Hey there! This is TOP episode 34: How To Say ‘I Don’t Know’. Vocabulary Booster.
My name’s Ola and I am an online English teacher.
This podcast is for you if you’re an English learner who wants to speak English with more confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. It’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Today you’ll boost your vocabulary. Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Hello again, thank you for tunning in. Thank you for contacting me as well, recently I’ve received a few lovely emails from you, from some of you. In these e-mails, you shared your opinions, asked for online lessons, asked some questions, and I just love getting e-mails from you and that’s why I wanted to thank you. I totally encourage you to reach out to me if you have a burning question, would like to tell me about your language problems, let’s correspond! I also send emails to you, if you’re not on my e-mail list, so go to teacherola.com and subscribe!
Today’s episode is all about expanding your vocabulary. This time you’ll learn what to say if you don’t know the answer. Saying ‘I don’t know’ is sometimes hard. I remember that I had serious issues with saying ‘I don’t know’ and I think that I blame the Polish educational system for that. Students are expected to know everything, right? You get grades, you’re rewarded for knowing, not for asking. Unfortunately.
So a few years back from now I’ve learned to say ‘I don’t know’ bluntly, honestly, without any shame or feeling uncomfortable. It was so refreshing! My life got so much better I’ve been feeling much more peaceful and calm since I taught myself to say openly ‘I don’t know’. Think about it. Are you a-OK with saying ‘I don’t know’? If you are, good for you! You know how it feels when life and relations become so much easier if you’re honest and not ashamed of not knowing something. If you feel uncomfortable whenever you say ‘I don’t know’ stay with me. Today you’ll learn how to say it in other words. Choose your favourite and start using it. You don’t have to know everything. Isn’t that liberating? Amen!
Ok, let me tell you what’s the plan. First I’m going to tell you a phrase, give you some time to repeat it and then I’m going to say a whole sentence with the phrase and again, and also I’ll give you some time to repeat it. I divide all expressions into two categories. The first consists of regular, every day, very blunt, direct responses I use all the time and I hear it all the time also. The other one is a bit more polished. It ‘s more delicate, It’s something you can use in a situation in which you are supposed to know the answer but you just happen not to. Ok? So in the second category there are phrases to use for example at work, or during your I don’t know, a presentation of some sort. Let’s do it, listen and repeat every day ‘I don’t know’ alternatives:
Dunno
I dunno who he is.
I have no idea
I have no idea what I’m doing.
I haven’t a clue
I haven’t a clue what’s going on here.
I haven’t the faintest idea.
or:
I haven’t the foggiest idea.
I’m sorry, I haven’t the foggiest.
Don’t ask me.
Where’s the money? Don’t ask me, I haven’t got it.
How should I know?
How should I know, I’ve just arrived!
Who knows?
It could be one or the other, or both. Who knows?
It’s anyone’s guess.
It’s anyone’s guess who’ll win the election.
Your guess is as good as mine
How long will it take to drive to Kenosha? Your guess is as good as mine.
It beats me.
‘Why did he do such a stupid thing?’ ‘It beats me.’
God only knows.
God only knows what I’d be without you.
Well done. Repeating sentences out loud will help you to get to that fluency in no time.
Now, let’s repeat some more. This time phrases which you wanna use when you think you’d rather know the answer. When you would prefer to know the answer. Unfortunatelly you don’t, so if you want to mask the fact, you don’t know something just say:
I’m not 100% sure on that.
I’m not 100% sure on the number.
Good question.
Good question. Let me get back to you on that.
Let me check on that.
Let me double-check and then get back to you.
I can’t remember off the top of my head.
I’ll check that out and get back to you.
I don’t have that information right now, but I’ll be happy to get the answer for you.
Here you have it! Phrases you need to say ‘I don’t know’, without saying ‘I don’t know’.
Teacherola.com/34, there you’ll find a full transcript as well as the worksheet. Free of course. Teacherola.com/34
If you know someone who might benefit from my podcast spread the word and let them know about me!
Do you find it difficult to admit that you don’t know something? Go to my website and leave a comment. Do you find it difficult to admit you don’t know something? I would really like to know your answer, so please share it on my website.
In the next episode we’ll be analyzing the lyrics of a great song by Queen ‘Don’t Stp Me Now’. Make sure to subscribe and do not miss it!
We’ll get in touch really soon, thank you for listening and till next time! Happy learning. Bye bye!