Buy Me Some Time — Speaking Under Pressure
Fluency and communication strategies. Maya goes live on a Toronto business podcast and learns that buying time, rephrasing, and asking for the right word are skills — not weaknesses.
📖 Reading: Live on Camera
Maya was invited to give a short presentation on design trends for a Toronto business podcast.
"I've done lots of presentations in Mandarin," she told Leo beforehand. "But in English, on camera, live? I was terrified."
The host asked her: "So Maya, what do you see as the biggest trend in design right now?"
"That's a great question," said Maya, buying herself a moment. "I suppose what I'm trying to say is — it's less about aesthetics and more about… what's the word I'm looking for? Authenticity. That's it."
"Can you expand on that?"
"Of course. What I mean is, people can tell when something has been designed just to sell. Nowadays, the designs that work are the ones that feel honest."
"Could you give an example?"
"Absolutely. Let me think for a second. So — Café Colibri, for instance. I designed the visual identity. The goal wasn't to look trendy. It was to look true to what Leo had built."
"That makes sense," said the host.
"Sorry, can I just clarify one thing? I said 'authentic' before. What I actually mean is 'relatable'. It's a subtle difference but an important one."
After the podcast, Leo texted her: "You were incredible."
"I stalled for about forty-five seconds at the beginning," she replied.
"Nobody noticed," he wrote. "That's the point."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| stall | To delay or buy time before answering or acting | v. — She stalled for 45 seconds at the start. |
| aesthetics | The visual or artistic qualities of something | n. — It's less about aesthetics now. |
| authenticity | The quality of being genuine and true to itself | n. — The trend is towards authenticity. |
| relatable | Easy to understand and connect with emotionally | adj. — She meant relatable, not just authentic. |
| subtle | Not immediately obvious; requiring attention to notice | adj. — It's a subtle but important difference. |
| expand | To give more detail or develop a point further | v. — Can you expand on that? |
| clarify | To make something clearer or easier to understand | v. — She clarifies her choice of word. |
| visual identity | The visual elements that represent a brand or business | n. — Maya designed Café Colibri's visual identity. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
That's a great question... | Buys time while starting to think. |
What I mean is... | Rephrases or clarifies a previous statement. |
What I'm trying to say is... | Signals you're searching for the right words. |
Let me think for a second... | Explicitly asks for time to formulate an answer. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Buying Time | |
That's a great question... | ...let me think about that. |
Let me think for a second. | Pause confidently before continuing. |
I suppose what I mean is... | Slow start, gather your thoughts. |
Right, so... | Signal you're beginning an answer. |
Rephrasing and Clarifying
📚 Rephrasing and Clarifying | |
What I mean is... | Reformulating a previous idea. |
What I'm trying to say is... | Finding better words mid-sentence. |
In other words,... | Restating in simpler or clearer language. |
Sorry, to clarify — I meant... | Self-correcting: changing a word/idea. |
Asking for Help
📚 Asking for Help | |
What's the word I'm looking for? | You know the concept but not the word. |
How do you say... in English? | Asking for vocabulary help directly. |
Is there a word for...? | Asking for vocabulary more tentatively. |
Sorry, could you say that again? | Asking for repetition politely. |
Managing the Conversation
📚 Managing the Conversation | |
Sorry to interrupt, but... | Polite way to enter a conversation. |
Can I just add something? | Asking permission to contribute. |
Going back to what you said... | Returning to an earlier point. |
If I could just finish... | Asking to complete your thought. |
🎭 Dialogue: Buy Me Some Time
Maya is on a live podcast. Every answer uses a different fluency strategy — buying time, finding the right word, clarifying mid-thought.
Maya, what would you say is your biggest challenge as a freelancer?
That's a great question. Let me think for a second.
Take your time.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is — it's the lack of… what's the word? Structure. That's it.
Can you expand on that?
Of course. What I mean is, without a manager or office hours, you have to create your own discipline.
That makes sense. One more — what advice would you give to someone starting out?
Right, so — sorry, could I just clarify that I mean someone starting freelance, not design generally?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Why was Maya nervous about the podcast?
What buying-time strategy did Maya use when asked the first question?
What did Maya clarify at the end of her answer?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Match: 'You don't know a specific word.'
Match: 'You need time to think before answering.'
Match: 'You said something and want to explain it better.'
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model and extend it.
- Student A: You are a podcast host. Ask your partner 5 questions about their life, work, or opinions.
- Student B: Answer each question using at least one fluency strategy per answer (buying time, rephrasing, clarifying).
- Rules: Student B cannot be silent for more than 3 seconds. If stuck, use a strategy — don't give up.
- Then swap. The goal is confident, natural conversation — not perfect grammar.