HOW TO AGREE IN ENGLISH

There is a huge industry nowadays in self-help books. Particularly popular are books
on how to get along with people. How to be a good listener, a good friend, a
popular and well-liked person. A good start to getting on with people is to be able
to maintain a good conversation. That means asking for your companion’s
opinion. This implies interest in, and concern for the other person. And, all the
better if you can agree with their opinion!

Dogs wag their tails and cats purr and roll on their backs to show agreement. But
how do you agree in English? Let’s begin with affirmative phrases. It’s easy! Check
out the main verb and use it in your reply, whether it is ‘be’, ‘have’ an auxiliary or a modal. Start
with ‘So’ and invert the subject and verb. For example, ‘I love skiing’ becomes ‘So do I.’ (Do is the
auxiliary needed for the present simple tense). Let’s have some more examples: ‘I am good at
cooking’ becomes ‘So am I.’ ‘I have a passion for books’ becomes ‘So have I.’ ‘I would like to go
to the cinema’ becomes ‘So would I’. ‘I went to France last year’ becomes ‘So did I.’ (Did is the
auxiliary needed for the past simple tense)

There is a shorter answer: ‘Me too.’

What about if your companion expresses a negative opinion? Well, the ‘so’ becomes ‘neither’. If
our friend says, ‘I am not into sports’, you say ‘neither am I’. ‘I don’t want to go out tonight’
becomes ‘Neither do I.’ And so on. Is there a quick form? Sure! ‘Me neither’.

Right! Remember, always agree if you can! It makes life so much easier. So, agree with the
following statements, both positive and negative, as far as you can😉

1) I haven’t seen that film.

2) I could skate like a champion when I was just six years old.
3) I would love to visit Paris.
4) I don’t like cabbage.
5) I think dogs are stupid.
6) I thought Miss Jones’s speech was excellent.
7) I would have helped her, if she had asked me!
8) I am not a particularly good student.
9) I ate grasshoppers and other insects on a trip abroad last year.
10) I went to Honolulu for my holidays last year.
By the way, which of
11) I have been thinking about learning Swahili.
these statements are
12) I talk far too much.
facts, and which ones
13) I can’t stand people. I really can’t stand anybody.
are opinions?
14) I never do any homework or private study.
15) I’m going to rob the Central Bank tonight.

Although, then again, sometimes it is better to be honest and disagree, but that is another lesson!

There are other ways of showing agreement, of course. Rearrange the words to make the
expressions.

a. that You say again can

b. took my words of You right out mouth the
c. exactly I thinking That’s was what
d. could put I better any have it myself not
e. You’ve nail the head hit the on
f. are You right so
g. could agree not more I

In writing, most of these expressions would be followed by an exclamation mark.

Keys F = fact, O = opinion

1. Neither have I F
2. So could I F but it might not be a true fact; it might be a lie.
3. So would I O
4. Neither do I O
5. So do I O
6. So did I O Some facts may be statements of intent….
7. So would I F Occasionally deciding whether something is
8. Neither am I F a fact or an opinion can be debated.
9. So did I F
10. So did I F
11. So have I O
12. So do I O a. You can say that again!
13. Neither can I O b. You took the words right out of my mouth
14. Neither do I F c. That’s exactly what I was thinking
15. So am I. F d. I could not have put it better myself!
e. You’ve hit the nail on the head.
f. You are so right!
g. I could not agree more.