Is it difficult for you to explain things in English? Being able to explain things clearly is an important skill. Maybe you want to explain your country’s food or culture. Maybe you want to explain the rules of a game or how to make something. But this can be difficult, especially in another language.
If the listener doesn’t understand you, try to rephrase (or paraphrase) what you are explaining. This means to explain the thing again but using different language. Start your rephrasing with phrases like ‘In other words…’ or ‘What I mean is…’ Then it’s a good idea to follow up with an example and a listener check using phrases like ‘For example,…’ and ‘Are you with me?’.
You can find some more tips for explaining in the table below.
| Tip | Language |
| Rephrase | In other words… What I mean is… |
| Use examples | For example… For instance… |
| Compare | It’s like… It’s similar to… |
| Use opposites | It’s not… It doesn’t mean… |
| Remind | As I said… Like I said… |
| Check | Are you with me? Are you following me? Does that make sense? |
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Extra tip! If you have time, it helps if you can prepare first. Take some time to think about how you want to explain your thing and the vocabulary you need. Also, think about how much your listeners already know about your thing. |
When was the last time you tried to explain something difficult? Did you use any of the tips above?
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