3. Asking about and expressing opinions
Dialogue: Al, Chen, and Wang are English
teachers chatting in the office at a school in
China.
(listen especially for how people ask for and
express opinions.)
4. Focus Point:
Asking about and expressing opinions
Al: Mr. Chen, how do you feel about teaching English in
primary schools?.
Chen: I think children should start studying English as
early as possible. Young children are more excited
about learning a new language.
Al: What do you think about it, Mr. Wang?
Wang: Personally, I don't think it is such a good idea. I
suppose it is good to start learning a language early; but
only if there are enough good teachers.
5. Focus Point:
Asking about and expressing opinions
Focus point. Asking about opinions:
"How do you feel about + (gerund or noun)"
"What do you think about +(gerund or noun)"
6. Focus Point:
Asking about and expressing opinions
• Focus point.
• Expression opinions:
"I think that..." Also "I feel that..." "I believe that ..."
-- "should" For opinions. "Personally"
Emphasizes that this is a personal opinion, thus
making his disagreement with Mr. Chen seem
less sharp and direct.
• "I suppose that..." Indicating reservation.
7. Focus Point:
Asking about and expressing opinions
Other points to note:
"as early as possible"
The "as ___ as ___" pattern often causes
problems in China.
Adjective + preposition: "excited about"
8. Focus Point: Politely expressing disagreement
Dialogue:
Anne and Mick are arguing politely over
whether cats or dogs make better pets.
(Listen especially for how they indicate
disagreement.)
9. Focus Point: Politely expressing disagreement
Anne: I think that cats usually make better pets than dogs. /
For one thing, they are quieter.
Mick: That may be true, but sometimes they make a lot of
noise crying at night.
Anne: For another, cats are more affectionate.
Mick: Really? I don't think so.
Anne: Of course they are. They always love to sit on your
lap.
Mick: That's just because they want something from you.
Anne: Yes, but they are so sweet about it.
10. Focus Point: Politely expressing disagreement
Focus point: Step: Disagreeing: (When disagreeing
politely, Westerners will often first agree with part of
someone else's opinion before disagreeing. "Yes, but...."
patterns are very common.)
For introducing counter-arguments "Yes, but ...." "That's
true, but...." "I agree, but...."
For expressing reservation "That may be true, but...." Also "I
suppose that's true, but ..."
For complete disagreement: "I don't think so." "I disagree."
"I'm not sure I agree." Often prefaced by "Really?"
11. Focus Point: Politely expressing disagreement
Other points to note:
"I think that...." For expressing opinions.
"For one thing...." "For another...." Common expressions for
introducing a reason.
Note that the plural form is used when speaking about
nouns in general. Ex: "Cats usually make better pets than
dogs do."
"That's just because..." Just = only. Often used to minimize
something.
Verb + preposition: "to want something from somebody"
Adjective + preposition: "sweet about (something)"