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Useful phrases for discussion and composition

1. Introducing a point
- First of all I’d like to point out... - The main problem is ...
- To start with, (we haven’t enough ) money ... - The question of ...

2. Stating something as a fact

- As everyone knows ... - It is generally accepted that ...
- There can be no doubt that ... - It is a fact that ...
- It is common knowledge that ... - Nobody will deny that ...

3. Expressing a personal opinion

- In my opinion ... - In my view ...
- It seems to me that ... - I’m of the opinion that ...
- As far as I’m concerned ... - to me
- I think/ assume/ feel/ fear that ... - I personally believe
- I certainly think ... - I am quite sure ...
- I go along with the idea ... - From my point of view ...
- As far as I can see ... - As I see it, ...
- to have/ take/ adopt/ defend the point of view of .../ the viewpoint of ...
- to support/ back/ side with/ sympathize with someone - to hold a view
- to reprove/ blame/ reproach/ criticize someone for
- to be sympathetic/ compassionate/ lenient/ humane/ friendly towards somebody
- to be annoyed/ indignant/ angry/ furious with somebody/ at something
- to feel sympathy for/ against/ antipathy towards/ hostility against/ dislike for/ distaste for/
indignation at/ anger at/ exasperation at (“Erbitterung”)

4. Expressing pros and cons

- There are two sides to the question ... - An argument against ... is ...
- On the one hand ..., on the other hand ... - An argument for ... is ...
- Some people think ..., others say ... - An argument in favour of ... is ...
- but/ however/ yet/ still/ on the contrary/ nevertheless/ (al)though/ whereas

5. Expressing doubt
- I’m not sure if ... - I’m not convinced that ...
- I doubt that very much. - ... , however, ...
- in spite of the fact - It is not very likely ...

6. Expressing disagreement

- I don’t quite agree there. - You have to admit that ...

- That argument just doesn’t stand up/hold. - I can’t accept the view that ...
- If you believe that, you’ll believe anything. - I object to the thought ...
- As far as I can see it is not right ... - I disagree with ...
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7. Expressing support

- That’s a very good point. - That’s how I feel (about it), too.
- I’m of the same opinion as ... - I agree entirely.
- probably/ possibly/ perhaps/ maybe

8. Giving reasons

- The reason for this is ... - This is due to ...

- I base my argument on ... - as/ since/ because
- One reason for this ... - This is why
- This is caused by ...

9. Drawing conclusions

- It follows from this that ... - The obvious conclusion is ...

- Last but not least ... - The only alternative left is ...
- The only possible solution is ...
- Thus/ And so/ In that case we are justified in saying that ...
- There is only one conclusion to be drawn from this.
- To conclude/ In conclusion (=”abschließend”) we may say that ...
- All in all/ In short/ In a/one word/ Briefly we may say that ...
- Taking everything into consideration/ account we may say that ...
- so/ therefore/ thus/ as a result/ consequently

10. Giving a summary

- Finally, I would like to say ... - Summing up ...

- The gist (“Kernpunkt”) of my argument is ... - To cut a long story short, ...
- To put the whole matter in a nutshell, ... - To sum up, ...
- Briefly/ in brief/ in short/ in other words - in the end
- last of all - my final point
- all in all - lastly

11. Enumeration

- First(ly)/ In the first place ... - Secondly/ In the second place ...
- And thirdly ... - Finally/ Lastly ...
- To begin with, ... - For a start/ To start with ...
- One point I want to make is ... - besides/ likewise/ similarly
- also/ again/ too - furthermore
- Then/ Moreover/ In addition to that/ Another point/aspect is ...

12. Examples

- Here are some examples of ... - One instance is ...

- This can be clarified/ specified/ demonstrated by an example.
- for instance - such as
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13. Particularization

- As to/ As for .../ With regard to ..., ... / Talking of ..., it must be stated that ...
- Technically speaking (“genau genommen”), ... / Generally speaking

14. Structural summary

- The text deals with the problems of ... - The theme of the text is ...
- A is the topic/ the theme/ the subject/ the subject-matter of the text/article.
- The theme of ... runs through the text.
- The author is concerned with/ deals with/ speaks about/ discusses A.
- The gist of the text is .../ its main ideas are .../ A is important to him/her.
- The passage is about .../ The general theme of the passage is ...
- The text falls into/ can be divided into three main sections/ parts.
- In line 10 the fourth part/ section of the story is introduced.
- A new aspect is introduced in lines 10 to 20. / ... is described in lines 10-20.
- The conclusion is drawn in line .../ begins in line 10 and ends in line 20.
- The second section (ll. 10-20) deals with ... - Lines 20-30 represent the third section.
- Section two, i.e. ll. 10-20, ... - Section two - that is lines 10-20 - ...
- The next section, which is from line 10 to line 20, ...
- The text opens/ continues/ concludes with ...
- The first/ second/ third/ following/ next paragraph is about ...
- quotation/ example/ comparison/ contrast/ digression/ distinction/ conclusion
- The author passes from A to B by a subtle/ an abrupt transition.
- In the paragraph the author takes up B/ changes the subject/ returns to A.
- He goes into details/ particulars.
- The author wanders away from the main topic/ subject/ theme.
- He then supports his argument by a quotation/ an example/ a comparison/ a contrast.
- The text can be divided into/ is composed of/ contains/ consists of/
is divided into four parts/ four paragraphs/ four sections.
- The author presents/ delivers/ conveys/ points out/ comments on ... / the facts about/
the current situation of/ the different aspects of/ the general ideas on ...
- The author attaches/ attributes importance to sth
- to give/ provide a description of/ an example of sth
- to fill in (the) details/ to go into detail/ to treat a topic in minute detail
- The text concerns/ treats of/ deals with/ is about ... the principal ideas/ the different aspects
of/ the topical problem of/ a political subject/ the condition of ...
- The story/ the action/ the third section/ the next part/ paragraph ...
- comprises the months from early spring to July 4th
- focuses on three separate days in the life of s.o.
- compresses the events of approximately one month
- relates the events that occur some months later - depicts the final days of ...
- covers one month - condenses the events of four months
- starts with a detailed description of ... - opens with the arrival of ...
- stresses s.o.’s age and his problems - dramatizes s.o.’s inner struggle
- traces the conflict in the hearts of s.o. - highlights sth
- consists of flashbacks and retrospective passages - introduces us to ...
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15. Language and style

- The text is mainly descriptive/ narrative/ expository (“erklärend”)/ argumentative.

- The text is written in colloquial/ formal/ neutral English.
- The text contains a number of slang/ dialect/ technical/ literary/ poetic/ legal/
scientific/ religious ... expressions.
- The style is simple and clear/ abstract.
- The text contains mainly short sentences/ complicated sentences.
- The author makes use of repetitions/ parallelisms/ chiasms.
- It is not clear whether this sentence is meant literally or ironically.
- The writer makes frequent use of metaphors/ symbols/ images/ similes
- “Eros” is a personification of/ personifies/ embodies/ represents love.
- The author gives examples/ illustrations/comparisons/ quotations/ citations/ evidence
- There is a pun (“Wortspiel”)/ an allusion to (“Anspielung auf”) in line ...
- This is a paradox/ an exaggeration/ a hyperbole / an understatement.
- The text contains ironical remarks. - The author resorts to euphemisms.
- The author employs flashbacks/ anticipation.
- The author digresses / wanders away from the main topic.
- The author provides a lengthy digression about ...
- A is a symbol of ... / a metaphor for ... - This is a rhetorical question.
- The sentence is elliptical. - The author uses ellipsis. (pl. = ellipses)
- The paragraph climaxes in ... / leads to a climax.
- A and B form a contrast/ an antithesis (pl. = antiseses).
- Mr A’s answer is ambiguous/ equivocal (“doppelsinnig”).
- There is an ambiguity/ equivocation in ...
- styles: plain (“einfach”)/ simple/ sober (“nüchtern”)/ natural / clear/ unaffected
(“ungekünstelt”)
lucid (“klar,deutlich”)/ to the point/ incisive (“prägnant”), matter-of-fact (“sachlich”)/
precise/ concise (“prägnant”)/ vigorous (“kraftvoll”)/ crisp (“treffend”)/ vehement
(“leidenschaftlich”)/ lively / passionate (“leidenschaftlich”)/ fluent (“flüssig”)/
polished (“glänzend”)/ elegant/ artificial (“künstlich”)/ stilted (“geschraubt”)/
ponderous (“schwerfällig”)/ wordy (“langatmig”)/ long-winded (“umständlich”)/
colourless/ trite (“abgedroschen”)/ cliché-ridden (“klischeehaft”)/ banal/ administrative/
ornate
- to use/ employ/ vary a style - to write/ speak in a ... style
- tone: humorous/ playful (“spaßig)/ colloquial/ conciliatory (“versöhnlich”)/
depressive/ detached (“kühl”)/ serious/ earnest/ solemn (“feierlich”)
ironical=ironic/ satirical/ sarcastic/ colloquial/ informal/ spoken/ jargon/ slang
- The style is characterized by direct speech/ reported speech/ subordinate clauses/
extensive use of figures of speech
- The text abounds in technical/ latinized/ political/ biblical/ abstract/ concrete ...
words/ terms/ expressions/ phrases/ images/ pictures
- The expression ... indicates/ refers to/ suggests the idea that/ emphasizes/ illustrates/
takes up the idea of ...
- This word means/ denotes/ describes/ depicts (“darstellen”)/ implies/ suggests/ stands for
sth.
- A word suggests/ implies/ hints that ...
- A word conveys an idea/ evokes/ calls forth/ conjures up images/ impressions.
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16. Influence

- The author appeals to the reader’s feelings/ emotions.

- He draws/ directs/ focuses the reader’s attention to ...
- He arouses the reader’s interest. - The reader gains insight into ...
- The text affects/ stirs/ catches the reader’s imagination.
- The author tries to change/ shift the reader’s attitude to/ towards ...
- He tries to destroy the reader’s illusions about ...
- He intends to fight the reader’s prejudices against/ in favour of ...
- He drives home a moral. - He teaches us a lesson.
- The reader feels a/ the sting/ prick/ twinge of conscience/ remorse ...
- The article troubles/ alarms his conscience.
- He has a guilty conscience when reading that ...
- The author wants to convince the reader of .../ to inform the reader of .../of .../
to make the reader think - The reader identifies with sth./s.o.
- The text stirs/ arouses/ excites the reader’s interest/ concern/ compassion/ sympathy/
anxiety/ suspicion/ scorn/ disgust/ anger

17. Point of view

- The author is not identical with the narrator.

- The author makes use of an outsider’s/ insider’s/ a first-person (peripheral/ central)/
a third person (omniscient/ limited) point of view.
- ... opts for editorial/ neutral/ selective omniscience/ ... for a limited point of view.
- ... employs a shifting point of view/ shifts the angle of vision from time to time
- ... uses an impersonal approach/ adopts an impersonal point of view
- ... pretends not to be there at all/ lets the story tell itself
- ... effaces (“sich zurückhalten”) himself completely
- The subjective author comments on whatever he likes.
- The objective author avoids describing even the characters’ ideas and emotions.
- ... lets the reader infer everything from the facts alone.
- The narrator tells the story from a remote standpoint.
- ... has access to the characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives.
- ... confines himself to what is experienced, thought and felt by a single character
- The narrator presents the story as summary or as scene or as a combination of the two.
- ... uses the dramatic/ panoramic method (mode)/ the stream-of-consciousness technique
- ... relies mainly on the presentation of panorama/scene. - ... presents a summary
- ... shifts the focus from panorama to scene

18. Interpreting diagrams

- more/ less/ fewer than - in comparison with/ compared

- to rise/ fall/ grow/ increase/ decrease - percentage/ amount/ number
- majority/ minority - turning point
- as a result of/ cause/ effect/ link/ relation - …leads to/ … reaches a high/low point
- … has dropped/ fallen/ decreased/ increased - compares the size of …
- … has risen slowly/ fast/ rapidly/ steadily/ gradually by … per cent
- … has doubled/ has stayed nearly the same/ at the same level/ has reached a peak
- … the diagram/ pie chart/ line graph/ bar chart/ flow chart/ table tells us/ shows
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- … the diagram deals with/ is about…/ contrasts … with …

- … the diagram contains data from - shows the difference in ….
- …the most outstanding development/change…seems to have been/appears to have occured
- There are vast/ big/ surprising differences between ….
- The bars are arranged horizontally/ vertically - statistical analysis
- At the top/ bottom of the ranking comes … - is first/last in rank
- … represents…/ constitutes the majority/ minority
- has the largest/ second largest - statistically significant
- These statistics are misleading/ not very meaningful/ display a definite trend
- These statistics are a clear illustration of - The statistics were received with concern.
- The chart is divided into … segments. - …is twice times/ three times as high as
- There are more than/ nearly twice as many … as there are ….
- reliable/ up to date - according to official statistics/ figures
- An important statistic is that 94 per cent of crime relates to property.
- unemployment/ crime.. statistics/ figures - statistics on unemployment
- Statistics should be treated with caution. - Statistics show that…