How to Connect Ideas Sentences in English Basic English Grammar
Oh YouTube and Facebook welcome back to
our weekly live stream my name is Alisha
and today we’re going to talk about how
to give your opinion and connect your
ideas in this lesson I’m going to talk
about basic opinion statements I’m going
to talk about ways to support your
opinions and expressions to support your
opinion and we’re going to talk a bit
about connecting expressions how you can
connect your opinion to you’re
supporting argument so we have a lot to
cover today and I hope in today’s lesson
you send lots of examples in the chat so
if you have an opinion great send it in
part one and practice supporting your
opinion in part two I will try to check
live as much as possible and of course
feel free to send it after the live
lesson has finished - okay a couple
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review oh okay great I see many people
in the chat hello on YouTube Paulo and
Elmer and ash Kay and Lise and the
Renaissance from Ecuador hello there
Oscar larae Gustavo from Colombia hello
Willy hello Itachi hello wow there are
lots of new names I see lots of maybe
new people there over on Facebook Tata
from Cambodia hi there and Fareed hello
good morning Messiah hello yes it is
very humid today I am warm sigh ah hello
there Kali a sh as well hi everybody
great there are lots of names I have not
seen before today though I miss a lot of
people’s names because the check those
quickly anyway let’s get started as you
join please make sure to like and share
the video so other learners can find
today’s lesson as well we really
appreciate it I’m going to share the
lesson and then I am going to begin the
first thing we’re going to talk about
today is basic opinion statements basic
opinion statements so I’m going to give
you the beginning of the statement and
then I hope you finish the statement in
the chat so send some opinion statement
in the chat with this at the beginning
so we’ll talk about how to use each of
these need to find the video so I can
share it too and then we’ll get going
yeah okay my Internet’s are having
issues I’m having issues okay so let’s
get started with the first expression
the first expression is just simply I
think I think I can’t share the video
today what’s going on the first
expression is the most basic way to
share your opinion with the expression I
think I think so this is just a neutral
way to say your opinion a neutral way to
what you have in your mind I think pizza
is the best food I think this livestream
has lots of interesting information or I
think Germany is a really interesting
country to visit whatever this is the
most neutral way so that means like the
base way to share your opinion to share
your ideas I think something something
so this is the most basic one so you can
send a few examples with this one but
we’re going to get a little more like
advanced or a little bit more specific
with the next expressions so let’s move
on from I think because I think many
people know this expression I think many
people know this expression the second
one I have here is I’m not sure but I’m
not sure but so I’m not sure but
expresses a lack of confidence so that
means I maybe I’m wrong or I might not
have the right information but I think
something so we can follow I’m not sure
but I think something something
something so I’m not sure but I think
the meeting starts at 3:00 or I’m not
sure but I think our boss left the
office today so I’m not sure but it’s
like maybe I’m incorrect maybe I’m
incorrect I’m not sure but I’m not sure
but okay
some examples are coming in with I think
great I think it is the best time to
learn English good I think Alicia is a
good teacher thank you
I think chandran is the prettiest
princess in the world Wow okay
interesting good so I’m pretty I’m sorry
I’m not sure but I’m not sure but so
this but shows that you want to share
your opinion even though your confidence
is kind of low so let’s go to I’m pretty
sure I’m pretty sure this is like the
opposite of I’m not sure but I’m pretty
sure is like you have confidence but not
100% so on this scale here for it for
these expressions these three I’m not
sure but is maybe like fifty percent or
so I’m pretty sure is like maybe 75
percent or so I’m pretty sure so pretty
here doesn’t mean physical appearance
pretty it means
fairly or a little bit sure so I’m
pretty sure something I’m pretty sure
something so for example I’m pretty sure
Barack Obama was the 44th President of
the United States so I’m fairly
confident there’s a high confidence
level there so I’m pretty sure something
so this is a little stronger then I’m
not sure but I’m not sure but okay some
other examples are coming in I’m not
sure but I think she was sleeping from
Lori on Facebook very nice
I’m not sure but I think it might rain
could be okay uh
I’m not sure but at least you did not
take a shower today Alicia did take a
shower today
definitely did take a shower today I’m
not sure I’m pretty sure that there is a
difference between high and high there
I’m not sure what that example means I’m
pretty sure that this lesson maybe is a
good a good way to pass the time could
be okay nice okay there’s some
interesting example sentences let’s
continue to this one I saw a question
about this one I’m almost positive I’m
almost positive almost positive means
I’m almost 100% about this idea like I
think it’s a fact it’s very I’m very
very close to that so I’m almost
positive it’s like 95% from these this
is very very strong not 100% but almost
very very close to 100% sure of
something
so like I’m almost positive Lady Gaga
isn’t married
actually I don’t know do you know I
don’t know is Lady guy she okay she’s
not married that’s does control this
usually talk I don’t know I’m positive
I’m almost positive Lady Gaga is not
married so something we’re very very
close to control that’s his way into
Bradley Cooper yeah that’s funny so I’m
almost positive of something I’m almost
positive of something means I have a
very high level of confidence like
almost 100% sure of
someone says Robson says I’m almost
positive that English is hard to learn
uh yeah I think language in general is
challenging for sure I’m almost positive
that you want to share your cheesecake
that’s a very interesting example
sentence I approve of that I’m almost
positive that I’m going to get a
promotion at my jobs is Andre Wow that’s
good I hope that’s true that’s exciting
I’m almost positive Donald Trump will
lose the next election okay a really
interesting nice one nice one on
Facebook I’m pretty sure you’re an
awesome teacher okay cool I’ll take it
I’ll take it I’m pretty sure I’m going
to get married says me on Facebook I’m
going to get married is the correct
sentence I am almost positive that after
watching your channel
I’ll speak English oh sorry sorry I’ll
speak fluent English very soon nice very
positive Nilesh nice nice nice okay I’m
almost positive the lesson will be nice
great great there’s so many very nice
and very positive example sentences
great excellent okay so let’s move on
then we have these three kind of levels
than of confidence like I’m not sure I’m
pretty sure and I’m almost positive so
let’s change gears let’s kind of move to
a slightly different way to express
opinions with I believe I believe so I
believe and I think are used in the same
way to express like this really neutral
kind of feeling but I believe is more
formal sounding than I think so if
you’re in like a business meeting for
example and you need to share something
share an opinion like I believe this
information is true or I believe we
agreed on that at the last meeting like
I believe regular exercise is important
for your health you can talk about a
personal
like strong beliefs as well so this is
slightly different but this one will
sound more formal than I think and you
can use it for something like a like a
key idea that is important to you so I
believe we should all work together
something like that so that’s like a key
belief for you or in a more formal
situation you can use it to mean I think
I think okay someone says I believe that
I am almost fluent in English says
sabelli nice that’s cool okay uh I
believe uh some people are talking about
this for religion yes you can use
believe for religion if you want to use
believe for religion please use I
believe in I believe in like god or a
goddess or whatever you know whatever is
appropriate for your religion I believe
in something or I believe in an ism I
believe in capitalism or whatever so
believe in we use the preposition in
here so if you want to talk about
religion and faith and so on use in I
believe in something I believe and you
can use I believe in you which means I
have confidence in you I think you can
do this thing I believe in you when you
want to express just an opinion like a
formal opinion though I believe plus
your idea okay let’s go to the last sort
of sentence beginner I don’t think I
don’t think so this is just the negative
of I think yeah the opposite here I
don’t think I don’t think so like
something you think is incorrect you can
use it here I don’t think this data is
correct
for example or I don’t think our live
stream starts at like 3:00 p.m. hmm
I don’t think it’s going to rain today
so something you’d think is not correct
or is not going to happen or was not
correct in the past so some kind of
negative statement we use I don’t think
to express that I don’t think so
although yes it is a negative but that
that doesn’t mean that like you’re
saying no we’re like rejecting someone’s
idea it just means you think something
will not happen or is not correct okay
I don’t think my dog bites says Hugo
bites VI t es vit yes okay I don’t think
that will happen again I don’t think
that will happen again on Facebook I
don’t think that the weather is pleasant
today nice examples okay I don’t think
you are right good okay I don’t think
all aliens are reptilians very
interesting one there on YouTube okay I
don’t think the economy situation the
economic situation will get better a
nice example so I don’t think the
economic situation will get better is
the correct sentence there I don’t think
my girlfriend is always right okay
nicely careful nice good examples on
Facebook I don’t think my friend will
come back tele go I don’t think my
friends will come back mmm I don’t think
we have completed the lessons I don’t
think we have completed the lessons okay
Diego can I say I believe I can fly yes
of course that’s a well-known song okay
oh we have new member hello there
Robson thanks for joining okay so let’s
finish this part with this one and then
I need to move on this took a long time
this first part the expression here is
that can’t be right that can’t be right
this expression means it’s not possible
that your opinion or that that idea is
correct
so here right means correct that can’t
be
right that can’t be right so something
some information you hear you know it’s
not possible you can respond with that
can’t be right that can’t be right
so for example like like Oh Barack Obama
is President of the United States right
now and I might say huh no that can’t be
right
like I’m positive that Donald Trump is
the President of the United States now
it’s impossible it’s impossible so that
can’t be right
this is this is something we use to
respond and then we share after this
sentence we share the correct
information share the correct
information after this that can’t be
right
this is correct so these are our basic
opinion statements okay that was a lot
to start so we’re going to use these a
little later in the lesson and in part 2
we’re going to talk about supporting
your opinion a few just a few phrases to
support your ideas so let us take a
break let us take a break I showed these
at the beginning of today’s lesson these
are uh oh that’s right we have webcam
today tonight uh I will wait okay
so I’m gonna show these zoomed in over
here these are a few examples of the PDF
the free PDFs that we have that you can
download from the link below the video
on youtube or above the video if you’re
watching on facebook if you’re watching
on instagram please check YouTube or
Facebook for the links for these so
these are just these are the ones I kind
of like to show a lot um I feel like on
the back of each of these is a lot of
useful information this is the school
one but on the back there are phrases
that you can use for class so of course
for today’s lesson we’re focusing on
sharing your opinions and so oftentimes
in classes in the u.s. you need to be
able to share your opinion and connect
your ideas really well so there are some
expressions for doing that here and type
classes as well another key time when
you need to express your opinion and
connect your ideas carefully is in
business situations I know many of you
are studying for work reasons so please
have a look these are phrases for a
business meeting this is a great one
right here you can see what are your
views on this that means what is your
opinion about this topic so check this
out
you can find this from the link below
the video on youtube or above the video
on Facebook they are free check it out
ok let’s go to part 2 for today if
you’re just joining today’s topic is
giving your opinion and connecting your
ideas if you have not already please
make sure to like and share the video so
other learners can find today’s lesson
alrighty let’s go to part 2 on to part 2
part 2 is supporting your opinion
expressions to use to support your
opinion so over here you shared your
idea you had some concept you wanted to
say so how do you give information to
persuade another person how do you
support your opinion here are some
expressions to do that first is
according to according to that’s the
pronunciation of this word we can follow
according to with any media type for
example according to a newspaper or
according to an article I read or
according to a blog or according to my
friend you can use any source of
information any place and information
comes from you can use that after
according to so you could use your
parents as a source of information
whatever just to support your opinion
whatever is the best way like the most
natural way to support your opinion you
can follow according
- according to so like according to the
press conference or according to the
President’s speech according to a blog
post I read yesterday according to this
newspaper article you can follow
anything here it’s gonna be a noun
phrase a noun phrase so some kind of
known phrase will go here okay so this
one is very useful I will say this
sounds a little on the formal side we
use this more in writing and we use it
more informal or polite situation
according to something according to or
something Mazhar on youtube has a good
example according to my teacher I’m an
intelligent boy very nice what is your
website to our website is English class
101.com English class okay on to the
next one this one is more specific I
read I read this is past tense not read
I read an this is a I read an article
about I read an article about topic I
read an article about topic so this is
more specific so this could be article
this could be book this could be blog I
read an article about something so this
topic should connect to this opinion
here so for example I’m pretty sure that
Germany is the most powerful country in
the world you could say I read an
article about Germany last week I read
an article about the current state of
Germany last week so I read an article
because this starts with a vowel sound
yeah I read an article or I read a blog
post or I read a book about so make sure
you change your article
a definite are indefinite article here I
read an article or a blog and so on so
about this topic
you mentioned earlier okay
for reporting things that other people
said you can use a very simple pattern
here I’ve used my friend said my friend
said of course you can change this to my
mom said my dad said my coworker said my
boss said my friend said my husband said
my wife said so use past tense and the
pronunciation here is said said not
Sayyed sometimes I hear that said is the
correct pronunciation so my friend said
Lady Gaga is with Bradley Cooper that’s
true he did say that a few minutes ago
you did I didn’t know I don’t know I
don’t keep up with these things so my
friend said something so my friend said
we are gonna get dinner this weekend or
my friend said someone is leaving his
company so give some information like
some you’re giving some information you
heard from a friend in this case so use
said for a simple report of information
you heard there are many examples okay
I’ll look at a couple examples and then
we’ll continue there are lots of good
examples of this one I read an article
about good
so to recap I read an article about
Apollo 11 nice one I read an article
about Canada great okay
I read an article about politics
yesterday good okay I okay and now some
examples from my friend are coming in
good my friend said that Alicia was not
in school probably so okay my friend
said being a member is the best way to
learn and improve cool nice one okay my
friend said that the United States is a
good country okay okay my friend said I
am very intelligent good you have nice
friends
excellent my girlfriend said I’m
handsome great great okay um I can’t see
the rest of the facebook comments
getting cut off there for some reason my
friend said he will not my friend said
to me he will not see me next week maybe
my friend thank you my friend said he is
hungry good good
lots of good examples you have it I
think it sounds great
so let’s continue to two more
expressions that’s it short for this
part the other day I saw the other day I
saw so our big hint is this saw saw past
tense of see so this means information
we got with our eyes and usually we use
this for like video video that could be
TV YouTube Instagram whatever the other
day so this is a useful phrase the other
day it’s not a specific day the other
day doesn’t mean yesterday or the day
before yesterday just means some day in
the past fairly recently so the other
day I saw a video on YouTube about this
topic about this topic so the other day
I saw media usually video media video or
TV media about
or on this topic the other day I saw
some kind of media about this topic so
you need to explain where your sources
are so where did you get your
information in this case a video a video
or TV something like that
okay onto this one specifically for a TV
news TV news this is for TV news I saw
something on the news about so there are
a couple points in this sentence one
again we’re using past tense I saw
something on the news on the news we
always use the news to talk about recent
news information the news it’s a set
phrase and when we’re talking about TV
news so it could be video news like
YouTube news is okay when we’re talking
about TV and video news we say I saw
something on the news on the news about
whatever if you want to talk about news
that you read news in a newspaper change
this to I read something in the news I
read something in the news so these
small changes
tell us where like what type of news so
in the news is like a newspaper or
you’re reading like a news website on
the news sounds more like TV or video so
these prepositions make kind of subtle
changes pilota says I saw or I watched
we use I saw here um you can say like I
watched the news last night but
generally when we report something we
use I saw we usually use I saw here okay
other examples I saw something on the
news recently about
Trump yes exactly good good good the
other day I saw a video I saw a video
about how to improve English online okay
whoo time’s going quick so I have to
wrap up the last few points I want to
make I guess just a couple small points
to finish today’s lesson about these the
these two here are some interesting
expressions you might hear I saw some
article and there was this report so
native speakers will use some and this
and they’ll kind of emphasize them in
speech I saw some article about or there
was this report about so we use these
words but it just means like uh I saw an
article or there was a report about but
we use words like these just for a
little extra emphasis okay
so last point for today is over here
connecting your opinion to your
supporting ideas these are just some
quick ways to connect your thoughts
together
so these are some connecting words you
can use to put your ideas together
connecting words like moreover moreover
is a formal word that we use to mean
like and more what’s more even more than
what I said before so this one you can
use before you add like another point to
your idea these are just some very
simple connecting words though the rest
of these are very simple connecting
words just to put your sentences
together so plus so you can imagine plus
is it’s just this symbol yeah plus so
it’s like this idea plus this idea just
it’s like a math problem kind of but
with words you’re just putting them
together plus blah blah blah
and test the same function we use and in
the same way so I think like I’m pretty
sure that Lady gaga
isn’t married and she’s dating Bradley
Cooper so we put them together in this
kind of just very simple way okay
these two but and yet are used to show
contrast when you’re using these as
conjunctions we use them in the same way
I talked about this in a recent episode
of ask Alicia if you want to know more
but in this case when we’re using them
as connecting words we use them in the
same way when we use so we’re giving a
reason we’re giving a reason so I read
an article about this last week so I
think that may be my opinion these mean
this this means the same thing for that
reason I believe something something
something uh-oh we lost a connection for
some time that’s very creative is it
back now yeah okay
something happened it says it’s back now
no more internet Oh No but it’s still
rolling okay well it says it’s still
rolling we were interrupted sorry about
that I hope that you can see us again
we had a short technical hiccup there so
it was really quickly so fully no other
problems happen for that reason I
believe so again we’re using I believe
to share our opinion here and then again
we’re saying for that reason of course
you can change this to for those reasons
given many reasons in a presentation or
speech okay it says just the audio now
just the audio it’s very interesting I
don’t know so I guess we have to wrap up
up we can see you says Leah thanks Leah
okay something very strange happened
there sorry about that we had a little
error sorry about that at the very end
of the lesson everybody we’re just
finishing up here we’ll just finish up
the lesson we had a short a strange
technical problem okay so we’ll finish
up with these last two that’s why I said
so more casually that’s why I said my
opinion and finally for that reason
alone this is the last point I want to
make for that reason alone means just
for that reason just for that reason
yeah I don’t know exactly where the
livestream had a problem someone said
explain but and yet in this use for
connecting words but and yet mean the
same or we use them the same way to show
contrast I think this but this and I
think this yet this so we use them in
very similar ways all right
strange technical problem sorry about
that everybody but it was at the end of
the lesson thankfully so I will finish
up there for today so I hope that you
found some ways that you can express
your opinions support your ideas and
connect your ideas if you have any
questions please let me know in the
comments I will check the comments after
the live so please send along comments
questions and so on thank you as always
for liking and sharing the video next
week we will be back next week the date
will be July oh my gosh July 31st I
think the last one oh that reminds me
them now that’s our two year anniversary
of live streams we cool the topic for
next week is I remember expressions for
celebrations expressions for
celebrations will be
the topic for next week so please join
us next week July 31st at 10 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time that is New York
City time or 11 a.m. Japan Standard Time
so expressions for celebration so it’s
kind of like our two-year anniversary of
the livestream so please join us live
and celebrate and practice your
celebratory expressions with us too we
will be here and yeah if you have not
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I can’t see your comments in real time
but we will be back next week so enjoy
the rest of your week enjoy your weekend
and we’ll see you again next time next
time bye bye
you