Lecture Notes: Expressing Disagreement in English

Introduction

• Topic: Language for expressing disagreement in English.
• Presented by Savannah from Oxford Online English.
• This session is part of the 'Level Up' series.

Simple Ways to Disagree

• Basic Phrases:
  • "I don't think so" - Neutral, not too direct.
  • "I disagree" or "I disagree with you" - Blunt, can be inappropriate.
  • "I have to disagree with you" - Slightly more indirect.
  • Adding Emphasis:
    • "I completely disagree with you."
    • "I totally disagree with you."

Neutral and Polite Disagreement

• Phrases:
  • "Not necessarily"
  • "Not quite"
  • "Not exactly"
• Advantages:
  • No need for an auxiliary verb; adaptable to different verb tenses.
  • Neutral and polite, suggesting the other person is not completely wrong.

Indirect Disagreement

• Phrases:
  • "I'm not so sure"
  • "I wouldn't say so"
• Purpose:
  • Polite disagreement or to express uncertainty.

Direct Disagreement

• Phrases:
  • "You're wrong"
  • "You don't know what you're talking about"
  • "Are you serious?"
  • "Are you crazy?"
  • "Are you drunk?"
• Context:
  • Very blunt, can be used in casual settings or to express negative emotions.

Conversational Phrases

• Different Strokes for Different Folks:
  • Acknowledges different opinions, indicates no further discussion is needed.
• Agree to Disagree:
  • "We should just agree to disagree."
  • "Let's just agree to disagree."
  • "Why don’t we agree to disagree?"

Strong but Polite Disagreement

• Phrase:
  • "I’d say the exact opposite."
• Formal Disagreement:
  • "I beg to differ" - Formal, very polite.

Agree-But Structure

• Phrases:
  • "I take your point, but…"
  • "I see your point, but…"
  • "I understand your point, but…"
  • "I get what you're saying, but…"

Conclusion

• Encouragement to use different phrases in English conversations to express disagreement.
• Reminder that a wide range of language is available for even simple functions.

Additional Resources

• Visit Oxford Online English for more free English lessons.
• Booking options for English classes with qualified teachers.