Expressing Opinion, Certainty, and Uncertainty: Relationship Mode

Expressing Opinion, Certainty, and Uncertainty: An Engaging Activity for Advanced English Learners

This activity is adapted from our sister site, Les Zexperts FLE. Originally, I used it to refresh my French subjunctive expressions before creating an English version (that has nothing to do with the subjunctive!). After years of working with the same group of advanced conversation speakers, I’ve noticed that when students learn a new expression—especially one involving expressing opinion, certainty, or uncertainty—they often cling to it. They’ll repeat it for months until a new phrase catches their interest.

This behavior is normal, even for native speakers. We all have our own micro-language, with favorite words and expressions that help us convey feelings, opinions, and levels of certainty or uncertainty. However, while native speakers rotate between multiple expressions, learners often focus on one until they feel confident using it.

Students love discovering new ways to express themselves. In the past, I’d provide them with lists of expressions to help with expressing opinion and levels of certainty or uncertainty. This activity, however, replaces those lists with context-based practice. It includes 26 speech bubbles with phrases that a couple might say during an argument, each featuring a bolded expression tied to an opinion, feeling, or level of certainty or uncertainty.