BEFORE YOU WATCH

Discuss the following questions about having a conversation in English. Use

the ideas in the box below to help you.

1) What problems can you have when you’re having a conversation in English?
2) How do you feel when you don’t understand something?
3) What phrases can you say when you don’t understand a question?
4) What phrases can you say when you don’t remember a word?

Useful words / ideas:

Actions

 Freeze – Get stuck – Feel a little stuck

 Say nothing (in those moments) – go quiet
 Get lost
 Lose / can’t find / forget
…the words you want to say
…the right expression
…what you want to say
 Look for / find a word – Search (in your mind) for the right word

Feelings

 Feel confident / nervous about what you want to say

 It’s embarrassing / frustrating
 Stress – Frustration – Fear

WHILE YOU WATCH

Watch the video and complete the useful phrases. Write the missing word(s)
on the lines.

1. Situation 1: Someone asks you a question and you don’t know what to say.

Strategy 1: get some time to think

 Great question. _____________________________ that for a moment.

 You know, I’ve never _____________________________ about that.
 Huh… you know, I’m not sure. Give me a second to think about it.

Strategy 2: answer a question with a question.

 You know, I’m not sure. _____________________________?

 You know, I don’t know what I think about it. What about you?
2. Situation 2: You get stuck while speaking

 Oh my Gosh, um… I totally _____________________________ what I wanted to say.

I’m so sorry. Give me a moment to think about it.
 Um... Oh, my brain just _____________________________. I lost what I wanted to
say.
 Mmm… I can’t find the word that I want to use. Maybe you can help me if I
explain it.
 Oh, um… I lost my train of thought. One moment
 Oh, I lost the word. It’s _____________________________. (idiom)
 Oh, sorry, I forgot what I wanted to say. Hopefully it’ll
_____________________________ in a moment.
 Um… Hmm… I think my brain just _____________________________. Sorry…

3. Situation 3: You simply cannot find a word.

1) Forget about what you were trying to say and move forward.

 You know, _____________________________. to me, but let me continue.

2) Ask someone else to say something instead

 You know, I just can’t remember what I wanted to say. Maybe it’ll come back to
me and we can talk about it later. Does anyone else have something to say?

3) Change the topic

 You know, it’s not coming back to me. Let’s _____________________________.

You suddenly remember it

 Oh! I just remembered what I wanted to say earlier.

AFTER YOU WATCH

Discuss two of the following questions. Record yourself while answering

them. Talk for about a minute and try to use useful phrases every time you
can’t think of a word or expression.

1) What is one thing about your life that you would not
change?
2) Do you prefer to travel alone or with someone? Why?
3) What’s your favourite part of your house? Why?
4) What is a goal you have and how will you achieve it?
5) Talk about your plans for your next holiday.