Agreeing & Adding On
What’s one sentence starter you can use to agree with your partner?
“I agree with you because…”
You understand your partner but see things differently.
“I see your point, but I think…”
You want your partner to think more deeply about what they said.
"What do you think about…?"
You are giving your opinion with a reason.
"I believe this because…"
You want to make sure you understood their point.
"So you’re saying that…?"
You liked what your partner said and want to expand the idea with a new thought.
"That’s a good point. I’d like to add that…"
You want to disagree politely while still respecting their view.
"I understand your point, but I have a different perspective…"
You want to know the reasoning behind your partner's opinion.
"Why do you think that?"
You are using the text to support your thinking.
"Based on the text, I think…"
You want to confirm you're interpreting their idea correctly.
"Let me make sure I understand…"
You were already thinking the same idea and want to show you're on the same page.
"I was thinking the same thing, and I also thought…"
You don't agree, and you want to explain your reason kindly.
"I’m not sure I agree because…"
You didn’t understand what they meant and want clarification.
"Can you explain what you meant by…?"
You refer to something specific the author mentioned.
"I noticed that the author said…"
You didn’t catch what they meant and ask for it to be said again in new words.
"Can you say that in a different way?"
Your partner gave an example, and you want to keep the conversation going with another one.
"Yes, and another example is…"
You found your partner's idea interesting, but you're thinking in a different direction.
"That’s interesting, but what if we consider…"
You want to understand how they formed their idea.
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
You use a graphic, chart, or data to make an inference.
"From the data/graphic/text, I infer that…"
You summarize their thought to check for understanding.
"In other words, you think that…"
You want to agree AND strengthen your partner's idea by connecting it to something new.
"That’s a good point. I’d like to add that…"
You want to challenge their idea in a respectful, curious way.
"I understand your point, but I have a different perspective…"
You’re not sure you understand and want them to restate it.
"Can you say that in a different way?"
You combine evidence and personal insight to explain your thinking.
"Based on the text, I think…"
You restate what they said and ask for clarification.
"So you’re saying that…?"