According To or In My Opinion?

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According To or In My Opinion?

In this lesson, you can attribute information to a named source.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

State where a piece of information came from.

See one possible response

According to the notice, the class starts at six.

You compare a venue leaflet, an organiser’s email and your personal impression of a room.

What you will practise
  • Attribute information to a named source.
  • Mark a personal evaluation separately from source information.
  • Combine attribution and evaluation without shifting responsibility.

Try each response before revealing a model. Equivalent grammatical answers are welcome when they preserve the task meaning.

According to a source

According to + a source identifies where information comes from: According to the email, the room opens at six. The source can be a person, document or notice. The phrase attributes information; it does not independently prove it.

According to the leaflet, the tour lasts an hour.

According to the organiser, the entrance is on the left.

She attributes a seating claim to a plain notice on an isolated stand, holding a programme and pointing to the notice. Steve listens with measured uncertainty. The notice has indistinct print; do not show twenty counted real chairs as independent proof.
According to the notice, there are twenty seats.The phrase identifies the source without independently proving the claim.

In my opinion: your judgement

Use in my opinion for your own assessment: In my opinion, the room is too small. This is different from reporting what a leaflet says. According to me is possible in special contexts but is not the ordinary neutral choice for simply introducing your view.

In my opinion, the morning session is more useful.

In her opinion, the instructions need to be shorter.

Keep the source’s scope clear

A source phrase can appear first or later, but it must be clear which claim it covers. Separate the source’s statement from your conclusion: According to the notice, there are twenty seats. In my opinion, that is enough for our group. Do not turn a personal inference into a quoted fact.

The doors open at seven, according to the email.

According to the list, ten people are coming; I think we should keep two spare chairs.

She gives her personal judgement that the seating is enough for their group, making a considered open hand gesture while Steve listens. Retain the notice and programme, without adding a numerical probability, group size or verified capacity.
In my opinion, that is enough for our group.The assessment belongs to the speaker.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. The timetable says the bus leaves at nine. Use according to.

Compare a model and explanation

According to the timetable, the bus leaves at nine.

The source is named explicitly.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. You think the later session is better. Use in my opinion.

Compare a model and explanation

In my opinion, the later session is better.

The evaluation is yours.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. In my opinion, the map is confusing. Make it Jo’s view.

Compare a model and explanation

In Jo’s opinion, the map is confusing.

The holder of the judgement changes.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. According to the leaflet, entry is free. Does this grammar prove the leaflet is accurate?

Compare a model and explanation

No.

It attributes a statement without verifying the source.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. The email says ten people are coming. You think more food is needed.

Compare a model and explanation

According to the email, ten people are coming. In my opinion, we need more food.

Only the attendance figure is attributed to the email.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. According to the sign, this door is closed. Put the source phrase last.

Compare a model and explanation

This door is closed, according to the sign.

The claim and source remain linked.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. The notice gives only a room capacity of fifteen. Your sentence says According to the notice, this is the best room. Repair it.

Compare a model and explanation

According to the notice, the room holds fifteen people. In my opinion, it is the best room for us.

The evaluation is not in the source and must be labelled separately.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. The organiser says the room is available. You have not checked it and think the location is convenient.

Compare a model and explanation

According to the organiser, the room is available. I haven’t checked, but in my opinion the location is convenient.

Source, verification limit and judgement are distinct.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Member: What time does the event start?

Planner: According to the email, it starts at seven.

Member: Is that a good time for us?

Planner: In my opinion, yes. We can finish work and get there without rushing.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. Which point is attributed to the leaflet?
Read the listening transcript

According to the leaflet, the walk takes forty minutes. In my opinion, the route looks pleasant.

2. Whose evaluation is reported?
Read the listening transcript

In Sam’s opinion, the instructions are too short. The email does not comment on their length.

3. What is the speaker doing?
Read the listening transcript

The doors open at six, according to the organiser. I haven’t checked the notice yet.

Answer key with explanations

  1. Which point is attributed to the leaflet?

    The forty-minute duration.: The source phrase introduces that information.

    Compare all choices
    • The forty-minute duration.: The source phrase introduces that information.
    • A promise that nobody will get tired.: No such promise is made.
    • The speaker’s personal view that it looks pleasant.: That is explicitly marked as opinion.

  2. Whose evaluation is reported?

    Sam’s.: In Sam’s opinion identifies the holder.

    Compare all choices
    • The email writer’s stated evaluation.: The email does not comment on length.
    • Sam’s.: In Sam’s opinion identifies the holder.
    • Everyone’s unanimous view.: Only Sam’s view is named.

  3. What is the speaker doing?

    Reporting the organiser’s information without claiming an independent check.: Both attribution and verification limit are explicit.

    Compare all choices
    • Giving no source at all.: The organiser is named.
    • Claiming to have inspected the notice.: They explicitly have not checked it.
    • Reporting the organiser’s information without claiming an independent check.: Both attribution and verification limit are explicit.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Choose a phrase introducing information from a leaflet.
2. Choose the ordinary neutral introduction to your own view.
3. What does attribution alone not establish?
4. The email states a time but no evaluation. Which is accurate?
5. In her opinion, the course is useful. What does her identify?
6. Choose a natural final source phrase.
7. Which sentence makes uncertainty about verification explicit?
8. Which is the best repair when your conclusion is not in the source?
Answer key with explanations

  1. Choose a phrase introducing information from a leaflet.

    According to the leaflet, …: This names the information source.

    Compare all choices
    • According my leaflet to in, …: The phrase is not correctly formed.
    • In my opinion, …: This introduces your judgement, not the leaflet’s information.
    • According to the leaflet, …: This names the information source.

  2. Choose the ordinary neutral introduction to your own view.

    In my opinion, the room is suitable.: This labels a personal evaluation.

    Compare all choices
    • In my opinion, the room is suitable.: This labels a personal evaluation.
    • According to the room, I am suitable.: That changes the source and proposition nonsensically in this context.
    • Opinion my in suitable room.: The phrase is not formed correctly.

  3. What does attribution alone not establish?

    That the source is accurate.: Reporting a claim is not independent verification.

    Compare all choices
    • That someone is presented as giving the information.: That is its function here.
    • That the source is accurate.: Reporting a claim is not independent verification.
    • Which source is being cited when one is named.: The phrase can explicitly name that source.

  4. The email states a time but no evaluation. Which is accurate?

    According to the email, the event starts at six. I think that is convenient.: Source information and personal evaluation are separated.

    Compare all choices
    • According to the email, six is the perfect time for everyone.: That adds an evaluation absent from the source.
    • The email cannot contain a time.: There is no such restriction.
    • According to the email, the event starts at six. I think that is convenient.: Source information and personal evaluation are separated.

  5. In her opinion, the course is useful. What does her identify?

    The person whose judgement is reported.: It marks the opinion holder.

    Compare all choices
    • The person whose judgement is reported.: It marks the opinion holder.
    • The listener’s required belief.: No obligation to agree is stated.
    • The course’s owner necessarily.: Opinion does not establish ownership.

  6. Choose a natural final source phrase.

    The room is upstairs, according to the guide.: The source phrase attaches to the claim.

    Compare all choices
    • The room according is guide to upstairs.: The word order is broken.
    • The room is upstairs, according to the guide.: The source phrase attaches to the claim.
    • The room is according upstairs to.: The source phrase is incomplete.

  7. Which sentence makes uncertainty about verification explicit?

    According to the message, it’s ready, but I haven’t checked.: The source and lack of checking are both stated.

    Compare all choices
    • It is ready because I say no source.: This does not provide the requested distinction.
    • I checked it and know it is ready.: This claims a check instead.
    • According to the message, it’s ready, but I haven’t checked.: The source and lack of checking are both stated.

  8. Which is the best repair when your conclusion is not in the source?

    State the source’s claim, then label your own conclusion separately.: This preserves responsibility for each statement.

    Compare all choices
    • State the source’s claim, then label your own conclusion separately.: This preserves responsibility for each statement.
    • Attribute both to the source anyway.: That misrepresents what it says.
    • Remove the source and pretend you observed it.: That invents direct verification.

Use it in your own words

A sourced message

Report two details from a fictional notice using according to.

Reveal a possible response

According to the notice, the hall opens at five. According to the same notice, visitors use the side entrance.

  • Name a source
  • Keep the details within what is supplied

You may invent the notice, but label it fictional.

Add your view

Give a personal evaluation after one source statement.

Reveal a possible response

According to the email, the course has six sessions. In my opinion, that is a useful length.

  • Separate source and judgement
  • Avoid treating evaluation as proof

A different reasonable judgement is welcome.

Put it all together

Help a group choose a venue from a fictional information sheet: twenty seats, opens at six, near a station. Report two facts from the sheet, add your opinion and name one thing still needing a check.

Reveal a possible response

According to the sheet, the room has twenty seats and opens at six. In my opinion, the location is convenient because it’s near the station. We still need to check whether there is a projector.

  • Keep attribution accurate
  • Label the evaluation
  • Preserve an unknown

Other useful checks are acceptable.

Take it with you

According to identifies a source. In my opinion identifies your judgement. Attribution tells us who supplies a claim, not whether it has been verified.