Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.
Even very fluent speakers forget words or meet things they have never needed to name: a kitchen tool, a part of a bike, a type of plant. What separates strong speakers from weak ones is what they do next.
Weak response: a long silence, um… um… how do you say…, or a word in their own language. The conversation stops.
Strong response: a quick description that gets the meaning across, and the answer continues: We cooked it on a, well, a big flat metal pan, the kind you put straight over a fire.
The CEFR describes this as a B2 ability: using circumlocution (describing something in other words) and paraphrase to cover gaps in vocabulary. Examiners see it as a skill, not a weakness.
| Strategy | Useful language | Example (missing word) |
|---|---|---|
| Say what it's for | It's a thing you use to… / It's for + -ing | It's a thing you use to open bottles of wine. (corkscrew) |
| Describe how it looks or what it's made of | It's made of… / It looks like… / It's shaped like… | It's a small metal tool that looks like a tiny spade. (trowel) |
| Describe a person or place by its role | someone who… / the person who… / the place where… | the person who checks your ticket on the train (ticket inspector) |
| Use a general word plus detail | a kind of / a type of / a sort of + general word | a type of bird from New Zealand that can't fly (kiwi) |
| Compare it with something similar | It's a bit like…, but… / It's similar to… | It's a bit like a lemon, but it's small and green. (lime) |
| Say the opposite | not very… / not exactly… / the opposite of… | He's not exactly generous with money. (mean / stingy) |
| Give examples of things in the group | things like… / for example… / …and so on | things like pans, knives and chopping boards (kitchen equipment) |
A short phrase tells the listener I'm looking for a word and fills the pause naturally. Use one, then go straight into your description:
Afterwards, carry on with your answer. Don't apologise again and again, and don't ask the examiner to tell you the word: the examiner is there to assess you, not to supply vocabulary. If you notice a problem, you can quickly rephrase with In other words,… or What I mean is,…
Match each paraphrase to the strategy it uses. There is one extra strategy you do not need.
The speaker doesn't know two words: griddle (the big flat pan) and spatula (the flat tool). Notice what happens:
Listen to the five descriptions. Choose the word each speaker is trying to say. Good paraphrases make the word easy to guess.
Complete each paraphrase with a phrase from the box. Use each phrase once.
Listen and repeat. Say the bridging phrase quickly and lightly, then give the description at a normal, confident pace.
Listen to each sentence, then record yourself saying it the same way. Copy the rhythm, stress and intonation.
1.I can't think of the word, but it's the thing you use to charge your phone.
2.It's a kind of bread that's flat and round, a bit like a pancake.
3.She's not exactly the most organised person I know.
4.We stayed in a, what's it called, a small wooden house in the forest.
5.I mean things like plates, cups and chopping boards.
6.In other words, it wasn't as easy as it looked.
You have one minute to make notes. Choose an object with parts or features you can't name in English, or pretend you have forgotten two key words. Describe them with the strategies from this lesson, and keep talking for up to two minutes.
Describe a piece of equipment or a gadget in your home that you find useful.
You should say:
60 s preparation · 2:00 speaking
Save words to review them later with flashcards.
“If you forget a word, paraphrase it and keep going.”
“Circumlocution helped her explain what she needed in the hardware shop.”
“His name is on the tip of my tongue.”
“I couldn't come up with the right word, so I described it.”
“He's never on time. In other words, he's unreliable.”
“My favourite kitchen gadget is a garlic press.”
“I prefer savoury snacks to sweet ones.”
“The chips were hot and crispy.”
“During exams, I lived on toast and coffee.”
“I felt homesick during my first month abroad.”
“He's too stingy to buy anyone a coffee.”
