Expressing Opinion

In English, asking for and expressing opinion is an important aspect of communication, especially in social and professional situations. In this lesson, you will learn various expressions and ways to ask for and express opinions in English, as well as ways to agree and disagree with others’ opinions.

TABLE OF CONTENT

• Asking for Opinion
• Expressing Opinion
• Agreeing with Opinion
• Disagreeing with Opinion
• Examples of Expressing Opinion
• Exercises on Expressing Opinion

Asking for Opinion

When we want to ask for someone’s opinion, it’s important to phrase the question in such a way that encourages dialogue. Some sample expressions that you can use to ask for opinions or thoughts include:

• What do you think about…?
• In your opinion, …?
• What’s your opinion….?
• Any initial thoughts on …?
• Do you have any particular views on …?
• Are you for or against…..?
• Do you think that …..?
• If I asked your opinion about …………, what would you say?
• Would I be right in saying …?
• How do you feel about …?
• Do you share the view that …?
• Please tell me your opinion on …
• Would you agree that …?

Expressing Opinion

After you’ve asked for an opinion, it’s important to be able to express your own opinions in both agreement and disagreement. To give your opinion, try using these combinations of adjectives and statements:

• I (strongly) think…
• As far as I’m concerned,…
• To my mind,…
• According to me,…
• Some people may disagree with me, but …
• As I see it, …
• It seems to me that…
• In my point of view / my opinion,…
• From my point of view…
• To the best of my knowledge, …
• To my mind / To my way of thinking, …
• I am of the opinion that…
• I have come to the conclusion that …
• Personally speaking / Speaking for myself, …
• I’m no expert (on this), but …
• I take the view that. ..
• My personal view is that…
• In my experience…
• As far as I understand / can see/see it,…

Agreeing with Opinion

After you’ve asked for an opinion, it’s important to be able to express your own opinions in both agreement and disagreement. To give your opinion, try using these combinations of adjectives and statements:

• I agree with you / I do agree
• You’re definitely right.
• I share the same view
• I couldn’t agree more.
• I am on the same page ….
• We seem to be on the same wavelength.
• It’s so nice to meet someone who thinks that way too.
• That is logical.
• I can’t argue with that.
• (I have) No doubt about it
• That is a more convincing argument, I must admit.
• That’s a good point.
• I see your point.
• (That) makes sense (to me).

Disagreeing with Opinion

If you don’t necessarily agree with someone’s opinion, then the following expressions can help to express your disagreement without offending them:

• I’m afraid. I can’t agree with you.
• No way.
• I respect your point, but I can’t entirely agree with it.
• I don’t agree with you.
• That’s not always true.
• You could be right, but…
• It’s hard to argue with that, but…
• I’m not sure I agree with you
• I think you’re wrong
• I can see a hole in that argument.
• That’s not the way I see it.
• Sorry, but I am not convinced.
• It is quite old-fashioned to say that.

Examples of Expressing Opinion

Exchange 1:

Person 1: What do you think about the new movie that just came out? 
Person 2: In my opinion, it was a bit disappointing. (Expressing opinion)
Person 1: I disagree entirely. I thought it was amazing. (Disagreeing)
Person 2: That’s good to hear. Different people have different opinions.

Exchange 2:

Person 1: In your opinion, which country has the best food?
Person 2: I believe that Italy has the best food.
Person 1: I have the same opinion. Italian food is amazing. 
Person 2: Definitely, the pasta, pizza, and gelato are to die for. 

Exchange 3:

Person 1: According to you, how serious of an issue is pollution in our society? 
Person 2: I take the view that it’s a very serious issue that we need to address as soon as possible. Pollution is affecting our health, the environment, and future generations. 
Person 1: That’s not the way I see it. For me, pollution is not as big of an issue as people make it out to be, and it’s not having a significant impact on our lives. 
Person 2: Sorry, but I am not convinced. The evidence clearly shows that pollution is a major problem that needs to be addressed through both individual and collective action.

Exchange 4:

Person 1: Would you agree that empowering women is important for society? 
Person 2: Absolutely. I believe that empowering women is crucial for any development in our society.
Person 1: I can’t argue with that. Women have the capabilities and potential and should be given more opportunities. 
Person 2: Absolutely. Empowering women leads to more diversity and balance in all areas of society, from the workplace to the political arena.

Exercises on Expressing Opinion