2026.04.01_Clarifying Misunderstandings

Business English – Lesson 9

Asking for Clarification & Confirming Understanding

1. Vocabulary Review (from previous lesson)

1. Giving a task or responsibility to someone else. __________

2. The amount of work someone has. __________

3. The most important task. __________

4. Something that is your duty to manage or complete. __________

5. Organizing people and tasks so work runs smoothly. __________

2. Useful Phrases (Clarifying & Confirming)

Just to make sure I’m on the same page… Example: Just to make sure I’m on the same page, we need to finalize the report today.

Could you walk me through that? Example: Could you walk me through the process step by step?

So just to confirm, we need to ___? Example: So just to confirm, we need to contact the client before moving forward?

3. Natural Softeners (to Sound Professional)

If I understand correctly… Example: If I understand correctly, we are adjusting the strategy.

I may have misunderstood, but… Example: I may have misunderstood, but are we prioritizing this task first?

4. Build Your Answer

Try to build sentences with:

- Just to make sure I’m on the same page…

- So just to confirm, we need to ___?

Choose a situation from the list below and complete the sentence.

Possible situations: finalizing a report; coordinating with a client; reviewing a process; adjusting a strategy; prioritizing tasks; preparing a presentation

Example sentences:

Just to make sure I’m on the same page, we need to finalize the report today.

So just to confirm, we need to coordinate with the client first?

Good moments to use them: Question 1 and Question 4.

Vocabulary

Word

Pronunciation

Short explanation (EN)

Slovak

Example sentence

Clarify

/ˈklær.ɪ.faɪ/

To make something clear or easier to understand

objasniť

Could you clarify the requirements?

Confirm

/kənˈfɜːm/

To check or verify information

potvrdiť

I’d like to confirm the details before we proceed.

Requirement

/rɪˈkwaɪə.mənt/

Something that is needed or expected

požiadavka

We need to review the project requirements.

Approach

/əˈprəʊtʃ/

A way of dealing with a situation

prístup

We need to decide on the best approach.

Miscommunication

/ˌmɪs.kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

A failure to communicate clearly

nedorozumenie

Miscommunication can cause delays in a project.

5. Discussion Questions

1. Do you often need to ask for clarification at work?

2. What happens when instructions are not clear?

3. Is it easy or difficult to ask questions in English?

4. Why is confirming information important?

5. What problems can happen if people don’t ask questions?

6. When is the best moment to ask for clarification?

7. How can you ask questions without interrupting a meeting?

6. Example Answers

1. Yes, I often ask for clarification. For example, I might say, 'Just to make sure I’m on the same page, we need to finalize the report today.'

2. When instructions are not clear, miscommunication can happen. That’s why I ask, 'Could you walk me through that?'

3. It can sometimes be difficult, but I try to confirm information by saying, 'So just to confirm, we need to coordinate with the client first?'

4. Confirming information helps avoid mistakes. For example, 'If I understand correctly, we are adjusting our approach.'

5. If people don’t ask questions, delays can happen. That’s why I might say, 'I may have misunderstood, but are we prioritizing this task first?'

6. The best moment is when something is unclear. I usually say, 'Could you walk me through that?'

7. You can ask politely and at the right moment. For example, 'Just to make sure I’m on the same page…'

 

 

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