* 5 Directing a Conversation (p.3 of 8)
5.9 When you don’t understand what a speaker has said
Sir? Listen A “I didn’t hear what you said, sir, so could you please repeat it.” <“Can you please help me with my luggage?” – “Sir?” – “I need you to help me with the luggage.”>
Ma’am? Listen A “I didn’t hear what you said, ma’am, so could you please repeat it.” <“How can I get to Maple Street?” – “Ma’am?” – “I’m looking for Maple Street. Do you know where it is?”>
Pardon me? Listen A “I didn’t understand what you said, so could you please repeat it.” <The man had a strong accent. Suzy did not understand his question and said, “Pardon me?”>
Excuse me? Listen <“Which floor do you need?” – “Excuse me?” – “Where do you want me to stop the elevator?”>
I’m sorry? Listen <“Would you like regular or decaf?” – “I’m sorry?” – “We have coffee of regular strength and decaffeinated coffee. Which one do you prefer?”>
I’m sorry. I missed that. Listen <“Breakfast is served at 8 a.m.” – “I’m sorry. I missed that.” – “Breakfast will be ready tomorrow at eight o’clock in the morning.”>
I’m sorry. What? Listen <“It’s so noisy here. I can hardly hear you.” – “I’m sorry. What?” – “Let’s get out of here.”>
What did you say? Listen <“Make a left turn at the next intersection.” – “What did you say?” – “Turn left!”>
What was that? Listen <“Is it safe here in Georgia?” – “Yeah. You ain’t gonna worry about nothing.” – “What was that?” – “I’m saying, you don’t need to worry about anything.”>
Could you please repeat yourself? Listen <“Sometimes I don’t understand you. Could you please repeat yourself?”>
Could you please repeat that? Listen <“I didn’t get what you said. Could you please repeat that?”>
Could you please say that again? Listen <“You have an accent. Could you please say that again?”>
Say that again. Listen <“Say that again. And speak more clearly this time”.>
I didn’t quite get that. Listen A “I didn’t hear what you said, so could you please repeat it.” <“I didn’t quite get that. What did you say?”>
5.10 When you don’t understand what a speaker is saying
I don’t understand you. Listen <The old man cupped his hand to his ear and said, “I don’t understand you. Speak louder.”>
I can’t understand you. Listen <She told me, “You’ve got an accent. I can’t understand you.”>
I can’t hear you. Listen <The schoolboy said bashfully, “I’m sorry. I won’t do that again.” The teacher said angrily, “I can’t hear you. Repeat.”>
Could you please speak slower? Listen <“Could you please speak slower? I can hardly understand you.”>
Please speak more slowly. Listen <“I don’t understand you. Please speak more slowly.”>
Speak up. Listen A “Speak louder. Turn your voice up.” <“I don’t hear well. Please speak up.”>
Could you please speak louder? Listen <The old man told me, “Could you please speak louder? I can hardly hear you.”>
Could you spell that? Listen <“I’m looking for O’Reilly’s. It’s a bakery. Can you help me?” – “Hmm… Could you spell that?”>
5.11 When you don’t follow the speaker’s train of thought
I don’t follow. Listen <“Your logic seems sketchy. I don’t follow.”>
I don’t follow you. Listen <“Can you say that in plain English? I don’t follow you.”>
I don’t quite follow you. Listen <“Could you explain that in more detail? I don’t quite follow you.”>
I’m not following you. Listen <“Could you elaborate on that? I’m not following you.”>
I’m not sure I follow. Listen <“Could you amplify your point? I’m not sure I follow.”>
5.12 When you don’t understand the speaker’s point
I don’t understand your point. Listen <“I don’t understand your point. Could you provide some details?”>
I don’t get it. Listen <“My sister loves her husband. At the same time, she keeps telling me how unhappy her marriage is.” – “I don’t get it. It appears like she can’t make up her mind.”>
I didn’t quite get that. Listen <“This economic theory teaches us that if the government increases taxes, it has more money to give to the people.” – “I didn’t quite get that. Why doesn’t the government leave money in the people’s pockets in the first place?”>
I don’t see what you’re getting at. Listen <“I understand your premises and logic, but I don’t see what you’re getting at.”>
I’m not sure I get your point. Listen <“I’m not sure I get your point. What do you want to say?”>
I’m not sure I get what you mean. Listen < – “Let me explain my thought once again, and you please listen carefully this time.”>
I’m not sure I know what you mean. Listen <“The recent test is showing that your glucose level is way too high. You might have diabetes.” – “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” – “It’s a chronic disease. You will be dieting for the rest of your life.”>
5.13 When you bring up a counter point
I hate to bring this up, but… Listen <“I hate to bring this up, but I see a major flaw in your theory.”>
I don’t mean to be negative, but… Listen <“I don’t mean to be negative, but the basis of your theory is questionable.”>
I don’t mean to be rude, but… Listen <“I don’t mean to be rude, but Professor Johnson comes to a different conclusion.”>
I may be wrong, but… Listen <“I may be wrong, but my test results contradict your assumptions.”>
Correct me if I am wrong, but… Listen <“Correct me if I’m wrong, but some parts of your theory contradict each other.”>
You might be right, but… Listen <“Mr. Einstein, you might be right, but your theoretical results are hardly verifiable experimentally.”>
You may have a good point, but… Listen <“You may have a good point, but your proof is insufficient at best.”>
That may be true, but… Listen <“That may be true, but you can’t prove it.”>
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