The language of understanding

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
21

Hello, Alan!
I’ve got a question.
I heard an expression from native speaker, she asked me: “Does it make sense?” or something like that. What does it mean? Is it about understanding?

22

Yes Diliara. She was checking if what she said ‘made sense’ to you - – if you understood it.

23

Thank you very much, Beeesneees

24

I just want to tell you that sometimes It is not easy to find some who talk with in english in my country and I would like to find some to help me with this , my english is intermediate

25

this is true it happen to me , when i trie to say something thae people said what and i feel like stupid and they dont listen

26

Dear Alan Townend,

I thank you verymuch for yourlessons, and i have been followed yourEnglish more

Best regards

Nalong SOULIGNAVONGSA
Transportation Engineer
Department of Public Works and Transport
Savannakhet, Laos

27

Hi Alan, I am Rajkiran from India,

I am very glad that I have found this site and with your site I come to know many things about how english language is spoken and I am sincerely following your lessons and your grammar. I really understand your lessons and it is very clear.

28

hello Mr Alan,
I wanted just to inform you that the penny’s dropped. Thank you very mush for your wonderful messages.
zina

29

Dear all,

I am not sure on how to learn fast writing. From now on, I will manage my time to write more and hope to get comments.

thanks you all,

An Nan

30

Dear Alan,

I want you to know that, I always read your email with very good pleasure. I can learn a lot from your messages. I also want to apologize for not active so far.

I promise, I must start practice writing unless I could not improve my English.

Kind Regards,

AN Nan, From Cambodia

31

Hi Alan,
It’s been a while, I got my bac and also the ILETS certificate with this mark: 5.30 and I didn’t like it. So, I am striving and endeavering after being such as the native English speakers and I’m doing all my beyond efforts to get impressing marks the coming time. Actually, I don’t have problems with pronouncaition or writing. However, I am facing huge problems with the listening !!
As for your e-mails, you can not really imagine how glad, how thankful , how gratefull I am to you for sending to me such inspiring and motivating emails through which I am learning the English idioms. By the way, the idiomatic expressions make me special in terms of speaking with my teachers and friends I mean I make a difference.
I am looking forward to hearing from you,
many thanks,
Assya.

32

Dear Alan Sir,

Thank you for your essay “the language of understanding”. It was good.
We often use the expression " I see", I have got the point, and I have got
the message. Some expressions like I haven’t got the hang of it yet ,
I have got the general drift,and the penny’s dropped, these are not familiar
to me.

Finally I want to say in sarcasm : All your expressions are good, oh yes
thank you it’s all as clear as mud.

Thank you

33

Hi! I have just read your essay and I enjoyed it. It’s very useful for me!Thanks prof Alan!

34

Hi prof,
I am a regular follower of your mails and each one of your mail enhances my language proficiency. I have created a separate folder for all your mails to be used as a ready reckoner and guide. Keep this great work going.
Manikandan

35

Hi Alan,
Thank you very much for the enlightening essays I receive regularly in my email. I teach English language, literature and English/Arabic Translation at a university in Bahrain. I use your essays as resourses in translation lessons, after acknowledging your contribution of course, and they have proven to be so valuable. My students now find it easier to understand and interpret English idioms and phrasal verbs (the thorniest problems in translating into Arabic). Thanks to your simple and plain expalanation.

36

Hi Mahmoudhimi,

Thank you for your comments. I am delighted that you are using my material in some of your lessons.

Alan

37

I’ve got your message very smoothly. That was crystal clear
thanks for spending your precious time
hope you enjoy your living (I don’t quite know how to make a “formal compliment” about someone . maybe it’s a good idea to make a lesson about it )

38

I have really appreciated learning these expressions , because every day we are faced to many situations of non understanding what the others are talking about, these expressions are very useful in daily life
as currently I am studying accounting I found out that not all of the teachers can convey easily information to students
thank you Alain

39

Dear Alan,

I found out why I love very much this essay. Because I understood for the first go, and its style is similar when the mother learns her child to speak. It shows your human kindness. It’s true that I was familiar with all the words but not the expressions.This is an essay which contains new expressions with well-known words.

If you asked whether I had understood I would be saying:
- Yes, it’s clear as daylight.
If I hadn’t understood I should say: Oh, yes thank you it’s all as clear as mud. (We say: as clear as dark night.)

It’s really frustrating not to understand what is being said and to express I have lost the thread. We say I see, but not Oh, I see. I never dared to say in this way. But it seems to be more professional.

When for exp. my son-in-law is recounting what happened with them. I can say:
I follow or I’m sorry I don’t quite follow. But if I want to express my agreement I could say:
I’m with you. or I don’t agree I can say: I’m not quite with you/ I’m not with you at all.

To show my compliance when I am being corrected, I can say: I’ve got the message.

When somebody instructs me I assure my instructor in this way:
-Yes, that’s all right I’ve got the message, don’t worry.
But the instructor is uncertain that he has made his point, not everybody understood him, so he says:
-I have a feeling he/she hasn’t quite got the message.
-Hasn’t the penny dropped yet? (We say: Has the token dropped?)
Answer: The penny’s drooped.

Telling a joke and your face shows incomprehension. It is tried to explain the point of joke to you.
Question:Do you see it now?
Answer:Yes,yes the penny’s dropped now.

If somebody is explaining how to fit parts together you can answer if you understand:
I’ve got the idea.
But if you didn’t understand:
-I haven’t got the hang of it yet. But after a while when the peeny’s dropped, you can say:
Yes, I think I’ve got the idea now.

When I watch an English video and I don’t understand everything I can say:
-Well, I won’t say I understood all of it but at least I got the general drift.

When I understand but I can’t see what he/she means.The question is :Do you see what I mean? or:
-I don’t see what you are getting at?
-I don’t see what you are driving at?
-What are you getting at?
-What are you driving at?

When somebody beats about the bush. I can ask:
What exactly are you driving at?

Many thanks.
Best regards:
Kati Svaby

40

Dear Alan Townend, everything as clear as daylight.