Functions
Expressing lack of understanding and asking for clarification🗣️ Expressing Lack of Understanding
Lack of Understanding
- "I don't understand."
- "I'm not sure I understand."
- "I don't get it."
- "I'm confused."
- "I can't follow you."
Asking for Clarification
- "Could you repeat that?"
- "What do you mean?"
- "Could you explain that?"
- "Can you say that again?"
- "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."
Clarifying / Explaining
- "What I mean is..."
- "Let me explain..."
- "In other words..."
- "To put it differently..."
- "I mean..."
Checking Understanding
- "Do you understand?"
- "Are you with me?"
- "Does that make sense?"
- "Is that clear?"
📌 Examples
A: "That joke was hilarious!"
B: "I'm sorry, I didn't understand the punchline. Could you explain it?"
A: "What I mean is that the twist at the end was unexpected."
B: "Oh, now I get it! That is funny!"
Complete the dialogues
Complete the sentences with the correct expression:
B: "I'm sorry, I . What do you mean?"
B: "I . Could you repeat that?"
B: " I explain it to you."
Humour — Communicate with a purpose
Original practice material · explained answers · no official-exam attribution
A communicative goal
Use language to act in a situation: express an opinion, ask for clarification, suggest an action or weigh advantages and drawbacks. An effective answer fits the addressee and responds to what was said. A grammatical sentence can still be unsuitable if it ignores the situation.
Practise and explain your answer
01Use the model expression in a two-line dialogue about this unit.
02Ask your partner to clarify one idea politely.
03Give an opinion and support it with one reason.
MathMaroc · Unit 2 · Communication workshop
Ask for clarification
Your situation: A classmate tells a joke, but you do not understand the ending.
Explore each goal and model. These are original practice situations, not quotations or official examination questions.
Ask for repetitionOpen the model and explanation
Could you repeat the last sentence, please?
Why it fits: Use this when you did not hear the words clearly.
Ask for meaningOpen the model and explanation
Could you explain what you mean by that?
Why it fits: Use this when you heard the words but do not understand the idea.
Clarify your ideaOpen the model and explanation
What I mean is that the ending was unexpected.
Why it fits: Rephrase an idea to help the listener understand.
All communication goals are displayed.
Read the short dialogue
- Speaker A: The ending was unexpected.
- Speaker B: Could you explain what you mean by unexpected?
- Speaker A: I mean that I thought something different would happen.
Reveal the explanation
B asks about meaning. A responds by rephrasing rather than repeating the same word.
Try with a partner: Keep the same communication goal, change one detail and take turns. Several answers may be suitable. There is no automatic assessment of this spoken practice.
MathMaroc · Guided practice
Choose a response that fits — Unit 2
Answer four questions, use a hint if needed, then read the explanation. The result concerns this activity; it is not an official examination grade or a measure of speaking ability.