Agreeing & Disagreeing
AdvancedAcknowledge first, then disagree.
- Disagree in three moves: 'I see your point' + but + your reason.
- Agreement needs content too: after 'That's true', add one new example.
- Use 'I partly agree', or attach a condition with 'as long as'.
文體小知識：Polite responses.
§Text Passage
1I think schools should ban mobile phones completely. I see your point, but a total ban may be too extreme. Phones are useful learning tools — we can check vocabulary instantly. Many parents would agree with me, I think. Do you really think a complete ban would work in our school?
2That's true. However, some students can't resist playing games in class. Last month my seatmate spent the whole English lesson on video games. And remember the boy who photographed a classmate and posted it online? Not to mention the students who film others without permission. You're right, and phones also cause arguments in the playground. Several students even lost their phones during PE last term.
3So maybe a compromise: phones allowed during breaks, but not during lessons. I partly agree. Perhaps we should also collect them before tests. That sounds fair, as long as the school provides lockers. The student union could buy a lockable cabinet for every classroom. Perhaps during breaks they can be used at the canteen only.
4We could also suggest a rule: phones must stay in bags on silent mode. And teachers could give warnings before any punishment. We should ask teachers to allow phones for research tasks too. Exactly — teach us to use them properly instead of taking them away. Now that's a solution we can both support! Great. I'll draw up a poster to explain our proposal. Let's write it up for the class meeting on Friday. Even our club activities suffer when everyone stares at screens. Perfect — the class meeting will decide, but at least we agree on something.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
I think schools should ban mobile phones completely.
我覺得學校應該完全禁手機。
I see your point, but a total ban may be too extreme.
我明白你的意思，但全面禁止可能太極端。
Phones are useful learning tools — we can check vocabulary instantly.
手機是有用的學習工具——我們可以即時查生字。
Many parents would agree with me, I think.
我覺得許多家長都會認同我。
Do you really think a complete ban would work in our school?
你真的覺得全面禁止在我們學校行得通？
That's true. However, some students can't resist playing games in class.
沒錯。不過有些同學上課忍不住打電動。
Last month my seatmate spent the whole English lesson on video games.
上個月我旁邊的同桌整堂英文課都在打電動。
And remember the boy who photographed a classmate and posted it online?
還記不記得有個男生拍了同學的照片放上網？
Not to mention the students who film others without permission.
更不用說那些未經同意就偷拍人的學生。
You're right, and phones also cause arguments in the playground.
你說得對，手機在操場都引起過爭執。
Several students even lost their phones during PE last term.
上學期還有幾個同學在體育堂不見了手機。
So maybe a compromise: phones allowed during breaks, but not during lessons.
那麼或者折衷一下：小息可以用，上課不准。
I partly agree. Perhaps we should also collect them before tests.
我部分同意。或者測驗之前還要收回手機。
That sounds fair, as long as the school provides lockers.
這樣也合理，只要學校提供儲物櫃。
The student union could buy a lockable cabinet for every classroom.
學生會可以為每間課室買一個有鎖的櫃。
Perhaps during breaks they can be used at the canteen only.
或者小息時，只准在飯堂用手機。
We could also suggest a rule: phones must stay in bags on silent mode.
我們還可以建議一條規矩：手機要放在袋裡面，調到靜音。
And teachers could give warnings before any punishment.
老師可以先警告，之後才罰。
We should ask teachers to allow phones for research tasks too.
我們也應該要求老師在資料搜集任務中讓我們用手機。
Exactly — teach us to use them properly instead of taking them away.
沒錯——教我們正確使用，而不是把它們收走。
Now that's a solution we can both support!
這個方案我們兩個都可以支持！
Great. I'll draw up a poster to explain our proposal.
好。我會做一張海報解釋我們的建議。
Let's write it up for the class meeting on Friday.
我們把它寫下來，星期五班會用。
Even our club activities suffer when everyone stares at screens.
人人只顧看屏幕，連課外活動都受影響。
Perfect — the class meeting will decide, but at least we agree on something.
好——班會會作決定，但至少我們在一件事上達成了共識。
1Summary 重點摘要
Acknowledge first, then disagree.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Yes.
No.
Partially.
I understand.
But.
Other side.
True.
Yet.
3Step by step Steps
- AgreeAgreeing still needs content: after I agree / That's true, add a new example — “You're right, and phones also cause arguments in the playground”; saying only agree earns nothing.
- PartlyFor partial agreement use I partly agree, or attach a condition: “That sounds fair, as long as the school provides lockers” — as long as sets a term instead of blind support; conditional agreement shows you are thinking.
- DisagreeDisagree in three moves: acknowledge the other side (I see your point) + but + your reason: “I see your point, but a total ban may be too extreme” — you reject the degree, not the person.
- OtherOn the other hand introduces the opposite view: after their reasons, bring out yours — “learning tool” (check vocabulary instantly) versus “classroom distraction” (games in class); both sides have substance.
- Reach a compromiseStuck? Go for a compromise: “So maybe a compromise: phones allowed during breaks, but not during lessons” — each side yields a step; close with “Now that's a solution we can both support!”
- Take turnsDiscussion seeks consensus, not victory: let the other speaker finish before replying, never grabbing — group discussion scores interaction, not debate points.
- Make it concreteMake the consensus concrete: who does what (“I'll draw up a poster”, write it up for the class meeting on Friday) — follow-up shows the discussion actually produced results.
5Worked example Example
The conversation moves from 'ban phones completely' to a shared compromise. Which agreeing and disagreeing phrases steer it from conflict to consensus?
- Step 1: Disagreement opens politely: 'I see your point, but a total ban may be too extreme' — attacking the degree, not the person.
- Step 2: The supporter stacks evidence: a seatmate gaming all lesson, a photographed classmate posted online, phones lost during PE.
- Step 3: The turning point is the compromise: 'phones allowed during breaks, but not during lessons'.
- Step 4: Conditional agreement follows: 'That sounds fair, as long as the school provides lockers' — conditions, not blind consent.
- Step 5: The consensus marker: 'Now that's a solution we can both support!', with a class-meeting proposal on Friday.
- Answer: The dialogue is a catalogue of polite agreeing and disagreeing. The objector concedes before pushing back — 'I see your point, but a total ban may be too extreme' — while the supporter of the ban piles up evidence: a seatmate gaming through an English lesson, a classmate's photo posted online, phones lost in PE. The pivot is the compromise formula 'phones allowed during breaks, but not during lessons', which converts a clash of positions into a design problem. Conditional agreement ('as long as the school provides lockers') shows how to accept without surrendering judgement, and further refinements — silent mode, warnings before punishment, phones for research — build joint ownership. The closing 'Now that's a solution we can both support!' ends the talk as consensus, not victory.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Agree?
Q2Disagree?
Q3Partly?
Q4On the other hand?
Q5Polite?
Q6Example?
8Recap Recap
- Disagree in three moves: 'I see your point' + but + your reason.
- Agreement needs content too: after 'That's true', add one new example.
- Use 'I partly agree', or attach a condition with 'as long as'.
- Stuck? Compromise: banned in lessons, allowed at break — each side yields a little.
- Close with consensus: 'Now that's a solution we can both support!' — discussions seek agreement, not victory.