Speaker 1: Have you ever found yourself using I think a little
too much when giving your opinion, Like, I think that's
a good idea. I think we should try it. I
think he's right. It's a good expression, clear and direct,
but maybe a little too common. Well, the good news
is in English, we've got a few more natural and
interesting ways to share your thoughts.
Speaker 2: Welcome to another Happy English podcast, coming to you from
New York City. And here's your English teacher, Michael.
Speaker 1: All right, thank you John, and thanks everyone. It's Michael
here from Happy English and I help people speak English better.
And this is Happy English Podcast, Episode nine sixty talking
about opinions. I think, I guess I suppose i'd say, hey,
thanks for tuning in. So today we're gonna look at
how native speakers casually express their opinions, not just with
I think, but with a few other really natural common phrases.
And I'll show you how we use each of them
in daily conversation. Sound good, I'd say it does. Let's
start with the classic. I think this one's probably the
most well known and widely use. I think simply means
this is my opinion, like I think it's going to
rain today, or I think we should leave early to
beat the traffic. It's useful, it's flexible, but if you
use it too much, your English might start to sound
a little repetitive or stiff. So what else can you use? Well?
One common phrase we use is I guess. Now. I
guess is a little softer than I think. It's like
saying this is what I believe, but I'm not totally sure.
For example, I guess you're right, or I guess we
could try that place for dinner. There's kind of a
laid back, casual tone to it. Maybe your friend says, oh,
the movie's getting great reviews. You could respond, yeah, I
guess it could be good. You're not strongly agreeing, just
kind of going along with it. Now, let's talk about
I suppose this One is similar to I guess, but
it can sound just a bit more thoughtful or polite,
sometimes slightly more formal. You can say things like I
suppose that's true, or I suppose we could ask her
to join us. It shows that you're not one hundred
percent sure, but you're open to the idea. If someone says,
do you think this plan will work? You might say
I suppose it might. Again, you're not totally confident, but
you're not rejecting the idea either. By the way, I
suppose can also be used when you kind of disagree
but you want to stay polite, like oh, he's a
really great boss. Yeah I suppose he is. That sounds
softer than just saying yeah, I guess so, or yeah whatever.
We also use the phrase I suppose so when we agree,
but in a calm and not very strong way. It
usually means yes, but with some hesitation, Like if someone says, oh,
should we cancel the meeting and you answer I suppose so.
You're a agreeing, but you're not fully sure or excited
about the decision. I suppose so is a little more
thoughtful and polite than I guess so. When we say
I guess so, it often sounds more casual and a
bit quicker, like an instant reaction. I suppose so sounds
slower and more careful, and it's common when someone is
still thinking or gently accepting another person's idea in conversation.
Native speakers use I suppose so when they don't want
to disagree, but they also don't want to sound too confident.
It can sound neutral, slightly unsure, or even a little reluctant,
depending on the tone of voice. Now here's one more
phrase that native speakers love. I'd say this is short
for I would say we use this when we're giving
an opinion that feels a little more personal or thoughtful,
maybe based on experience or how we feel in the moment,
Like i'd say that's a pretty good deal, or i'd
say she handled the situation well. See how each phrase
has a slightly different feeling. I think is solid and confident.
I guess is more casual. I suppose is thoughtful and polite.
I'd say feels personal and reflective. So here's a good
way to think about it. Use I think when you're
giving a clear, direct opinion, I think this restaurant is
going to be great. Use I guess when you're not
totally sure or just going along with someone. I guess
it'll be crowded on the weekend. Use I suppose when
you want to sound polite, thoughtful, or a little reserved.
I suppose Jenny has already eaten here. Use i'd say
when you're sharing your honest, maybe slightly personal view looking
at the menu, I'd say we're going to have a
nice dinner and of course, you can mix these up
depending on the conversation, your mood, or how strongly you
feel about something. That's the beauty of English that gives
you options, and using a mix of these phrases will
definitely help your English sound more natural, fluent, and confident. Now,
before we wrap up, I got a question for you.
Which of these phrases do you use the most? And
if you don't generally use, I guess or I suppose,
or I'd say, which one do you want to start practicing?
And Hey, keep in mind, the best way to remember
English like this and any other word or phrase in English,
is to take that word or phrase, write it in
a sentence that's true for you or true in your world,
and then memorize your sentences. That's how you build fluency.
I guess you knew I was going to say that. Hey,
thanks for listening, and remember, learning another language is not easy,
but it's not impossible, and I'm here to help you
on your journey.
Speaker 2: This podcast is brought to you by Happy English. Please
visit Myhappy English dot com show your support for Happy
English by leading us a review. Get English, Get Happy,
Happy English.