How to ask for clarification without seeming lost
KeepReap Editorial
Show what you did understand, then point at the exact gap. "Sorry, could you repeat that?" throws the whole explanation back at the speaker; naming the one part you are missing costs them a sentence instead of a paragraph, and it demonstrates that you followed the rest. This is the single highest-value habit for non-native speakers in meetings.
Ways to say it
Just to check I've got this right
NeutralB1Repeat your understanding back as a statement. If you are wrong, they correct one detail rather than re-explaining everything.
ExampleJust to check I've got this right — we ship the API first, and the UI follows next month?
Which part of the flow does that apply to?
NeutralB1A narrow question with a suggested answer built in. Far easier to answer than an open "could you clarify?".
ExampleWhich part of the flow does that apply to — sign-up only, or renewals as well?
Could you say a bit more about
FormalB2Invites elaboration on one named thing. Works well in writing and with people more senior than you.
ExampleCould you say a bit more about how the fallback behaves when the token has expired?
When not to use this
Do not use these to soften a challenge you have already decided on. Asking "could you say a bit more about the timeline?" when you mean "the timeline is not achievable" wastes a round and, once the pattern is noticed, makes your genuine questions read as manoeuvring. If you have an objection, use the wording for disagreeing instead.