ARTICLE (NEUTRAL/INFORMAL REGISTER)

INTRODUCTION:

INTRODUCING THE TOPIC To get started,

Let me say from the outset that...............

Let us cover the topic that is on everybody’s lips at the moment
Let us put forward the thorny issue of...............

Let us put the topic of ............... on the table

To start off, I would like to bring up the topic of...............

BREAKING THE ICE X is supposed/meant to

(Our best) must/should/can/shall be done

(YET) Yet/Still, It is quite the reverse

POSING THE QUESTION Then again, It is quite the other way around
Though (at the end)
But and there is a big but A question needs posing/rasing to (sb)
It is vital to bring into question the fact that…

It (just so) happens to be that/

As it happens (=connotación enfática de sorpresa)
BODY PARAGRAPHS:
INTRODUCING ARGUMENTS It is alleged/asserted/claimed/considered/maintained/stated that...............
It is widely agreed/known that...............
Sb is known to...............
Sb/Sth is said to...............
Word on the street is that...............
One justification often given for ........... is that.................
Advocates/Proponents would claim that; endorse/ uphold/ encourage/ stand for..................
Those who object to ................. often argue that ...................
Another objection is that ......
........... are opposed to ................ on the grounds that .................

EMPHASIS I would like to bring focus/shed light on/ draw attention to the fact that/give prominence
to/place an emphasis on the fact that…
Attention must be drawn to the fact that…
The fact that ............... must be brought to the fore
One must foreground the fact that/give prominence to the fact that ...............

This problem has yet to be addressed

............... be yet to come/happen
(Period of time) I have since made/............... ever since
............... yet again!

The very problem/planet/earth (things which are irreplaceable, there is only one)

Rather/Quite + a + (adjective) noun

Pretty (informal)
............... DO(ES)/TRULY need ...............
............... without a doubt whatsoever
Pretty (informal)
Strikingly,/ Unreservedly, (=lo más sin lugar a dudas)
As such / per se (=como tal)

Seldom do/Scarcely had…when / Nowhere have…/ In no way do… (inversion)

Well over sth (=bien por encima de)

 Well after/before (=bastante después/antes)

*a lo grande, a más no poder, como si no hubiera un mañana

Come back to bite is big time (=volverse en nuestra contra a más no poder)
A big time + noun (=exitoso)

(Idiom) + as it were/ so to speak/ as they say (=por así decirlo)

RESEARCH Commentators/experts claim/point out/suggest that.................

(New) Research has shown that.................
A (recent) survey/study has shown/has outlined the (main causes/effects)
Mounting evidence has found that.................
According to a (new) report/survey on X/(conducted) by.................

*Counter-argument
The other side of the argument is that.................
Having said so, it is true that.................
Opposing views, however, claim.................
Other experts hold the view that.................While this may be true, they fail to realise that/
they fail to grasp (the complexities...)

EXAMPLES Be it...............or /Whether it BE............... or (subjunctive)

As a case in point,
A striking example is...............
Suchlike/ such as
A clear-cut case of

FURTHER INFORMATION WHAT’S GOING ON? What is coming to pass/coming about/taking place is that...............

*Resulta ser que...............

It (just so) happens to be that/
As it happens (=connotación enfática de sorpresa)

ADDING As + auxiliar (be/have) (=también) (e.g. as have many people)

INFORMATION Alongside with
In parallel/tandem with
Jointly with
 Side by side with

WHO’S GUILTY? It boils/comes down to

It is all down to

WHAT’S THE ROOT? X arises out of

X springs/stems from

CONSEQUENCES So + adjective/adverb ...............that

Such + be + noun phrasal ...............that

Be a recipe for............... Set in motion/off...............

Fan the flames of............... Spark...............
Feeds into............... Spawn...............
Give rise to............... Trigger...............
Bring about/on/along/upon

Might very well

Chances are
Be bound to + infinitive
The odds are that

*Possible outcome: things go well

Run smoothly
Thrive
Yield results

*Possible outcome: things go wrong

Does not go smoothly
Fall flat
Go downhill
Hit rock button
Break down

PROBABILITY *Unlikely
It seems far-fetched that...............
It is highly implausible that...............
 ALTERNATIVAS DE IF On the off chance that (lo que es poco probable)
On the assumption that
Assuming that
If and that’s a big if (=si…y es poco probable)

CONCLUSION:
OPINION In brief, I dare say
On the whole, It is my contention that
Overall, My stance/take/insight on this issue is
In light of all the above, that
All things considered,

I do not mean to bring/call into question X, but..............

I do not mean to cast doubt on the fact that.............. but..............

It is a clear-cut that/crystal-clear that/ Without a doubt whatsoever, (=no hay duda)

It’s nothing but a ...............
One cannot help but/can do nothing but ..............

(A massive problem that) needs addressing/requires (carefully) addressing

We need to get X solved
We need to have get SB solve X

A subject that not only should be chewed/mulled/pondered over - delved into (deeply), but
also...............
- broken down
- looked into

SOLUTION It is vital/paramount that X Gives rise to a plan To tackle a problem

X gives rise to plan to tackle a Puts in place/together a
problem plan
Comes up with a plan
Hits upon a plan
 Jumps into/enters into To make it out of/move forward/
the issue wade through his daunting
situation
Backs off/grows
apart/moves backwards

Only by (doing something) will the problem be solved Be it (by)..............or vb-ing

Only when (something is done)
Not until (something is done)
Only after (something is done)

Should we.........................we will...............

Were I in your shoes, I would...............

PROBLEMS:
PROBLEM A Hefty BE FRAUGHT WITH CHALLENGED (estar colmado de cosas
Major negativas)
Truly Conundrum (puzzle) – moral conundrum, logical conundrum, tricky
conundrum → face, solve
Dilemma (choice) – ethical dilemma, tough dilemma, impossible
dilemma → face, resolve
 Quite/Rather a Drawback (disadvantage) – major drawback, serious drawback,
potential drawback → have, outweigh
Hassle (inconvenience) – unnecessary hassle, real hassle, daily
hassle → avoid, go through
Hurdle (obstacle) – significant hurdle, major hurdle, legal hurdle →
overcome, encounter
Predicament (situation) – difficult predicament, sticky
predicament, tricky predicament → find oneself in, escape
Setback (delay) – unexpected setback, temporary setback,
financial setback → suffer, experience
Vicious circle (cycle) – trapped in a vicious circle, endless vicious
circle → break, be stuck in
Woe (suffering) – financial woes, economic woes, personal woes →
cause, complain about

It’s (high time) + subject + subjunctive (vb in the past)

It’s high time not only did we tackle this setback, but also brought it to an end

ABORDAR Address ACABAR Be brought to a standstill

Approach Bring to a conclusion/an end
Bold action needs to be taken Come to a halt with
Cross-examine Draw sth to a close
Embark on
Tackle
Throw oneself into…

Throw oneself into…

Get to grips with
Have a shot/go at
Hit a problem head-on
Set one’s hand to
Tackle
Take a cold, hard look as to…

SUBESTIMAR Turn a blind eye to DIFICULTAR/DAÑAR/TENER UN Bear the brunt of sth (=llevarse la
 Gloss over IMPACTO NEGATIVO peor parte)
Play down Be the worst/hardest hit (by sth)

AVECINARSE Loom (large) + (over) DIFICULTAR/LIMITAR Hinder (progress)

Hamper
Inhibit

CAUSA/ Be a recipe for............... TENER GRANDES Have a knock-on

CONSEQ. Fan the flames of............... REPERCUSIONES effect/consequences
Feeds into............... Have far-reaching effects
Give rise to............... Leave a mark on
Set in motion/off............... Play havoc with
Spark............... Take a toll on
Spawn...............
Trigger...............

CAUSAR Bring chaos/difficulty AFECTAR A TODOS It really touches all of us

ESTRAGOS Play havoc with
Wreck (progress)
Ruin

TOCAR FONDO On the threshold/brink/verge of PUNTO DE INFLEXIÓN Imply/give rise to a tipping

hitting rock bottom point/turning point
Hitting rock bottom is within sight Be a game changer
Be a breakthrough

PUNTO DE NO Hit/Avoid a point of no return GENERAR UNA SITUACIÓN The critical juncture X is enduring
RETORNO CRÍTICA (algo negativo sucede y Tackle the critical juncture X is
(cambia es necesario tomar cartas en el facing
definitivamente asunto) X is at a critical juncture
para mal)

PONERSE FEO Things are getting hairy/nasty ECHAR ALGO POR TIERRA To upset the apple cart (in terms
of…)

REPRESENTAR Pose a problem: ESCAPARSE DE LAS MANOS Become chaotic/reckless

UN PROBLEMA - In terms of X Break loose
- For sth/sb Cloud over
Spin/spiral out of control
Start to be
unmanageable/uncontrollable

ÚNICA Nothing can be done but (bare PESIMISMO Be nothing but/all DOOM AND
SOLUCIÓN infinitive) GLOOM
The best course of action (to be
taken) is to -infinitive
The only attainable roadmap is to -
infinitive
There is no feasible alternative but
infinitive
The only way forward is to-infinitive