture 26

• In lecture 26, we learnt how to– Ask others’ opinions and state your own– Politely agree or disagree with other’s opinion– Use polite expressions of interrupting– Give pros and cons of a debatable topic