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.