I. Asking for and Giving Opinions
(i) Asking for Opinions
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| F Inf | I was wondering where you stood on the question of X? What’s your position on X? How do you feel about X? What do you reckon about X? What about X? |
(ii) Giving Opinions
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F Inf  | It would seem to me that as far as I'm able to judge, As far as I'm concerned, From my point of view, I think In my opinion + SENTENCE Personally, I think As I see it Frankly, I think I reckon |
1. Make the following into questions and answers about opinions using the language in the boxes above.
E x a m p l e:
What/think/new divorce law?
Personally ... awful.
What do you think of the new divorce law?
Personally, I think it’s awful.
1. What/ position/introducting paternity leaves?
As far ... judge, it won’t help matters.
2. How/feel/women being treated like second-class citizens?
From ... it’s an outdated approach.
3. I/wondering/you stood/question/Women’s Liberation movement?
As …, it has no future.
2. Use appropriate language from the boxes above to ask for and give opinions in the following situations.
E x a m p l e:
Two friends – a new dishwasher
– What do you think of my new dishwasher?
– Frankly, I don’t think it'll make your life easier.
1. Conference participants – Indian practice of burning brides.
2. Work colleagues – new benefits for working mothers.
3. Female friends – plans for their summer holidays.
Explaining and Justifying
 F     | The (main) | aim reason motive etc. | for behind | DOING | is so that X is to … | |||||||||||
  | Only by DOING … | can will | X DO | |||||||||||||
| Taking into account factors like X, then + SENTENCE | ||||||||||||||||
| You’ve got to take X into consideration. | ||||||||||||||||
  | The | main most important | point seems to me that + SENTENCE | |||||||||||||
  | It seems to me | evident obvious | that = SENTENCE | |||||||||||||
| Given the circumstances All things considered, In view of X, | I think + SENTENCE | |||||||||||||||
| On the one hand … but on the other hand … | ||||||||||||||||
  | SENTENCE + because | I’m convinced that I consider that I’m sure that | + SENTENCE | |||||||||||||
 | It’s important to | keep X in mind remember X. | ||||||||||||||
Inf  | Think of Look at | X this way: + SENTENCE | ||||||||||||||
1. Make the following into statements explaining and justifying using the language from the box above.
E x a m p l e:
It/obvious/a campaign like ours will be successful.
It seems to me obvious that a campaign like ours will be successful.
1. The main aim/holding Women’s Conference/to attract people's attention to women’s problems.
2. On/hand/women have access to education, but on/hand they cannot find employment.
3. All/considered/the traditional roles of women are changing.