Welcome to your B1 English lesson focused on a crucial skill for everyday communication: expressing preferences and opinions. Being able to share what you like, dislike, and think is important for clear and confident conversations in English. This lesson will equip you with the essential phrases and structures to express yourself effectively in various situations. Whether you’re chatting with friends, discussing plans, or participating in meetings, mastering this functional language will significantly boost your English conversation skills.

Why is Expressing Preferences and Opinions Important for English Speaking Practice?

Imagine a conversation where you can only say “yes” or “no.” Sounds boring, right? Expressing your preferences and opinions adds color and personality to your communication. It allows you to:

• Participate actively in conversations: Share your thoughts and engage with others.
• Make choices and decisions: Clearly communicate what you want or prefer.
• Build relationships: Sharing opinions helps you connect with people on a deeper level.
• Avoid misunderstandings: Clearly stating your preferences prevents assumptions.
• Improve your fluency in spoken English: Practicing these phrases makes your speech more natural and fluent.

This is a key part of functional English at the B1 English level, moving beyond basic greetings to more nuanced communication. Let’s explore how to express yourself clearly and confidently!

Key Phrases for Expressing Preferences in English

When talking about what you like or prefer, you have several useful options. Here are some common and effective phrases:

Using ‘Prefer’ and ‘Would Prefer’

‘Prefer’ is used to express a general preference. ‘Would prefer’ is used for specific situations or choices.

• Prefer + Noun/Gerund: “I prefer tea to coffee.” (Noun) / “I prefer reading books to watching TV.” (Gerund – verb+ing)
• Prefer + to + Infinitive: “I prefer to go to the cinema than to stay at home.”
• Would prefer + to + Infinitive: “I would prefer to eat Italian food tonight.” (Specific situation – tonight)
• Would prefer + Noun: “Would you prefer the red dress or the blue one?”

Example Sentences:

“Do you like summer or winter?” “I prefer summer because I love the sunshine.”

“What do you want to do tonight?” “I would prefer to relax at home after a long day.”

Using ‘Like/Love/Enjoy’ + Gerund

These verbs express different levels of positive feelings towards activities.

• Like + Gerund: General enjoyment. “I like listening to music in my free time.”
• Love + Gerund: Strong enjoyment, passion. “I love playing football with my friends.”
• Enjoy + Gerund: Pleasure derived from an activity. “I enjoy cooking new recipes.”

Example Sentences:

“What are your hobbies?” “I like painting and I love hiking in the mountains.”

“How do you spend your weekends?” “I enjoy going to the park and reading a book.”

Using ‘Would Rather’

‘Would rather’ is used to express a preference between two options. It’s similar to ‘would prefer’ but focuses on choosing one thing over another.

• Would rather + base verb + than + base verb: “I would rather stay in than go out tonight.”
• Would rather + Noun + than + Noun: “I would rather have juice than soda.”

Example Sentences:

“Coffee or tea?” “I would rather have coffee, please.”

“Go to the beach or the mountains?” “I would rather go to the beach, it’s more relaxing.”

Key Phrases for Expressing Opinions in English

Sharing your opinions is crucial for expressing yourself and engaging in discussions. Here are phrases for different levels of certainty and formality:

Giving Strong Opinions

Use these phrases when you feel confident and want to express your opinion directly.

• I think…: Simple and common. “I think that’s a great idea.”
• In my opinion…: Directly stating it’s your view. “In my opinion, this is the best way to solve the problem.”
• I believe…: Expressing a strong conviction. “I believe that education is very important.”
• From my point of view…: Highlighting your perspective. “From my point of view, the movie was excellent.”
• Personally, I think…: Making it clear it’s your personal opinion. “Personally, I think it’s too expensive.”

Example Sentences:

“What do you think about the new policy?” “I think it’s a positive step forward.”

“Is it a good idea to travel alone?” “In my opinion, it’s a fantastic experience.”

Giving Polite or Hesitant Opinions

Use these phrases when you want to be less direct, more polite, or when you’re not completely sure.

• I feel that…: Softer than “I think.” “I feel that we should consider other options.”
• It seems to me that…: Expressing an impression. “It seems to me that the project is going well.”
• As far as I’m concerned…: Limiting the opinion to your perspective. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s acceptable.”
• I suppose…: Less certain. “I suppose it could work.”
• I guess…: Even less certain, often used in informal conversation. “I guess so.”

Example Sentences:

“Do you think it will rain today?” “I feel that it might rain later in the afternoon.”

“Is this a good plan?” “It seems to me that it needs some more work.”

Asking for Opinions

Knowing how to ask for opinions is just as important! Here are some useful questions:

• What do you think about…? General and common. “What do you think about this new restaurant?”
• What’s your opinion on…? More formal. “What’s your opinion on the current economic situation?”
• How do you feel about…? Focuses on feelings and perspective. “How do you feel about the proposed changes?”
• Do you think…? Direct question. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”
• What are your thoughts on…? Inviting someone to share their ideas. “What are your thoughts on this presentation?”

Example Sentences:

“I’m thinking of buying a new car.” “What do you think about electric cars?”

“We need to decide on a location for the conference.” “What’s your opinion on holding it in London?”

Agreeing and Disagreeing in English Conversations

Expressing preferences and opinions often leads to agreement or disagreement. Knowing how to do this politely is essential for smooth English conversation skills.

Agreeing

• I agree. Simple and direct.
• I completely agree. Strong agreement.
• That’s a good point. Agreeing with a specific idea.
• You’re right. Acknowledging the other person’s correctness.
• Exactly! Enthusiastic agreement.
• I think so too. Sharing the same opinion.

Example Conversation:

Person A: “I think we should start the meeting earlier.”

Person B: “I agree. Starting earlier would be more efficient.”

Disagreeing

It’s important to disagree politely and respectfully.

• I disagree. Direct but can be softened with other phrases.
• I don’t agree. Similar to “I disagree.”
• I’m not sure about that. Softer disagreement, expressing doubt.
• I see your point, but… Acknowledging their view before disagreeing. “I see your point, but I think there are other factors to consider.”
• While I understand your perspective… Similar to “I see your point, but…” “While I understand your perspective, I have a different opinion.”
• Actually, I think… Polite way to introduce a different opinion. “Actually, I think it might be better to do it this way.”

Example Conversation:

Person A: “I think this color is the best for the website.”

Person B: “I’m not sure about that. Maybe we should try a different shade.”

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to put your knowledge into practice! Try these exercises to improve your ability to express preferences and opinions.

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verbs and phrases we’ve learned.

1. I ________ (prefer) coffee ________ tea in the morning.
2. She ________ (love) ________ (dance) at parties.
3. They ________ (would rather) ________ (eat) pizza ________ (cook) tonight.
4. ________ (What / think / you) ________ the new movie?
5. ________ (In / opinion / my), learning English is very useful.

Exercise 2: Transformation

Rewrite the sentences using the phrases in brackets to express the same meaning.

1. I like swimming more than running. (prefer)
2. I want to go to Italy for my holiday. (would prefer)
3. I believe that honesty is important. (In my opinion)
4. What is your view on this topic? (What do you think about)
5. I don’t like this idea. (I disagree) – Rewrite to be more polite.

Answers

Check your answers below:

1. Exercise 1: I prefer coffee to tea in the morning.
2. Exercise 1: She loves dancing at parties.
3. Exercise 1: They would rather eat pizza than cook tonight.
4. Exercise 1: What do you think about the new movie?
5. Exercise 1: In my opinion, learning English is very useful.

1. Exercise 2: I prefer swimming to running.
2. Exercise 2: I would prefer to go to Italy for my holiday.
3. Exercise 2: In my opinion, honesty is important.
4. Exercise 2: What do you think about this topic?
5. Exercise 2: I’m not sure about that idea. / I see your point, but I don’t like this idea. / While I understand your perspective, I don’t like this idea. (Several polite options are possible)

Practice Speaking English and Expressing Your Opinions with Lingofrnd

Learning phrases is just the first step! To truly master expressing preferences and opinions in English, you need to practice speaking. Lingofrnd.com is your AI spoken English teacher, ready to help you practice these phrases and improve your English speaking practice. Get personalized feedback and build your confidence in real conversations.

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