Hi there, this is Harry and welcome back to Advanced English lessons with Harry,
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Okay, so in this particular lesson, we learn to look at other ways to say "I don't know." Okay,
so when somebody asks us a question, we can say simply, I don't know, I don't know what you want
to do. But there are many other ways in which you can use it. So we're going to look at this
and this advanced English lesson. Alternatives are options. How you can say, I don't know. Now,
some of them will be formal, some of them will be informal. And some we might regard as
slang. So I'll try to identify each of those when we go through them. Okay,
so as always, I've got a list of 12. I'm going to give you the list. And then we'll go back
through them to give you a situation and an example when you can use them.
So here it goes. Number one, I have no idea.
I haven't the foggiest. I have no clue. I haven't got a clue. Or I'm clueless. So when
we talk about clue we can use it in any way. I have no clue. I haven't a clue, or I'm clueless.
Dunno. Your guess is as good as mine. It beats me. Don't ask me.
I'm not sure. That's a good question. I look into it and I'll get back to you.
Great question. Let's look at that.
Who knows? Or how would I know? Okay, so there the 12 alternatives to say, I don't know.
I'm going to go through them one by one, tell you whether they are formal or informal slang.
And then we'll give you an example.
So the first one, I have no idea.
Now, this is probably quite neutral, actually. It's not really formal.
But it's not neither informal either. So it's a little bit neutral. So if somebody asks you,
what are you going to do today? I have no idea I have, I've just got home from work.
I was working that late shift. So I've really no idea what I'm going
to do do today. So let me have a bit of breakfast. And we'll talk about it later.
Where are the kids? Well, have no idea. They went out earlier around with their friends
said they'll be back in time for tea, so we'll have to wait and see where they are. I tried
to text them but they didn't take their mobile phones with them. I have no idea.
Second one is a little bit more informal. And it's I haven't the foggiest.
Now, fog is when something we... we can't see through. It's a weather condition when the
night has been warm in the morning is cold and you get this air trapped and you create this
fog and you can't see through it. So this is what we mean when we say I haven't the foggiest means
I have no idea. I don't know. But it's quite informal. Yeah. Okay.
So what are you going to do when your tax disc runs out with the car? Are you going to
renew it or are you going to sell the car? I haven't the foggiest. I really don't want
to pay all that money again because I really don't use the car. But at the moment, I haven't
the foggiest, but I think about over the next couple of weeks, and then I'll make my decision.
What would you like for dinner tonight?
I haven't the foggiest. I mean, I'd like something different. You know,
when you get that sort of taste for something a little different than we usually have. But I
don't know what I want. I haven't the foggiest. So again, I don't know. I haven't any idea.
Now, the next to say the three options we're talking about clue. I haven't a
clue. I have no clue. Or I'm clueless. So a clue is something that will help you solve a problem.
When the detective looks into a murder or some robbery they are looking for
clues to so they would point them in the direction of who committed the crime.
But when you say I haven't a clue means I have no idea. I have no clue. Again. I have no idea
or I'm clueless. Okay, so yeah, though, if you want... What's the boss wants to have that meeting
about? He's sent around an email a few minutes ago and we have to assemble in the boardroom at
five o'clock. But on five o'clock on a Friday, it must be something serious. Do you... Do you know
what's going on? I haven't a clue. I have no clue. I'm clueless just like you, I like to wait until I
get to the meeting. Okay, so obviously a serious if the boss calls for a meeting at five o'clock
on a Friday, but you don't know, you haven't the information. So you say, Well, I have no clue.
I haven't got a clue or I haven't a clue, or I'm completely clueless. Yeah. Okay.
Now, you can always refer to somebody as they have no clue what they're doing. They haven't
a clue as to how to do it. They are clueless. So we can use it in that way as a sort of a
criticism of the work somebody does or the at their inability to do something
that you've asked them to do is clueless.
Next is very, very informal dunno. That means I don't know, but we use dunno. Yeah,
that's like wanna and gonna, one of these Americanisations. Yeah. So yeah.
What you're going to do at the weekend? Dunno.
What are you going to do after dinner? Dunno. What are you going to do about those results you got in
your exam? Dunno. Typical of what a child might say to you when you're looking for information.
And all the only response you get is dunno, dunno, dunno can be really annoying and get
right under your skin. But it's a classic response. I don't know,
dunno. Do you know anything? Dunno. So always that dunno, I don't know.
Next, your guess is as good as mine. So this is a little bit more formal,
your guess is as good as mine. Really what it means is, you have every bit of information
that I have, you have as much information as I have. So your guess is as good as mine.
So we go back to that meeting of the boss at five o'clock on a Friday, and your guy... friend says
to you or your colleague says to you, Do you know what's going on? What's the meeting about? Well,
your guess is as good as mine. Meaning, I can guess what it might be about but you could make
the same guess because you've all got the same information. Your guess is as good as mine.
Okay, what are the local council going to do with that wasteland at the end of the street, they put
big sign up, and they put big boards around it. So they're obviously getting ready for
something. But your guess is as good as mine. You know what they are like here, they never tell you
in advance. So they'll probably start building. It could be a school, it could be a shopping centre,
it could be apartments, we're in big need of apartments around here. So
you never know with the council. So the boarding has gone up, we're just going to have to wait
and see for a few months, when they start digging the ground up and putting in the
foundations. We might get an idea then. But at the moment, well, your guess is as good as mine.
Next, it beats me. So a little bit more informal. It beats me.
So when we use it beats me, it means I'm defeated literally.
Yeah. So I really don't know. I'm trying to work out what the answer is, but it beats me. Yeah.
So again, if we're talking about the corporation, what are they going to do with the vacant site in
the centre of this the town or at the end of the street? Do you know what they're doing?
Whoa, it beats me. I mean, I've been trying to work it out now for a couple of days. So it
beats me means I'm defeated. I've scratched my head. I'm trying to think of what it might be,
we'll just have to wait and see. I really hope it's not another shopping centre. Or I really hope
it's not one of those big glass buildings. So you won't know. And so at the moment,
it beats me, meaning I really don't know. And it's quite informal.
Don't ask me. Well, again, when somebody says to you, Well,
what's happening? Don't ask me so well, they are asking you,
but they're asking you because they think you know, but you just respond, Well, don't ask me.
How would I know? Yeah. So they think you have the information. They think you know what's going on.
What's... what's wrong with Mary? She's in a really, really bad mood. She has been like that
since she got home from university yesterday, and I can't seem to get through to her. Oh,
don't ask me! You know what she's like. She has these little moods from time to time.
So she'll tell us when she's ready to tell us. She might have had an
argument with a friend. She might have fallen out with a boyfriend again. Who knows? So
don't ask me. So it's informal. But it's a way of saying look, I don't know. You don't know.
We're just going to have to wait and see. So it's, it beats me. I don't know what's wrong.
I'm not sure. So when we use I'm not sure there's a little bit of uncertainty here.
You might have some ideas. But when you say I'm not sure, well, then it indicates that
possibly but you don't want to say exactly because you might be wrong.
Okay, so if you want to know when, or what time your babysitter is going to arrive here.
Did you arrange for the babysitter? Yes. I sent her the message when you asked me to,
I told her we were going to be going out at around seven o'clock.
So what time is she going to get here? Well, I'm not sure. But she's usually here on time.
So I'm not sure means I'm a little bit uncertain.
What will you get your mother for her birthday? I'm not sure, you know what she's like. She
said she doesn't want anything. But in reality, she would really like something. And anytime we
give her a present, she's really appreciative of it. So I'm not sure what we should get.
That's a good question. Now, this is quite formal. Okay. So at a meeting particular, when
somebody asks for some information, somebody wants to know what the strategy is, somebody
wants to know, what the marketing plan what the launch of the new product is. So they've got lots
of questions that they want answers to. So when you ask the question the boss, he says, that's,
that's a good question. Now, he might not have a good answer. He might have no answer, or she might
have no answer. But that's a good question is another way of saying, Well, look, I don't know.
So they are responding to your request for that additional information. Well,
I don't know. That's a good question. And I'm really going to have to think
about it. And I'll come back to you later, but leave it with me. Okay.
So it's a classic way when somebody doesn't have the information that you want,
and it's not a bad way to answer it because at least they're not going to bullshit you and say...
give you some answer that you that really isn't true. So they say, Well, that's a good question.
But I need to go away and think about it. And I'll come back to you. I hadn't thought about that,
or we haven't really got that far yet. But it's a good question. Let me think about it.
Or I look into it, and we'll get back to you. So again, when
somebody asks the boss or the line manager, but something in particular,
and if they don't have the information, well, then again, is better for them to say something like,
Leave it with me, I look into it, and I'll get back to you. So that's a good
classic response. It's quite formal. Leave it with me, I'll look into it. And I'll get back to you.
And it means Yeah, I'll take it away. I'll think about it. I'll ask a few people,
if I need to, I might have to talk to the HR department or the marketing department or
somebody else, but I will look into it, meaning I will investigate it.
And I will get back to you as my promise. I'll come back to you with an answer. Okay.
Now, another one. Great question. Let's look into that. Okay, so great question. Let's look
into that. Again, another formal way of responding to somebody. So around the meeting table, at the
boardroom, wherever it might be that somebody asks a question or great question. Well, let's,
let's look at that in a little bit more detail. So let's look into that. Yeah, so let's examine
it in a bit more detail. Great question. Let's look into that. Let's, let's examine it. Okay.
And then finally, who knows. Or how would I know. So a little bit more informal. And
usually when somebody says it, they just go, Who knows? So there's a little bit of a exclamation,
and it's all about the tone and the intonation in your voice. Or when you really don't know. Well,
you're a little bit annoyed that they've asked you and you've told them time and time again,
that you don't know. So you respond with that, How would I know? I mean, I'm the same as you
are at the same level. Nobody tells me anything around here anyway. So how would I know that?
So you come home from work, and the kids are not there and your wife seems to be a
little bit upset. There's a bit of a problem and say, Well, where are the kids? Yeah. Oh,
who knows? They never tell me anything. Yeah. But you know, they they were here earlier. Yeah,
they were here earlier. Did they not say where they were going?
How would I know? They don't tell me anything. That.
Something's happened. Somebody's a little bit annoyed. And then there's a little bit of tension.
And the response you get is, who knows? How would I know? So all in the intonation in the voice.
Okay, so let's look at those again quickly. I have no idea. I really don't know. I haven't
the foggiest, so I just don't know it all. I have no clue. I haven't a clue. I'm clueless.
Dunno. A shrug... shrug of the shoulders. Dunno. Your guess is as good as mine. Your
guess is as good as mine. It beats me. Don't ask me. I'm not sure, bit of uncertainty. I'm
not sure. That's a good question. I don't know the answer. But it's a good question.
I look into it. And I'll get back to you. I look into it. And I'll get back to you.
Great question. Let's look into that. And then finally, who knows? How would I know?
Okay, so all ways, alternative ways to say, I don't know. Try to pick out a couple of them.
Try to use them so you're not using the same expression all the time. So you get a little
bored with I don't know, I don't know. I don't know. Try a few of the others tried to see how
you can use them, introduce them, feel comfortable with them, and then practice a few others and if
you need any help or any other suggestions, of course please come back to me. I really
appreciate you watching. I really appreciate you listening. And as always, join me again soon.