You Don’t Know the Answer. Now What?
How to buy time gracefully using Professional English when the spotlight is on you.
Welcome to the Friday Fix!
👉 Each Friday, we break down a real-world professional problem and replace “textbook” phrases with the authentic, native-level language that actually gets results.
It happens to everyone. A client, a manager, a room full of colleagues. Someone asks you a direct question. And you do not know the answer.
The silence stretches. Your face gets warm. Your brain starts racing through every possible thing you could say, and none of them feel right.
This is not a language problem. Native speakers panic in this moment too. The difference between professionals who handle it well and those who do not is simple: the ones who handle it well have phrases ready to go.
The Situation
You are presenting your team’s quarterly results to senior leadership. The presentation is going well. Then the Finance Director interrupts:
“What’s the gross margin on the new product line? I didn’t see it in your slides.”
You do not have that number. It was not part of your presentation. Eight people are watching you. You need to respond in the next few seconds.
The Challenge
Say exactly what you would say in this moment (2-3 sentences) that:
• Buys you time (without looking unprepared)
• Shows confidence (even though you do not have the answer)
• Commits to a follow-up (specific, not vague)
Have a go before scrolling down.
Phrases you’ll need for this one:
• “That’s a great question...”
• “I don’t have that figure to hand, but...”
• “What I can tell you is...”
• “I’ll have that with you by...”
👇 Ready to see how a professional would handle this? The model answer, a breakdown of why each phrase works, the framework for following up, and the trap most ESL speakers fall into are below. 🔒
