Don't Make This Very Common Mistake: How Do You Call That In ...

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24 Oct 2014 Don’t make this very common mistake: How do you call that in English? By Andy Baxter, Posted in Quick tips | Add a comment

question_markIf you can’t think of a word, ask:

What do you call that in English? or What is that called in English?

These questions ask the listener to provide you with a specific noun or noun construction. For example:

I’m looking for… Oh, what do you call that in English – you know, a book that gives the meanings of words? A dictionary? Yes, a dictionary. Have you got one I could borrow?

If you can’t think of how to phrase a thought, ask:

How do you say that in English?

This question asks the listener to provide you with a phrase, a sentence or a paraphrase that will help you express what you want to say. For example:

We want to… How do you say that in English? Outperform the market? Exactly. Outperform the market.

Don’t make the mistake that many non-native speakers of English make by asking How do you call that in English?

© 2014 Baxter Publishing, Hilversum, The Netherlands

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