Cohesive Devices - Exercise

Asking for clarification is essential in business communications to ensure mutual understanding and avoid misunderstandings. Here are some commonly used phrases and example sentences for different contexts:

General Clarification

Could you please clarify…?
"Could you please clarify what you meant by 'adjusted figures' in the report?"

Can you explain a bit more about…?
"Can you explain a bit more about the new marketing strategy you mentioned?"

I’m not sure I understand… Could you elaborate?
"I’m not sure I understand the proposed timeline. Could you elaborate?"

Can you provide more details on…?
"Can you provide more details on the budget allocation for this project?"

Could you please expand on…?
"Could you please expand on the potential risks you highlighted in your presentation?"

Could you shed some light on...?
"Could you shed some light on this aspect of the proposal?"

I need to get a clearer picture of this issue.
"I need to get a clearer picture of this issue before we proceed."

Specific Information

What exactly do you mean by…?
"What exactly do you mean by 'streamlining processes' in this context?"

Could you give me an example of…?
"Could you give me an example of how this software will improve productivity?"

I didn’t quite catch that part about…
"I didn’t quite catch that part about the new compliance requirements. Could you repeat it?"

Can you clarify what you said about…?
"Can you clarify what you said about the delivery timeline?"

Could you specify what you mean by…?
"Could you specify what you mean by 'improved customer engagement'?"

Can you walk me through the process?
"Can you walk me through the process for submitting a project proposal?"

Confirming Understanding

Just to make sure I understand correctly…
"Just to make sure I understand correctly, the project deadline is now extended to November, right?"

Am I right in thinking that…?
"Am I right in thinking that the new policy will take effect next month?"

So, what you’re saying is…
"So, what you’re saying is we need to increase our social media presence?"

Let me see if I got this right…
"Let me see if I got this right, we are shifting our focus to international markets?"

Can you confirm that…?
"Can you confirm that all team members need to attend the training session?"

Polite Clarification

I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand…
"I’m sorry, but I didn’t understand the last part of your explanation. Could you go over it again?"

Would you mind explaining…?
"Would you mind explaining how this new system will affect our workflow?"

I apologize for any confusion, but…
"I apologize for any confusion, but could you clarify the payment terms?"

Could you help me understand…?
"Could you help me understand the rationale behind the new policy?"

Could you please repeat that?
"Could you please repeat that last point about the financial forecast?"

Could you expand on your last point?
"Could you expand on your last point regarding the project scope?"

I’m not sure I follow; can you elaborate?
"I’m not sure I follow; can you elaborate on the implementation plan?"

Can you clarify what you meant by that?
"Can you clarify what you meant by 'long-term strategic goals'?"

I’d like to delve deeper into this topic.
"I’d like to delve deeper into this topic to better understand the potential impact."

Can you explain this in layman’s terms?
"Can you explain this in layman’s terms for those of us who aren’t familiar with the technical details?"