Clarifying complex ideas: 
 Right, so what have we got to do? 
 So, we don’t understand the bit when… 
 Perhaps she means that… 
 I wonder…, 
 What if… 
 So that suggests that… 
 Do you think it means…? 
 Well, I think… 
 I’m not sure what you mean. 
 Please could you explain what you are trying to say. 
 Please tell me more about your idea. 
 So if that means…surely this must… 
 Yes and there’s another example... 
 Do you see what I mean? 
 OK, but don’t you think… 
 Right, so we’ve agreed that… So now we need to… 
 So what we have agreed is… 
Introducing supporting material: 
– For example… 
– For instance… 
– Consider… 
– Let’s take the case of…. 
– This is well-illustrated by… 
– Evidence of this can be seen in… 
– One example of this is … 
Confirming the evidence: 
– So, it is clear that… 
– What this tells us is… 
– This points to… 
– We can assume, therefore, that… 
– One realises that… 
– Clearly,… 
– Obviously,… 
– There is little doubt, then… 
Identifying main points: 
 Right, we need to agree on the main points. 
 Would anyone like to suggest…? 
 Surely one of our main points was… 
 But surely that was far more important because… 
 Right, we need to decide exactly what we’re going to do… 
 Does anyone have any ideas about…? 
 I think we need to… because… 
 But don’t you think we need to…? 
 OK, so we need to decide who is going to do what… 
 So, we definitely don’t all think that… 
 Right, who would like to…? 
 Katie, do you think you could get that done by…? 
 Let’s run through the main points we’ve agreed on… 
Challenging others’ views: 
– Don’t you think that…? 
– Isn’t it true that …? 
– Isn’t it the case that…? 
– Couldn’t it be argued that …? 
– Might some people not think that …? 
Exploring: 
– I wonder whether/if/why… 
– If we…then… 
– How about… 
– Perhaps we could… 
– Maybe… 
– What would happen if…? 
– What evidence do you have to support that opinion…? 
– Based on what we know so far…? 
– What will happen if…? 
– What will be the consequences of…? 
– How can you tell…? 
Acknowledging, justifying or modifying views: 
 Yes, but don’t you think that …? 
 I agree with …; 
 I feel a bit like you, … 
 Let’s just be clear what Claire is saying here… 
 Sometimes; 
 Often; 
 Not always; 
 Occasionally; 
 Yes, that’s right; 
 Oh, I see 
Offering an answer or response: 
– I think … 
– In my opinion… 
–Personally… 
– Firstly, I believe… 
–In response to that… 
Useful Phrases for Discussion

Discussion Phrases Placemat

  • 1.
    Clarifying complex ideas:  Right, so what have we got to do?  So, we don’t understand the bit when…  Perhaps she means that…  I wonder…,  What if…  So that suggests that…  Do you think it means…?  Well, I think…  I’m not sure what you mean.  Please could you explain what you are trying to say.  Please tell me more about your idea.  So if that means…surely this must…  Yes and there’s another example...  Do you see what I mean?  OK, but don’t you think…  Right, so we’ve agreed that… So now we need to…  So what we have agreed is… Introducing supporting material: – For example… – For instance… – Consider… – Let’s take the case of…. – This is well-illustrated by… – Evidence of this can be seen in… – One example of this is … Confirming the evidence: – So, it is clear that… – What this tells us is… – This points to… – We can assume, therefore, that… – One realises that… – Clearly,… – Obviously,… – There is little doubt, then… Identifying main points:  Right, we need to agree on the main points.  Would anyone like to suggest…?  Surely one of our main points was…  But surely that was far more important because…  Right, we need to decide exactly what we’re going to do…  Does anyone have any ideas about…?  I think we need to… because…  But don’t you think we need to…?  OK, so we need to decide who is going to do what…  So, we definitely don’t all think that…  Right, who would like to…?  Katie, do you think you could get that done by…?  Let’s run through the main points we’ve agreed on… Challenging others’ views: – Don’t you think that…? – Isn’t it true that …? – Isn’t it the case that…? – Couldn’t it be argued that …? – Might some people not think that …? Exploring: – I wonder whether/if/why… – If we…then… – How about… – Perhaps we could… – Maybe… – What would happen if…? – What evidence do you have to support that opinion…? – Based on what we know so far…? – What will happen if…? – What will be the consequences of…? – How can you tell…? Acknowledging, justifying or modifying views:  Yes, but don’t you think that …?  I agree with …;  I feel a bit like you, …  Let’s just be clear what Claire is saying here…  Sometimes;  Often;  Not always;  Occasionally;  Yes, that’s right;  Oh, I see Offering an answer or response: – I think … – In my opinion… –Personally… – Firstly, I believe… –In response to that… Useful Phrases for Discussion