Useful Phrases for Discussion and Composition

This page presents a comprehensive list of English discussion phrases and Formulierungshilfen Argumentation to enhance communication skills in academic and professional settings. The phrases are categorized to help students structure their arguments effectively.

Keeping to the Point

The document begins by offering phrases to maintain focus in discussions. These include:

• "It would be more to the point if..."
• "To say that... is entirely besides the point."
• "Come to the point."
• "That is not the problem."

Highlight: These phrases are crucial for steering conversations back to the main topic and avoiding tangential discussions.

Expressing Support

Next, the guide provides expressions for showing agreement:

• "You're quite right."
• "That's a very important point."
• "You've got a good point there."
• "I couldn't agree with you more."
• "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Example: In a debate, one might say, "You've got a good point there about the environmental impact of plastic waste."

Drawing Conclusions

The document then moves on to phrases for concluding arguments:

• "It follows from this that..."
• "The obvious conclusion is..."
• "There is only one conclusion to be drawn from this."
• "Last but not least..."
• "The only alternative left is..."
• "The only possible solution is..."

Vocabulary: "Gist" - the main or essential part of a matter.

Giving Summary

For summarizing discussions, the guide suggests:

• "Finally, I would like to say..."
• "Summing up..."
• "In conclusion..."
• "The gist of my argument is..."
• "To cut a long story short..."
• "Just to give you the main points again..."

Giving Reasons

To provide rationale for arguments, the following phrases are offered:

• "The reason for this is..."
• "This is due to..."
• "On account of..."
• "Since..."
• "I base my argument on..."
• "I'm telling you this because..."

Expressing Pros and Cons

Lastly, the page includes phrases for presenting balanced arguments:

• "There are two sides to this question."
• "On the one hand..., on the other hand..."
• "An argument for/in favour/against... is ..."
• "While admitting that... one should never forget that..."
• "Some people think that..., others say that..."

Definition: Pros and cons refer to the advantages and disadvantages of a situation or decision.

Useful Phrases for Discussion and Composition (Continued)

This page expands on the previous content, offering additional Formulierungshilfen Diskussion and discussion phrases English to further enhance students' ability to engage in academic discourse and written compositions.

Introducing a Point

The document begins with phrases for introducing new topics or arguments:

• "First of all I would like to point out..."
• "To start with..."
• "The main problem is..."
• "Let's get this clear first:..."
• "I want to draw attention to..."
• "The question of..."
• "Speaking of..."
• "What we have to decide is..."

Highlight: These introductory phrases are essential for structuring arguments and guiding the listener or reader through your thought process.

Stating Something as a Fact

For presenting information as factual, the guide suggests:

• "As everyone knows..."
• "It is generally accepted that..."
• "There can be no doubt that..."
• "It is a fact that..."
• "Nobody will deny that..."
• "Everyone knows that..."
• "It is common knowledge that..."
• "We must face the fact that..."

Example: In a presentation about climate change, one might say, "It is a fact that global temperatures have risen significantly over the past century."

Expressing a Personal Opinion

The document provides phrases for sharing personal views:

• "In my opinion..."
• "It seems to me that..."
• "In my view..."
• "I have the feeling that..."
• "I feel that..."
• "I rather think that..."
• "I'm absolutely convinced that..."
• "If you ask me, I think..."
• "You can take it from me that..."
• "Let me tell you..."

Vocabulary: "Conviction" - a firmly held belief or opinion.

Expressing Doubt

For conveying uncertainty or skepticism, the following phrases are offered:

• "I'm not sure if..."
• "Do you really believe that?"
• "How are we to know that...if...?"
• "I'm not convinced that..."
• "You're not trying to tell us that... are you?"
• "Don't you think you're exaggerating a little?"
• "I wouldn't be so sure about that, if I were you."
• "I wonder if you realize..."
• "I doubt that very much."

Quote: "I'm not sure if the proposed solution addresses all aspects of the problem."

Expressing Disagreement

Lastly, the page includes phrases for politely disagreeing:

• "I don't quite agree there."
• "I can't accept your view that..."
• "I can't go all the way with you on that point."
• "Surely you're not serious, are you?"
• "May I remind you that...?"
• "You surely don't expect us to believe that, do you?"
• "If you believe that, you'll believe anything."
• "I don't want to argue with you, but..."
• "Are you trying to pull my leg?"

Definition: "To pull someone's leg" is an idiomatic expression meaning to joke with someone or to tell them something untrue as a joke.

These Formulierungshilfen Argumentation and discussion phrases English provide students with a robust toolkit for engaging in academic discussions, debates, and written compositions. By incorporating these phrases, learners can articulate their thoughts more clearly and effectively in various academic and professional contexts.