Speaking: Interactive Communication B1 - Lesson 5: Handling Simple Interruptions 🗣️✋💬
Objective: To learn and practice how to politely interrupt someone, how to respond when interrupted, and how to get back on track in a conversation.
- Learn phrases for politely interrupting when necessary.
- Learn phrases for responding graciously when you are interrupted.
- Learn phrases for resuming your point after an interruption.
- Practice handling simple interruptions in various conversational contexts.
Interruptions are a natural part of many conversations. Sometimes you need to interrupt to ask an urgent question, add important information, or because you need to leave. It's also common for others to interrupt you. Knowing how to handle these situations politely is key to maintaining smooth and respectful communication. This lesson will focus on simple, everyday interruptions.
Phrases for Politely Interrupting
If you need to interrupt someone, try to do it politely:
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Excuse me for interrupting, but...
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Sorry to interrupt, but...
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May I interrupt for a moment? (More formal)
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Can I just say something here? (More informal)
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If I could just jump in for a second... (More informal)
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Before you move on, could I ask...? (Interrupting to ask a question)
Phrases for Responding When Interrupted
If someone interrupts you, here's how you can respond politely:
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Sure, go ahead. (Allowing the interruption)
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No problem. What is it?
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Hold on a moment, let me just finish this point. (If you want to finish first)
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Just a second, I'm almost done.
Phrases for Getting Back on Track
After an interruption (whether you interrupted or were interrupted), you might need to bring the conversation back to the original topic:
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Anyway, as I was saying...
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So, getting back to my point...
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Where were we? Oh yes,...
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So, before we were interrupted,...
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To continue what I was saying earlier...
Practice Dialogues
Read these dialogues. Notice how the speakers handle interruptions. Practice with a partner.
Dialogue 1: Interrupting to ask a question
Chantha: So, for our trip to Mondulkiri, first we'll visit the elephant sanctuary, and then we plan to go to Bou Sra Waterfall. After that, we'll...
Liam: Excuse me for interrupting, but how long will we spend at the elephant sanctuary? I need to know for timing.
Chantha: Oh, good question. We'll be there for about three hours. Anyway, as I was saying, after Bou Sra, we hope to visit a coffee plantation.
Dialogue 2: Being interrupted and responding
Teacher: ...and that's why understanding the historical context of this novel is crucial. For example, the author was writing during a period of significant social change, which influenced many of the themes...
Student: Sorry to interrupt, but could you spell the author's last name again?
Teacher: Certainly. It's P-H-O-U-N-G. So, getting back to my point about social change, you'll notice...
Activity 1: How Would You Interrupt/Respond?
Read the situation. How would you politely interrupt, respond to an interruption, or get back on track? Click "Reveal Sample Response" for an example.
1. Your friend is telling a long story, and you need to leave soon for an appointment.
How would you interrupt?
2. You are explaining an idea in a meeting, and a colleague interrupts you with a comment.
How would you respond if you want to finish your point first?
3. You were talking about your weekend plans, got interrupted by a phone call, and now want to continue.
How would you get back on track?
Activity 2: Role-Play Scenarios
Work with a partner. Choose one of the scenarios below. Practice interrupting politely, responding to interruptions, and getting the conversation back on track. Try to use different phrases from the lesson.
- Scenario 1: Person A is enthusiastically describing their favorite Cambodian dish. Person B needs to interrupt to ask what a specific ingredient is.
- Scenario 2: Person A is explaining the rules of a game. Person B interrupts because they think Person A made a mistake in the explanation. Person A wants to finish explaining their version first.
- Scenario 3: Two friends are discussing a movie. One friend (Person A) is talking, then Person B gets a short, urgent text message they need to respond to, interrupting Person A. After responding, Person B encourages Person A to continue.
- Be mindful of context: In very formal situations, interrupting is less common. In casual chats with friends, it might happen more often.
- Wait for a natural pause if possible: If your interruption isn't urgent, try to wait for a slight pause in the other person's speech.
- Keep interruptions brief: If you interrupt, state your point or question quickly so the other person can resume.
- Be a good listener: If you interrupt, make sure you listen to the response before jumping back to your original point (unless you specifically asked to finish your point first).
- Don't interrupt too often: Constant interruptions can be seen as rude, even if you use polite phrases.
Summary: This lesson covered how to handle simple interruptions politely. You've learned phrases for interrupting (e.g., "Excuse me for interrupting, but..."), responding when interrupted (e.g., "Sure, go ahead."), and getting back on track (e.g., "Anyway, as I was saying..."). Using these skills will help you navigate conversations more smoothly and respectfully.