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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Zespół The Blue Tree

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin
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THE BLUE TREE

How to Learn

CEF B1

CEFR B2

Upper
Intermediate

Practise speaking by describing this image

warm up

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

TRANSCRIPT

I absolutely love learning new things! For me, it’s all about growth and discovery. Whether it’s mastering a new skill, picking up a hobby, or exploring a new subject, it keeps life interesting. I love the feeling of progress and the knowledge that there’s always more to uncover. Learning helps me stay curious and open-minded, and it’s a great way to keep challenging myself every day.

TRANSCRIPT

Recently, I’ve been learning to cook. It’s been a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen and trying out new recipes. I used to think cooking was just about following instructions, but now I’m realizing how much creativity is involved. I’ve learned a lot about different ingredients and techniques, and it’s been a rewarding experience to prepare meals that I’m proud of. Plus, it’s a skill I get to use every day!

What do you like most about the process of learning?
TRANSCRIPT

What I enjoy most about learning is the challenge and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. I like when I have to struggle a bit at first, and then something clicks, and I finally understand it. It’s those ‘aha’ moments that make the whole process worth it. Plus, learning helps me stay mentally sharp, and I appreciate how it encourages me to keep pushing my limits, no matter what the subject or skill is.

DOWNLOAD

Buy or download (for VIP access holders) this mind map before you do this lesson.

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part one

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the first part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

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

  • What two disciplines does Josh Waitzkin excel in?
  • What has he managed to achieve in chess and Tai Chi push hands?
  • What helped Josh become so good at these disciplines?

part two

FEEL THE FUNDAMENTALS

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the second part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

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

  • What is the first universal learning principle?
  • How did Josh’s teacher teach him chess?
  • What do you have to develop to be really good at something?
  • How can you develop the feel for fundamentals?
  • Why is feeling the fundamentals like building a brick wall?

part three

STAY TRUE TO YOUR STYLE

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the third part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

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

  • What is the second universal learning principle?
  • What is the wrong way of mastering a skill?
  • How does Josh’s story illustrate the need to be true to your style?
  • How can you find your style?

part four

INVEST IN LOSS

KEY LANGUAGE

Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.

VIDEO

Watch the fourth part of the video.

COMPREHENSION

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

  • What is the third universal learning principle?
  • What happened in the summer of 1994?
  • How did he feel about the situation?
  • What did he learn from it?
  • How did this insight help him win the Thai Chi fight?
  • What are the benefits of putting yourself on the line?

Respond to heartbreak with hard work

– Josh Waitzkin

POLL

Cast your vote in the poll.

Coming Soon
Which universal learning principle appeals to you the most?
Total Votes : 3

lesson glossary

The Art of Learning