Showing understanding
When you're listening to someone explain something or tell you
something, how can you show that person that you understand him or her?
How can you indicate that you are following what is being said - or not
following it? In this programme, we look at different ways you can do
this using body language, noises, words and intonation.
When you've listened to the programme, don't forget to practise what you've learned with the activity below!
Listen
- realmedia
Download
- mp3 (1.7 MB)
Script
(pdf - 23k)
| Showing understanding | ||||
| Understanding | Not understanding | |||
| Body language | Nod your head | Look confused - e.g. by frowning or squinting | ||
| Noises | Umm-hmm Uh-huh | Er... Um... | ||
| Words | Right... OK... | Hang on... Hold on... Run me through that again You've lost me | ||
| Intonation | Speak clearly and confidently | Speak more slowly | ||
| Vocabulary | ||||
| to follow someone / something here, to understand something or someone e.g. After a while, I stopped following the conversation. Sorry - I don't follow you. Can you explain it again? to nod to move your head up and down, usually in agreement to run somebody through something to explain something e.g. Can you quickly run me through the new guidelines? Hang on / Hold on Use this to ask someone to stop or pause e.g. Hold on - I don't think I follow you Can you just hang on a second? I need to get my coat... to be lost here, to no longer understand e.g. Aaagh! I'm totally lost! to lose someone here, to confuse someone or lead to them not understanding you e.g. Hang on - you've lost me! |
