describing pictures: phrases

Speaking Phrases

Likes/dislikesI’m into…I’m a keen/avid (surfer) I’m keen on/fond of (surfing) I (go surfing) to unwind, to escape the stresses and strains of my day to day life. I like nothing more than (to go surfing) I’m itching to try/go…. (I really want to)	OpinionAs far as I’m concerned,As I see it, From my point of view, In my humble opinion, I’d say that…
Comparing/contrastingBoth pictures show…In this picture they look as though they are…. Whereas/while in this picture… In contrast On the other hand	Describing picturesThe first thing that strikes me about this picture is…The thing that really jumps out of this picture is… In this picture it looks as if/though they are… They could/might/may be… They could/might/may have just… I’m pretty sure that they’re feeling… I’d guess that they are…
AgreeingWe see eye to eye.Yeah, I’d go along with that. Absolutely! You took the words right out of my mouth. I couldn’t agree more. You have a point there. I’m with you 100% on this one.	DisagreeingWe don’t see eye to eye.I take your point but… I tend to disagree with you there. That’s not always the case I beg to differ Isn’t it more a case of…
Starting to make a conclusionLet’s get down to the nitty gritty.The bottom line is we have to choose one… It’s a tough one, I’m torn between … and …. Shall we go with ….?	Asking for opinionWhat’s your take on….?Where do you stand on….? In my opinion…., would you go along with that? What are your thoughts on this?
PersonalisingSpeaking from personal experience,…For me personally,.. This is a topic that is particularly close to my heart… It’s funny I was just thinking about this the other day. My gut/initial reaction is… If I were to choose one of these situations (part 2 pictures), I’d go with… because…	Impressive structuresAnother point I’d like to add about … is…It’s also worth bearing in mind that… Coming back to what (Javi) was saying about …. I’d also like to point out that… I think it’s important not to forget that… The vast majority of people tend to think that… At the end of the day… When all’s said and done…
TipsEye-contactActive listening Open body language Speak up Don’t dominate	Asking for repetitionI beg your pardon, I didn’t catch that.Sorry would you mind repeating that? Could you repeat the question please?