到了英语工作/学习环境中，你可能会突然发现从小学到大学的英语教育没有教你什么能用得上的东西。上课想问个问题都不知道怎么开口怎么办？赶紧学起来吧。以下的phrases适用于meeting, class等group discussion的情景。

Agree

老美都很喜欢表达自己的意见，无论是反对意见还是赞同意见。他们从小在课堂上就受到相关的训练：我观察过的小学课堂上，老师总会让小朋友们比大拇指thumb up来表示赞同，或者大拇指向下thumb down来表示反对。因此，在英文工作/学习环境中，勇于表达自己的观点吧！你并不需要达到一鸣惊人的程度才开口（东亚学生的通病）。

Scenario: A speaker opens the meeting, states what it will be about and asks each member to respond.

Yes, I agree.

(It) looks good to me.

I think so too.

I definitely agree.

Scenario: If you would like to make a comment or insert a remark in an ongoing conversation, it is polite to acknowledge what someone has just said before stating your own ideas.

That's interesting. I think that...

Interesting point. I would add...

Hmmm. I hadn't thought of that before.

Disagree

在中国文化中，反对权威听起来非常可怕。但在美国学术环境中，大家一般都直抒胸臆（industry就不好说了，各个公司可能有不同的文化）。反对别人的意见是很正常的，只要be polite就行。

Scenario: One of the speakers is describing something but the information you have is different.

I'm afraid I don't agree.

I'm sorry but I don't agree.

That's interesting, but I'd prefer something different.

Actually, I disagree.

Clarify

没听懂？那就问清楚啊。在美国课堂里，学生有问题一般都举手（小班教学一般不举手，直接讲）打断老师，提出问题。

Scenario: Ask for clarification. e.g. A speaker asks you a question but you don't hear it clearly or don't understand it.

Excuse me, I didn't hear that. Could you say it again? (课堂常用)

Sorry, I missed what you just said. Could you repeat that please?(课堂常用)

I'm sorry, could you say that again?(课堂常用)

Excuse me, could you repeat that?(课堂常用)

What do you mean(by that)?(课堂常用)

What are you trying to say?

What was that again?

Could you clarify that?(课堂常用)

Just to clarify, ...?(课堂常用)

Scenario: The speaker gives you more information to help you understand. You want to show that you understand.

Thanks, now I get it.

I see.

I understand now. Thank you

Thank you, it's a lot clearer to me now.

Scenario: You are not so sure that you understand the speaker. Paraphrasing could be an efficient way to check clarification. Paraphrasing involves restating someone else's ideas in your own words.

So . . .(rephrase the other person's ideas)

In other words . . .(paraphrase)

You're saying that . . .

You want to say that . . .

You mean . . .

So, what you mean is . . .

Let me see if I understand you correctly. . .

What I think you're saying is . . .

If I'm hearing you correctly . . .

Scenario: You are the speaker, and want to clarify yourself.

In other words,

What I mean is . . .

What I'm trying to say is . . .

What I wanted to say was . . .

To clarify,

Elaborate

Scenario: This is similar to asking for clarification. You want the speak to give you more information on a subject.

Could you elaborate(on that)?

Could you tell me a little more about it?

Could you give(me) some details?

Could you fill me in on that?

Could you expound on that?

What else can you tell us(about that)?

Is there anything else you can tell us?

Is there more to it?

Scenario: Now you are the speaker and want to elaborate something.

To elaborate,

To give you more information,

Let me explain.

Let me elaborate.

Let me tell you a little more(about it).

Let me give you some details.

What's more,

Interrupt & Comment

Scenario: You have some important information you want to contribute to the discussion but another person is talking.

Excuse me, can I say something here?

Could I interrupt you for a minute?

Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to say something here.

Can I add something here?

(Do you) mind if I interject something here?

Do you mind if I jump in here?

Scenario: You want to bring new ideas into the conversation, in an indirect way.

What do you think about . . .

Have you considered . . .

What about . . .

Include

Scenario: You notice that one of the people at the meeting hasn’t had a chance to speak. You want to include this person in the conversation.

So what do you think?

Can you give me your thoughts on this?

Do you agree?

What’s your opinion?

Active Listening

主动倾听在任何文化下都能有效促进沟通交流，当然在英语环境中也不例外。运用主动倾听的技巧，会给讲话人留下很好的印象，让讲话人感到和你聊天很愉快。

Scenario: Whether the speaker is boring you to death or not, if you use a little trick, the speaker will think you are a good listener.

Here's the trick:

Nod, look at the speaker and say,

That's interesting.

Really?

I see.

Exactly

Understood

(That's) true

Right

Great(point)

Yeah

Nice

Interesting

Awesome

Perfect

Or just repeat the speaker's last word ^_^

More coming...