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…

Giving reasons

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

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THE BLUE TREE

Better
Communicator

CEF B1

CEFR B1

Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image

warm up

Answer the questions below. Then listen to the sample answers and report back on what you’ve heard.

How do you usually introduce yourself to new business associates?
TRANSCRIPT

When I introduce myself to new business associates, I usually start by stating my current role and responsibilities. Then, I mention a bit about my professional background, like where I’ve worked before, and highlight some skills relevant to the situation. I try to keep it concise and focus on how I can bring value to the conversation.

What can you do to make a positive and lasting first impression?
TRANSCRIPT

To make a positive and lasting first impression, I think it’s important to be genuine and confident. I usually focus on being attentive to others, making eye contact, and asking thoughtful questions. A firm handshake and a friendly smile always help in person. For online meetings, I ensure my background is professional, and I’m clear and concise when speaking.

Are introductions different when they happen online or in real life?
TRANSCRIPT

Yes, introductions are definitely different online compared to real life. In person, there’s more emphasis on body language, tone of voice, and small talk, which helps build rapport. Online, you have to be a bit more direct and clear, especially since people’s attention spans are shorter. Sometimes, the digital medium also creates a bit of distance, so I try to keep the tone warm and engaging.

LISTENING

Listen to the article first. What is the main idea behind this management tip?

reading

Introduce Yourself with Confidence

Many of us 1. dread the self-introduction, whether it’s in an online meeting or at a boardroom table. The secret to introducing yourself with 2. confidence, in any context, is a simple three-step process: Focus on your present, past, and future.

• Present. Start with a present-tense statement to introduce yourself. Your name and job title is a great place to start. If there’s an 3. opportunity to 4.elaborate, you can also share other details such as a current project, your 5. expertise, or your geographical location.

• Past. Add two or three points that will provide 6.relevant details about your background and 7.credibility. Consider your education, past projects, employers, and 8. accomplishments.

• Future. Demonstrate enthusiasm for what’s ahead. If you’re in a job interview, share your 9. eagerness about potential opportunities at the company. Or, if you’re in a meeting, express interest in what the team is 10. setting out to accomplish.

This tip is adapted from “A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself,” by Andrea Wojnicki

obawiać się, być przerażonym (czymś)

pewność siebie

możliwość, szansa

wyjaśnić szerzej, wytłumaczyć

odpowiednie, właściwe

wiarygodność

osiągnięcia

zapał, entuzjazm

zamierzać, określać, ale również wyruszyć

COMPREHENSION

Answer the questions below. Try to throw some of the newly learned words into your answers.

  • How do many people feel about self-introductions?
  • What should we focus on when we are introducing ourselves to others?
  • What can we include in the first step of the introduction?
  • What purpose does mentioning our past serve?
  • What should we demonstrate when we are focusing on the future?

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll.

Which step of the introduction do you think is the most difficult to prepare?

×

COMMENTS

How would you introduce yourself during a onboarding training in a company you have just joined?

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