Focus: Speaking and Communication
Topic: Asking for Clarification
Language: English with Arabic Support
Author: Wadi Batyouk
Platform: LinguaPath.org
Why Is This Important?
Sometimes, you do not understand what someone says. This is normal. In English communication, you should not stay silent. You can ask politely for clarification.
أحياناً لا تفهم ما يقوله شخص ما. هذا أمر عادي. في التواصل باللغة الإنجليزية، لا يجب أن تبقى صامتاً. يمكنك أن تطلب التوضيح بطريقة مهذبة.
Useful Expressions
Use this when you did not hear the sentence clearly.
نستعمل هذه العبارة عندما لا نسمع الجملة بوضوح.
A: The meeting starts at quarter past eight.
B: Sorry, could you repeat that?
Use this when you hear a word or idea, but you do not understand the meaning.
نستعمل هذه العبارة عندما نسمع كلمة أو فكرة ولا نفهم معناها.
A: We need to confirm the booking.
B: What do you mean by “confirm”?
Use this when you need more information.
نستعمل هذه العبارة عندما نحتاج إلى شرح أكثر.
A: You need to fill in this form first.
B: Could you explain that, please?
Language Note
Expressions with could are useful when you want to sound polite while asking someone to repeat or explain something.
Compare:
Repeat that.
This sounds very direct.
Could you repeat that, please?
This sounds more polite and natural in conversation.
Mini Practice
Which expression would you use in each situation?
- Someone speaks too quietly and you cannot hear the sentence clearly.
- Someone uses a word that you do not understand.
- Someone gives you instructions, but you need more information.
Quick Review
When you did not hear clearly:
Sorry, could you repeat that?
When you do not understand a word or idea:
What do you mean by…?
When you need more explanation:
Could you explain that, please?
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, you learned how to:
- ask someone to repeat something
- ask about the meaning of a word or idea
- ask someone to explain something
- use polite expressions when you do not understand
- avoid staying silent when clarification is needed
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© LinguaPath. Created by Wadi Batyouk.
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