Expressing opinions and

preferences

Tabla de contenido
Introducción ​...........................................................................................................
1

Mapa conceptual ​................................................................................................... 2

1. Describing people and places ..........................................................................

2 ​Modificadores adjetivales ​.....................................................................................
2 ​Adjetivos predicativos ​.......................................................................................... 3
Adjetivo complemento ​.......................................................................................... 3
Adjetivos para describir personas ​........................................................................ 4
Modismos para describir personas ​...................................................................... 5

2. Opinions and preferences ................................................................................

6 ​Useful expressions to express your opinion .........................................................
6 Useful words to express your agreement .............................................................
6 Useful words to express your disagreement ........................................................ 7

3. How to create a concept map ...........................................................................

7

4. What is a paragraph? ......................................................................................

10 ​The three parts of a paragraph ..........................................................................
10 The first part of a paragraph ...............................................................................
10 The topic sentence in a paragraph .....................................................................
11 The third part of a paragraph .............................................................................
12 Writing paragraphs .............................................................................................
13

Referencias ​..........................................................................................................
14

Introducción

En el mundo de los mercados, la competencia laboral es cada vez más fuerte y el

idioma inglés es el lenguaje universal de este sistema, por lo tanto, es de suma
importancia aprender esta lengua para quien desee estar al tanto de su progreso
profesional.
Muchas empresas encuentran límites a la hora de proyectar el mercado a otros
países de habla inglesa, pero una buena comunicación es la herramienta más
poderosa para impulsar el mercado a nivel internacional.

Por esta razón, este material de formación trata aspectos relacionados con la
proyección del mercado a través de la segmentación, en inglés, especialmente
partiendo de las características y las preferencias de la población a la cual va
dirigida.

Además de lo mencionado anteriormente, es importante saber escribir un buen

párrafo, para tener una buena escritura.

Los párrafos ayudan a que textos largos sean más fáciles de leer y comprender;
además ayudan a que el texto sea más organizado, enfocándose en un propósito
en especial. Sin embargo, aprender a escribir un párrafo es un poco complicado y
por eso las siguientes instrucciones serán de mucha ayuda para afianzar más las
habilidades en construcción de párrafos.

Mapa
conceptual
En el mapa conceptual que se comparte a continuación, se evidencia la
interrelación temática del contenido que se plantea en este material de formación.

1. Describing people and places

En toda oración se encuentran, tanto sustantivos como verbos, y casi todas las
demás palabras que la componen dan información sobre estos. Dichas palabras
se conocen como modificadores; existen los modificadores adjetivales y los
adverbiales, los primeros cambian los sustantivos y los segundos modifican los
verbos, sin embargo, solo se profundizará en este material de formación en los
modificadores adjetivales.

Modificadores
adjetivales

Este tipo de modificador usualmente provee información sensorial a las frases

cuyo núcleo es el sustantivo o nombre, por ejemplo:

• Katty bought a red ​dress​.

• The ​new ​book costs $0.50oo.
 2

• His ​boring ​speech put the crowd to sleep.

Estas palabras proveen información como: el vestido es rojo, el libro es nuevo y el

discurso es aburrido. Muchas palabras pueden funcionar como adjetivos.

​ atty bought an ​evening

Ejemplo: K
dress.

Evening ​es un sustantivo pero en esta oración funciona como

adjetivo.

Adjetivos
predicativos

Los adjetivos simples van antes del sustantivo que modifican, sin embargo, hay
dos tipos de adjetivo que no cumplen esta posición dentro de la oración.

​ he tree was
Ejemplo: T
tall​.

La palabra t​ all ​es un adjetivo y provee información a la palabra t​ ree​, pero se

encuentra ubicado después del verbo w ​ as​. Dado que esta construcción tiene una
relación con el verbo y es un adjetivo, se le confiere el nombre de adjetivo
predicativo.

Los adjetivos predicativos solo pueden ir después de los

verbos:

• Fritz felt ​tired​.

• The pizza tasted ​good​.
• Fred was ​angry​.

Adjetivo
complemento
 Otro tipo de adjetivo es el adjetivo
complemento:

​ ouise painted the wall

Ejemplo: L
red​.

Note que el adjetivo red complete el predicado, pero no va después del verbo.
Además, ​painted ​no es un verbo de enlace.

Modificadores adverbiales

Los modificadores adverbiales proveen información a verbos, adverbios y otras

frases y oraciones adverbiales. Ellos son versátiles, no son sensoriales pero

3
proveen seis tipos diferentes de información: tiempo, lugar, manera, grado, causa y
concesión.
Los siguientes ejemplos muestran adverbios que proveen los seis tipos de información
anteriormente mencionados. Note que los adverbios de grado modifican adjetivos, o
pueden cambiar adverbios:
1. ​Tiempo:​ ​They arrived ​late​. ​2. ​Lugar​: ​We stopped ​there ​for a rest. ​3. ​Manera​: ​Fred
opened the box ​slowly​. ​4. ​Grado:​ ​Charles felt very tired. She opened the box ​quite
rapidly. ​5. ​Causa​: ​We ate ​because we were hungry​. ​6. ​Concesión:​ Although she
didn’t like broccoli​, she ate it.
Cómo describir personas
La persona es...
• ​Edad​: ​old, young, elderly, middle-aged, a teenager, twenty, twentish, about twenty, in
her early 30’s, in her mid 30’s, in his late 40’s.
• ​Estatura​: ​tall, short, of medium build.
• ​Contextura​: ​fat, thin, well-built, slim, of medium build.
• ​Apariencia:​ ​good-looking, pretty, beautiful (​solo para mujeres)​ , handsome (​solo para
hombres​), plain, ugly.
La persona tiene...
• ​Cabello: s​ hort, mid-length, long, straight, wavy, curly, red, brown, auburn, black, fair,
blond, grey and white.
• ​Ojos: ​blue, green, brown, grey.
 • ​Características distintivas: ​a moustache, a beard, a big nose, glasses.
Adjetivos para describir personas
Habilidad intelectual:
Inteligente, en modo
Habilidad Falta de habilidad ​
negativo I​ ntelligent Bright Smart
Stupid Foolish Simple
Cunning Crafty Sly
4
) Clueless
quial)
Able Gifted
Clever Shrewd
Talented Brainy
(colloquial) Actitudes hacia la
Silly Brainless vida:
(colloquial) Dumb

• ​Punto de vista​: ​optimistic or pessimistic.

• ​Exterior o interior:​ ​extroverted or introverted.
• ​Calmado o no calmado:​ ​relaxed or tense, anxious.
• ​Práctico, no soñador:​ ​sensible, down to earth.
• ​Que siente intensamente:​ ​sensitive.

Actitudes hacia otras

personas:

• ​Disfruta la compañía de otros:​ ​sociable, gregarious, congenial.

• ​En desacuerdo con otros​: ​quarrelsome, argumentative.
• ​Relajado en actitud hacia sí mismo y hacia otros:​ ​easy-going, even-
tempered, affable.
• ​No educado con otros​: ​impolite, rude, ill-mannered.
• ​Decir la verdad / guardar promesas:​ ​honest, trustworthy, reliable, sincere.
• ​No es feliz si no tiene lo que otros si:​ ​jealous, envious.

Modismos para describir personas

Cualidades positivas y
 negativas:

Positiva Negativa
amigable)​ .
She ​has a heart of gold ​(​muy amable,
generoso)​ .

He’s ​as good as gold ​(generous,

helpful, well-behaved).
He’s ​as hard as nails ​(​Sin simpatía
5
por otros​).

She’s kind of ​a cold fish ​(​distante, no

2. Opinions and preferences

A continuación, se encuentran algunas expresiones que serán útiles para dar

opiniones y expresar que está de acuerdo o en desacuerdo con algo.

Useful expressions to express your

opinion

In my opinion, ... In my eyes, ...

To my mind, ... As far as I am concerned, Speaking

personally,...

From my point of view, ... As for me / As to me, ...

My view /opinion / belief / impression / conviction is that... I hold the view

that..
.

I would say that ... It seems to me that ... I am of

the opinion that...

My impression is that ... I am under the impression that. It is my

impression
that...

I have the feeling that ... My own feeling on the subject is that...

I have no doubt that ... I am sure / I am certain that...

I think / consider / find / feel / believe / suppose / presume / assume

that...

I hold the opinion that... (I form / adopt an opinion.) I dare say

that..
.

I guess that... I bet that... I gather

that..
.

It goes without saying

that...

Useful words to express your

agreement

I agree with you / him ... I share your view. I think so.

I really think
so.

(The author / the narrator / the protagonist / etc.) is

right

He is quite right / absolutely right. He may be right.

I have no objection. I approve of it. I have

come to the same conclusion I hold the same opinion. We are of

one mind / of the same mind on that

question.
 I am at one with him on that point. It is true. That is

right
.

That's just it! Fair enough! Quite so!

Just so! Yes of course!

Useful words to express your

disagreement

I don't agree. I disagree.

I don't think so. You are / he is wrong.

I think otherwise. I don't think that's quite right.

I don't agree with you/him. I don't agree with what you say.

I am afraid that is not quite true. I take a different view.

I don't share his/her/your view. This argument does not hold water.

Not at all Nonsense.

Rubbish! He's off his head! (Baptiste, s.f.)

3. How to create a concept map

A continuación se describen algunas indicaciones para crear un mapa

conceptual:

1. Identify the general/broad topic that you are interested in.

Example: You are interested in the general topic of

obesity.
 7

2. Brainstorm on the general topic and list all the concepts and themes that

are related to the topic on a large piece of paper. Keep the concepts as

concise as
possible.
t

Example: Strok
e
Who?
Heart disease
How
High-blood pressure
many?
Balanced
Reasons or
diet
causes
Little sugar
o
f

Effects
of

More fast
er
food

Bigger
ssio
portions

Large
etic
fries

Diabete
s
life
Technolog
y

dependen
 Dessert
Low
self-esteem Too much
sugar
Poor emotional
Too much
healt sugar
h
Commuter
Physical fitness s
at Commuter
s
wor
k Few
pedestrians
Balanced Few
diet pedestrians
Nutritious How to
meals prevent
Less fast How to
food prevent
Obese Transportation
parents Transportation
Obese
parents syste
m
Unhealthy syste
Diet m
Unhealthy
Diet Exercise
programs
Little Exercise
physical programs
Little
physical Physical fitness in
Physical fitness in
exercis
e schoo
exercis l
e schoo
l
Soda
pop Physical
Soda exercise
pop Physical
exercise
Dessert
 Walk or pedal to

3. Using unlined paper, write the main theme in the center of the page.

4. Take the other concepts identified in the brainstorming and connect them

to the center concept. You can use other organizational patterns such as

branches, arrows or groups. More important ideas should be put nearer

to the center and less important ones closer to the edge. Identify the

relationship between the concepts. (USU Libraries Reference Service

Department,
s.f.)
 Fuente: ​USU Libraries Reference Service Department
(s.f.)

5. After the map has been created, look at the organizational patterns to

see if the pieces fit together and make sense and if there is anything

missing. After the map has been created, look at the organizational

patterns to see if the pieces fit together and make sense and if there is

anything missing. (USU Libraries Reference Service Department,

s.f.)

9
 4. What is a
paragraph?

Un párrafo es un grupo de oraciones relacionadas que tratan por lo regular una

idea principal, este puede ser tan corto como una oración o tan largo como diez
oraciones, sin embargo, el párrafo debería ser lo suficientemente largo como para
desarrollar claramente la idea principal.

En la escritura académica a veces se redacta un párrafo para responder una

pregunta e incluso puede ser parte de una pieza más grande de escritura como un
ensayo o un libro.

The three parts of a

paragraph

All paragraphs have...

• Topic sentence.

• Supporting sentence.

• Concluding sentence.

The first part of a

paragraph

The topic
sentence

What is the topic

sentence?

The topic sentence is the first sentence in a

paragraph.
What does it
do?

It introduces the main idea of the

paragraph.

How do I write
one?

10

Summarize the main idea of your paragraph. Indicate to the reader what

your paragraph will be

about.

In short...

The topic sentence states the main idea of a paragraph. It does not only

name the topic of a paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific
idea

that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The

part of the topic sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed

is called the controlling

idea.

Let ́ s see and

example:

Topic
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important
characteristics.

The topic sentence in a

paragraph

The supporting
sentences

What are supporting

sentences?

They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a

paragraph.

What do they
do?

They give details to develop and support the main idea of the
paragraph.

How do I write
them?

You should give supporting facts, details, and

examples.

11

In short...

The supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain

or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it. The

following example shows how the topic is developed by using supporting

sentences
.

Example
:

There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the

world. ​First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All

Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price.

Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are

taught

by well trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at

university. And third, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently

managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for

people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to

live.

The third part of a

paragraph

The closing
sentence

What is the closing

sentence?

The closing sentence is the last sentence in a

paragraph.

What does it
do?

It restates the main idea of your

paragraph.
How do I write
one?

Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different

words.

12

In short...

The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the

reader with important points to

remember.

Example
:

There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the

world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians

have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada

has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained

teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. And third,

Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have

many parks and lots of space for people to live. ​As a result, Canada is a

desirable place to
live.

Writing
paragraphs
 What is the writing
stage?

The writing stage is when you turn your ideas into

sentences.

Five writing
steps:

1. Open your notebook and word processor.

2. Write the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and closing sentence.

3. Write clear and simple sentences to express your meaning.

4. Focus on the main idea of your paragraph.

5. Use the dictionary to help you find additional words to express your

ideas. (Oshima y Hogue,

2006)

13
Referencias
• Baptiste, Y. (s.f.). ​Useful expressions. ​Consultado el 02 de agosto de 2016, en
http://yvanbaptiste.pagesperso-orange.fr
• Oshima, A. y Hogue A. (2006). ​Writing academic English.​ Nueva York, Estados
Unidos: Pearson Education Inc.
• USU Libraries Reference Service Department. (s.f.). ​How to create a concept map.
Consultado el 02 de agosto de 2016, en ​https://library.usu.edu
Control del documento
Nombre Cargo Dependencia Fecha
Experta ​
Autor ​Ismari Herrera Jerez ​ técnica
Centro de Servicios Empresariales y Turísticos Regional Santander
Junio de 2016
Paola Andrea
Adaptación ​Bobadilla ​
Gutiérrez
Guionista - Línea de producción
Centro Agroindustrial Regional Quindío
Julio de 2016
14