Correcting misunderstandings

Identify a misunderstanding, clarify your intention, and repair the exchange without blame.

Understand and learn

Work from a natural example to useful language, one small pattern, a spoken attempt, and a response that is relevant to your life.

Nina

I may not have expressed that clearly. I was questioning the schedule, not your work.

Nina takes responsibility for possible ambiguity and clarifies the target.

Jon

Thanks for clarifying. I took it to mean that you were unhappy with the result.

Jon explains his interpretation without accusing Nina.

Nina

I can see how it sounded that way. What I meant was that we need more time to do the result justice.

Nina validates the reaction and restates her intention.

Jon

That makes sense. We are actually raising the same concern from different angles.

Jon confirms shared meaning after the repair.

Notice, try, and speak

Understand a natural example and learn a small set of useful words, phrases, and patterns.

Useful words and phrases

These items were selected by the lesson curriculum for practical use—not extracted as an every-word list.

Learn these items

I may not have expressed that clearly.
Take responsibility for ambiguity.
I may not have expressed that clearly. I was questioning the schedule, not your work.
I took it to mean that…
Explain your interpretation.
Thanks for clarifying. I took it to mean that you were unhappy with the result.
What I meant was…
Restate your intention.
I can see how it sounded that way. What I meant was that we need more time to do the result justice.
I can see how it sounded that way.
Validate the reaction.
I can see how it sounded that way. What I meant was that we need more time to do the result justice.
We may be saying the same thing differently.
Find shared meaning.
We may be saying the same thing differently.

Notice, try, and speak

Which response repairs a misunderstanding without blaming the listener?

I may not have been clear. What I meant was that the plan needs more detail.You obviously were not listening.Forget it; you never understand me.I said exactly what I meant, so this is your problem.

Make it yours

Repair a misunderstanding in English by naming the interpretation, your intention, and the shared point.

Use a low-stakes misunderstanding that could realistically happen in your life.

Use it with someone

Clarify meaning respectfully in English

1. I may not have expressed that clearly.
2. I took it to mean that…
3. What I meant was…
4. I can see how it sounded that way.
5. We may be saying the same thing differently.

Find speakers of this language Text chat Voice conversation Video conversation Start a review session

Continue to the next lesson