ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Types of questions
Yes/No Questions Answers
• Leaving on Tuesday the 30th? Yes, that's right.
• Do you want air conditioning? Yes, please!
• Will you need a transfer? No, we won’t need one thanks.

• Limited choice Questions Answers

• Single, double, or twin? Double thanks.
• Window or aisle? Window.
• The beef or the chicken? Chicken please

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Types of questions
Wh/How Questions Answers

• Where is your luggage? Oh, it’s still in the taxi.

• What time will you arrive? Around 7pm.

• Which room are you in? Eleven eleven.

• Requests Answers
• May I have your wife’s name. please? Yes, its Emilie.

• Could you wait a moment, please? Yes, that’s ok.

• Can I see your passport, please? Yes, here you are

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 How
How to
to express
express lack
lack of
of understanding
understanding

When you fail to understand what has been said to you, you
can use these expressions:

• I beg your pardon?

• I beg your pardon, but I don't quite understand.
• I'm not quite sure I know what you mean.
• I'm not quite sure I follow you.
• I don't quite see what you mean.
• I'm not sure I got your point.
• Sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said.
• Sorry, I didn't get your point.
• I don't quite see what you're getting at.
GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 How
How you
you ask
ask for
for clarification
clarification

When you don't understand what someone has said, you can ask for
clarification using the following expressions:

• What do you mean by...?

• Do you mean...?
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat please?
• Could you clarify that, please?
• Would you elaborate on that , please?
• Could you be more explicit?
• Could you explain what you mean by...?
• Could you give us an example?
• I wonder if you could say that in a different way.
• Could you put it differently, please?
• Could you be more specific, please?
GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Clarifying one's point or idea

To clarify your idea you can use the following

expressions:

• Let me explain that...

• Let me explain that in more detail...
• Let me put it in another way...
• Sorry let me explain...
• In other words...
• To say this differently...
• To put it differently...
GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Clarify What You Heard by Asking for Repetition

• Would you mind repeating that for me again?

• Would you mind going over that one more time?
• Sorry, could I ask you to tell me that (piece of information) again?
• Could you clarify what you meant by (challenging word)?
• Just a second, could I get a little more clarification on (X topic)? I
just want to be sure I understood.
• Sorry to interrupt, but I didn’t catch that. Could you run it by me
one more time?
• Could you be more specific?
• I don’t think I got your meaning. Could you go over that again?
• I don’t think I quite understand what you meant. Would you
mind repeating that?

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
Confirm
Confirm Your
Your Understanding
Understanding By
By Repeating
Repeating and
and Restating
Restating the
the Other
Other Person’s
Person’s Idea
Idea

• Can I just check what I got from that?

• I’d just like to confirm that I got that right.
• My impression of what you said was…  Is that what you
meant?
• So what you are saying is… Does that sound right?
• You mean that we should (do X action and Y action). Is that
right?
• Do I understand you to mean…
• If I understand you correctly, you are saying…
• Am I reading your suggestion right, when you said…?
• You mean…?
• I think you are saying…

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Say Thank You and Show You Understood

• Thanks for clarifying. I understand better now.

• Thank you for repeating that. It makes more
sense to me.
• Thanks for explaining your point of view again.
That helps me see where you’re coming from.
• Thanks. We seem to be on the same page now.
• I appreciate the clarification. Glad we agree on
that.

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Modal Verbs for Requests

Modal verbs are used in English to make polite requests. 

• Can & Could
• Can and Could are modal verbs used to make requests.
Here is the structure:
• Can/Could + Subject + Verb
• Examples:
• Can you pass the salt please?
• Could you bring your book tomorrow?

Note: Could is more polite than can, but has the same
function

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Modal Verbs for Requests

Would
Would is used to make polite requests in English. The
structure is as follows:
• Would you mind + Verb + ING
Examples:
• Would you mind closing the door?
• Would you mind turning down the radio?
• You can also say “do you mind”, but “would you
mind” is more polite:
• Do you mind turning off the music?
• Would you mind turning off the music?

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 ACTIVITY
1. Identify from the text (telephone talking), some
expressions that:
a) Ask for clarification
b) Requesting something
c) Say repetition

2. Find some modal verbs used for requesting or

clarification.

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt
 Phonetic

GADC Course, UniRovuma, Angoche _ English Language, Lecturer: Rui ABILIO, MA Cdt