Beginner· A1–A2Study & school6 min

Asking a teacher for help

Ask your teacher to explain something again and check that you understand.

The scene

After class, you go to your teacher because you did not understand the homework about the past tense. You want to ask for help.

Speaker A
Teacher
Speaker B
You (student)

Your goals

  • Get the teacher's attention politely
  • Say clearly what you don't understand
  • Check your understanding and thank the teacher

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • homework

    work a teacher gives you to do at home

    I have a question about the homework.

  • to explain

    to make something clear

    Could you explain this again?

  • exercise

    a short task to practice something

    I don't understand exercise three.

  • example

    something that shows how a rule works

    Can you give me an example?

  • to make sense

    to be clear and easy to understand

    Now it makes sense!

  • due

    expected to be finished on a certain day

    The homework is due on Monday.

Useful phrases

  • Excuse me, do you have a minute?

    Getting a teacher's attention

  • I don't understand …

    Saying what is difficult

  • Could you explain it again, please?

    Asking for another explanation

  • Can you give me an example?

    Asking for an example

  • So, is it …?

    Checking that you understood

  • That makes sense now. Thank you!

    Saying you understand and thanking

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Teacher

    Hi, Yuki. Can I help you with something?

  2. You (student)

    Yes, please. Excuse me, do you have a minute? I have a question about the homework.

  3. Teacher

    Of course. What's the problem?

  4. You (student)

    I don't understand exercise three. When do I use 'did' in a question?

  5. Teacher

    Good question. We use 'did' to make questions in the past simple.

  6. You (student)

    Can you give me an example, please?

  7. Teacher

    Sure. 'You went to the park.' The question is 'Did you go to the park?'

  8. You (student)

    So, is it always 'did' and then the normal verb, like 'go'?

  9. Teacher

    Exactly. The verb goes back to its base form after 'did'.

  10. You (student)

    That makes sense now. Thank you! When is the homework due?

You speak 5 lines as You (student); Teacher is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. Ask your teacher to explain a grammar rule you find difficult.

  2. 2. Ask for an example and repeat it to check you understand.

  3. 3. Ask when your homework is due and what to do if you are late.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. Which is a polite way to start talking to a teacher?
  2. 2. What does 'It makes sense' mean?
  3. 3. Which question is correct?
  4. 4. 'The homework is due on Monday' means…

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: I no understand.

    Say: I don't understand.

    Make negatives with 'don't' or 'doesn't' plus the verb.

  • Avoid: Can you explain me this?

    Say: Can you explain this to me?

    'Explain' needs 'to' before the person.

  • Avoid: Did you went home?

    Say: Did you go home?

    After 'did', the verb goes back to its base form.

Tips

  • Point to the exact exercise or sentence; it makes your question much clearer.
  • Repeat the rule in your own words to check you really understand.
  • Teachers are happy to help, so ask early, not the night before the deadline.

Questions about this lesson

How do you ask a teacher a question in English?

Start with 'Excuse me, do you have a minute?' then say 'I don't understand…' and ask 'Could you explain it again, please?'

Is it 'explain me' or 'explain to me'?

Say 'explain to me' or 'explain it to me'. 'Explain me' is a common mistake.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

Next lesson: Signing up for an English course

All study & school lessonsAll beginner lessonsTalkNLearn home