1.

Giving your opinions in English

There are many ways to give your opinions when speaking English. The exact English
expression you use depends on how strong your opinion is.

Giving your opinion neutrally

"I think…"

"I feel that…"

"In my opinion…"

"As far as I'm concerned…"

"As I see it…"

"In my view…"

"I tend to think that…"

Giving a strong opinion

"I'm absolutely convinced that…"

"I'm sure that…"

"I strongly believe that…"

"I have no doubt that…"

English expressions for asking someone's opinion

"What do you think?"

"What's your view?"

"How do you see the situation?"

2.Suggestion in English
The following English words and expressions are all used to make suggestions and give advice
to people.

should

"You should try to practise English."

"You shouldn't translate too much."

Why don't you

"Why don't you join an English club?"

ought to

"You ought to read more."

If I were you, I'd…

"If I were you, I'd watch more television."

*All these expressions are followed by a verb, without to. For example: "He should visit the
Eiffel Tower." (Not "he should to visit the Eiffel Tower.")

suggest and recommend

Either use a verb + ing

"I suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower." (We should all go.)

OR use that + a verb without to

"I suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." (I'm not going.)

OR use a noun
"I recommend the lasagne." (It's a very good dish to choose in this restaurant.)

advise

"I advise you to buy a good dictionary."

advice

Advice is an uncountable noun. This means that we can't say an advice. Instead, we say some
advice or a piece of advice.

"Let me give you some advice."

"She gave me a very useful piece of advice: to buy a good dictionary."

Speaking tip

Many people don't like getting advice if they haven't asked for it! To avoid giving the wrong
impression, you can try some of these expressions:

"You could always…"

"Have you considered…"

"Perhaps we could…"

"Do you think it's a good idea to…"

2.Suggestion in English
The following English words and expressions are all used to make suggestions and give advice
to people.

should

"You should try to practise English."

"You shouldn't translate too much."

Why don't you

"Why don't you join an English club?"

ought to

"You ought to read more."

If I were you, I'd…

"If I were you, I'd watch more television."

*All these expressions are followed by a verb, without to. For example: "He should visit the
Eiffel Tower." (Not "he should to visit the Eiffel Tower.")

suggest and recommend

Either use a verb + ing

"I suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower." (We should all go.)

OR use that + a verb without to

"I suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." (I'm not going.)

OR use a noun
"I recommend the lasagne." (It's a very good dish to choose in this restaurant.)

advise

"I advise you to buy a good dictionary."

advice

Advice is an uncountable noun. This means that we can't say an advice. Instead, we say some
advice or a piece of advice.

"Let me give you some advice."

"She gave me a very useful piece of advice: to buy a good dictionary."

Speaking tip

Many people don't like getting advice if they haven't asked for it! To avoid giving the wrong
impression, you can try some of these expressions:
"You could always…"

"Have you considered…"

"Perhaps we could…"

"Do you think it's a good idea to…"

4.Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing

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.

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.

5.Giving orders and instructions in English

How can you ask someone to do something for you in English without sounding rude? Here are
some of the ways that you can give orders and instructions.

1. Use the imperative form

We use the imperative form to give orders, warnings and advice:

Be quiet!
Take care!
Listen to me carefully!
Because it can sound rude to give direct orders (especially if you are talking to an adult), we
"soften" the imperative form with "let's" or "please":
Let's go now.
Please listen to what I'm saying.

2. Use a modal verb to turn the order into a request

We use modals to change the mood of a sentence. For example, "You should help her" is more
polite than "Help her!"
Other modal verbs you can use to make requests are:
Could: Could you make me some tea?
Can: Can you come here please?
Will: Will you shut the door please?
Would: Would you wait here until the doctor is ready for you?

3. Use an introductory phrase to soften the order

Instead of using an imperative, you can use a phrase instead. Here are some common ways of
phrasing an order, in order of the most indirect to the most direct:
-Would you mind possibly… (+ ing) (Most indirect)
Would you mind possibly moving your car? It's parked right in front of mine.
-I was hoping you could … (+ infinitive without to)
I was hoping you could spare me a few minutes this morning.
-Do you think you could … (+ infinitive without to)
Do you think you could do this photocopying for me?
-If you have a couple of minutes spare…
If you have a couple of minutes spare, the office needs tidying up.
-I'd like you to…
I'd like you to file this correspondence for me.
-I want you to…
I want you to finish this by tomorrow.

4. Use sequencing words

You can use sequencing words to make instructions clear.

Firstly, make sure the appliance is disconnected.
Secondly, open the back with a screwdriver.
Then, carefully pull out the two black cables…. ‘

6.Making request in English

When you ask someone to do something for you, or ask if you can do something, it's important
to sound polite. Here are some of the common ways that you can do this.

Asking someone to do something for you

"Could you open the door for me, please?"

"Would you mind opening the door for me, please?"

"Can you open the door for me, please?'

Speaking tip: could and can are followed by the verb without to. Would you mind is followed by
the verb and -ing.

Asking if you can do something

"Can I use your computer, please?"

"Could I borrow some money from you, please?"

"Do you mind if I turn up the heating?"

"Would you mind if I turned up the heating?"

Speaking tip: Could is more polite that can.

Do you mind if…" is followed by the verb in the present tense, but would you mind if… is
followed by the verb in the past tense.
When you're using these two sentences, don't use please. It's already polite enough!

7.Making Invitation in English

How to make and accept invitations in English.

"What are you doing next Saturday? We're having some people over for a meal. Would you like
to come?"

"Are you free next Thursday?"

"Are you doing anything next weekend?"

"Would you be interested in coming to the cinema with me tonight?"

"How do you fancy going out for a meal at the weekend?"

Accepting

"Would you like to…"

"I'd love to, thanks."

"That's very kind of you, thanks."

"That sounds lovely, thanks."

Do you fancy coming to the cinema tonight?

"What a great idea, thanks."

Declining

"Would you like to come over for dinner on Saturday?"

"That's very kind of you, but actually I'm doing something else on Saturday."

"Well, I'd love to, but I'm already going out to the cinema."

"I'm really sorry, but I've got something else on."

"I really don't think I can - I'm supposed to be doing something else."

Speaking Tip

It's important to be polite when you decline an invitation. We normally give a reason why we
can't do something and either apologise, or use words like "actually" or "really".

8.Complaining in English
When complaining in English, it helps to be polite. This page will help you with this important
English speaking skill.

In a shop

You're in a shop and the assistant gives you the wrong change.

"Excuse me, I think you've given me the wrong change", or "Sorry, I think this change is
wrong. I gave you $20, not $10."

In a hotel

"Excuse me, but there's a problem with the heating in my room."

"Sorry to bother you, but I think there's something wrong with the air-conditioning."

"I'm afraid I have to make a complaint. Some money has gone missing from my hotel room."

"I'm afraid there's a slight problem with my room - the bed hasn't been made."

When people apologise, they normally say "sorry" and offer to put the situation right.

"Excuse me, but there's a problem with the heating."

"I'm sorry - I'll get someone to check it for you."

or "Sorry to hear that - I'll send someone up."

Speaking tip

Although you may find it strange to use the word sorry when you complain, English speakers
consider it polite. It will help you get what you want!

9.Talking about probalility in English

There are many ways of saying that something will probably or possibly happen.

Probable

bound to = certain: "They are bound to succeed!"

sure to = certain: "He is sure to win the championship."

likely to = probable: "We are likely to win the contract."

definite = sure: "He's a definite frontrunner for the job!"

probable: "It's probable that we will be on holiday around then."

likely: "An election is likely next year."

will definitely happen: "There will definitely be a storm later."

will probably happen: "They will probably take on more staff."

Possible

may: "We may be able to help you."

might: "There might be a holiday next month - I'm not sure."

could: "There could be a bug in the system."

… is possible: "Do you think he will resign?" "Yes, that's possible."

… is unlikely: "It's unlikely that she will move."

will possibly: "She'll possibly tell us tomorrow."

probably won't: "They probably won't hear until next week."

definitely won't: "I definitely won't go to the party."

… is highly unlikely: "It's highly unlikely that the company will expand."

Note: Be careful of the word order.

"Definitely" and "probably" come after "will" (in positive sentences) and before "won't" in
negative sentences.

Variations

You can add words to alter the strength of probability:

highly likely / unlikely (= very likely / unlikely)

quite likely / probable / possible (= more likely, probable or possible)

could possibly / probably

most definitely won't (= even more unlikely)

10.Telling a story in English

A useful skill in English is to be able to tell a story or an anecdote. Anecdotes are short stories
about something that happened to you or to someone you know.

How to start

Traditional stories often start with the phrase "Once upon a time". However, if you are going to
tell your story after someone else has already spoken, you can say something like:

That reminds me!

Funny you should say that. Did I ever tell you about…
Hearing your story reminds me of when…
Something similar happened to me….

How to tell your story

First of all, your story should be quite short. Try to keep it grammatically simple as well, so that
it is easy to follow.

Make it easy for the listener to understand by using sequencing and linking words:

Sequencing words
These words show the chronological sequence of events.

First of all, I (packed my suitcase)

Secondly, I …. (made sure I had all my documents)
Previously (before that) ….. I changed some money.
Then… I (called a taxi for the airport)
Later (on)… (when we were stuck in traffic, I realised…)
But before al that… (I had double checked my reservation)
Finally… (I arrived at the wrong check-in desk at the wrong airport for a flight that didn't go
until the next day)

Linking words
Use these words to link your ideas for the listener. Linking words can be used to show reason,
result, contrasting information, additional information, and to summarise.

I booked a flight because….

As a result, I was late…
Although I had a reservation, I hadn't checked the airport name.
I made sure I had an up-to-date passport and I also took along my driving licence.
In short, I had made a complete mess of the holiday.

Tenses

We can use a variety of tenses to tell stories and anecdotes. Jokes are often in the present
tense:

A man walks into a bar and orders a beer.

We also use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect:

The year is 1066. In medieval England people are worried that the king, Harold, is not strong
enough to fight off a Norman invasion.

However, we generally use past forms to talk about past events. If you tell your story in
chronological order, you can use the past simple:

I double checked my reservation. I packed my suitcase, and then I called a taxi.

Use the past continuous to describe activities in progress at the time of your story, or to
describe the background.
The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. We were driving along the motorway quite
steadily until we suddenly saw in front of us the warning lights to slow down. We were heading
towards a huge tailback.

Sometimes, you might want to avoid telling your story as one chronological event after the
other. You can use the past perfect (simple and continuous) to add more interest to your story
by talking about events that happened before the events in your story:

I double checked my reservation, which I had made three days previously.

I wanted to visit some friends who had been living in France for the last five years.

Vocabulary

Try to use a wide range of words to make your story more interesting. Remember that you can
"exaggerate" when you tell a story, so instead of using words like "nice" or "bad", experiment
with more interesting words, such as "beautiful", "fabulous", "wonderful", "horrible", "awful"
or "terrible".

Finally - remember that you are telling a story - not giving a lecture. Look at the people
listening, and try to "involve" them in the story or anecdote. Keep eye contact, use the right
intonation and try to make your face expressive. You might also want to try practising a few
anecdotes in the mirror before "going live". Have fun!

11.Talking about fear in English

There are many words and expressions for talking about fear.

Words

afraid: "Are you afraid of the dark?"

frightened: "I’m frightened of spiders."
scared: "He’s scared of making mistakes."
feel uneasy: "I felt a bit uneasy when I walked home in the dark."
spooked: “My cats are easily spooked before a thunderstorm.”
terrified: “She was absolutely terrified when she heard the noise.”
petrified: “The building began to shake and we were all petrified.”

Expressions

a terrifying ordeal
send shivers down my spine
give me goosebumps (goosebumps are when you skin has little bumps on it)
make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up (dogs also do this when they are scared)
scare the hell out of me
be scared shitless / shit scared (British slang - vulgar)
be bricking it (British slang - vulgar)
frighten the life out of me
shake with fear
jump out of my skin
Examples

One of the best horror films I have seen is “The Blair Witch Project”. It tells the story of a
terrifying ordeal in the woods of northern USA. Some of the scenes in the film sent shivers
down my spine, especially the one when the students run out of the tent in the middle of the
night. When they go back, one of the guy’s rucksack has been emptied. When that same guy
goes missing the next day, it gives you goosebumps.

There are some fabulous sound effects, especially the ones of the wind blowing and howling.
When you hear the crying voices at the end of the film, it will make the hairs on the back of
your neck stand up.

Perhaps the scariest part of the film is at the end, when you see one of the surviving students
literally shake with fear in the corner of the basement. It certainly frightened the life out of the
girl when she saw him, and I jumped out of my skin at the end when the camera stopped
filming. The film scared the hell out of me for weeks afterwards, and I’m ashamed to say that I
wouldn’t go into an empty room in the house unless there was someone there with me.

12.How to talk about illness in English

Sometimes you don't feel very well, but you're not really ill. Here are some common
expressions that you can use to describe general "aches and pains" and some useful
"sympathetic" responses.

General aches and pains

"I feel a bit under the weather."

"I'm not feeling very well."

"I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a sore throat."

"I've got a slight headache." (Or toothache / stomach ache / backache) Pronounced "ake" as
in "cake".

"I'm not sleeping very well at the moment."

"I feel a little faint."

"I've got a nagging pain in my shoulder." (nagging = a pain that won't go away)

"I've got a splitting headache - I hope it's not a migraine."

Sympathetic responses

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"You don't look very well."

"You look a little pale."

"Maybe you're going down with something. There's a bug going around."

"Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

"Why don't you go home and have a lie-down."

Mild illness

"I have a bit of a stomach bug."

"I think I've got a bit of a temperature."

"I have a touch of flu." (Flu = influenza)

"I've got a nasty cough."

13.How to say what's important in English?

Sometimes you need to say how important things are to you. These are all common ways of
telling someone what your priorities are.

In a job interview

"The most important thing for me is that the job is challenging."

"What's really important to me is being able to learn something new."

"The most crucial thing for me is to be valued by my colleagues."

"The most vital thing is knowing that I am doing a good job."

"What really motivates me is learning about new ways of doing something."

"I'm extremely interested in learning more about the market."

"In terms of priorities, I am most interested in getting results. In addition, I would like to
develop my marketing skills."

"As far as my priorities go, getting results is the most important."

"At the top of my list of priorities is feeling appreciated."

"The least important thing is salary." (^_^....)