Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 Formality in spoken and 2 Agreeing
written English
2 Agreeing 2.1 in everyday English
3 Disagreeing
you’re right/that’s right etc
4 Apologizing
5 Opinions used when you agree with what someone says:
6 Requests ‘It’s too far to walk.’ ‘You’re right. Let’s get a taxi.’
7 Suggestions ‘This food was grown without any artificial fertilizers.’ ‘That’s right, it’s completely organic.’
He is right when he says that the world economy is facing its most serious challenge in half a century.
8 Hello
9 Goodbye I agree
10 Thank you
this sounds a little more serious and more formal than saying you’re right:
‘All this packaging is unnecessary. It’s bad for the environment.’ ‘I agree.’
I agree that there is no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner.
I agree with Professor Murphy’s analysis of the situation.
ⓘ Don’t say ‘agree someone’s opinion’ or ‘agree to someone’s opinion’. Say agree with
someone’s opinion.
I know
used in spoken English when you have the same feeling or have had the same experience as
someone:
‘It’s really hot today.’ ‘I know – I wish I hadn’t worn my sweater.’
ⓘ This phrase is very commonly used in everyday conversation, when sympathizing and agreeing
with the other person.
used in formal situations when you agree with a particular thing that someone has said:
The author makes a good point when he argues that we should look at the wider social causes of
crime.
used when you think that someone has clearly shown that they are right, and that what they say
is important, especially when you want to add something else as well:
Weber’s point is well made, but is obviously not the whole story.
ⓘ This phrase is used especially in formal arguments and discussions.
used when saying that most people agree that something is true:
It is now generally accepted among scientists that global warming is occurring as a result of human
activities.
used in more formal English when you completely agree with someone:
I agree entirely with the Chief Judge’s conclusion.
I wholeheartedly agree with the previous writer regarding this company.
He found himself entirely in agreement with Churchill.
Absolutely!/Definitely!/Exactly!
used in spoken English when answering someone quickly and saying that you completely agree:
‘I think gas prices are much too high.’ ‘Absolutely!’
‘We should ask them for more money.’ ‘Definitely!’
used in spoken English when answering someone quickly and saying that you completely agree:
‘The guy is an idiot!’ ‘Totally!’
used in spoken English, especially when you have had the same experience:
‘The trains are so unreliable these days.’ ‘You’re telling me – mine was half an hour late this morning.’
used when saying that you understand the reasons why someone thinks something, although
you do not necessarily agree with them completely:
I have some sympathy with the argument that the monarchy seems out of place in our modern world.
used when you think that some or a lot of what someone says is right:
Although these warnings may sound very dramatic, there is some truth in them.
His ideas about love are a bit strange, but there’s a lot of truth in what he says.
used in spoken English when you have some doubts about something that someone has said:
‘I think it’s an excellent idea.’ ‘I suppose so, but we don’t know how much it will all cost.’
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