Conversational formulars. Agreement and disagreement

             Agreement and disagreement

A. Agreement

  The simplest way to express agreement with the statement is, eg:

  Yes, it is/ does/ can, etc; Yes, he is/ does/ can, etc; Yes, they are/ do/ can, etc;

  eg   - Their flat is very comfortable.

         - Yes, it is (, isn’t it?).

   To agree with the negative statement, we repeat the negative, eg:

         - These sandwiches don’t look very fresh.

         - No, they don’t (, do they?).

    Other ways to express agreement are:

   I (quite) agree with you.

I think so too.

So do I.  - in response to the sentences like I think/ believe, etc.

You are quite right.

Exactly.  - formal

Quite so.  - formal

I couldn’t agree more. - emphatic

I should say so. - emphatic

That’s just what I think. -emphatic

You can say that again. - emph., colloquial

So it is/ I have/ he did, etc. - surprised agreement

eg: a. - It’s half past eleven.

          - So it is. I didn’t realize it was so late.

b.   - You have a dirty spot on your dress.

     - So I have. Where could I get it?

I suppose so. - reluctant or half- hearted agreement

I suppose it is/ he does/ we shall, etc. - rel. or h/h agr.

Eg  - We shall have to start all over again.

       - ( Yes, ) I suppose we shall.

Partial agreement may be expressed by the following phrases:

I agree with you up to a point/ in a sense/ in a way (but...)

I see what you mean, but...

That may be true, but...

eg  - Convenience foods like frozen vegetables or packet soups save a lot of time.

      - That may be true but on the other hand they have less nutritional value than fresh food.

( Oh) yes, but...

eg   - Margaret is so charming.

       - Yes, but to people she thinks are important.

B.  Disagreement

 The simplest way of expressing disagreement is:

( No,)  it isn’t/ doesn’t/ can’t ,etc.

( No,)  he doesn’t/ isn’t/ can’t etc.

( No,) they aren’t/ don’t/ can’t etc.

Eg  - The museums are closed today.

      - No, they aren’t.

 To disagree with the negative statement we use the affirmative: 

( Yes,) it is/ does/ can, etc

( Yes,) he does/ can/is, etc

( Yes,) they are/can/were etc

Eg  - This book hasn’t been translated into Russian.

      - ( Yes,) it has.

The above forms are used mainly to disagree with statement of facts. To disagree with an opinion, one of the following phrases are preferred:

I don’t agree (with you) (there)

I’m afraid I can’t agree (with you) (there)

I’m afraid/ I think  you are mistaken.

Not at all. - direct, sometimes abrupt.

Nothing of the kind. -//-

On the contrary.- formal, -//-

Nonsense. - very abrupt, possibly rude

Rubbish.- //-

Here are some ways of softening disagreement:

Well,...

Personally,...

As a matter of fact,...

eg  - The Beatles are wonderful, aren’t they?

      - Well, personally, I’m not very keen on them.

To disagree tactfully we may use such expressions as:

Oh, I don’t know.

Eg  - This book is too difficult for children.

      - Oh, I don’t know.

I wouldn’t say that.

Do you really think so?