'I Think' vs 'I Believe' vs 'It Seems':點樣表達意見

點解呢句話會咁棘手

表達意見係你成日都會做嘅事，喺對話入面、喺學校入面、喺職場入面都係。有三句常用嘅開場白負責咗呢方面嘅大部分工作：'I think'、'I believe' 同 'it seems'。佢哋全部都係引出一個個人觀點。

棘手嘅地方在於，佢哋承載住唔同程度嘅自信。'I think' 係日常又中性。'I believe' 較強硬、較有承擔。'It seems' 較柔和、較帶試探性。如果你揀錯咗，你會聽落比你真正嘅感覺更肯定，又或者更冇把握。

當你嘅語氣同你真正嘅自信程度唔脗合，人哋就會誤讀你。佢哋可能會就一啲你只係半信半疑嘅嘢強烈反駁你，又或者忽視一個你其實好有感觸嘅觀點。

大家通常想表達咩

當學英文嘅人用以下其中一句作開場白時，佢哋通常想傳達：

• 呢個係我誠實、普通嘅意見。
• 我對呢樣嘢有強烈感覺。
• 呢個只係一個印象，我可能會錯。
• 我想邀請大家討論，唔係想結束討論。

你揀邊句話，應該配合你真正有幾肯定。

聽落會係點

'I think' 係安全、中性嘅選擇。佢聽落自然又開放。佢講出「呢個係我嘅觀點」，但又冇將門關上。佢好少會引起問題。

'I believe' 聽落堅定又有承擔。當你想表現出信念嘅時候，佢好好用。但如果用喺一個細小或者唔確定嘅觀點上，佢就會聽落太強，而且會令一段輕鬆嘅閒談變得似一場辯論。

'It seems' 聽落謹慎又溫和。當你唔肯定，或者你想將一個觀點講得柔和啲嘅時候，佢好有用。但如果你將佢用喺一啲你其實好有感觸嘅嘢上面，你就會聽落冇把握，而其他人亦可能唔會認真睇待呢個觀點。

更好嘅講法

令你開場白嘅強度，配合你真正意見嘅強度。

簡短例子

喺一個會議入面表達一個普通嘅意見。

太強："I believe this plan is wrong."
中性："I think this plan might have a few gaps."

陳述一啲你有強烈感覺嘅嘢。

太柔和："It seems we should test this first."
堅定："I really believe we should test this before we launch."

提出一個輕描淡寫嘅印象。

過份自信："I believe she's running late."
謹慎："It seems like she might be running late."

喺課堂上邀請討論。

封閉："I believe this answer is correct."
開放："I think this is the answer, but I'd like to hear what others got."

簡單原則

日常嘅意見用 'I think'，當你真正有強烈感覺嗰陣用 'I believe'，而當你分享一個你唔肯定嘅印象嗰陣就用 'it seems'。

練習：揀出較好嘅語氣

1. 喺一段輕鬆嘅閒談入面，你對一間餐廳有一個普通、溫和嘅意見。你會講：

   • A. I believe that restaurant is overrated.
   • B. I think that restaurant is a little overrated.
   • C. It seems the restaurant might possibly be overrated.

   Answer: B — 'I think' 配合到一個普通、溫和嘅意見，又冇言過其實。

2. 你強烈覺得一個安全步驟唔應該被略過。你會講：

   • A. It seems we should keep this step.
   • B. I think maybe we should keep this step.
   • C. I really believe we should keep this step.

   Answer: C — 一個強烈嘅觀點值得用一個堅定嘅開場白，等人哋會認真睇待。

3. 你留意到一啲嘢，但你真係唔肯定，而你又唔想言過其實。你會講：

   • A. I believe the printer is broken.
   • B. It seems like the printer might not be working.
   • C. The printer is definitely broken.

   Answer: B — 'It seems' 誠實咁表明咗呢個只係一個印象。