In order to express agreement use such phrases as:
Exactly!
No doubt!
Definitely!
Certainly!
Of course!
Sure!
You’re absolutely right.
That’s exactly what I think/ what I wanted to say.
I couldn’t agree more.
I agree entirely.
I fully agree with you.
I think you are (absolutely) right.
I agree with you.
That’s true.
So do/am I.
Neither do/am I.
Me too.
In case you don’t agree with your friend use such polite expressions as:
I’m afraid, I can’t agree with you.
You may be right, but…,
I can’t fully agree with you.
I can agree with you up to a point, that ...
I do not have the same opinion,
I have a different point of view,
Yes, possibly / perhaps / may be, but …
Yes, you could be right, but ...
Yes, I see what you mean, but …
Yes, I take you point, but …
I’m afraid I don’t agree (with you) at all.
That may be true, but ...
I’m not sure if it is really so.
I doubt ...
I don’t think that’s correct.
I’m not sure I agree with you.
Perhaps, but don’t you think that ...
That isn’t always true.
I can’t agree with you there.
· When you discuss something in order to show your interest in the subject you should take an active part in the conversation. It means that you should give your suggestions. In order to do this you may use such expressions as:
What about going to…?
Let’s go ...
Why don’t we…?
I think we could go...
It might be a good idea to...
My suggestion is...
In my opinion, it would be good to…
I suggest…
Would you like to…?
How about doing …?
How do you feel about doing …?
Do you fancy doing…?
What about doing…?
Perhaps, we could …
· In case you haven’t caught what your friend has just told you may ask him/her to repeat. Use such expressions as:
I'm sorry, could/would you repeat that, please?
Could you say that again, please?
In the...?
You'd like 'The Times 'and...?
· Sometimes while talking we need to express some feelings: surprise, doubt, disappointment, certainty, uncertainty, ignorance.
In order to express surprise and doubt you may use such expressions as:
What a surprise!
Good heavens!
Incredible!
Unbelievable!
Well, I’ll be blown!
I am/was surprised to hear that.
I am/was totally confused!
You don’t say so!
Fancy that!
Indeed?
What?
Really?
Are you sure?
You can’t be serious.
It can’t be true.
You must be joking./ You must be kidding.
I can’t/couldn’t believe it!
Would you believe it?
In order to express certainty you may use such expressions as:
Of course...
Certainly!
I’m absolutely sure ...
That’s for sure.
In order to express uncertainty you may use such expressions as:
Wеll, I'm not quite sure...
You see,...
Actually, ...
In fact,...
What I mean is ...
The point is...
Let me think,...
How shall I put it?
Frankly speaking,...
I’m not sure.
I’m not certain (at all).
In order to express ignorance you may use such expressions as:
I can’t say (for sure).
I don’t know, I’m afraid.
I’m afraid, I have no idea.
Sorry, I don’t know.
In order to express disappointment you may use such expressions as:
Oh, how disappointing.
I’m disappointed that ...
I’m (so) sorry (that ...)
· You may ask him/her to comment on or precise his/her statement. Use such expressions as:
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
I'm sorry, I don't quite see what you mean.
Sorry, I didn't quite catch what you were saying.
· You may repeat his/her question or a part of it for precision and better understanding. Use such expressions as:
Did you say...?
At the post office?
Thirty or forty?
Would you like to know .. ?
Are you asking about...?
Should I describe...?
Do you want me to comment on . .?
How do I react to ...?
· In order to be a good interlocutor you shouldn’t speak much more that your friend. In order to show your ability to involve your partner in conversation find out his/her attitudes, opinion and in making a decision take them into account. Use such expressions as:
What do you think of …? (specific person/ thing)
What do you think about …? (general topic)
How do you feel about doing …?
What do you mean (by saying “…”)?
Why do you think …?
What do you think about it?
Do you like the idea?
Do you agree with me?
What is your opinion about it?
· You should not only ask your friend about his/her opinion, but also you should invite your friend to come up with suggestions. Use such expressions as:
What would you suggest?
What would be your idea…?
What would you recommend?
You might like to come up with some ideas?
What would be your first choice?
· When you come to an agreement you may use such expressions as:
What do we decide?
Which option do we choose in the end?
Do you think we could make a final decision?
I think it’s time we made a decision.
Приложение 5
Таблица 1
Некоторые трактовки начала беседы
Greeting Formulae | |||
Form of address | Answer | Style | Function |
Hi! | Hi! | informal | greeting |
Hello! | Hello! | neutral | greeting |
How’s it going? How are things? How’s things? | Fine, thanks. And you? / Yeah, fine! Not bad. Could be better | informal | greeting |
How are you? | Fine, thank you. And you? / Very well, (And) how are you? or: (And) what about you? | neutral | greeting, enquiry after sb’s health |
Pleased/Nice to meet you. | Pleased/Nice to meet you (too). | neutral | greeting after introduction |
How do you do? | How do you do?/ Pleased/Nice to meet you. | formal | greeting after introduction |
Good morning/ afternoon/ evening | Good morning/ afternoon/ evening. | formal | greeting |
I'm glad to see you again. | I’m glad to see you too. | formal | greeting |
Fancy meeting you! | Hello. | informal | greeting (unexpected meeting) |
Таблица 2
Некоторые трактовки запрашивания и выражения мнения
Asking sb’s opinion | Introducing opinion |
What do you think of …? (specific person/ thing) What do you think about …? (general topic) How do you feel about doing …? What do you mean (by saying “…”)? Why do you think …? What do you think about it? Do you like the idea? Do you agree with me? What is your opinion about it? What would you suggest? What would be your idea…? What would you recommend? You might like to come up with some ideas? What would be your first choice? | (Personally) I think … (Personally) I don’t think it’s … I’m sure that … In my opinion … (formal) I sometimes think that ... It seems to me that ... I believe that ... In my (personal) opinion.... On the one hand …, on the other hand… In my point of view ... I think ... Frankly speaking … They say … I don’t think that … |
Таблица 3
Некоторые трактовки выражения предложения и согласия/несогласия
Replies | |||
Invitations | positive | neutral | negative |
Would you like to ...? Do you fancy doing? | Thanks, I’d love to. That’s a great idea. Yeah, great. I’d love to. That would be lovely. Oh, that’s a great idea. Good idea. That sounds great! Sure, great! Fine! Great! Super! Excellent! Wonderful! Splendid! | Yeah, if you like. Yes, I don’t mind. Yes, it’s OK for me. Why not? | I’m afraid I’m busy. Thanks for asking but I can’t. I’m sorry, I can’t. It’s nice of you to ask but . I’d love to, but I’m afraid I can’t. This weekend is a bit difficult. What about next weekend? I’m sorry, but … Oh, no. I hate … |
Suggestions | |||
How about doing …? Why don’t we …? How do you feel about doing …? Do you fancy doing…? What about doing…? Perhaps, we could … Let’s ... I think we could go... It might be a good idea to... My suggestion is... In my opinion, it would be good to… I suggest… Would you like to…? |
Таблица 4
Некоторые трактовки выражения согласия и несогласия
Agreeing | Disagreeing |
Exactly! No doubt! Definitely! Certainly! Of course! Sure! That’s exactly what I think/ what I wanted to say. I couldn’t agree more. I agree entirely. I fully agree with you. I think you are (absolutely) right. I agree with you. That’s true. So do/am I. Me too. | possibly, Yes, perhaps/may be, but … you could be right, Yes, I see what you mean, but … Yes, I take you point, but … I’m afraid I don’t agree (with you) at all. I’m afraid I can’t fully agree with you That may be true, but ... I’m not sure if it is really so. I doubt ... I don’t think that’s correct. I’m not sure I agree with you. Perhaps, but don’t you think that ... That isn’t always true. I can’t agree with you there. I do not have the same opinion, I have a different point of view. I totally disagree (with you). Nothing of the kind. (informal) Nonsense! (informal) |
Таблица 5
Некоторые трактовки выражения предпочтений
What do you like? | agree | disagree | |
I’m crazy about ... (informal) | So am I/me too | But I’m not. | |
I love ... | So do I/me too. | Really? I don’t. | |
I’m really into ... (informal) | So am I/me too. | Really? I’m not. | |
I find … very interesting. | So do I/me too. | Really? I don’t. | |
I’m quite interested in … | So am I/me too. | Really? I’m not. | |
I enjoy … | So do I/me too. | Do you? I hate it. | |
I like ... | So do I/me too. | Do you? I hate it. | |
I quite like ... | So do I/me too. | Oh, I’m not very keen on it. | |
I prefer … to … | So do I/me too. | But I don’t like it. | |
I’d rather … | Me too. | Would you? But I’d rather not … | |
I’d prefer … | Me too. | ||
I don’t mind ... | Yeah, it’s OK. | Oh, I can’t stand it. | |
I’m not very keen on ... | Neither am I/me neither. | Really? I love it. | |
I’d rather not … | Me too. | ||
I don’t like ... | Neither do I/me neither. | Oh, I quite like it. | |
I’m bored by … | |||
I can’t stand ... | Neither can I/me neither. | Really? I quite like it. | |
I hate ... | So do I/me too. | Oh, I really like it. |
Таблица 6
Некоторые трактовки выражения эмоций
Expressing emotions | ||
Expression | Style | Emotion |
Certainly! | neutral | certainty |
Of course... | neutral | certainty |
I’m absolutely sure | neutral | certainty |
That’s for sure. | neutral | certainty |
I’m not sure. | formal | uncertainty |
I’m not certain (at all). | formal | uncertainty |
I can’t say (for sure). | formal | ignorance |
I don’t know, I’m afraid. | formal | ignorance |
I’m afraid, I have no idea. | neutral | ignorance |
Sorry, I don’t know. | formal | ignorance |
Good heavens! | informal | surprise |
What a surprise! | informal | surprise |
Incredible! | neutral | surprise |
Really? | neutral | surprise |
What? | neutral | surprise |
Indeed? | neutral | surprise |
Fancy that! | informal | surprise |
You don’t say so! | informal | surprise |
Oh, how disappointing. | informal | disappointment |
I’m disappointed that ... | formal | disappointment |
I’m (so) sorry (that ...) | formal | disappointment |
Таблица 7
Thanks and replies | |
Form of address | Answer |
Thank you (very much). Thanks. Thanks a lot. That’s very kind of you. (a bit formal) | You are welcome. No problem. It’s OK. Never mind. |
Таблица 8
Некоторые трактовки завершения беседы
Farewell Formulae | |||
Form of address | Answer | Style | Function |
(It was)nice to meet you. or Nice to have met you. | (It was)nice to meet you (too). or Nice to have met you (too). | formal | parting on first meeting |
See you later/ tomorrow/ on Saturday/etc. | See you. | neutral | parting (with an arrangement of the follow-up meeting) |
Bye. See you soon. | Bye. (See you.) | neutral | parting(without an arrangement of the follow-up meeting) |
Nice to have met you. Bye/Goodbye. | Bye-bye | informal | parting on first meeting |
Bye. Bye-bye. See you. Take care. | Bye. Bye-bye. See you. Take care. | informal | parting |
Good day! | All the best. | formal | parting (cold dismissal) |
Goodnight. | Goodnight. | neutral | parting late at night |
Have a nice weekend. | Yes. Same to you. or You too. | informal | parting on Friday afternoon |
I'm looking forward to seeing you again. | neutral | parting |
ПРИЛОЖЕНИЕ 6