Discussion Phrase Bank

Expressing an opinion/belief

• In my opinion………
• In my view…………
• I think that…………
• It seems to me that……
• My view is that……
• I believe that………
• My position on the [matter/issue/problem/case] is that…….
• My take on the matter is that……(i.e. my view is……)
• The way I see it……..
• My understanding of the [matter/issue/problem/case/article] is…………

Emphasising a point that you are making

• As far as I’m concerned……………

• The key point is that…….
• The point that I’m trying to make is………… (you might use this when you
are having difficulty getting the other person to agree with you or
understand you)
• Notwithstanding the fact that…………..I [still] [think/believe/maintain]
that……….
• Notwithstanding …………………I [still][think/believe/maintain] that……….
• The fundamental issue at stake is……………..and therefore I [really]
[think/believe/maintain] that….…..
• The fact is……………….and therefore…………
• The critical thing is that ……………..and therefore………
• We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that………..(i.e. we mustn’t forget the fact
that……)

Phrases which help to ‘pull together’ arguments that you are making or
which help when you are debating the merits of something

• By the same token…….(this is often used instead of ‘in the same way’,
‘equally’ or ‘at the same time’, which all basically mean the same thing)
• In the same way…..
• Equally………
• At the same time……..
• The flipside is that……..(i.e. the other side of the argument or problem is…..)
• The upside/downside is that………(this is used when describing the
positive/negative aspects of a particular approach or proposal)
• Whatever the outcome of ………………it is still vital that we achieve………..
• In any event……..
• Putting aside the issue of ……………..for a moment, let’s concentrate
on…………
Bonelli Erede Pappalardo EID Milano 2008
Jo Meadows
 Discussion Phrase Bank

• Let’s park the issue of………….and move onto…….(this is used when you
want to put an issue to one side and move onto another)
• Let’s focus on…………….
• On the one hand …………………but on the other……………(this is used when
evaluating different aspects of an issue)
• Although it’s important to achieve…………………….we mustn’t forget
that………….
• Playing devil’s advocate for a moment………. (i.e. when you argue against
yourself when examining a problem)

Explaining a concern (in response to someone else’s

suggestion/argument)

• My concern with that

[analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view] is that…………
• [In my view] the problem with that
[analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view] is………
• Although I can see where you’re coming from, I [still] [think/believe/maintain]
that…………(this means that you understand the other person’s point of
view/argument, but you still maintain your position on the matter)
• I see where you’re coming from, but………….
• Although I sympathise with that view/your concerns…………….(this means
that although you understand or appreciate someone’s concerns, you still
don’t agree with them or their suggestion).
• I sympathise with that view/your concerns, but……

Disagreeing with someone

• [Unfortunately] I don’t/can’t agree with you

• The problem with that
[analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view/opinion] is……….
• I don’t think that’s right because………
• I can’t accept that
[analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view/opinion]
because……..
• That [analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view/opinion] is
inconsistent with………
• I don’t think that [analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view] is
realistic in the circumstances.
• I’m not sure that [analysis/approach/argument/suggestion/proposal/view] is
entirely logical.
• I don’t think that approach quite works.
• That proposal doesn’t quite stack up (this is used to mean that something
doesn’t quite work, is illogical or flawed in some way).

Agreeing with someone

Bonelli Erede Pappalardo EID Milano 2008
Jo Meadows
 Discussion Phrase Bank

• I [completely] agree with [you/that point/that approach/that analysis/that

suggestion/that opinion/that proposal].
• I think that’s [absolutely] right (this is used in conversation, typically after
someone has explained their understanding of something or their analysis of
a problem).
• I think that’s the right approach to take (this is used when someone has
suggested a particular solution to a problem).
• I would agree with that [approach/analysis/suggestion/opinion/proposal] (this
is different to a simple ‘I agree with you’ because it is normally used when
the other person is ‘testing’ a theory or making a suggestion, but is not
100% sure of it).
• I think that [approach/proposal/suggestion] would work.
• Yes, I see where you’re coming from (you would use this when someone has
explained something to you and as a result you agree with their analysis).

Expressing indecision/uncertainty

• I’m not really sure what I think about the [matter/proposals/issue].

• I can’t be unequivocal on the [point/issue/matter].
• It’s not black and white and therefore [I haven’t decided where I stand on it/
I’d like to think about it further](this is used when a particular matter is not
entirely clear and there are different ways of looking at it).
• I can see the issue from both angles and so I [haven’t decided where I stand
on it/ I’d like to think about it further].
• It’s a really difficult dilemma…….
• I think both arguments have merits……..
• I can see both sides of the argument……
• It’s a double edged sword, on the one hand………………….but on the
other………………….
• It’s a Catch 22 situation (this is used to express the phenomenon that no
matter how you approach certain problems, a negative effect or outcome is
always triggered elsewhere as a result of conflicting interests).

Bonelli Erede Pappalardo EID Milano 2008

Jo Meadows