How to Confirm Your Understanding During Q&A Sessions

You’re in the middle of a presentation. You’ve just wrapped up your main points, and it’s time for the Q&A. Someone asks a long, winding question. You think you know what they’re asking, but you're not entirely sure.

What now?

Well, good news: you don’t need to guess, and you don’t need to feel awkward. There’s a simple way to clarify what the person meant without losing your flow or confidence. In this post, you’ll learn 3 professional phrases you can use to confirm your understanding in real-time, whether you’re in a Q&A session, a client meeting, a demo, or a team call.

Why Clarifying Questions Matters

Asking a clarifying question isn’t just something you do when you didn’t hear a word. It’s a powerful communication tool that shows intention, awareness, and professionalism. Here’s why it matters:

1- It helps you avoid miscommunication.

If you misinterpret a question, your answer might be completely off. Clarifying gives you a second chance to get aligned before you respond.

2- It shows you’re actively listening.

Rephrasing what someone said proves that you're not just hearing words—you’re engaging with their message.

3- It keeps your response relevant.

A great answer to the wrong question is still the wrong answer. Clarifying helps you deliver value instead of guesswork.

In business settings, clarity builds trust. When you take a moment to confirm what the other person meant, you’re signaling that you care about precision, and that you're not afraid to slow things down in order to get it right. That’s a sign of confidence, not hesitation.

The Problem with Q&A Sessions

You can prepare your presentation down to the last detail. You can even try to anticipate what questions might come up. But when it’s time for the Q&A, things don’t always go as planned.

Sometimes the questions are clear and straightforward. But often, they’re not. You might get:

• Someone going off on a tangent (“This reminds me of something that happened on a project I worked on five years ago…”)

• A question that’s vague or packed with jargon (“How does this align with cross-functional scalability from a strategic lens?”)

• Two or three questions rolled into one (“Can you walk us through the timeline, the risks, and also explain how it affects remote teams?”)

• A tone that makes it unclear whether it’s a question or a challenge (“So… you really think this approach is going to work?”)

And if you’re a non-native English speaker? There’s even more going on. You’re listening carefully, translating in real-time, thinking through your response, and trying to sound confident… all under pressure.

That’s where clarifying phrases come in. They help you slow things down just enough to check your understanding, make sure you’re answering the right question, and keep the conversation on track.

3 Phrases to Confirm What Someone Asked You

These expressions help you rephrase what you think you heard—and give the other person a chance to correct or confirm. Use them naturally and adjust the ending based on the context.

1. “I think what you're asking me for is… Did I get that right?”

Use this when you want to check that you’ve interpreted their question correctly.

It shows humility and attention to detail.

Example: “I think what you're asking me for is a timeline for the software rollout and how it will impact day-to-day operations. Did I get that right?”

Tip: This one works well when the question is centered around a specific request or item.

2. “To be sure, you want to know…, right?”

This one is a bit more assertive. You’re assuming you got it right but still leaving space for correction.

Example: “To be sure, you want to know whether the expenses exceeded the budget, right?”

Tip: This sounds a little more confident, good for when you’re fairly certain but still want confirmation.

3. “Do I understand correctly that…?”

This is a good option when you want to sound a bit more formal or diplomatic.

Example: “Do I understand correctly that you'd like more details about the premium pricing plan?”

Tip: This one is clear and polite, ideal for client meetings, boardroom presentations, or cross-cultural contexts.

What If You Got It Wrong?

Let’s say you use one of these phrases and the person says, “Not exactly.” Don’t panic. Try this:

“Ah, thanks for clarifying. Would you mind asking again with different words?”

This is polite, professional, and puts the responsibility on the other person to make their message clearer.

Native English speakers, especially in fast-paced environments, often use idioms or vague phrasing without realizing it’s hard to follow. Asking them to rephrase shows you care about accuracy and collaboration.

Ready to Practice?

Reading about these phrases is a great start. But the real progress happens when you try them out in context.

Inside the Talaera platform, you’ll find an interactive lesson where you can learn with interactive videos, practice responding in Q&A situations, and get instant feedback on your phrasing and grammar.

And the best part? Creating a free account gives you access to this lesson plus a curated selection of practical Business English tools, designed for international professionals like you.

👉 Start your free Talaera account and explore the lesson on clarifying questions today.