We all have an opinion. Whether you’re deciding what to eat for dinner or who your best friend should marry (or not marry!), you have an opinion.

Ready to sound as confident as a native speaker expressing those opinions? Learn these common phrases that native English speakers use to share their opinions or beliefs.

• “I think…” – a great expression for when you have an opinion but it’s not super strong or the topic is less important
• “In my opinion…” – used when you have an opinion that could be strong or not. It’s often used when you know other people may have different opinions.
• “I believe…” – usually used for sharing beliefs that you feel more strongly about or when you’re sharing about deeper values you hold
• “I’m convinced…” – a strong way to share your opinion or belief. Can be used for both serious or lighthearted topics though
• “In my experience…” – often used to point out that your opinion should be considered more carefully because you have experience with this topic

When should you use them?

But even more important than memorizing a few phrases is learning when to use each one. Sometimes your opinions are stronger than others. Sometimes your opinion is really a belief that you hold deeply.

Pretend you’re in line with your friend at McDonalds, and she asks whether she should order the Big Mac or the McChicken Salad. You don’t want your opinion to sound too strong. She might think you’re a little too passionate about fast food. You just want to tell her what you think. So you say:

“I think you should order the Big Mac.”

But let’s say you’re friend is asking what you think about her boyfriend who she might marry. She has told you before that he never shows up for their dates on time and always plays games on his phone the whole dinner. But she defends him saying that he always says he is sorry and is trying to do better. In this situation, you need your opinion to sound stronger so your friend doesn’t end up married to a slouch. So you say:

“Based on my experience, men who don’t treat you well in dating, won’t treat you well in marriage. I believe you need to break up with him.”

How should you say them?

Still more important than when to use these phrases, is how to say them. Watch this video to hear how a native speaker expresses opinions and how you can say the same phrase two different ways to express your opinion more strongly:

Practice time:

Imagine yourself giving your opinion to your friend at your favorite fast food restaurant and practice saying out loud, “I think you…”

Next imagine yourself sharing your opinion about something you believe very strongly and practice out loud using the phrases, “I believe…” “In my experience…” “I’m convinced that…”

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