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Agreement and Disagreement
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1. Study the expressions useful to get someone’s opinions about the subject being discussed.
| Agreeing with someone | Agreeing to something | |
| 1.Agreement | Strong: I fully/totally agree…. I completely/absolutely agree with you about/on.... I'm in total agreement with you Yes, definitely. Exactly! Precisely. Neutral: I agree with... You're right there I think you are right | Strong: I totally accept that... I fully agree to that... I'm all in favour of... Yes, definitely Exactly Precisely. Neutral: I support... I agree to... That's true/right |
| 2. Partial agreement | I agree with you up to a point/to a certain extent but... I'd agree with you, but.... You may have something there, but … You could/may be right, but... I suppose you are right but.... Maybe, but... | I agree to that up to a point/to a certain extent.... I'd accept that, but... That could/may be so, but.... That may/might be right, but I see your point but... |
| 3. Disagreement | Strong: I completely/absolutely disagree with you... On the contrary... Of course not. Neutral: (I'm afraid) I can't agree with you.... I don't agree/disagree... I think you are wrong.... | Strong: I fully/totally disagree to that That's out of the question. That's ridiculous. Neutral: (I'm afraid) I can't accept that... I don't accept that... That's not how I see it. I wouldn't say that. |
2. Here are some people's opinions. Make notes on what you'd say in response to them, using the phrases given below. If you disagree, explain your reasons for disagreeing.
1) “If you want to go to university, you usually apply during your last year at school, when you are 17.”
2) “University students usually live away from home.”
3) “tudents get a grant or a loan from the government to study.”
4) ’Some students don’t want to go straight from school to university, so they take a year out to work’.
5) ’The commercials on TV are usually more entertaining than the programmes.’
6) ’Shops should all be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.’
7) ’There's no point in buying expensive clothes. It's a waste of money.’
8)’Clothes in bright colours like red and yellow are becoming fashionable.’
9)’People spend too much money buying things they don't really need.’
10)’Everything is cheaper in a supermarket than in a street market.’
That's true. And I also think that...
I agree with you. And I also think that
That's a good point. Don’t you also think that…?
I see what you mean, but …
Well, personally I think that...
I don't really agree because…
I don't q uite agree because…
That's an interesting point of view, but I think...
3. Working with another student, take turns to respond to each opinion. Make sure you say more than just a few words in response.
LISTENING
1. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.
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a) At what age do you think you should...
- stop listening to parents and teachers and do what you feel is right?
- be financially independent?
- leave the family home?
b) Have you ever taken your parents' advice and regretted it?
c) Do you intend to follow in your parents' footsteps?
2. Listen to parents talking about their eighteen-year-old daughter. Decide which of the following sentences best summarises their feelings about daughter's plans for the future.
a) They want their daughter to go to university but they're worried about supporting her financially.
b) They think she should get a university degree before she tries to become a pop singer.
c) They think that it would be a waste of time for her to go to university because she really wants to be a pop singer.
3. Listen again to the conversation and complete these extracts, using the phrases in the box.
| taste of freedom up to her out of her system behind her make it |
a) Now she reckons she's going to … in the pop world.
b) That's true, but once she gets a …, she'll find it more difficult to go back to college.
c) At least if it doesn't work out she'll have a qualification ….
d) We're just hoping that she'll get it … and then come to her senses and go back to her studies.
e)... we can't afford to pay for her to live in London, so it's … to make it work.
4. Work with a partner. Decide whether you agree or disagree with the following statements. Do you think your parents would have the same opinion?
a) If you want to go travelling, it's best to get it out of your system before you start a career. Afterwards it's too late.
b) Once young people have had a taste of freedom, it's difficult for them to go back and live with their parents.
c) The more qualifications you've got behind you, the better your chances are of getting a good job.
d) You don't need musical talent to make it in the pop world these days: just good looks and a good manager.
e) Whether or not you succeed in life is up to you. Nobody else can help.
WRITING
1. Using the following diagram explain the hierarchy and links in the system of higher education in writing.
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