Phrases and practice

Learn a useful phrase in context, listen to its pronunciation and practise saying it.

• I would like to challenge the way this issue was presented without attributing bad intentions to the author.C1 · #3651
• The example illustrates my concern, but I am not claiming it describes every reader's experience.C1 · #3652
• Removing the personal remarks will help focus attention on the arguments that genuinely call for a response.C1 · #3653
• I want one specific piece of information corrected, not the whole article withdrawn.C1 · #3654
• If the editor shortens the letter, please retain the sentence explaining what my objection concerns.C1 · #3655
• When shortening a line for subtitles, we must not lose the negation that reverses its meaning.C1 · #3656
• A literal translation of the joke preserves the words but may prevent the viewer from understanding the punchline.C1 · #3657
• The unfinished sentence in this scene is deliberate, so let us not add what the character left unsaid.C1 · #3658
• The subtitle break should make reading easier rather than split words that form a single unit of meaning.C1 · #3659
• Since the character sounds uncertain, categorical wording in the subtitles would distort their position.C1 · #3660
• Let us assess the idea separately from the execution so that technical skill does not overshadow originality.C1 · #3661
• The reasoning should relate to the submitted work, not to assumptions about its creator.C1 · #3662
• Let us not equate an unusual technique with high quality; novelty alone does not determine the assessment.C1 · #3663
• If a judge knows a participant personally, they should disclose that relationship before assessing the participant's work.C1 · #3664
• A disagreement among the judges may reflect different weights given to the criteria rather than a failure to understand the work.C1 · #3665
• Going round in circles will not replace a decision about what we do next.C1 · #3666
• Let us not add fuel to the fire by repeating unverified accusations.C1 · #3667
• Everyone is pulling in a different direction, so it is hard to agree on a common course.C1 · #3668
• I do not want to sweep the problem under the carpet; I would rather discuss it before it comes up again.C1 · #3669
• Let us not rest on our laurels after the first success, as there is still a lot to improve.C1 · #3670
• Let us record not only the chosen option but also why the other proposals were rejected.C1 · #3671
• The note should explain the reasoning, not imply that the outcome was inevitable from the start.C1 · #3672
• Let us distinguish the constraints we actually faced from those we merely assumed existed.C1 · #3673
• Stating when a decision should be reconsidered does not undermine it; it defines the limits of its continuing validity.C1 · #3674
• In a month it will be easier to assess this decision if we record today what information we had.C1 · #3675
• The set attracts attention, but at several points it competes with the acting instead of supporting it.C1 · #3751
• Slowing down the final scene gives it a gravity the earlier, more dynamic passages lacked.C1 · #3752
• It is worth distinguishing a deliberate break with convention from inconsistency that makes the production harder to follow.C1 · #3753
• My assessment concerns this particular production, not every possible interpretation of the play.C1 · #3754
• Without revealing the ending, one can describe the tension created by the recurring motif.C1 · #3755
• I will indicate which details I remember myself and which I know only from my parents' stories.C1 · #3756
• I do not want to smooth over every contradiction, as they also show how differently we remembered that day.C1 · #3757
• The dialogue conveys the substance of the conversation, although I cannot reproduce the exact wording of every sentence.C1 · #3758
• Before publishing this passage, I will ask my sister whether she agrees to my describing her experience.C1 · #3759
• A detail about the smell of the kitchen can bring a memory to life better than a general statement that it was pleasant.C1 · #3760
• The pronoun in the second sentence could refer to either of two people, so it is better to repeat the name.C1 · #3761
• The reader should not have to guess whether “earlier” refers to the previous day or the previous stage.C1 · #3762
• Splitting this sentence in two will help show which action the condition applies to.C1 · #3763
• Changing the word order improved the flow but shifted the emphasis from the deadline to the person responsible.C1 · #3764
• Deliberate ambiguity in a poem can be a strength, although similar uncertainty in an instruction makes it harder to act.C1 · #3765
• I bit my tongue so as not to interrupt her halfway through her explanation.C1 · #3766
• Let us not lump all the proposals together when they differ in purpose and scope.C1 · #3767
• We are breaking new ground, so some of the difficulties stem from a lack of previous experience.C1 · #3768
• Clutching at straws will not help if the idea rests on an assumption we have already disproved.C1 · #3769
• I have the impression he is leading us up the garden path by giving a different reason for the delay each time.C1 · #3770
• Rather than list personality traits, I will use an example to show how I applied them at work.C1 · #3771
• The letter should complement the CV rather than repeat it sentence by sentence.C1 · #3772
• I will explain why this particular role interests me, without generic praise that could apply to any company.C1 · #3773
• Let us not attribute the entire result to one person if the task was completed jointly.C1 · #3774
• I will describe my career break briefly, focusing on what is relevant to this role.C1 · #3775
• The summary should explain what the question concerns before presenting the proposed answer.C1 · #3851
• Let us not replace the description of a result with adjectives such as “groundbreaking” when the reader does not yet know what was found.C1 · #3852
• Simplifying the terminology should not distort the description of the conditions under which the result was obtained.C1 · #3853
• It is worth explaining the difference between what was observed and what the authors propose as an explanation.C1 · #3854
• A good summary preserves the main relationship even if it leaves out some technical details.C1 · #3855
• The minutes should distinguish an idea put forward from a decision actually taken.C1 · #3856
• The absence of a recorded objection is not enough to describe the decision as unanimous.C1 · #3857
• For this task, let us name the person responsible, not just the group the topic concerns.C1 · #3858
• If the deadline was only a proposal, let us mark it as such rather than present it as a confirmed commitment.C1 · #3859
• A summary of the discussion should retain the reason for a change of position if it matters to the decision.C1 · #3860
• The character justifies his choice by appealing to loyalty, but his later actions undermine that explanation.C1 · #3861
• We can understand a character's motives without thereby considering their behaviour justified.C1 · #3862
• The recurring gesture suggests unease, although it does not in itself explain what the character fears.C1 · #3863
• Let us not judge the first decision solely through knowledge the reader gains only at the end of the work.C1 · #3864
• A change in behaviour will be more convincing if the text shows the experience that led to it.C1 · #3865
• Do you want me to help refine the idea, or do you just need an attentive listener for now?C1 · #3866
• My reservation concerns this passage, not the value of your entire effort.C1 · #3867
• I would rather identify one specific improvement than leave you with a vague sense that something is wrong.C1 · #3868
• If you take my comment differently from what I intended, I will try to clarify it without dismissing your reaction.C1 · #3869
• We do not have to agree on the solution to identify the difficulty together.C1 · #3870
• Let us not make empty promises: if we offer help, let us agree when we can provide it.C1 · #3871
• This project is her pride and joy, so she gives it more attention than the others.C1 · #3872
• When going against the grain, one needs to explain why one questions the accepted way of doing things.C1 · #3873
• I still have an ace up my sleeve, but I will present the idea only after hearing the other proposals.C1 · #3874
• I find it hard to put into words, although I know which passage raised my doubts.C1 · #3875
• The comparison will be more convincing if we assess both examples using the same criteria.C1 · #3951
• It is not enough to summarise two texts in turn; we need to show how their approaches to the topic relate.C1 · #3952
• The difference between the endings matters because it changes how the earlier similarities are read.C1 · #3953
• The conclusion should follow from the comparison rather than introduce a new example requiring separate analysis.C1 · #3954
• Rather than seek a similarity at any cost, let us check whether the difference itself explains something important.C1 · #3955
• I would like to establish at which stage the misunderstanding arose before attributing it to a particular person.C1 · #3956
• The explanation of the cause should rest on what we know rather than fill gaps with guesses about someone's intentions.C1 · #3957
• Admitting that I overlooked the change does not mean I can already explain all its consequences.C1 · #3958
• Let us agree how to put things right, separating urgent action from the later analysis of causes.C1 · #3959
• If the procedure allows two interpretations, simply repeating its wording may not solve the problem.C1 · #3960
• The title should attract attention without promising an answer the text does not provide.C1 · #3961
• A question in a headline does not remove the author's responsibility to explain the grounds for asking it.C1 · #3962
• Removing the qualification from the title made a cautious conclusion sound like a definite finding.C1 · #3963
• An introduction can be short, but it must preserve the difference between a planned event and one that has already taken place.C1 · #3964
• If the title quotes someone's assessment, let us make clear that it is not automatically the editor's position.C1 · #3965
• I changed my mind after seeing a new example that challenged my earlier assumption.C1 · #3966
• I am not withdrawing all my reservations; I only acknowledge that one has been explained convincingly.C1 · #3967
• I previously treated this condition as necessary; now I see that a less demanding requirement is enough.C1 · #3968
• I would like to explain what changed in my reasoning rather than pretend I thought the same way from the start.C1 · #3969
• Conceding one point does not require accepting the entire proposal without further discussion.C1 · #3970
• We are pushing at an open door by trying to convince the team of a solution it has already accepted.C1 · #3971
• Let us keep our finger on the pulse so we notice any change of plan before starting preparations.C1 · #3972
• It is time to take the bull by the horns and discuss the problem we have all avoided so far.C1 · #3973
• He turned the question back on us, asking why we expected a decision without providing all the information.C1 · #3974
• The first positive comments put wind in our sails, and we returned to work with more energy.C1 · #3975