Expressing opinions may be something that a hotel staff may be asked to do from time to time. For example, a guest may ask about as a good place to go shopping or the what they think of a particular tour company. The situation may also occur when a staff may want a guest’s opinion about something, such as the quality of service at the hotel or whether a particular shop had good prices for their merchandise. Look at the expression below that can be used to give or elicit an opinion.

Expressions- Expressing Opinions

Asking for opinions	Giving opinions
What do you think of (…. The Night Club for live entertainment?)	I think (… it’s one of the best places in town).
What is your opinion of (… the pizza at Pizza Hut?)	In my opinion (…it’s not that good.)
What is your attitude toward (… all the recent development in Thailand?)	My attitude toward that is ( … I think it’s being over done.)
Do you agree that (… Phuket is one of the best vacation spots in the world)?	No, not really, (…it’s too hot most of the time).
Are you in favor of (… legalized gambling)?	Yes, I am.
Do you oppose or favor (…a global currency)?	I (…oppose it because…).

Dialogue

Guest: What did you think of the Saxophone Restaurant in Patong?
Staff: If you like jazz, it’s a very good place and the food is pretty good.

Guest: In your opinion, do you think that my kids would like to go elephant trekking?
Staff: Well, most children seem to enjoy it.

Guest: Do you agree that Thailand should legalize gambling?
Staff: Actually I do, I think it would generate more tourist dollars and income for the government.

Staff: Even though Thai boxing is a Thai national sport, I personally think it’s savage and brutal.
Guest: Really, I kind of like it.

Expressions- Agreeing and disagreeing

After expressing an opinion other people can either agree or disagree. Look at these expressions for doing just that.

Agreeing	Disagreeing
I think you’re right.	I think you’re wrong about that.
I agree.	I disagree.)
I’ll go along with that.)	I can’t go along with that.)
I concur.	I beg to differ.
I’m with you.	We don’t see eye to eye on that.
Do you oppose or favor (…a global currency)?	I (…oppose it because…).

Practice Conversation Activities- Expressing Opinions and Agreeing/disagreeing

1. Paired Conversation- expressing Opinions

What are you and your partner’s opinions about these topics? Discuss them. Give detailed reasons for your opinions.

The acting skills of Tom Hanks	The movie Titanic
Your partner’s hair style	The U.N.
The honesty of politicians in your country	Madonna
Plays by Shakespeare	The death penalty
Exploration of space– worth while or not	Your partner’s attire
Using cell phones while driving	Your English teacher

2. Paired Conversation

Do you agree or disagree with your partner about the following topics? Discuss these topics with your partner and give reasons why you agree or disagree.

Watching golf is exciting
Governments should spend less money on social services
Watching too much TV is bad for a child’s mind
Tests are a poor method of assessing students acquired knowledge

3. Group Activity- A Skit

Divide the class into groups of 2 or 3. Students work together to develop a skit that is grammatically correct about disagreeing about a controversial topic. Students should be strongly opposed in their opinions and express them with intense feelings. Once the skit is developed, students present it to the teacher and the rest of class. The teacher judges the skit based on grammar and language use, originality, and acting ability.

4. Survey

Survey members of the class and find out if they agree or disagree with the following items. To get more information, ask why they feel that way.

Question	Name	Agree	Disagree
Believes in corporal punishment
Thinks Madonna’s performances are too sexy
Believes most politicians are honest and hard working
Thinks the Beatles where the greatest band ever
Doesn’t like classical music
Thinks asparagus is a great tasting vegetable
Believes that college prepares students for the demands of the world of work
Thinks that testing in school is an unfair assessment of student ability and knowledge
Believes that women should be barefoot and pregnant
Thinks that cells phones are the bane of western civilization
Believes that prisons should be an institute for rehabilitation
Thinks their English teacher is a good teacher

Other Links
Giving Opinions
Asking for Opinions