Exercises B1 : practise Improvising in English (answers)

These exercises are based on the key strategies from the course: using filler words, paraphrasing, and asking for help to speak English confidently without a script.

→ See the course : Improvising in English : complete course

Exercice 1 — What Would You Say?

Choose the most natural response for each situation when improvising in English.

1. You forget the word for 'bibliothèque' during a conversation. What do you say?
2. Someone speaks too fast and you don't understand. What do you say to ask for help?
3. You need time to think of your answer. Which filler phrase is most appropriate?
4. You want to paraphrase 'I am exhausted' without using that word. What do you say?

Correction

1. B) It's the place where you borrow books, you know, with shelves everywhere.
2. A) Sorry, could you say that again more slowly, please?
3. B) That's a very interesting question, let me think about that for a second.
4. A) I feel like I have no energy left at all, I really need to rest.

Exercice 2 — Keep the Conversation Going

Complete each dialogue line with a natural, improvised response using filler words, paraphrasing, or a request for help.

1. A: What do you think about climate change? B: ___
2. A: Can you explain what a 'mortgage' is? B: ___
3. A: You look like you have something on your mind. B: ___
4. A: I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat? B: ___

Correction

1. B: Well, let me think… I mean, it's something that affects everyone, right? The weather is getting more extreme every year, so I think it's a really serious problem.
2. B: Sure, it's kind of like… you know, when you borrow a lot of money from the bank to buy a house, and then you pay it back little by little over many years.
3. B: Oh, yeah, actually… how can I put this… I've been a bit worried lately, but I'm not sure exactly how to explain it in English yet.
4. B: Of course! Sorry about that — what I was trying to say is that I think practising every day is the best way to improve your English.

Exercice 3 — Say It Another Way

Rewrite each sentence by paraphrasing it — avoid using the underlined word(s) and express the same idea differently.

1. Rewrite without using 'nervous': I feel nervous before speaking English in public.
2. Rewrite without using 'script': Improvising means speaking without a script.
3. Rewrite without using 'paraphrase': A good strategy is to paraphrase when you forget a word.
4. Rewrite without using 'confidently': The goal is to speak confidently in English.

Correction

1. I feel like my heart is beating faster than usual and I find it hard to relax when I have to speak English in front of other people.
2. Improvising means speaking without having prepared or written down exactly what you are going to say beforehand.
3. A good strategy is to describe what you mean using different, simpler words when you cannot remember the exact one you need.
4. The goal is to speak English in a way that feels natural and comfortable, without being afraid of making mistakes.