Filler words in English such as um and you know can give way to phrases that help you pause, clarify something, change the subject and start a conversation. The key is choosing the right action: if you heard the words but did not understand the point, asking for a repeat will give you the same unclear sentence. You need to ask what it means. Below are 12 expressions for these situations. In LetsWords, you learn to use them: you build sentences with the word you are learning, receive feedback explaining the mistake, and spaced repetition reinforces how to use it.
12 phrases that help keep a conversation going
Pause without losing your turn
- Let me think. — Ask for a moment to think. Use it when you are looking for an answer or recalling a detail. Say it once, pause and continue your thought.
- That’s a good question. — Acknowledge a question worth thinking about. It fits when the question genuinely needs thought. It sounds odd in response to a routine “What time are we meeting?”
- How can I put it? — Signal that you are choosing your words. It helps when you know what you mean but are looking for precise wording, especially for a delicate answer.
A colleague asks whether you liked the presentation:
How can I put it? The idea was interesting, but I couldn’t follow the last part.
You did more than fill the silence: you signalled that you were choosing your wording, then identified a specific problem. One short introduction is enough instead of a string of um, well, you know.
Ask someone to repeat or explain
- Could you say that again? — Ask for a repeat. You did not hear what was said: it was noisy, the connection dropped, or the person spoke too quietly.
- What do you mean by …? — Ask for the meaning. You heard the words but did not understand an expression or what was behind it. Name the part that is unclear.
- Do you mean …? — Check your interpretation. You already have an idea of the meaning and want to confirm it.
A manager says the company has flexible hours. Hearing those two words again will not help: you do not know how freely you can choose your hours. Ask more specifically:
What do you mean by “flexible hours”? Can I choose when I start work?
If you think it only concerns the starting time:
Do you mean I can start at nine or ten, as long as I work eight hours?
The other person now knows exactly what needs explaining. There are more examples in the guide to what do you mean.
Move to another subject
- By the way, … — Introduce a side topic. You were talking about the journey home and remembered a message you needed to pass on.
- That reminds me, … — Connect a memory to what was just said. The previous remark brought something specific to mind. The link between the topics stays clear.
- Speaking of …, … — Pick up a topic or word that has just been mentioned and take it in another direction.
A friend is talking about a trip to Italy and you want to ask about a restaurant:
Speaking of Italy, have you tried the new Italian restaurant near the station?
If there is no connection to the previous topic, by the way fits better. Do not insert these expressions into every reply: use them when there is a real transition. You can practise by the way in the free exercise.
Start small talk and get more than a short answer
- How’s your day going? — Ask how today is going. It suits a relaxed conversation with a colleague or acquaintance. Unlike a general greeting, it asks about this particular day.
- Have you been here before? — Ask about their experience of the place. It is useful at an event, on a tour or somewhere new: you already share a topic.
- How did you get into …? — Ask how an interest started. Use it when someone mentions an activity, hobby or profession. It invites a story.
You meet someone who photographs birds:
How did you get into wildlife photography?
After the answer, pick up one detail: if they started on a trip to the mountains, ask about that trip. Do not move straight to the next question on a list, or small talk becomes a questionnaire.
Why a familiar phrase does not come when you need it
You recognise What do you mean by…? immediately in a list. But conversation does not provide a prompt telling you to ask for the meaning. You are listening, deciding what is unclear and searching for the words to ask, all at once. That is why it helps to remember an expression with its purpose: clarify the meaning, check a guess, or move to a related topic.
Choose a situation from the day ahead. For example, a colleague called a task urgent but gave no deadline. You need to clarify when the result is needed:
When you say “urgent”, do you mean you need it today?
The expression is now connected to a question you may actually need. The article on how to speak English fluently explains how to prepare the rest of your vocabulary for conversation as well as phrases like these.
A LetsWords feedback example: which preposition follows mean
You are learning mean and want to ask the manager what flexible hours means. Your first attempt:
What do you mean under “flexible hours”?
What the feedback shows. Mean fits the meaning, but under is a literal choice of preposition that does not work in this English structure. You need by: you are asking what meaning the other person gives to the expression.
What do you mean under “flexible hours”? → What do you mean by “flexible hours”?
After correcting it, add the detail that prompted the question:
What do you mean by “flexible hours”? Can I start later on Mondays?
The feedback helped correct the structure, and the clarification made the question useful in conversation: it is now about your Monday, not an abstract definition.
Using it in a new situation. A friend suggests meeting somewhere quiet. You are unsure whether they want to avoid music or go outside altogether:
What do you mean by “somewhere quiet”? Would you prefer a café or a walk in the park?
The person, topic and rest of the question change, but the structure mean by remains. You learn to use it rather than reproduce one memorised example. The article on active vocabulary shows the whole journey from recognising an expression to using it without a prompt.
How to retain a phrase for your next conversation
- Choose one task. Clarifying the meaning, for example. Do not try to memorise all 12 expressions in one session.
- Recall the expression without the list. Imagine that someone has said something unclear. Formulate the question yourself first, then check.
- Build a complete sentence about a real situation. Replace the dots with a name, time, place or the other person’s words. Say the question aloud; in LetsWords, you can dictate it and submit it for checking.
- Apply the correction to another situation. If the feedback showed mean by, ask about travel arrangements or a work agreement instead of working hours.
- Return to the expression after a break. Next time, begin by recalling it rather than reading yesterday’s answer. LetsWords will bring the word you are learning back through spaced repetition.
Why practising conversation phrases is easier in LetsWords
A list gives you ready-made wording, but does not show what you will do with it without a prompt. A flashcard can check whether you remember the meaning of mean, but will not uncover mean under until you build a question. LetsWords combines recalling a word with checking its use in a sentence.
- You work through exactly what you wrote. LetsWords checks the word you are learning and the grammar, suggests a correction and explains it. Brief or detailed feedback helps you understand why a different form, preposition or structure is needed.
- You practise vocabulary for conversations you need. Collect words from work, meetings and everyday conversation in personal collections. In the LetsWords vocabulary trainer, you practise them in the same way as words from ready-made sets.
- You do not get stuck at an empty field. If thinking of an example is difficult, the generator suggests a sentence in your native language at your chosen difficulty. You translate it using the target word.
- You return to using words, not just reading them. During review, LetsWords shows the meaning in your native language: you recall the English word and build a new sentence with it. Spaced repetition brings vocabulary back in later sessions.
Start with an expression you needed in your last conversation. Build a sentence with it, get feedback, and practise the correction in a new situation. Start preparing vocabulary for conversations in LetsWords. Answer questions about your goal and level when you start, and LetsWords will select your practice. You can try the feedback before paying.