Expressing Opinion

Introductory notes about expressing an opinion

Expressing your opinion the right way is so valuable as it establishes a fruitful relationship with your listener, especially when you are negotiating a topic. Also, it helps to show empathy and commitment to exchanging views and ideas with the purpose of achieving an agreement or mutual satisfaction.

To express your opinion appropriately, especially in formal circumstances, you should always start with an opening phrase referred to in this lesson as an expression of opinion.

Of course, there are lots of expressions to use or choose from, but it’s not necessary to use all of them. Instead, you can choose only the ones that feel most natural and simple to you and practice them whenever it is possible.

In this article, we are going to explore most expressions of opinion that are frequently used both in written and spoken English. For a better understanding, we are going to classify these expressions into two categories: those used to give your own opinion and others that are used to ask people about their opinion.

Study the two tables below that contain expressions of opinion along with examples that illustrate their use.

Expressions used in giving opinion

Expression	Example
In my opinion, ……….	In my opinion, the rules should be changed.
In my view, ………..	In my view, you were so cool yesterday.
My point of view is …………..	My point of view is that students should think seriously about their future.
My viewpoint is …………….	My viewpoint is that people must use bicycles instead of cars.
My standpoint is …………	My standpoint is that Morocco has the best food in the world.
For me, ………..	For me, street foods should be banned from our country.
As for me, ……………	As for me, festivals are so important.
As far as I am concerned, …………	As far as I am concerned, you look very smart in this new suit.
To my mind, ……………	To my mind, people shouldn’t be arrested just for their political and religious beliefs.
I think (that) ……….	I think that if we change the city, our business will prosper.
I guess (that) ………	I guess that not every phrase in the lesson should be memorized.
I believe (that) ………….	I believe that the government ought to lower gas prices.
I feel (that) …………..	I feel that fighting climate change is a must.
I see (that) ……………..	I see that vaccination should be optional.
I reckon (that) …………….	I reckon that all countries of the world will abolish the death penalty.
I suppose (that) …………..	I suppose that the right to live is the most important human right.
I tend to think that …………….	I tend to think that killing animals is a barbarous act.
As I see it, …………..	As I see it, the girl is too young for the job.
It seems to me that …………….	It seems to me that appearances are not as important as we may think.
It is considered that ………….	It is considered that the world will be better if we fight pollution more than we are doing now.
It is thought that …………….	It is thought that getting married in the twenties is the best thing one can do.

Ways of asking people about their opinion

Expression	Example
What is your opinion about …………..?	What is your opinion about investing in a business?
What do you think of ……………..?	What do you think of Roy’s proposal?
How do you feel about ……………….?	How do you feel about the risks of using smartphones?
What do you see?	They argue that living in the suburbs is better than living in the city. What do you see?
What do you reckon?	Our parents propose spending the holidays in the mountains. What do you reckon?
What is your view on …………….?	What is your view on my recent novel?
Do you think that ………………?	Do you think that being a YouTuber is better than having a full-time job?
Do you believe that ………………..?	Do you believe that in the next two decades there will be no poor people?
Do you have anything to say about ………….?	Do you have anything to say about the released government plans?
How do you see that?	The company will reduce the number of employees. How do you see that?