Speaking: Functional Language B1 - Lesson 3: Expressing Opinions, Hopes & Regrets

Speaking: Functional Language B1

Expressing Opinions, Hopes & Regrets

Listen to the dialogue example here.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use a variety of B1-level phrases to ask for someone's opinion, talk about your hopes for the future, and discuss things you regret from the past.

Conversation Scenario 💬

Having a good conversation is not just about stating facts; it's also about sharing ideas and opinions. Let's look at how two friends discuss their plans.

Dara: I just read an interesting article about social media. What are your thoughts on it?

Vanna: Hmm. Well, from my perspective, it has both good and bad sides.

Dara: How do you mean?

Vanna: On one hand, it helps people stay connected. But on the other hand, it seems to me that it can be bad for mental health.

Dara: That's a good point. Why do you say that?

Vanna: Mainly because people often compare their online life to others and feel anxious.

Dara: I completely agree. That's a real problem.

Your Interaction Toolkit 🛠️ (Click 🔊)

Here are the common phrases you can use to express yourself clearly.

Function: Asking for an Opinion

• What are your thoughts on...? តើអ្នកមានគំនិតយ៉ាងណាចំពោះ...?
• How do you feel about...? តើអ្នកមានអារម្មណ៍យ៉ាងណាចំពោះ...?

Function: Giving Your Opinion

• From my perspective... តាមទស្សនៈរបស់ខ្ញុំ...
• It seems to me that... វាហាក់ដូចជាខ្ញុំថា...
• The way I see it... តាមដែលខ្ញុំឃើញ...
• I believe that... ខ្ញុំជឿជាក់ថា...
• In my opinion... តាមគំនិតរបស់ខ្ញុំ...
• To be honest... និយាយដោយស្មោះត្រង់...

Function: Expressing Hopes

• I hope... ខ្ញុំ​សង្ឃឹម​ថា...
• Hopefully,... សង្ឃឹមថា...
• I'm hoping for... (+ noun) ខ្ញុំកំពុងសង្ឃឹម...

Function: Expressing Regrets

• I wish I had/hadn't... ខ្ញុំ​ប្រាថ្នា​ថា​ខ្ញុំ​បាន/មិនបាន...
• If only I had/hadn't... ប្រសិនបើเพียงតែខ្ញុំបាន/មិនបាន...
• I regret... (+ verb-ing) ខ្ញុំសោកស្ដាយ...

Building a Strong Opinion

A B1-level speaker doesn't just give an opinion; they support it with a reason. This makes your argument stronger. Always try to follow this structure:

Step 1: State your opinion clearly.Use a phrase like "I believe that..." or "It seems to me that...".

Step 2: Support it with a reason.Use a connector like "because..." or "The main reason is...".

"It seems to me that Battambang is a great city for young people, because there are many good universities and cafés."

Pronunciation Tip

🗣️ Intonation & Linking Sounds

To speak more smoothly, link your words together and pay attention to intonation.

• Linking: "In my opinion" should sound like one smooth phrase: "In-my-opinion". The "I'd" in "If only I'd" is a contraction of "I had". Practice saying it quickly: "If-only-I'd".
• Intonation: When you use a phrase to introduce your opinion, there is usually a clear pause after it. The intonation on the phrase is typically falling (↘), which sounds confident.
• "From my perspective, ↘ [pause] the city needs more parks."

Practice Your Skills 🎯

Activity 1: Match the Function (Self-Check)

Read the phrase and match it to its main function by choosing from the dropdown. Click "Check Answers" when done.

1. "The way I see it..."

-- Select Function -- A. Asking for a reason B. Asking for an opinion C. Giving an opinion D. Expressing a hope E. Expressing a regret

2. "I wish I hadn't eaten so much."

-- Select Function -- A. Asking for a reason B. Asking for an opinion C. Giving an opinion D. Expressing a hope E. Expressing a regret

3. "What are your thoughts on...?"

-- Select Function -- A. Asking for a reason B. Asking for an opinion C. Giving an opinion D. Expressing a hope E. Expressing a regret

4. "Hopefully, it doesn't rain."

-- Select Function -- A. Asking for a reason B. Asking for an opinion C. Giving an opinion D. Expressing a hope E. Expressing a regret

5. "Why do you say that?"

-- Select Function -- A. Asking for a reason B. Asking for an opinion C. Giving an opinion D. Expressing a hope E. Expressing a regret

Activity 2: Give Your Opinion (with a reason!)

Work with a partner. Ask for their opinion on one of the topics below. Your partner must answer using an opinion phrase and give at least one reason.

Topics: Online games, Fast food (like fried chicken or pizza), Learning online vs. in a classroom.

Vocabulary Glossary

• Opinion (Noun) | មតិ
  A belief or idea you have about something.
• Hope (Noun) | ការ​សង្ឃឹម
  A feeling of desire for a certain thing to happen.
• Regret (Noun) | ការសោកស្ដាយ
  A feeling of sadness about something you did or did not do in the past.
• In my opinion... (Phrase) | តាមគំនិតរបស់ខ្ញុំ...
  A phrase used to introduce your personal belief.
• I wish I had... (Phrase) | ខ្ញុំ​ប្រាថ្នា​ថា​ខ្ញុំ​បាន...
  A phrase used to talk about a regret from the past.

Your Communication Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is to practice sharing your feelings about the past, present, and future.

1. Give an Opinion: When talking with a friend, use a phrase like, "In my opinion,..." to share your idea.
2. Express a Hope: Talk about next week. Start your sentence with "I hope..."
3. Mention a small Regret: Think of something small from yesterday you would change. Say, "I wish I had..."

Example: "In my opinion, this coffee is delicious, because it's not too sweet."