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Hi everyone! Welcome back to Everyday English Talk, the podcast where you can practice simple English for daily life. I'm Anna.

And I'm Ben!

Here's a question: Have you ever said "yes" when you didn't understand the question?

I have. Sometimes I hear part of a sentence and hope I can guess the rest. I did that at a café recently. My answer didn't help the person taking my order.

Today, we're talking about what we do when we don't understand. We'll practice asking someone to repeat, explain, or check information with us. Stay until the end for our listener challenge. You can also download the free PDF transcript and practice exercises from the description. Alright, Ben. What happened at the café?

I went to a café near the station last Friday. It was busy, and the coffee machine was loud. I ordered a small coffee and a sandwich.

So far, that sounds easy. What did the employee ask?

She asked whether I wanted my coffee in a paper cup or a mug. But I only heard "coffee" and the last part of the question.

What did you say?

I nodded my head and said, "Yes, please." She waited for a second and asked, "A paper cup or a mug?" Then I understood.

Your first answer didn't tell her which one you wanted.

Exactly. I wanted to sit inside, so I asked for a mug. She gave me one, and everything was fine. But I felt a little embarrassed.

Why did you say yes before you understood?

There were people behind me. I didn't want to take too long. I thought saying yes would be faster than asking her to repeat.

But she needed to ask again anyway.

Right. I tried to pretend to understand, and that made the conversation longer. Do you ever do that?

Sometimes, especially when I miss a few words. But I'm trying to say which part I didn't hear. For example, "Sorry, I didn't hear the last part." That seems more helpful than just looking confused.

It is. Yesterday, my neighbor told me about some work in our building. I heard that someone was coming, but I didn't hear when.

Did you ask her to repeat everything?

No. I said, "Sorry, what day are they coming?" She said, "Thursday morning." Then I knew what I needed to know.

So you understood most of the message.

Yes. I missed one important detail.

Other times, I hear the words clearly, but I don't know what one of them means.

That happens to me in stores. An employee uses a phrase I haven't heard before, and I get confused. Then repeating the same phrase may not help. We need an explanation.

That's a good difference. Sometimes my ears miss the words. Sometimes I hear the words, but I don't understand them. And sometimes we know each word, but we aren't sure about the whole message. Directions can be like that for me.

You mean you understand "left" and "door," but you don't know which door?

Exactly. If there are three doors, I need to check. I might ask, "Do you mean the door beside the elevator?"

I like that. You explain what you think the person means and let them correct you.

Yes. I don't have to guess quietly. Next time I order coffee, I'll ask someone to repeat if I need to. A short question would have helped me choose my cup much sooner.

And then you can sit down and enjoy your coffee.

Let's practice five phrases for describing those moments when a message isn't clear. Think about a time this happened to you.

It means to act as if you understand when you don't. Example: "I sometimes pretend to understand because I feel nervous."

It means to move my head up and down, often to say yes. Example: "I nod my head when I agree."

It means not to hear some words in a sentence. Example: "I missed a few words because the café was noisy."

It means to ask a person to say something again. Example: "I ask someone to repeat when I don't hear the question."

It means to become unsure about what something means or what to do. Example: "I get confused when the directions aren't clear."

So listeners, what do you usually do when you don't understand someone? Share your answer in the comments. Do you ask a question, guess, or wait for more information?

Let's practice some questions. Hearing the time clearly is important, especially when we're making plans.

Yes. Imagine I'm calling you to arrange lunch. I say, "Let's meet at twelve fifteen."

Sorry, could you say that again?

Let's meet at twelve fifteen.

Could you speak more slowly? I didn't catch the minutes.

Twelve. Fifteen.

Do you mean twelve fifteen, not twelve fifty?

Yes, twelve fifteen. A quarter after twelve.

Great. I'll meet you at twelve fifteen.

You asked me to repeat, asked me to slow down, and checked the time. Then you repeated the correct information.

That helps with fifteen and fifty. Those numbers can sound similar to me on the phone.

Especially if the sound isn't clear. You can also ask someone to send the time in a message.

Good idea. Then I can check it before leaving home.

What about a phrase we don't know?

That happened when I went to buy a small desk lamp. I showed an employee a picture, and she said, "That one is out of stock."

Did you know what that meant?

Not then. I heard her clearly, but I didn't understand the phrase. So I asked, "What does that mean?"

What did she say?