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.

Do zobaczenia na większym ekranie 🙂

Zespół The Blue Tree

Magic Words by Jonah Berger
Learn more words

THE BLUE TREE

Better
Communicator

CEF B1

CEFR B2

Upper
Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image

warm up

In this lesson we will review the book “Magic Words” by Jonah Berger. Have a look at some discussion questions below. Answer them using your own experience. Listen to some model answers and relate back what you have heard.

The Power of Words: Can you recall a time when someone’s words had a significant impact on your feelings or decisions, either positively or negatively? How did that make you feel, and why do you think those particular words had such an effect on you?
TRANSCRIPT

Yes, I remember a time when a colleague said, ‘I believe in your ability to handle this project.’ Those words had a huge impact on me. I felt more confident and capable because they trusted me, and that trust made me push myself harder. It’s amazing how a few positive words can completely change how we perceive ourselves and what we’re capable of.

Self-Persuasion: Have you ever used specific words or phrases to motivate or discourage yourself from doing something? For instance, telling yourself ‘I can’t’ versus ‘I don’t’ when faced with a temptation or challenge?
TRANSCRIPT

Definitely. I’ve used ‘I don’t’ instead of ‘I can’t’ when trying to cut out bad habits, like saying ‘I don’t eat junk food’ rather than ‘I can’t.’ It’s a subtle shift, but it makes me feel like I’m in control, rather than being restricted by some outside force. It’s a great way to frame things positively and stay motivated.

Influence on Others: Have you noticed how different words or approaches can change people’s reactions or decisions? For example, how asking someone ‘Could you help me?’ might have a different response compared to ‘Would you mind helping me?’ Why do you think that is?
TRANSCRIPT

I’ve noticed that subtle differences in phrasing can make a big impact. For example, when I ask someone ‘Could you help me?’ it feels like I’m asking for their input or collaboration, and they’re more likely to say yes. But if I say ‘Would you mind helping me?’ it can sound like a burden. The way we phrase things really changes how people perceive the request and react to it.

part one

KEY LANGUAGE

Study the words below. Make sure you understand them well.

Listen to the recording to learn how to pronounce them.

to double the chancespodwajać szanseWinning the lottery would double the chances of him going on a world tour.
enormousogromnyThe elephant has an enormous size compared to the mouse.
banishwypędzanie, usuwanieShe is banishing the negative thoughts from her mind.
nervesnerwyI always get nerves before speaking in public.
performancewystęp, wykonanieHer performance in the play was outstanding.
dramaticallydramatycznieHis health improved dramatically after changing his diet.

VIDEO

Watch the first part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 0:19 How powerful are words?
  • ⌚ 0:21 What will the first word help you with?
  • ⌚ 0:22 What will the second word help you with?
  • ⌚ 0:23 What’s the power of this category of words we will learn later in this lesson?

part two

KEY LANGUAGE

Study the words below. Make sure you understand them well.

enhancedwzmocniony, podkreślonyThe spices enhanced the flavor of the dish.
temptedkuszonyShe was tempted to eat the last piece of cake.
substitutionsubstytucjaAlmond milk is a common substitution for dairy milk in vegan recipes.
autonomyautonomiaAchieving autonomy in decision-making is crucial for personal growth.
locus of controlośrodek kontroliBelieving in fate means having an external locus of control.
heightenspodnosi, wzmacniaThe suspense heightens as the story progresses.
extinguishesgasi, tłumiThe rain extinguishes the campfire.
non-negotiableniepodlegający negocjacjomThe terms of the contract were non-negotiable.
leveragewykorzystaćShe wants to leverage her skills in the new job.
prioritizepriorytetyzowaćIt’s essential to prioritize your tasks to be productive.
directivedyrektywa, polecenieThe manager gave a clear directive to the team.
persuasiveprzekonywującyHis argument was so persuasive that everyone agreed.
pronepodatnySome plants are prone to certain pests.
resistanceopórThere was a lot of resistance to the new policy.

VIDEO

Watch the second part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 0:45 What were the first group of participants told to do?
  • ⌚ 0:50 What were the second group supposed to say to themselves?
  • ⌚ 1:07 What effect did this have in the end?
  • ⌚ 1:27 How does saying “I can’t” make us feel?
  • ⌚ 1:34 What happens when we say “I don’t”?
  • ⌚ 1:51 What are other benefits of using “I don’t”?
  • ⌚ 2:05 How can we leverage the power of “I don’t”?
  • ⌚ 2:25 Which of the three examples resonates with you the most?
  • ⌚ 2:38 Why is it important to use “because” and “choose to”?

part three

KEY LANGUAGE

Study the words below. Make sure you understand them well.

nerve-wrackingdenerwującyPreparing for the exam was a nerve-wracking experience.
self-talkrozmowa z sobąSelf-talk can be a useful tool for motivation and reflection.
intensifieswzmacnia, potęgujeThe music intensifies as the movie reaches its climax.
qualificationskwalifikacjeHis qualifications make him suitable for the job.
cortisolkortyzolStress can increase the levels of cortisol in the body.
promptspobudza, skłaniaThe bright colors prompted her to buy the dress.
supportivewspierającyHe has always been a supportive friend.
declarationsdeklaracjeShe made several bold declarations during the meeting.
procrastinatingzwlekanieStop procrastinating and start working on your project.
dissatisfyingniesatysfakcjonującyThe food at that restaurant was quite dissatisfying.

VIDEO

Watch the third part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 3:09 How do many people self-talk? Which pronouns do they use?
  • ⌚ 3:32 What should we replace the “I” pronoun with?
  • ⌚ 3:49 How did the presenters who used the second person self-talk perform on a presentation?
  • ⌚ 4:02 What is the benefit of seeing the situation from a supportive coach perspective?
  • ⌚ 4:13 What words can boost your confidence even further?

part four

KEY LANGUAGE

Study the words below. Make sure you understand them well.

strivingdążenieShe is striving to achieve excellence in her studies.
boostzwiększyć, podnieśćThe advert gave a significant boost to sales.
lecturingwykładanie, pouczanieHe’s been lecturing at the university for years.
eliteelitaShe belongs to the elite group of athletes in the country.
upholdpodtrzymywać, przestrzegaćIt’s important to uphold the traditions of our ancestors.
turnoutfrekwencjaThe turnout for the event was much higher than expected.
cheateroszustNobody likes a cheater in a game.
concisezwięzłyHer writing style is clear and concise.

VIDEO

Watch the fourth part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.

  • ⌚ 4:39 How can you help a person who got stuck?
  • ⌚ 5:07 What do “could” questions help people to focus on?
  • ⌚ 5:23 What do good coaches know and what do they say to their clients as a result?
  • ⌚ 5:42 When people don’t do what we expect them to do, what shouldn’t we do?
  • ⌚ 5:42 What should we do instead?
  • ⌚ 6:06 What examples illustrate the power of building identity?
  • ⌚ 6:20 Why is turning actions into identities effective?

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll below.

Which of the lessons from the book "Magic Words" by Jonah Berger appeals to you the most

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PRACTICE

Let’s revise the vocabulary from this lesson.

Play this Multidecker flashcard game.

COMMENTS

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