Then, if youre still not clear on something, its time to write an email to ask for clarification. I'll be in touch if I require anything else. Similarly, we live in a fairly distracting world where a variety of daily concerns coupled with the endless distractions present in any environment impede our already strained processing capabilities. Reframing your request into "for the greater good" makes it much more digestible to follow up with. Rule #3: Mind the timing and the relevancy. Doctor: You should take this medicine once a day. Write a clear subject line, or respond directly to the email you wish to clarify. These experiences have taught Lindsay great lessons about the power of excellent people skills that extend well beyond her professional expertise. To clarify, the key is to keep things simple, provide all details you need, and remember you're dealing with a real person. Writing invoice emails can be tricky and they are often an area where you may need more information and clarification. Do I understand correctly that you want to reduce the funds for the IT department before changing the security system? I snickered, thinking that Janet had come around so soon. Have you ever found it challenging to interrupt someone to express your opinion, make suggestions, or ask for further information? As we are independently owned, the recommendations made here are our own. Sometimes there can be misunderstandings about dates and times for meetings and appointments. The best questions are open-ended. Rule #2: Apologize for interrupting. To obtain clarification, you have to truly want to understand the other persons point of view. Patient: Thanks, doctor. You can end on a positive note by thanking the other person for their time and consideration of their clarification request. Well! I am sorry, but I couldnt follow your suggestions. It sometimes happens that interviewers may need extra information after your meeting. "Thanks so much for your feedback on. Its an easy phrase used to help break the barrier of communication and make sure everyone has the same information. Could/Would/Can you please walk me through that again? WebWhen you ask someone for clarification, you are asking them to say something in a different way or provide more information so that you 20 Email Expressions to Ask for Clarification So when we want to ask for clarification in English, we can use these expressions: 1 What exactly are you saying? One great way to do this is to ask a lot of open-ended questions. In this situation, you may need to ask them to repeat, explain or clarify their position. Am I right in thinking that what youre meaning by that is, If Im understanding correctly, you think that the most important factor in this situation is Is that correct?, I think I need more information because Im not fully understanding the part that you were saying about, So I think I understand that you believe X would be the best solution? Please repeat it for me to understand it clearly. Make your email easy to read. Katie Holmes is a senior author at everyday-courtesy.com with over 15 years of experience in marketing and psychology. In such a business situation I would offer my business card and politely ask: "Do you have a card I could have?" Let me see if I understand this; you want to create a proposal which would limit our available staff positions for hire? You must not behave and speak in a formal setting as you do in an informal one. Informal Sorry, I didnt catch that. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. <-- This is a past question A: Try plugging your phone into the charger for an hour and then turn it on. Would you mind telling me the whole formula in detail? Interrupting to ask for clarification. Learn useful English phrases for discussion and debate. You should appreciate them and give them complimentsfor doing this favor for you. Finally, you finish each clarification letter with all the essential details and a suitable sign-off. Greet your reader. Click here for 1:1 customized coaching programs that will help you achieve your career goals faster. . However, they become useless if you dont understand or follow them. Im sorry, but I couldnt follow your question. The customer will ask you questions, and you will provide polite responses Q: My phone won't start. Sometimes, even though were confused, it is simply because we have not been informed of all of the information that is being presented. ask for clarification Conversations, email dialogues, and even text messages progress best when everyone has the same understanding. Why dont people respond? Well! If its complex, technical, or there are things the manager needs to know in order to provide the clarification, then by all means write an e-mail. Let me know if you need any further clarification or assistance. Otherwise, you'll have established a better understanding for what you need to know, and you can put that to the researchers. Use the expressions below to address these potentially problematic situations smoothly and professionally. Asking Clarification Use a call to action to clarify the next steps. If you "break something down," you separate it into its parts. This phrase indicates that you are clearly trying to be polite, as please and thank you are reserved for polite, formal speech. Will you please repeat the standard operating procedure of this machine? Could you explain a bit about your concerns regarding the other solution?, I dont think I fully understand what you were saying about Could you tell me a bit more?, I think it might help me if I could understand a few more details about that part of the project., Could you give me a concrete example to help me understand how that might affect our current situation?, understand the other persons point of view. Lets take a look at A thesaurus is your friend here. Can you repeat it? Use open, non-directive questions - if appropriate. To determine how to write a meeting request email, follow these steps: 1. Ask for specific examples. WebClarifying What You Heard, Asking Someone to Repeat Themselves, and Confirming Your Understanding Communication Skills: Express Yourself Clearly Get Your Number Stress Right: How to Pronounce Numbers Clearly in English The Power of Pitch: Change Your Tone for Better Stress and Intonation in English Once again, clarification would be necessary. Thank you for sending me information about (product/service). ". I admire that you clarified your position. Both phrases can be used to ask for more information or to give more information when someone requests it of you. Learn how to format emails and get your point across in a professional manner by checking out these 6 common email formats. Heres an example to show you how it works: Dear Ms. Browne, Could you please clarify whether this is correct? Useful English Phrases for Discussion and Debate. Both phrases can be used interchangeably, as they have the same meaning. When you are tasked with providing necessary information to someone, but would like to keep things brief and formal, you can use this phrase to cut to the chase. Would you mind sharing the suggestion again? 10 Polite Ways To Say "Just To Clarify" (Professional Email) Heres an example of just to make sure were on the same page being used professionally. Is it correct to use "the" before "materials used in making buildings are"? How to make a GPT-3 model remember past conversations? The meaning of both phrases is the same and used interchangeably. We usually stress the word actually to signal that were going to explain what we really meant. Asking somebody to clarify something Your help will go a long way in helping to resolve [issue]. May I ask you to clarify your position on this? A good way is to summarize what you have understood and didnt. Indeed Career Guide In the next section of the email, you want to clearly outline your goals, any important deadlines, and next steps. It appears there has been a breakdown in communication. There are many situations where you might find yourself needing to ask for clarification. boss/manager asking for clarification on If you liked this post, you might also like: 7 Signs That Your Team Has a Communication Problem, The 4 Foundational Skills for Effective Communication. Please let me know if you need any other information. Below is a reference example showing how let me make this clear can be used professionally. How important it may become at times to ask for clarification. During these periods, it is best to ask a question as this will allow you to digest whatever information has been presented. When It Is Considered Rude to Ask for Clarification, Theres Never a Time to Not Politely Seek Clarification. If you have to ask again (or if you keep relying on the same person), consider approaching someone else. Or rather, try to bridge your current understanding so that you can move forward. Hi Jessica, Thanks for your email. Janet opened the door and smiled slightly. In each case, you want to push for the information you need in a polite way to avoid damaging your relationships. Ask for help: If youre struggling to understand a mechanic, dont hesitate to ask for help. How to Politely Ask for Clarification in English ESL Advice Then refer to a specific aspect: Could you please explain once again why A is so important for B?. You have been successfully subscribed to the Grammarly blog. May I request further clarification of instruction number 5? Informally You can simply say Sorry? or Come again? with a curious tone to ask someone for clarification. Whenever confusing, lengthy, or multi-part topics are presented, there is a high probability that someone will have missed some of the information shared, prompting someone to seek clarification on the topic. link to Linguix vs. Grammarly: Which AI Writing Assistant Is Value for Money in 2023? and then say something like: Im sorry, I didnt understand what you just said.. The clarification email format should be no surprise if you're already used to writing professional messages. Now, lets learn some expressions that native speakers of English commonly use to ask for clarification. ), your name, and your signature. I have discussed several situations where you may need to ask for clarification in English. Thanks for clearly letting me know your opinion; I value whatever you suggest. To ask for clarification politely, it is essential to use open-ended clarification questions stated in a neutral and inquisitive tone of voice. Now, here are 9 clarification email samples and a template to show you how to apply these insights. Could you rephrase what you just said to me about the problem? to politely respond to unclear email response Here are some expressions to ask for clarification on their requests. How to Ask for Clarification Politely Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to respectfully inform the other party that their understanding of the situation is incorrect, or to seek clarification for How to ask somebody for explanation politely, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup, Polite way to suggest talking about something. It felt awesome. English Speaking Practice || How to Ask for Clarification in English || Beginner- Advanced levels. When you ask a clarification question, you help to create a greater level of understanding not just for yourself but also for the speaker and those in attendance. On many occasions, you may not receive the exact information for many reasons. This phrase allows you to use simple words with no room for misinterpretation. She should leave her changes as suggestions. Clarity is the key to effective communication. Alexander Stojanovic Closed Question: Was this experience what you expected? However, on many occasions, you may also need to use closed questions as well. If your doctor gives you any instructions, you must follow them. Whoops! Be polite, and use languages that focus the situation on you and not the other person. After the person clarifies themselves, you can let them know that you now understand and are thankful. Just to be clear, my working hours are 8am-4pm and you will be unable to contact me outside those hours for work-related purposes. Im not quite clear on a few things and I want to make sure were on the same page. You can also get another perspective by asking someone else to review the information. If you need extra information from a candidate, this clarification email after an interview provides the ideal structure. No one likes to say those words for fear of sounding slow on the uptake. How to Write a Thank You Email for a Salary Increase Thank you for explaining the question to me. Follow the format, keep things clear, and always include your contact details! When it comes to the proper format for asking a clarification question or seeking clarification, the key is to use basic rules of etiquette.