PRACTICAL SPEAKING GUIDE

Clarify a request without sounding difficult

A colleague asks you to send “the quote”.

2026-09-27 · Original teaching notes by SpeakBEC

Start with the situation

A colleague asks you to send “the quote”. Two files have similar names: yesterday’s quote and a revision that includes delivery. Saying “OK” would leave the main uncertainty unresolved. Your immediate task is to identify the document, not explain everything you know about the project.

A possible exchange

Could you send the quote over?

Sure. Just to check, do you mean the revised version?

Yes, the one with delivery included.

Got it. I’ll send it by three.

Why this works

“Just to check” frames the question as checking shared understanding. You can omit it and still be polite: “Do you mean the revised version?” The identifying detail matters more than the introductory phrase. “The one with…” lets you identify an item already mentioned without repeating the whole noun phrase.

Notice how the final reply closes two gaps: it confirms understanding and offers a time. Do not add “I understand everything” before the ambiguity has been resolved. A useful clarification is narrow enough for the other person to answer easily. If there are three plausible files, name the distinguishing features instead of asking the vague question “Which one?”

Change the condition and try it

Now the colleague asks for a schedule. There is an old schedule and one updated for Friday. You can send the Friday version by eleven. Respond in two turns: identify the version, then confirm the sending time. Check that your listener could select the correct file without seeing your screen.

Try a spoken or written response before checking it. Did you address the changed condition? Could the listener identify the next step? The model is not the only acceptable answer.