Short answer
Keep the conversation moving by explaining the idea another way. If the word “enormous” does not come to mind, try “very big”, compare it with something familiar, describe what it can do or use a gesture.
S06E13 also discusses ways to make vocabulary more memorable, including repetition, chunking, visual links, personalisation and meaningful associations. The goal is to build memory while helping learners avoid freezing when one word is missing.
Try this in your next lesson
Ask a learner to describe a familiar object without naming it. The listener asks one question, guesses, and then both reuse the exact word.
👇 Scroll down for our practical checklist or activity and download.
Listen to the whole S06E13 discussion in our podcast episode guide here🔊.
Paraphrase the idea
Use simpler language, a comparison or a description. “It was so big that it wouldn’t fit through the door” can communicate the meaning even if the adjective is missing.
Build associations that matter to you
Link a new word to a story, image or familiar idea. The episode uses a mushroom’s “stem” as an example of making an association with science and biology. A connection that is meaningful to the learner can be easier to recall.
Revisit language in more than one way
Repetition, chunking, pictures and personal examples can all bring a word back to mind. Try them in activities and conversations, then let learners choose the cues that help them remember and use the language.
Model a route around the gap
Our episode example starts with a cake and a missing adjective. Em encourages alternatives to enormous, while Gav suggests a comparison or an explanation that it would not fit through the door. The important point is that the message can survive even when the preferred word does not appear.
For our suggested practice, choose an everyday object and ask learners to describe its appearance, purpose or location without its name. A partner guesses and explains which clue helped. Then reveal the word and use it in a fresh sentence. If guessing becomes frustrating, offer a category or a first sound. This is a communication strategy alongside vocabulary learning, not a reason to stop learning new words.
Our suggested classroom adaptation of the episode discussion.
Gav and Em suggest: keep speaking around the missing word
- ☐ Describe what the thing looks like or does.
- ☐ Use a simpler phrase or an example.
- ☐ Let the listener ask questions or guess.
- ☐ Check the exact word afterwards if it matters.
- ☐ Reuse the word immediately so it joins the conversation.
📥 Download the free teacher practice card (PDF)
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