How do I express my opinion in English? #EnglishHelp

Leo has recently arrived in Toronto from Seoul and is living with a local host family. One evening, they decide to eat at a Korean restaurant. Eager to hear Leo's opinion, they ask, “What's your favorite dish?”

Leo confidently answers, “In my opinion, tteokbokki is delicious because it's a bit sweet and spicy."

Being able to express your opinion in English will help you engage in conversations and share your thoughts and views on various topics!

Every day we are immersed in conversations with others. Giving your opinion helps you share your perspectives and ideas. So, let’s start with a few phrases you can put into practice.

Here are 4 expressions you can use to share your opinion:

In my opinion...

• In my opinion, the service at this restaurant is great.

I think...

• I think climate change is an important world issue.

I believe...

• I believe running is good for reducing stress.

I feel...

• I feel cats are great pets because they're low maintenance.

Watch the clip below for additional ways to state your opinion:

Video courtesy of English with Viviana

When stating your opinion, you can use different degrees of certainty to show how strong your opinion is.

Check out these phrases to express your opinion with differentdegrees of certainty:

Image created by the author using Canva. Select the Play button below to listen to an audio description of the chart above:

So, you just shared your opinion about the latest iPhone model but what about your friend's opinion? When we express an opinion, it’s usually a good idea to ask other people for theirs,too.

Phrases like these show that you're interested in hearing others' opinions:

• What do you think of…?

• What are your thoughts about…?

• How do you feel about…?

• What’s your opinion about…?

Watch the clip below for a few examples of how to ask others for their opinion:

Video courtesy of English with Viviana

An important part of building relationships is having shared interests and opinions. Finding common ground helps us understand each other better and build relationships.

For example, your new friend is talking about her love for true crime podcasts. You're thrilled to learn about your shared interest!

So, how can you show that you agree with them?

Here are 4 expressions you can use to agree with others' opinions:

I couldn't agree more...

• I couldn't agree more. True crime podcasts are the best!

I definitely agree...

• I definitely agree with you! They are addictive!

I totally agree...

• I totally agree! True crime podcasts are fascinating!

I'm with you...

• I'm with you on that. They're binge-worthy.

Watch the clip below for some additional ways to agree with other's opinions:

Video courtesy of English with Viviana

Sometimes you'll have a different opinion than others and that's ok! For example, your friend might love every Fast and Furious movie ever made but you think they're awful.

There are ways to disagree with others politely, without hurting their feelings.

When disagreeing with others' opinions you can use the coordinating conjunction "but" to connect to your own opinion.

Here are 4 expressions you can use to disagree politely with others' opinions:

I'm afraid I have to disagree...

• I'm afraid I have to disagree with you but I just don't like the Fast and Furious movies.

I'm sorry to disagree with you...

• I'm sorry to disagree with you but I'm not the biggest fan of the Fast and Furious movies.

Don't get me wrong...

• Don't get me wrong, I can see why you like those movies but I don't really like them.

I appreciate your opinion...

• I appreciate your opinion but I have to disagree. I don't believe the Fast and Furious movies are good.

Watch the clip below to see not-so-polite ways of disagreeing with others' opinions:

Video courtesy of English with Viviana

You have many ideas and opinions to share. I strongly believe you should take action! Here's how...