LANGUAGE STUDY

I/ Words and expressions for introducing an opinion or a point of view

- I think
believe
am of the opinion that
- He holds (the view) that
maintains that
contends that
- My view/opinion on this matter is that
- In my opinion
INC!!"C#$ %ccordin& to me
C!!"C#$ %ccordin& to someone
or %ccordin& to a so'rce of information
Examples:
- Some think that prison is a &ood way of preventin& crime( Others, however, hold that
ed'cation is a better means(
- Tolstoy condemned all wars) b't others maintain that nothin& is nobler than the life of a
soldier fi&htin& for the &lory of his co'ntry(
- There might be some people who hold that boys and &irls sho'ld st'dy separately) but such
a view is unrealistic(
- There might be some who hold the view that the problem of crime can be combated by the
'se of a tremendo's force of police) but such a view is unrealistic* for crime takes its roots
in poverty(
Other examples:
a( #okyo has become the re&ion+s lar&est sin&le aid donor* s'rpassin& the ,nited -tates by
dispensin& .(/ billion dollars ann'ally( Some critics contend that the amo'nt is tiny
compared with the profits taken o't( Others take the view that 0apanese aid is a stalkin&
horse for commercial penetration by 0apanese companies( A more balanced view, though,
is that 0apanese provide aid for the profit of all involved( 1#hey don+t &ive hando'ts*2 says
one -o'theast %sian ambassador in #okyo( 1#heir aim is to increase o'r p'rchasin& power
to make 's better markets(2
b( Some people contend that the reformers are simply playin& politics themselves*
e3a&&eratin& the corr'ption iss'e in order to enhance their own ima&es( That may be
unfair. %s it is* some reformers lament that the problem is so widespread that they will have
no choice b't to p't 'p some de&ree of corr'ption(
c( I feel there+s a lon& way to &o before we can talk abo't e4'ality of opport'nity( Men still
e3pect their 5obs to take priority( "ven where meals and do ho'sework( I mean* &o into a
s'permarket at l'nch time( It+s f'll of workin& women &ivin& 'p their l'nch ho'r to do the
family shoppin&( How many men wo'ld e3pect to do the same6 #hey+re probably spendin&
the l'nch ho'r la'&hin& and 5okin& abo't women( The same old, tired jokes go on
forever women drivers* mothers-in-law and secretaries( -ecretaries( Thats another
absurdity. Ima&ine an office where a man and a woman are doin& similar 5obs( -he+s called
a secretary) he+s called a trainee mana&er( f co'rse this is how so many firms avoid
obeyin& the law on e4'al pay by alterin& the 5ob description( The media, as always Im
afraid, is so much to blame( Ma&a7ines* #8* film and advertisin& portray women as se3
ob5ects* not people( 9omen are blackmailed into b'yin& 'seless prod'cts beca'se they
mi&ht fear they are 'nattractive witho't them( #oo many of 's accept the stereotype and
waste o'r time worryin& and dietin& to fit some ima&inary male ideal(
II/ %d5ectives that describe yo'r opinion of somethin&(
!IG"T W!#NG
:ood
,sef'l
%ppropriate
-'itable
%cceptable
;e&itimate
Moral
<air
Honest
=r'dent
Noble
Necessary
Indispensable
;e&al
>ad / "vil / Harmf'l
,seless / Harmf'l / ?etrimental / >ad / >eneficial
Inappropriate
,ns'itable
,nacceptable
Ille&itimate
Immoral
,nfair
?ishonest
Impr'dent
I&noble
,nnecessary
?ispensable / ,nnecessary
Ille&al (@ a&ainst the law)
III/ Express $our opinion in favour of or not in favour of t%e fo&&owing t%ings' using one of t%e
a(ove ad)ectives
*+ ,eating c%i&dren
I think physical p'nishment is 'nnecessary in child rearin&(
#he 'se of corporal p'nishment in the school* in my opinion* is 'nacceptable( It m'st be
abolished at any cost(
I believe that beatin& children is an immoral practice( It sho'ld be disco'ra&ed(
#here is no &ood word for beatin& children( It+s an evil practice(
-+ W%et%er we s%ou&d a(o&is% or .aintain exa.inations
I think e3aminations sho'ld be maintained( #hey are indispensable( 9itho't them how can
we test st'dents+ abilities6 (It wo'ld be impossible to test st'dents+ abilities)(
"3aminations sho'ld be abolished beca'se they ca'se 'nnecessary stress and tension to
st'dents(
/+ 0arriage as a socia& institution
Marria&e* as a social instit'tion sho'ld be 'pheld* beca'se witho't it family wo'ld be b't a
farce and happiness b't a name(
#hose who hold the opposite point of view can say$
Marria&e* as a social instit'tion* sho'ld be
abolished beca'se it
limits
restricts
takes away
kills
deprives
the freedom of those involved(
those involved of their freedom
I1/ Words and expressions for introducing t%e reason2s3 for %o&ding a point of view or ta4ing
a course of action
<or one or two reasons* yo' can 'se
>"C%,-"
>#H >"C%,-" %N? >"C%,-"
=%!#;A >"C%,-" %N? >"C%,-"
<!
<! N" #HIN: ((<! %N#H"!)
N (#H") :!,N?- < (formal)
N #H" :!,N?- #H%# (formal)
<or more* yo' can 'se
<! #H" <;;9IN: !"%-N-
N #H" <;;9IN: :!,N?-
EXERCISES:
Supp&$ t%e .issing words
.( #hey ref'sed to participate in the conference ((((((((((((((((((( the((((((((((((((((((( that broader and more
relevant iss'es sho'ld be disc'ssed
B( Criminals ((((((((((((((((((( be detained not only beca'se they((((((((((((((((((( dan&ero's(((((((((((((((((((
society b't also ((((((((((((((((((( they m'st be ((((((((((((((((((( for their wron&doin&s(
C( I am convinced that ed'cation for women is ((((((((((((((((((( waste (((((((((((((((((((time for (((((((((((((((((((
followin&(((((((((((((((((((( #o be&in with* most women become ho'sewives* secondly* they
D( #ro'ble is brewin& in the s'b'rbs of =aris and ;yons( ((((((((((((((((((( is hard to meas're the
e3tent ((((((((((((((((((( the problem$ ((((((((((((((((((( thin&* it is ((((((((((((((((((( the law in <rance to &ather
statistics ((((((((((((((((((( the basis ((((((((((((((((((( racial ori&in(
E( ((((((((((((((((((( one side ((((((((((((((((((( the iss'e ((((((((((((((((((( those from the co'ntry+s privile&ed
classes ((((((((((((((((((( oppose 5ob 4'otas ((((((((((((((((((( that the co'ntry cannot afford them(
F'otas* ((((((((((((((((((( say* entrench caste divisions and retard economic pro&ress by rewardin&
people ((((((((((((((((((( the basis ((((((((((((((((((( birth* ((((((((((((((((((( than merit(
/( %ctivists for the welfare of the workin&((((((((((((((((((( take the view that 5ob ((((((((((((((((((( are a
viable thin&( ((((((((((((((((((( say 15ob 4'otas provide for the ma5ority ((((((((((((((((((( the people the
opport'nity to ((((((((((((((((((( their lives2(
1/ Words and expressions descri(ing contending factions
5#!
%dvocators
-'pporters
,pholders
=roponents
of corporal p'nishment hold that
#hose who favo'r this practice contend that
advocate
are in favo'r of
plead for this practice
s'pport this practice
ar&'e for this practice
believe in this practice
AGAINST
Critics of this
#hose who
policy maintain that
critici7e this policy maintain that
oppose this policy
are opposed to this policy
condemn this policy
ar&'e a&ainst this policy
Some examples:
a( #hose who s'pport corporal p'nishment take the view that it is an indispensable meas're to
keep peace and order in the school* witho't which no learnin& activity is possible(
b( #hose who critici7e this practice are of the opinion that beatin& children is co'nter-prod'ctive
and that it only alienates the children from the school(
c( =addlin& advocates insist that the practice is needed to maintain discipline( % recent Ho'ston
poll shoed that GG percent of teachers and /H percent of parents and DI percent of st'dents
favo'r corporal p'nishment(
d( Critics of this practice contend that it only destroys children+s sense of di&nity(
e( Critics of this practice hold the view that it is hi&hly risky beca'se serio's in5'ries mi&ht be
inflicted on the victim(
f( #hose who oppose this practice hold that it does a lot of harm to the st'dent+s character( ;on&
e3posed to violence* st'dents will become insensitive and callo's(
1I/ #rgani6ing $our ideas$
<irst
-econd
#hird
;ast
(<irstly / In the first place / #o be&in with)
(-econdly / Ne3t / #hen / In addition)
(#hirdly / Moreover)
(;astly / <inally / ;ast b't not least)
1II/ Steps in an argu.ent
!. "ake a general statement of your position.
B( #ive the first argument. =rovide evidence or reasons to s'pport the first ar&'ment(
C( #ive the second argument. =rovide evidence or reasons to s'pport the second ar&'ment and
so on
Examples:
.( I believe that marria&e* as a social instit'tion* sho'ld be 'pheld( <or one thin&* marria&e is
'nlike any cas'al form of relationship which can be broken at any time( It involves
obli&ations and responsibilities( Children that come as a res'lt of the cohabitation of a man
and a woman need to be s'pported and ed'cated(
B( I am of the opinion that marria&e is an old-fashioned instit'tion and therefore it sho'ld be
abolished(
<irstly* marria&e takes away the freedom of the co'ple involved( It can &ive rise to s'ch
evils as insincerity* hypocrisy and life-lon& acceptance of an 'nsatisfyin& relationship(
C( I ob5ect to the cohabitation of a man and a woman witho't marria&e( It only leads to
promisc'o's relationships and swappin& and chan&in& partners all the time( 9hat else co'ld
the o'tcome of this sit'ation be if it were not broken homes* 'ncared-for children and
venereal diseases6
D( I s'pport the idea that marria&e as a social instit'tion m'st be 'pheld( I believe that tr'e love
m'st lead to marria&e( <or one thin&* marria&e &ives meanin& and p'rpose to love( 1#o love
does not mean to &a7e at each other only b't to look in the same direction*2 so writes a
<rench philosopher(
8III/ !hetorical 4'estions$
.) #here is no &ood
'se
point
sense
in doin& somethin&(
Is there any 'se
point
&ood
sense
in doin& it6
9hat 'se
&ood
sense
point
is there in doin& it6
B) 9hy don+t we6
C) 9o'ldn+t it be more practical
sensible
advisable
to6
IJ/ % co'rse of action or a sol'tion proposed or recommended$
.) #he first thin& to do is
%ll we have to do is
9hat needs to be done is
#he ri&ht thin& to do is
#he best idea is to
It+s a &ood thin& to
#he only way we can fi&ht is to
B) #he ri&ht
step
meas're
to take
to be taken
is
C) #he time has come when
It is time for them to
they K (=ast -'b5'nctive)
D) It is
wo'ld be
well
advisable
best
wise
sensible
preferable
necessary
hi&hly desirable
for to
that(sho'ld)
E) %nd some a'3iliaries$ -H,;?) ,:H# #) H%? >"##"!) C,;?
Examples:
- To %ave peace' it wou&d (e we&& to re.e.(er 2It wou&d (e %ig%&$ desira(&e3 that all the
yo'ths all over the world sho'ld be n'rt'red (fed) with the same intellect'al and moral food(
- It s%ou&d (e (orne in .ind t%at 2It wou&d (e we&& to re.e.(er t%at3 whatever yo'r
knowled&e and e3perience* there are always two sides to every coin( #o i&nore this is to
appear narrow-minded and intolerant (It wo'ld be a si&n of narrow-mindedness and
intolerance to i&nore this)(
- T%e ti.e %as co.e w%en all co'ntries sho'ld consent to havin& their school and 'niversity
c'rric'l'ms approved by an international committee(
- It7s %ig% ti.e we sho'ld for&et all abo't o'r selfish interests and dedicate o'rselves to the
welfare of o'r nation(
- T%e (est t%ing to do is to take time o't L see a movie* &o away for the weekend L and come
back to the problem with a rela3ed mind(