Summary of All Language Functions (BAC2) M.

ELKADAOUI
Making Request Giving Advice Asking for Advice
➢ Could you ………… ? ➢ I advise you to ….
➢ Can you please …………..? ➢ Why don’t you ….. ➢ What do you advise me to do?
➢ Could you ………………..? ➢ You’d better …… ➢ What should I do?
➢ Would you ……………..? ➢ You ought to / should …. ➢ What ought I to do?
➢ Would you mind ….ing ……? ➢ If you take my advice, you’ll ➢ What's your advice?
➢ Do you mind if I …………..? ➢ It might be a good idea to …. ➢ If you were me what would you do?
➢ Will you please …………..? ➢ Have you thought about ….
Expressing Agreement Expressing Disagreement Making suggestion
➢ I agree with this opinion. ➢ I'm afraid. I can't agree with you.
➢ Shall we …..
➢ I completely agree with this view. ➢ I disagree with you.
➢ Let’s ………
➢ This is absolutely right. ➢ I don't agree with you.
➢ What about ………..
➢ I couldn't / can't agree more. ➢ I'm not sure I agree with you
➢ How about ……..
➢ You’re absolutely right. ➢ I think you're wrong
➢ I suggest …………
➢ I share the same opinion/idea. ➢ I’m against the idea …
➢ Why don’t we ………….
➢ Ican’t agree more. ➢
Making Apology (apologizing) Making Complaint Opinion
➢ I think / I believe…
➢ I apologize for…
➢ I have a complaint to make. . ➢ As far as I'm concerned,
➢ I'd like to apologize for…
➢ Sorry to bother you but… ➢ To my mind,…
➢ I am so sorry for…
➢ I'm sorry to say this but… ➢ According to me,…
➢ I shouldn't have…
➢ I'm afraid I've got a complaint ➢ As I see it, …
➢ It's all my fault.
about… ➢ It seems to me that…
➢ I'm ashamed of…
➢ I'm afraid there is a slight problem ➢ In my opinion,….
➢ Please, forgive me for…
with… ➢ From my point of view…
➢ Excuse me for …
➢ Excuse me but there is a problem ➢ I take the view that. ..
➢ I'm terribly sorry for…
about… ➢ My personal view is that…
➢ Pardon me for this…
➢ I want to complain about… ➢ In my experience…
➢ Please, forgive me for my….
➢ I'm angry about… ➢ Personally Speaking, …
➢ Please, accept my apologies…
➢ For me, ………
Inviting Giving Good news Giving Bad news
➢ I’m sorry to have to say this, but
➢ I invite you to …. ➢ You know what! I've got a bit of ➢ I'm afraid I've got some bad news for
➢ Would you like …. ? great news for you... you...
➢ Do you want to ….. ? ➢ I'm really pleased to tell you... ➢ I really don’t know how to say it, but
➢ How about ….. ? ➢ Great news for you... …
➢ Would you care to ……? ➢ I’ve got some wonderful news to tell ➢ I’m really sorry to say that …
➢ I would be happy if you …. you ➢ I really feel bad to have to say this,
but …
Responding to good news Responding to bad news Expressing Certainty
➢ Certainly
➢ wow!
➢ I’m sorry to hear such terrible news. ➢ I’m certain about it.
➢ That sounds exciting.
➢ I know how you must be feeling ➢ I quite sure that …
➢ Congratulations
➢ Poor you! ➢ It is évident that …
➢ I’m glad to hear that!
➢ I’m sorry to hear that.. ➢ No one can deny that ….
➢ That's good / great / wonderful /
➢ I can’t believe it! ➢ Definitely
splendid news!
➢ It is crystal clear .
➢ Lucky you!
➢ I have no doubt about it.
Expressing Uncertainty Asking for clarification Lack of understanding
➢ What do you mean by…?
➢ I doubt it. ➢ I beg your pardon?
➢ Could you say that again, please?
➢ I doubt that … ➢ I beg your pardon, but I don't quite
➢ Could you repeat please?
➢ I’m not certain that … ➢ Could you clarify that, please?
understand.
➢ Possibly ➢ I'm not quite sure I know what you
➢ Would you elaborate on that , please?
mean.
➢ Probably ➢ Could you be more explicit?
➢ I'm not quite sure I follow you.
➢ May be ➢ Could you give us an example?
➢ I don't quite see what you mean.
➢ I think that … ➢ I wonder if you could say that in a
➢ I'm not sure I got your point.
➢ May / Might different way.
➢ Sorry, I didn't get your point.
➢ Could you put it differently, please?
➢ I don't see what you're getting at.
➢ Could you be more specific, please?
Defining / Definition Offering Promising
➢ can be defined as ….. ➢ Can I help you ? ➢ I swear I will …
➢ can be described as …. ➢ Shall I help you ? ➢ You have my word.
➢ refers to …. ➢ Would you like a glass of water ? ➢ It’s a promise
➢ Means …. ➢ How about some pizza? ➢ Trust me, …….
POSSIBILITY PERMISSION ABILITY REQUEST ADVICE
➢ May ➢ Can
➢ Can ➢ Should
➢ Can ➢ May ➢ Can
➢ Could ➢ Ought to
➢ Might ➢ Could
OBLIGATION NECESSITY LACK OF CERTAINTY PROHIBITION
NECESSITY
➢ Must ➢ Needn’t ➢ Mustn’t
➢ Need ➢ Must
➢ Have to ➢ Don’t have to ➢ Can’t

ADDITION PURPOSE EXAMPLE CONCESSION

➢ Also
➢ For example ➢ But
➢ Too / As well ➢ To ➢ Although –
➢ For instance ➢ However –
➢ In addition ➢ In order to ➢ Even though
➢ such as ➢ Nevertheless-
➢ Moreover ➢ So as to ➢ Even if –
➢ like ➢ Despite this
➢ Besides ➢ So that ➢ Despite
➢ In other words ➢ Still –
➢ Not only … ➢ For ➢ In spite of
➢ To illustrate ➢ Yet –
but also
CONTRAST CONCLUSION CAUSE & EFFECT
➢ Because ➢ So
➢ To summarize ➢ Since ➢ Therefore
➢ While – ➢ To conclude
➢ In brief ➢ as ➢ As a result
➢ Whereas ➢ In conclusion –
➢ To sum up ➢ because of ➢ Consequently
➢ In Contrast ➢ In short
➢ All in all ➢ due to ➢ Because of this
➢ thanks to ➢ That’s why

MATCH EACH EXPRESSION WITH ITS APPROPRIATE FUNCTION

Expressions Functions
1. Could you help me repair my computer, please a-Requesting 1-____
2. Besides having a villa in the city, the Smiths owns a farm in the
b- Opinion
2-____
country side 3-____
3. Many people attended the match despite the bad weather c-Lack of understanding
4-____
4. The wedding as delayed due to financial problems d-Inviting
5-____
5. For me, developing countries should invest more in education e- suggesting
6-____
6. I’m terribly sorry for the mess I have made in the kitchen f- Addition 7-____
7. Sorry to say this but you assistant was rude to me g- cause and effect 8-____
8. I’m afraid, I didn’t get your point h- Asking for advice 9-____
9. I have difficulties in understand French texts, what should I do? i-Disagreeing 10-___
10. I’m totally against the idea j-concession 11-____
11. Would you care for a cup of coffee? k- Apologizing 12-___
12. Why don’t we go on a picnic ? l-complaining 13-____
13. You can’t smoke here. m- prohibition