FUNCTIONS:

Agreeing

Disagreeing

Hesitating

Introducing your opinion

Asking for opinions

Expressing preferences

Asking for clarification

Expressing likelihood

Speculating, guessing

Advice and recommendations

Describing a picture

Agreeing

I think you’re right

I would go along with the idea

I completely agree with you

That makes perfect sense

You have a point there

Absolutely, that’s spot on!

I couldn’t agree more

Disagreeing

That’s not how I see it

I couldn’t agree less

You must be kidding

That’s a ridiculous idea, don’t you think?

With all due respect, I must disagree

I’m afraid I can’t see it that way

No way, that’s nonsense!

Hesitating

I’m in two minds about it

I have some reservations regarding that

I’m not entirely convinced

There’s something that gives me pause

While I’m not entirely opposed, I do have some doubts

Introducing your opinion

To my mind

I reckon

In my opinion

As I see it

It seems to me

I would argue

From my point of view

Asking for opinions

Don’t you think …?

What’s your attitude to …?

What’s your opinion of …?

Are you in favour of …?

What’s your position as regards …?

You don’t support …, do you?

Expressing preferences

I prefer…

I would rather…

My preference would be…

I tend to favour…

If I had to choose, I would…

I lean towards…

I am inclined to…

I’m a big fan of…

I really enjoy…

I’m into…

I absolutely love…

I’m crazy about…

I’m fond of…

It’s right up my alley

It’s my thing

I can’t get enough of…

It appeals to me

It’s growing on me

I wouldn’t miss it for the world

I’m not a big fan of…

I don’t really enjoy…

I’m not into…

I can’t stand…

I’m not fond of…

It’s not my cup of tea

It doesn’t do anything for me

I’m sick of…

It gets on my nerves

It puts me off

I’d rather not…

It leaves me cold…

Asking for clarification

Could you please elaborate on that?

Would you mind explaining that further?

I’m not quite sure I understand. Could you clarify?

Could you provide more details?

Can you expand on that point?

Expressing likelihood

“It’s a foregone conclusion that…”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that…”

“I am almost certain that…”

“It’s highly likely that…”

“Chances are that…”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if…”

“It’s possible that…”

“There’s a chance that…”

“It’s unlikely that…”

“I doubt that…”

Speculating, guessing

“It seems to me that…”

“My gut feeling is that…”

“From what I gather…”

“If I were to guess…”

“It would appear that…”

“I reckon that…”

“I suspect that…”

“In all likelihood…”

“There’s a distinct possibility that…”

“It’s plausible that…”

Advice and recommendations

“You might want to consider…”

“Perhaps you could try…”

“If I were you, I would…”

“One thing you could do is…”

“Have you thought of…”

“May I suggest…”

“It might be beneficial to…”

“Consider this approach…”

“Why not give this a go…”

“If it were up to me, I’d…”

Describing a picture

“In the foreground…”

“In the background…”

“In the center of the image…”

“On the left side of the picture…”

“On the right side of the picture…”

“At the top of the picture…”

“At the bottom of the picture…”

“The picture depicts…”

“The image illustrates…”

“The photograph shows…”

“One can see…”

“Notice how…”

“This scene captures…”

“This photograph highlights…”

DICTIONARY

Add new and interesting words from this lesson to your English dictionary.

Store your words and expressions in this handy dictionary. You can create groups and play games based on your entries. There is also a practical importing feature.

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Sorry, but lessons on The Blue Tree work only on a computer or a tablet.

Bardzo mi przykro, ale lekcje na platformie The Blue Tree działają jedynie na komputerze lub tablecie.

Do zobaczenia na większym ekranie 🙂

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Measure your adaptability
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THE BLUE TREE

Personal
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CEF B1

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Upper
Intermediate

warm up

Answer the questions below.

Do you know what your IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is?
TRANSCRIPT

I don’t know exactly what my IQ is, and to be honest, I’ve never really focused on it. I know IQ tests are meant to measure intelligence, but I’ve always felt that intelligence can show up in different ways, like creativity or problem-solving, which might not always be captured by a number. I’m more interested in how well I can learn and adapt rather than what my IQ score might say.

Do you know what your EQ (Emotional Quotient) is?
TRANSCRIPT

I’m not sure what my exact EQ is, but I’ve always been interested in emotional intelligence. I think it’s something we can all work on and improve over time. Understanding how my emotions affect my actions and how to relate to others has been a big focus for me, both personally and professionally. I believe it’s one of the key factors in building good relationships and managing stress.

Which of these – IQ or EQ – is more important for success in business and life?
TRANSCRIPT

In my opinion, both IQ and EQ are important, but if I had to choose, I’d say EQ is more important for success in business and life. While IQ can help with solving technical problems or logical thinking, EQ helps you navigate relationships, handle stress, and communicate effectively. In the long run, being able to connect with others and manage your emotions is what really makes a difference.

How important is the ability to adapt to change?
TRANSCRIPT

Adaptability is incredibly important in today’s world. Things are changing so fast—whether it’s new technologies, shifting markets, or unexpected challenges—that the ability to adapt and stay flexible is key to staying relevant and successful. It’s not just about reacting to change but also about being proactive and open to learning, unlearning, and growing continuously.

key language

Go through the flashcards below. Memorise as many words and their definitions as you can.

watch the video

Watch the video below.

COMPREHENSION

Answer the questions below. Throw some newly learned words and phrases into your answers.

  • What is Natalie’s job?
  • What are some the predictors of successful entrepreneurs?
  • What is AQ and why it should matter to all of us?
  • What three strategies does she use to assess entrepreneurs?
  • What is Natalie’s prediction about the importance of IQ, EQ and AQ?

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll.

Coming Soon
Natalie mentions three quotients: IQ, EQ and AQ. Which one is the most important in the contemporary world?
Total Votes : 4

lesson glossary

Measure your adaptability

COMMENTS

What do you think of Natalie’s idea of measuring adaptability? How important is this feature in today’s world?

Share your views and experience here.

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