What Are Opinion Marking-Signals?

Opinion marking signals are words used to initiate an opinionated phrase. You use them when
you want to express a personal opinion. Or when you want to make it clear that this is your own
opinion, not a scientific fact or an official statement.

An opinion marking signal can be any word or phrase you use before you say your opinion. As
long as it expresses your need to voice your opinion, it’s a marking signal, even if it’s not
officially regarded as one.

The common opinion marking signals are as follows: personally, in my opinion, in my

experience, etc. However, other phrases work in the same context as well. So, for example, when
you hear a statement and say ‘I beg to differ,’ then start expressing your opinion—that’s
considered an opinion marking signal.

The same goes if you say ‘The way I think, ..’ and go on to express your opinion. So, while the
concept of opinion marking signals is clear and simple, they don’t have to be limited to common
words. Instead, you can use endless words to say that you’re about to express your opinion.

How to Identify Opinion Marking Signals

Identifying opinion marking signals is pretty straightforward. For one, they come right before
expressing opinions, but that’s too obvious. On top of that, they come at the beginning of
sentences.

You can identify these signals by understanding the concept of opinions. An opinion isn’t a fact,
and there’s no way to prove it. It’s just someone’s way of thinking.

In fact, that’s what opinion marking signals are good for—expressing that the upcoming
sentence is a mere opinion, not a fact.

For example, when you hear someone saying, ‘Cats are better pets than dogs,’ you know that it’s
an opinion. For starters, there’s no way to prove it. How are you going to prove that cats are
better pets than dogs? It’s simply uncanny.

Not only that, but it also isn’t a fact . A lot of people think the opposite, preferring dogs over
cats. So, that makes the statement a pure opinion and the phrase that comes before it is definitely
an opinion marking signal.
On the other hand, when you hear someone saying, ‘I know that celery is good for your health,’
you know it’s not an opinion.

Ask yourself, can you prove it? Yes, proving it is pretty easy. You’ll research the health benefits
of celery, find that it’s indeed good for your health, and tada! You proved it.

Still not convinced? Ask yourself, is it a fact? Can someone turn up and say the opposite and still
be correct?
The answer is no. If someone turned up and said that celery is bad for your health, they’d simply
be wrong.

In this case, the phrase before that sentence, if any, isn’t an opinion marking signal because the
sentence is a fact, not an opinion.

To ponder: Vas m OPINION MARKING SIGNALS

R. Determine parallel structure sentences. Motivation (Playing a video about Filipino culture, ask
students varied questions about the video. O Identify the appropriate opinion marking signals to
be used in the sentences. Use different opinion marking signals in constructing dialogues.
Discuss the value of hospitality.

Example of Activity(4 groups Colored Tags Together and jumbled letters of opinion marking
signals)GQuest. What opinion marking signals sentence based on the jumbled letters. What do
these phrases express. How do these phrases express...

Samples of analyzing the given sentences about opinion marking signals. First g.
1.(Who is being talked?- I) (Function-subject), (What is the subject doing in the sentence – “feel
happy about being a Filipino), (What does the clause “feel happy about being a Filipino doing in
the sentence – functions as predicate in a sentence)
2. It seems that Filipinos are obsessed with social media.
(Subject, predicate, opinion marking signals, personal feeling- personal idea)
Follow the questioning….until last sentences

Opinion-Marking Signals (Abs)

a. Personal opinion, or personal ideas- express opinions and ideas are part of daily
conversation. ( I believe, I feel, In my experience, Form what I know, I hope, For me, in
my opinion, I guess, I think)
I feel happy about being a Filipino.
It seems that Filipinos are obsessed with social media.
b. Opinion marking signals express agreement - Ideas that might be pleasing to us or of the
same belief as we have. We can also use these word phrases to identify opinion marking
signal in a statement (I agree, I second that, That’s true, Absolutely, I think so too) I
totally agree that Filipinos are the friendship.
That is true that Filipinos are friendly, simply because they are very welcoming and
hospitable.
c. Opinion marking signals used to express disagreement- other ideas may be different from
what we believe in or are just contradictory to what we think. In this case, it is necessary
to express with due respect to the person with a different idea. ( I see your point, I’m
afraid that’s difficult to accept, I’m afraid, I disagree, I beg to disagree)
Sorry but I beg to disagree that Filipinos are only popular because of being active in
social media.
 I see your point, but Filipinos are also known to be hospitable and resilient.
d. Opinion marking signals used to politely interrupt- these words in column d are
opinionmarking signals that used to politely interrupt in a conversation because you want
to clarify things or you have to leave while another person is still talking. So another
way to identify opinion-marking signal in a statement is when it implies an interruption
and these words in column d are one of the examples. (I don’t mean to intrude that, if I
may interrupt, That reminds me, Excuse but in my opinion, if I may add)
If I may add, Filipino families go to church and pray together.
Excuse me but in my opinion, Filipinos will respect you if you respect them.