Successful communication in English requires that your listener hears what you have to say. Therefore, if you want to disagree with someone, it’s important for you as the English speaker to disagree politely. This goes for when you disagree:
- at work with a boss, an employee, or a customer.
- at school, with other students who you may debate with.
- in your personal life, when you disagree with and debate a family member or friend.
Politeness in English while debating and disagreeing can be communicated through:
- word choice; and
- the music of your speech
POLITE DISAGREEMENT PHRASES
Polite ways to tell your listener that you are disagreeing include:
INTRO:
- “Well,…” (softens what you are about to say)
- “Actually,…” (softens what you are about to say)
PHRASING:
- “From my perspective,…”
- “I have a completely different opinion.”
- “Sorry, but I have to disagree with that.”
- “I respectfully disagree.” (A bit more formal).
- “I beg to differ.”
- “I respect your point, but…”
CLOSING:
- “Let’s agree to disagree.”
