Clear, practical English for intermediate and advanced learners. Speak Better English with Harry helps you use natural English with confidence in real situations — at work and in everyday conversations. Each episode focuses on vocabulary, collocations, phrasal verbs, and expressions that native speakers actually use, explained clearly and simply by an experienced native English teacher. This podcast is ideal if you already know the basics and want to sound more natural, fluent, and confident when you speak English.
Someone repeats the same thing, but you still don’t understand. What do you ask next?
In this business English lesson, learn how to move beyond simply asking someone to repeat themselves and get the information you actually need. You’ll learn how to ask for simpler wording, an example, the practical meaning, or clarification about the part that affects your work. A useful lesson for anyone who wants to learn English for meetings, calls and everyday communication at work.
In meetings, you may know exactly what you want to say but still need a few extra seconds to find the English. You may also hesitate because you’re not sure whether a phrase sounds natural, too direct or too weak.
Take my free Meeting English Quiz and try 8 real meeting situations. You’ll see which answers work well in English and where you may need better phrases for meetings.
If you’d rather work on your English with a teacher, book a free trial lesson. We’ll look at the situations you deal with at work and decide what you need to improve first.
Hi there. This is Harry and welcome to Business English Podcast. I want to talk to you about a English and meetings. And this is all about what to do when someone repeats something after you request them to do so, but you still don't understand it. Now, on the face of it, you might think that we're talking about the same thing, but when I explain it to you and we explore it in a little bit of detail, I'm sure you're going to understand how important this is. So this is all about you at a When somebody says something, you ask them to repeat it. And then when they repeat it, and you're a bit lost and you Now you can be forgiven for asking once, but asking twice and still not understanding something can be a bit of a problem. You might be embarrassed. The person you asked may get want to avoid that. So here's what we need to do. Now, the key point that you need to look at is when you're asking someone simply to repeat something, and that doesn't work, it can be frustrating for both of you, and you need to work well within the team and get on with people, especially when those people are senior to you. So it's really important when something that they know why Okay, now the word repeat means exactly the same word. So for example, if you ask me forty five and you said, sorry, I will say again. Ten forty five so when somebody asks you to repeat something, you're going to use the exact same word. So you learn nothing new. So if you didn't understand it the first time, you're unlikely to understand it the second time. So what you really mean is to So we use repeat when you want the person to give you the same words, and we use the word explain. When you're looking for different words and a more detailed understanding. Now let me put it this way. So using explain instead of repeat will help you achieve that objective. So repeat, as I said, will only Explain will get you a more detailed understanding of your problem. Now, as you know, English can be quite colloquial and certain expressions can be used in British English that are not necessarily used so often in American English. And of course, vice versa. So I'm going to give you ten alternatives that will help you to deal with the problem that I've identified. I am not understanding. So the first one sorry, I'm So if you said to someone, I'm understand their explanation. So they are encouraged to I'm not with you. Obviously means the opposite. It means. Oops, hold on a minute. I'm lost. I'm still not with you. Okay, so this use of the word still will indicate you are listening but not really understanding. So the speaker will know the need to give you more change the words. Indeed, you could also say, And this will have the same So if you tell somebody I don't It means you don't understand. Okay. Now, just a note to be careful That word follow. It's preferable to say I don't Rather than saying I don't You normally follow doesn't need In this case, you. So we always say I don't follow, So if you use it like this, it's But if you say I don't follow It's not such a big deal. But if you want to be grammatically correct, then use I don't follow without the object. And for those of you who use together a short quiz called It has eight common meeting what you're already doing well little more help. You can take the quiz at use the link in the description So let's try it. Your manager's explaining the introduction of a new reporting process, and after the first explanation, you ask her to repeat it. She does. And you still don't follow. You ask her to explain it again, then you can say, sorry, I'm or sorry I don't follow. So any of these options are much you repeat it so you can say, you, or sorry I'm lost or sorry Could you go over that first And she's likely to reply, yes, Where did I lose you? So here. Now you're on the right track, explain it to you and pick up lost, and she'll explain to you There's nothing wrong with Could you repeat that? It's very clear. It's polite, but be very It's simple and the person is only going to take it as a simple request to repeat something they have already said. So if you're asking them to number, then it's perfectly fine Could you repeat that? And then repeat the address. Could you repeat that and repeat And that can also be used when And there's some noise in the understand something or somebody distraction that means you Then you can ask them to repeat use it in that situation. And it's the best way to solve Okay. But if you miss the meaning, is totally different. So missing the meaning isn't a simple matter of asking for a repeat. It's a question of asking Okay, now the second option we go over that again, please? Can you go over that again for Okay. So this time it will be a slower used step by step and probably Can you go over that again This is telling the person that you understand some of it, but you'd like them to go over it so you can understand it better in many situations, like with a boss or a teacher, whoever is making their presentation, they will go over the main points at the end of the meeting or in the teacher's case at the end of the class. So even if, for example, you're talking to a lawyer about a particular document, a contract that has to be signed, he is likely to go over the key points before anybody signs the document. Okay. So hopefully with these simple very easy to get an explanation phrases rather than just simply Okay, so using the word repeat, you get the same words the second time. If you say go over, this gives a It will be done more slowly. Maybe a change of words. As the speaker knows, you didn't understand the words they used originally. Then they will take the lead, and they will explain it to you in a way in which you can understand. Okay, so now when we talk about to go over or you ask somebody to go over that again, make sure you always use go and over together. They are always together. It's not go it over. It's always go over it, go over So just be careful with the So let me give you an example. In a project meeting, your process for, let's say, So there are three steps. And who signs what at each sorry, can you go over the Please show me the bit about who leading the meeting would say So you send it to me firstly, then it goes to the chief off on that. So you get a step by step explanation as to where your problem was. Number three, do you mean X or This is a very simple You're just looking for someone they were talking about product point Y. So do you mean x or do And the person can reply, oh sorry, I meant y. Number four could you explain that in layman's terms? Now, a layman is someone not usually a specialist in the area being discussed. So that could be the legal Tax it, whatever it might be. It's anything that might not be your area of expertise and usually involves jargon, jargon, just words that are specific to that particular area of expertise. And it's absolutely right in you to get an explanation, you do daily. And therefore you might not understand the tax and the legal angle. So it's important when you're talking about those type of disciplines for you to request certain explanations. So you can use the expression. Could you explain that in Layman is pronounced with the Ley and then man. Man. So be very careful with how you It's not laymen, it's ley Man. So what are you asking for? You're asking for a simple There's no technical language or jargon, and you want to understand exactly what your colleague is trying to get out of you. Okay. Now, an example should help to clarify that the legal department sent a rep to the meeting, and he's going through a presentation about some new contract that's being introduced. And he says clause nine gives the customer an indemnity for any consequential loss, blah, blah, blah. And you say, sorry, could you And he says, of course it means suffer any loss of money because repay them for that. That is a much simpler the issue you had concerning jargon that he tended to use, jargon from time to time. And we fall into it very easily. So if you're in a meeting where you don't understand it, simply use that expression in layman's terms. Now you can use an alternative here, which I actually use myself. And it's very common in British And it is. Could you say that in plain In plain English, that's an in British English will use, and response as in layman's terms. Okay. Now, for example, the finance restated the figures in the reclassification of deferred comes across your face and you Can you give me that in plain So you could have said in using plain English. Can you give me that in plain Okay. Now on to number five. And this is simply could you Very specific and Again, you are not simply asking for the speaker to repeat what they said. You are asking for them to give And the example should help you what they are presenting and So let me give you an example. Your manager is talking about we need to be a bit more Now, every word in that sentence is very simple, but you still don't know what she wants you to do differently. So you say, sorry, could you And she'll say, yes, of course. The March report had the summary at the front and the April one didn't. I'd like the summary at the So you didn't ask her to repeat You asked her for an example, and now you know exactly what she wants. Okay. Number six. What does that mean in practice? Again, a specific request and on what they have said and to you how it will work. And a practical example usually will involve telling you what's involved on your part so that you will understand what is needed. Number seven, what does this Again, it would be very focusing solely on your change that they're presenting, day to day work. Number eight. So if I have understood you Now here you are going to repeat And so that they can tell you that yes, you're right or no, you're wrong. So. So if I understood you them with what your take or correct you there. And then if it's wrong. Number nine, can I talk you through what I understood and you might kindly fill in any gaps, please. Now here you need an opening out and figure out what has been And if there are any mistakes or any gaps that you're unsure of, then the speaker will come in and prompt you and together you'll be able to have a better understanding. So again, it's not a question of It's a question of you telling understood it, and then they Now finally, number ten, this is a little bit more colloquial, but frequently used in British English. I think I got the wrong end of Okay. So it's quite unusual. You wouldn't hear it so often in definitely in British English. So here you let the speaker know misunderstood him or her, and correct you when necessary. I might have got the wrong end So let me give you an example. The meeting has finished. You've gone back to your desk slides for the presentation. And then an hour later, you read her email again and you realise that she wanted the figures checked first. So you go back to her and you wrong end of the stick here. I've started on the slides. But you wanted the figures And she'll say yes, that's But don't worry. Do the figures now and we'll come back to the slides tomorrow. So you've told her that you You've told her what you've right in a few seconds. Okay. So now we have ten very clear to repeat something, to make information that will help you And it's not simply a question Okay. Let me give them to you again. Okay. Now, what I would suggest that couple of them, practice them practice all of them together or But if you pick one or two of use them in meetings, you'll get Okay? So here they are. Now, if you want to make them to add a simple please at the One. I'm still not with you. Two. Can you go over that again? Three. Do you mean X or y? Four. Could you explain that in Five. Can you give me an example, Six. What does that mean in practice? Seven. What does that mean for my part Eight. So if I've understood you Nine. Can I talk you through my in any gaps. And finally ten. I think I've got the wrong end Okay, so that's the podcast for We're focusing, as I said, on where you're asking somebody at presentation to repeat something what they have said. And the danger here is that when you ask them simply to repeat something, that's all you'll get. You'll get the same message, the likely to understand it than you So if you use one or two or any given to you, then this should through any presentation for not a native speaker of English. Okay, so as always, if you need any help or you'd like some more examples, you know where to find me. www.englishlessonviakype.com you and always happy to help. So this is Harry thanking you And as always, join me again for
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