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Hello, everyone! Welcome to Episode 18 of Business English Made Easy. I’m Victoria, and today we’re going to focus on expressing opinions in meetings. Sharing your thoughts and opinions clearly and confidently is essential in any professional setting. Let’s explore some useful phrases and tips to help you articulate your views effectively.

First, let’s talk about introducing your opinion. It’s important to start with phrases that signal you’re about to share your thoughts. Here are some examples:

In my opinion,…

I believe that…

From my perspective,…

It seems to me that…

Using these phrases can help you introduce your opinion clearly and ensure that your colleagues understand that you are expressing your viewpoint.

Example:

In my opinion, the new marketing strategy is very effective.

I believe that increasing our budget for advertising will lead to higher sales.

Next, let’s discuss agreeing and disagreeing politely. When you agree with someone, you can use phrases like:

I completely agree with you.

That’s a great point.

I share your view.

When you disagree, it’s crucial to do so respectfully. Here are some polite ways to express disagreement:

I see your point, but I think…

I understand your perspective, however…

That’s an interesting idea, but I’m not sure if…

Example:

I see your point, but I think we should consider other options as well.

I understand your perspective, however, I believe we need more data before making a decision.

Now, let’s look at asking for opinions. Engaging others in the conversation by asking for their thoughts can lead to a more collaborative and inclusive discussion. Use these phrases to invite opinions:

What do you think about this?

How do you feel about the proposed plan?

Do you have any thoughts on this matter?

What do you think about extending our deadline?

How do you feel about implementing this new policy?

Building on others’ ideas is another important skill in meetings. This shows that you are listening and that you value others’ contributions. Here are some phrases to build on someone’s idea:

I like what [Name] said about… and I’d like to add…

Following up on [Name]’s point, I think…

Building on what [Name] mentioned, we could also…

Example:

I like what Sarah said about customer feedback, and I’d like to add that we should also conduct surveys.

Following up on John’s point, I think we should analyze the data more thoroughly.

Summarizing your opinion is helpful when you want to restate your main points for clarity. Here are some phrases to summarize:

To summarize, I think…

In summary, my view is…

To sum up, I believe…

Example:

To summarize, I think the new software will improve our productivity.

In summary, my view is that we should invest in employee training.

Lastly, closing the discussion on your opinion can help bring the conversation to a clear conclusion. Use these phrases to close:

That’s my opinion, but I’m open to other suggestions.

Those are my thoughts; what do you all think?

That’s how I see it; I’d love to hear your views.

Expressing opinions effectively is key to participating in and contributing to business meetings. By using these phrases, you can share your views clearly and respectfully, fostering a productive and collaborative environment.

For more practice with these phrases and to enhance your meeting skills, scroll to the top and download our worksheet. It’s packed with exercises to help you express your opinions confidently in any professional setting.

Thank you for joining me in today’s episode of Business English Made Easy. Stay curious, keep learning, and I’ll see you in the next one. Goodbye!