Asking for clarification means using a short, polite phrase to get the question repeated, explained or confirmed before you answer. It appears whenever a speaking task is a live conversation, and it protects you from answering a question nobody asked.
This skill builds on extending a short answer. It sits inside the speaking interaction module.
When is it right to ask?
Ask in three situations: you did not hear, you heard but did not understand a word, or you understood but want to check you are answering the right thing. Each needs a slightly different phrase.
It is not a trick to buy thinking time. Used once or twice, it sounds natural. Used on every question, it sounds like you cannot follow.
Which phrase fits which situation?
| Situation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Did not hear | “Sorry, could you repeat that, please?” |
| Did not catch one part | “Sorry, could you say the last part again?” |
| Unknown word | “Sorry, what does commute mean?” |
| Checking meaning | “Do you mean how I travel to school?” |
| Checking your answer | “Is that what you wanted to know?” |
Keep your voice level and look at the listener. A calm tone matters as much as the words.
Worked example
The listener says, fast: “How do you usually commute, and has that changed recently?”
Step 1, notice what you missed. You caught “how do you usually” and “changed”, but not the middle word.
Step 2, ask about that word only. “Sorry, what does commute mean?”
Step 3, use the answer. The listener says “travel to school.” You reply: “Ah, I see.”
Step 4, answer both parts. “I usually go by bus, because my school is too far to walk. It has changed recently, because I now cycle on Fridays for exercise.”
The clarifying question took four seconds. The answer that followed was complete and relevant.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is to apologise for a long time or say “I don’t understand” with nothing else.
Mistaken answer: “Sorry, sorry, I don’t understand, my English is not good.”
This tells the listener nothing about what you need, and it creates worry instead of a solution.
The correction is to be specific and short. “Sorry, could you say the last part again, please?” names exactly what you need. Then answer the question.
Check yourself
Say your reply aloud, then open the model.
1. The listener speaks too quietly for you to hear anything. What do you say?
Show answer
“Sorry, could you repeat that, please?” Polite, short, asks for the whole question again.
2. The question is “What do you think about recycling in your neighbourhood?” and you do not know recycling. What do you say?
Show answer
“Sorry, what does recycling mean?” or “Do you mean reusing things like paper and bottles?” The second version shows you are guessing intelligently.
3. You think the question is about last weekend but you are not sure. Write one phrase to check.
Show answer
“Do you mean what I did last weekend?” The listener can say yes or no, and you can then answer with confidence.
Where this leads next
Next, learn how to weigh two options without a script in comparing alternatives without memorised monologues. You can rehearse the phrases in this lesson with the private speaking recorder.
If you tend to guess at questions instead of checking them, a teacher can build the habit with you in online one-to-one English as a Second Language tuition.