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General English · Speaking · B2

Paraphrasing when you do not know a word

Keep communicating by describing a word's category, purpose and distinguishing features.

Lesson 10 · About 22 minutes

Learn: your objectives

  • Explain an unfamiliar word without abandoning the message.
  • Check whether the listener has understood the intended meaning.

Warm-up

Think about these questions. Say a short answer aloud.

  • How would you explain a colander without naming it?
  • What details distinguish an object from similar ones?

Useful language

Describe around the gap

It's a kind of … that …

Give a category and defining feature.

It's a kind of bowl with holes that lets water drain out.

You use it to …

Explain function.

You use it to drain cooked pasta.

What I mean is …

Repair an unclear description.

What I mean is the container, not the tool for serving the pasta.

Notice: model speaking

Read aloud. Notice how the speakers use the phrases and respond to each other.

Lena: Could you pass me the—I've forgotten the English word. It's a bowl with holes in it.

Bobur: Do you mean the steamer?

Lena: Not quite. You use this one to drain pasta after cooking. It stands in the sink.

Bobur: A colander?

Lena: Yes, that's it. Thanks. I need to drain these vegetables.

Bobur: The small one or the large one?

Lena: The small one should be enough. There are only two portions.

Speaking strategy

Give category, function and one distinctive feature. If the listener guesses incorrectly, contrast the intended meaning rather than repeating the same description unchanged.

Pronunciation & fluency focus

Use one brief repair phrase, then continue. You do not need a long apology whenever a word is missing; the description itself keeps communication moving.

Teaching guidance, not an analysis of your voice.

Use: controlled practice

Choose a useful response for each situation. Check when all questions are answered. These are phrase exercises, not a speaking assessment.

1. Describe a thermometer without its name.
2. The listener guesses a spoon, but you mean a colander. Clarify.
3. Which description explains a queue without using the word?
4. After the listener supplies the right word, what helps the conversation?
5. Which feature distinguishes a stapler from general office tools?

Build your answer

Write a few keywords. Then look away and speak. Notes stay on this page only.

Speak: your challenge

For two minutes, explain three everyday items or concepts without naming them. Include a clarification when your imagined listener makes a wrong guess.

Try items such as a receipt, a pedestrian crossing or a reusable bottle. Prioritise meaning, not a perfect dictionary definition.

Speak aloud. This page does not record, listen to or assess your speech. There is no automatic speaking score.

Self-check

Open to everyone. Answers, notes and checklists are not saved to an account. These original lessons use level labels to organize learning; completion is not official CEFR certification or proof of a level.