Владимир Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 3 курс [calibre 2.43.0]

your essay will be exciting to read will depend entirely on the interesting details you include. In your first paragraph you

should consider the subject in general and deal with details in the paragraphs that follow. Your description may take the form

of a personal impression or may be purely imaginary.

The general outline for descriptive essay should be as follows:

Introduction.

Development.

Conclusion.

It is absolutely necessary to make out a plan noting but a few ideas under each heading. In this way you will avoid

repeating yourself.

Examine carefully the plan below:

Title: A Walk on Sunday Morning.

Central Idea: A day spent in the city can be quite so interesting as one in the country.

Plan:

Introduction.

1. Decision to spend day in the city: square — gardens.

First impressions.

Development.

2. Arrival at square: people — pigeons — statue. Incident: boy and pigeons.

3. Leave square. Public Gardens: different atmosphere.

4. Pond most interesting. Various boats.

5. Rest. Join crowd-man-model of ship. Conclusion.

6. Midday. Leave for home. Surprise that city could be so pleasant.

Write an essay on one of the following subjects (write a plan, for your teacher to refer to it if necessary):

The Conquest of Space.

An Imaginary Journey in a Balloon.

The Man or Woman you Would Like to Marry.

Sleeping in the Open.

The Crowd outside a Cinema.

A Thunderstorm.

The Indoor Game you Like Best.

A Trip down a Big River by Boat.

CONVERSATIONAL FORMULAS

Expressing and reacting to opinions

True ... but...

This is my way of looking at it.

I think it goes further than that... a lot further.

Yes, you're right.

Well, you see what I mean.

That's one way of looking at it. But...

Yes, if you like ...

You may be right... All the same ...

Just a minute ...

Come off it...

James thinks that...

In Margaret's opinion ...

Margaret feels that...

His view is...

Group discussion

If you ask me ...

Wouldn't you say that...

Don't you agree that ...

As I see it...

I'd like to point out that...

I sometimes think that...

Would you agree that...

Do you think it's right to say that...?

I didn't quite follow what you mean, I'm afraid.

I don't quite see what you mean, I'm afraid.

I don't quite see what you are getting at.

Narrative technique

What happened to him was ...

WTiat he did was ...

You can guess how he felt.

What do you think he did?

Imagine my surprise when he ...

You'll never guess what happened next.

He wondered/He tried to find out/He hinted that...

Did I ever tell you about the time I...

That reminds me of the time I...

Funny you should mention this, because something similar happened to me once ...

Anyway. .

As I was saying ...

To get back to the story ...

To cut a long story short...

Anyway, what happened in the end was ...

Agreement

Yes, I agree entirely here.

It really looks like that.

I couldn't agree more. Y

I won't deny that.

ou know, that's exactly what I think. Y

That's my way of looking at it too.

es, that's true.

What you say is perfectly true.

I fully agree.

It goes without saying that...

I am of the same opinion.

That's a fine way of putting it.

It stands to reason.

That's a good point.

That's just what I was thinking.

Disagreement

There may be something in what you say but...

It's not at all the same thing.

I see your point but...

On the surface of it really is ...

You don't seem to realize that

but ...

... but that's not the point...

On the one hand ...

Not in the least!

On the other hand ...

Just the other way round!

Well, I'm not so sure.

I can't possibly. .

Well, I wouldn't go quite that far. .

I shouldn't say so.

I wouldn't say that exactly.

I've got some reasons to disagree.

It might be right but...

I've got an argument to oppose.

That's totally unfounded. You can't be serious.

Instructing people how to do things

First of all you ...

Oh, and by the way, don't forget to ...

The first thing you have to do is ...

Make sure you remember to ...

After you've done that you...

Oh, and be careful not to do ...

The next thing you do is...

Expressing complaints

I'm sorry to have to say this ...

I have a complaint to make...

We've got a bit of a problem

It's just not good enough. You must try to ...

here, you see ...

It is completely unjustified (unfair).

I'm sorry to trouble you, but...

It gives us real cause for grievance.

There is no excuse for ...

Next and this is very serious — I feel that...

I'd like to point out that...

I wonder if you could help me...

Expressing apology

Oh dear, I'm most awfully sorry.

I'm sorry I didn't realize.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

I'm ever so sorry.

I just don't know what to say.

Excuse me i f . . .

You'll excuse me, won't you, if ...

. . . i f you don't mind my asking.

Expressing likes and dislikes

I

I like ... very much indeed.

I (really) enjoy. .

I've always liked/loved ...

There's nothing I like/enjoy more than ...

I'm (really) very fond o f . . .

...is (really) terrific/great/lovely.

It's too lovely for words.

I haven't seen ... for years I have liked so much.

II

(I'm afraid) I don't like ...

I've never liked ..., (I'm afraid).

... is not one of my favourite ... I (really) hate ...

I think ... is pretty awful/really unpleasant.

I'm not (really) keen on ...

. . . i s . . . ghastly/rubbish ...

I can't say ... appeals to me very much.

I must say I'm not too fond o f . . .

What a dull/boring ... Why, there's no ... in it.

Dealing with moods and feelings

J o y a n d e n t h u s i a s m : Great/That's great/Terrific. Good! Marvellous! Fantastic! How wonderful! How exciting!

How thrilling!

A n n o y a n c e :

How annoying! What a nuisance! What a bore!

That's just what I needed!

I've just about had enough of...

I just can't stand ...

... is driving me crazy (mad).

D i s t r e s s :

I'm worried I just don't know what to do ... I feel terrible. I've got a lot on my mind. I don't feel at all happy.

I'm fed up. I can't take much more of this.

I n d i f f e r e n c e :

I can't say I'm interested.

I couldn't care less.

Please yourself.

I don't mind what you do.

The whole thing bores me to death.

R e a s s u r a n c e :

Cheer up. Take .it easy.

Don't you think you're over-reacting a bit?

There's no need to get so upset.

Don't let it get you down.

It's not as bad as all that, surely?

Oh, come on, it's actually quite interesting.

I see what you mean, but on the other hand ...

EXPRESSING OPINION

I think I'd much prefer to ... ; nothing like as good (bad) as ... ; that's what I thought... ; and that's another thing; there's much va-

riety in ... ; to be similar in ... ; there's a tremendous number of differences in ... ; to have much (little) in common ...

CHECKING UNDERSTANDING