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Lesson 50.04B2
Discussion & Debate Phrases
Discussion & Debate Phrases
B2 debate fluency is less about new grammar and more about a toolkit of ready-made framing phrases that let you agree, disagree, and hand off the floor smoothly — English has its own version of the same toolkit.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
Framing an opinion before you state it
French
À mon avis, ... / Je suis d'accord, mais... / Il me semble que...
English
In my opinion, ... / I agree, but... / It seems to me that...
Hedge with il me semble que or à mon avis rather than flatly asserting je pense que every time — a hedged opinion reads as more nuanced and appropriate for a formal discussion, the same instinct behind English's own softened opening phrases ('it seems to me that...', 'I'd argue that...') in careful, formal speech.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| à mon avis | ah mohn nah-VEE | in my opinion |
| je suis d'accord | zhuh swee dah-KOR | I agree |
| je ne suis pas d'accord | zhuh nuh swee pah dah-KOR | I disagree |
| il me semble que | eel muh SAHNBL kuh | it seems to me that |
| en revanche | ahn ruh-VAHNSH | on the other hand / however |
| par exemple | par eg-ZAHNPL | for example |
| c'est-à-dire | seh-tah-DEER | that is to say |
| il faut reconnaître que | eel foh ruh-koh-NAY-truh kuh | it must be acknowledged that |
| prendre la parole | prahn-druh lah pah-ROL | to take the floor (start speaking) |
| couper la parole | koo-PAY lah pah-ROL | to interrupt |
| un argument | uh nar-goo-MAHN | an argument (a point made) |