Uploaded September 2014 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Sometimes when you are trying to speak English, you just don't know what to say! Because you are still learning, maybe you need some extra time to think of the correct words. Watch this lesson and learn how English speakers use "hesitation" sounds like "erm", "mmm" and phrases such as "you know" to keep the conversation alive. I'll also teach you some phrases you can easily add to the beginning of sentences to give yourself more time. No more awkward silence! engvid.com/sound-more-fluent-in-english-hesitation-devices
And for extra English help, visit my website: honeyourenglish.com
TRANSCRIPT
Hello. My name is Benjamin. I'm a lost tourist in London, and I don't know where to go. I'm going to talk to the ticket man in the London Underground and see if he can help me. "Hello, Mr. ticket man. I would like a ticket to Piccadilly." The man starts talking to me. "Blah, blah, blah." He asks me a question. I don't know what to say, so I need to make a noise. "Ah." These are noises that give you time to think about your answer. "Ah. I would like a ticket, please, to Piccadilly Circus." Or I could say, "Urgh, I want a ticket please." Or "Urm, I want to go to --." Or the other one would be, "Mmm, I want a ticket." Okay. Good.
So then, my ticket man says, "No problem. That will be four pounds fifty, please." I then say, "You know, I think that's a little bit expensive, a bit expensive." So these are all phrases for expressing an opinion -- if I think that's too big a price. So I could say, "you know, I think that's too expensive." Or, "I mean, I only really want to go one stop, half a mile. You see, I've only got four pounds. Then, I can't eat." Or, "Well, maybe you could give it to me for a little less." Or, "the thing is, Mr. ticket man, I need to go there as well." These are all expressing an opinion to the ticket man. Okay? So one last way of expressive an opinion. I could say, "Well, it's like this. You see, I want to go to Piccadilly, but I can only give you two pounds." Okay? All ways of giving an opinion, of starting "I want, I need". Okay?
The ticket man thinks, and then he says, "Well, for three pounds, I can give you a single. Is that what you want?" "A single? What is a single?" These are all phrases for when I need to think about my answer. So I could say, "Mmm, let me see. A single?" And then I repeat the question he has given to me. Okay? Or I can say, "Now, let me think. That might be a good idea." Or, "Just a minute. I'm going to ask my friend." Or, "Hang on, sir. I need to look in my guidebook to find out." Or, "That's a really interesting question."
Now, the thing about this phrase here, "It's a really interesting question", it's better maybe in school or university. Probably not very appropriate for the London Underground. But it's a good phrase to remember, anyway. Or I could say, "I'm not sure about that. Maybe. Could you tell me more?" And then, the ticket man says, "Of course I can tell you more, but you must watch the next video in EngVid." See you soon. My name is Benjamin. Thank you.
Sometimes when you are trying to speak English, you just don't know what to say! Because you are still learning, maybe you need some extra time to think of the correct words. Watch this lesson and learn how English speakers use "hesitation" sounds like "erm", "mmm" and phrases such as "you know" to keep the conversation alive. I'll also teach you some phrases you can easily add to the beginning of sentences to give yourself more time. No more awkward silence! engvid.com/sound-more-fluent-in-english-hesitation-devices
And for extra English help, visit my website: honeyourenglish.com
TRANSCRIPT
Hello. My name is Benjamin. I'm a lost tourist in London, and I don't know where to go. I'm going to talk to the ticket man in the London Underground and see if he can help me. "Hello, Mr. ticket man. I would like a ticket to Piccadilly." The man starts talking to me. "Blah, blah, blah." He asks me a question. I don't know what to say, so I need to make a noise. "Ah." These are noises that give you time to think about your answer. "Ah. I would like a ticket, please, to Piccadilly Circus." Or I could say, "Urgh, I want a ticket please." Or "Urm, I want to go to --." Or the other one would be, "Mmm, I want a ticket." Okay. Good.
So then, my ticket man says, "No problem. That will be four pounds fifty, please." I then say, "You know, I think that's a little bit expensive, a bit expensive." So these are all phrases for expressing an opinion -- if I think that's too big a price. So I could say, "you know, I think that's too expensive." Or, "I mean, I only really want to go one stop, half a mile. You see, I've only got four pounds. Then, I can't eat." Or, "Well, maybe you could give it to me for a little less." Or, "the thing is, Mr. ticket man, I need to go there as well." These are all expressing an opinion to the ticket man. Okay? So one last way of expressive an opinion. I could say, "Well, it's like this. You see, I want to go to Piccadilly, but I can only give you two pounds." Okay? All ways of giving an opinion, of starting "I want, I need". Okay?
The ticket man thinks, and then he says, "Well, for three pounds, I can give you a single. Is that what you want?" "A single? What is a single?" These are all phrases for when I need to think about my answer. So I could say, "Mmm, let me see. A single?" And then I repeat the question he has given to me. Okay? Or I can say, "Now, let me think. That might be a good idea." Or, "Just a minute. I'm going to ask my friend." Or, "Hang on, sir. I need to look in my guidebook to find out." Or, "That's a really interesting question."
Now, the thing about this phrase here, "It's a really interesting question", it's better maybe in school or university. Probably not very appropriate for the London Underground. But it's a good phrase to remember, anyway. Or I could say, "I'm not sure about that. Maybe. Could you tell me more?" And then, the ticket man says, "Of course I can tell you more, but you must watch the next video in EngVid." See you soon. My name is Benjamin. Thank you.
