English Vocabulary for learners
Expressions: INCOMPREHENSION
(ways to say you don't understand)
from: 'it beats me' to: 'slow on the uptake'
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It beats me | Something you find difficult to understand | "It beats me how he can live in that horrible apartment!" |
| It's beyond me | Impossible for you to understand. | "It's beyond me why Sophie wants to marry John." |
| It’s all Greek to me | Not understand at all what is being said or written | "He showed us a complex diagram to illustrate his idea, but it was all greek to me!" |
| Can't make head or tail of it | Fail to understand at all | "Amy's message was so confusing. I couldn't make head or tail of it!" |
| Can’t get your head around (something) | Be unable to understand | “I need help with my tax return. I just can’t get my head around it!” |
| Chinese arithmetic | Very complicated or totally incomprehensible for you | "When he tried to explain the rules of the game, it was like Chinese arithmetic!" |
| Go over your head | Be too difficult for you to understand | “The teacher’s explanations just went over my head!” |
| Lose the plot | Be unable to understand what is happening | "His instructions were so long and confusing that I just lost the plot!" |
| Lose the thread | Be unable to follow something e.g. a story | "There were so many interruptions during the film that I completely lost the thread." |
| (Be) lost on someone | Fail to understand the meaning | "Sam's joke was completely lost on Charlie." |
| Miss the point | Not understand the essential part | The manager missed the point. It's not the job that's the problem, it's the amount of work. |
| Slow on the uptake | Slow to understand what is meant | "Please explain the problem in simple words - I'm a bit slow on the uptake! |
English idioms
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