Class DISCUSSION

Group A /B

You are FOR alternative medicine and AGAINST conventional (allopathic) medicine.

Your arguments:They treat the patient, not their symptoms.Comes from plants, not chemicals (these deteriorate health/dependency).Homeopathy: used for many centuries- always good results.Serious illnesses: also treated/ the patient must be patient.Acupuncture positive for muscular and bone …Doctors: qualified and good listeners…Etc... (Your own ideas/ knowledge/ experience...)

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Group C

You are AGAINST alternative medicine and FOR conventional (allopathic) medicine.

Your arguments: Many lives saved: history has proved that. Improving all the time. Serious illnesses, like cancer, cured

through traditional methods. No scientific prove that alternative

medicine works… Pills and the like cure you immediately. Doctors: qualified and experienced. Etc... (Your own ideas/ knowledge/

experience…)

FUNCTIONAL LANGUAGE

AGREEING I agree. I think so too./That’s what I think too. You’re right. (That’s a) good point. (That’s) so true. I’m sure you are right. That’s my opinion too. (That) makes sense (to me). Absolutely!/Exactly!/Precisely! I couldn’t agree with you more I feel/think that way too. Okay, I was wrong. That answers all my questions. That is logical. That’s (exactly) the way I see it (too). That’s exactly/just what I think You could be right.

DISAGREEING I understand what you are saying, but... That’s a good point, but... You could be right, but... (But) don’t you think that...? (But) what about...? I don’t agree with you at all. I read something about this and... I used to think that (way)..., but... I’d like to agree (with you), but... That doesn’t really make sense (to me). You could say that, but... Nonsense! Ridiculous! Rubbish! That is just not true/right. The (vast) majority of experts/ researchers agree (with me) that... That might well be the case, but... That’s not the way I see it (at all). You haven’t convinced me.

Asking for Opinions Do you (really) think … ? How do you feel about … ? In your opinion,… ? Please tell me your opinion on … What do you think about … ? What’s your opinion on …? Do you have any thoughts on … ? From your point of view, …?

GIVING OPINIONS I agree with … I feel that … I guess/imagine … I strongly believe that … I’ve never really thought about this before, but … My personal opinion is that / Personally, my

opinion is that … To be honest / In my honest opinion, … I’m no expert (on this), but … I’m positive that … I’m pretty sure that … It seems to me that … As far as I know, … I agree with the opinion of …