Living English

Unlock B2 English: The 50 Phrases You Need to Stop Sounding Like a Textbook

slowblooms 2025. 10. 21. 03:51

Introduction:

If you’re at the intermediate stage of English (B1/B2), you can communicate, but do you ever struggle to sound genuinely natural? You know the grammar rules, but when a native speaker says something like, "I'm on the fence" or "Let's call it a day," you hesitate. This feeling of being "stuck" is incredibly common.

The secret to breaking through this plateau lies in mastering common, fixed phrases. These are the building blocks of real, spontaneous conversation. In this comprehensive list, we’ve broken down 50 key intermediate phrases—from expressing complex opinions to politely asking for help—that will boost your confidence and help you engage in conversation without missing a beat.

 

 

Here are 50 intermediate English phrases that are useful for daily conversation, divided into categories to help you learn and use them naturally.

Expressing Opinions & Agreement

  1. In my opinion,... (More formal than "I think...")
  2. To be honest,... (Used for sharing an honest feeling or viewpoint)
  3. I see your point, but... (Acknowledging another's view before disagreeing)
  4. I couldn't agree more. (Strong agreement)
  5. That's a good point. (Acknowledging a valid argument)
  6. I'm not so sure about that. (Polite way to express doubt or disagreement)
  7. If you ask me,... (Introducing a personal, often strong, opinion)
  8. I'm on the fence. (Undecided about something)
  9. That's spot on. (Exactly correct)
  10. I suppose so. (Reluctant or mild agreement)

Making Suggestions & Giving Advice

  1. How about...? (Informal suggestion: How about grabbing a coffee?)
  2. You might want to consider... (Gentle advice or suggestion)
  3. Have you thought about...? (Suggesting an alternative idea)
  4. If I were you, I would... (Giving strong advice)
  5. It's worth a shot. (It's worth trying, even if it might fail)

Asking for Information & Clarification

  1. Could you clarify what you mean? (Polite request for explanation)
  2. I'm not sure I follow you. (I don't understand you)
  3. Could you elaborate on that? (Ask for more detail)
  4. What does ______ mean? (Asking about the definition of a word or phrase)
  5. Would you mind repeating that? (Polite request to say something again)

Social & Conversational Flow

  1. What have you been up to? (Asking what someone has been doing lately)
  2. Long time no see! (Greeting for someone you haven't seen in a while)
  3. I'm really looking forward to... (Expressing anticipation)
  4. Let me know. (Ask someone to inform you about something)
  5. I've got to run. (Informal way to say you need to leave)
  6. It's up to you. (The decision is yours)
  7. Keep me in the loop. (Keep me informed about what's happening)
  8. That reminds me... (Transitioning to a new topic related to the current one)
  9. Speaking of which,... (Similar to the above, for a smooth topic shift)
  10. No wonder! (Expressing that something makes sense after a new piece of information)

Asking for & Offering Help

  1. Could you give me a hand? (Can you help me? - usually for a physical task)
  2. I'd be happy to. (Polite way to accept an offer to help)
  3. Can I ask a favor? (Polite way to request a small, personal act of help)
  4. Don't hesitate to ask. (Encouraging someone to ask for help if needed)
  5. I owe you one. (I will return the favor; I'm grateful)

Reactions & Feelings

  1. That sounds great/terrible. (Giving a quick reaction to an idea or news)
  2. I can't complain. (A common, neutral answer to "How are you?")
  3. I'm totally swamped. (Very busy)
  4. I feel you. (I understand and empathize with you)
  5. That's a shame. (Expressing slight disappointment or sympathy)

Phrasal Verbs & Common Expressions

  1. To wind down (To relax after a period of activity)
  2. To catch up (To get up-to-date on news or progress; also, to meet with someone you haven't seen in a while)
  3. To look into (To investigate or research something)
  4. To hang out (To spend time with someone socially)
  5. To figure out (To find the answer to a problem)
  6. To call it a day (To stop working on something for the rest of the day)
  7. To be under the weather (To feel slightly sick)
  8. A piece of cake (Something very easy to do)
  9. Hit the nail on the head (To be exactly right about something)
  10. Break the ice (To make a social situation less awkward, often by starting a conversation)