Hello English learners, and welcome to another lesson! Today, you’ll learn how to continue after being interrupted, from gentle everyday phrases such as As I was saying… to firmer expressions such as Could I just finish my point?
Have you ever been halfway through a sentence when someone suddenly starts talking over you? Perhaps you were making an important point in a meeting, telling a story to friends or taking part in a lively discussion.
Being interrupted can make you lose your train of thought, but it does not have to bring your contribution to an end. English has plenty of natural expressions that can help you regain the floor, continue your point and sound calm and confident at the same time.
We’ll also look at strategies for getting back on track when an interruption has made the conversation move in a completely different direction.
How to Continue after Being Interrupted: Simple Phrases
The easiest way to learn how to continue after being interrupted is to start with a few short expressions that you can use naturally in everyday conversation. You do not always need a long or complicated expression. Often, one short phrase is enough to signal that you would like to continue.
As I was saying…
This is probably one of the most common ways to return to your original point.
- As I was saying, we need to make a decision before Friday.
Use it when: you simply want to pick up where you left off.
Anyway, as I was saying…
Adding anyway makes the phrase particularly natural when the interruption has led to a short digression.
- Anyway, as I was saying, we’re planning to leave early on Saturday.
Use it when: the conversation has briefly moved away from your original topic.
Where was I? Ah yes…
This is informal, friendly and very natural when you have genuinely lost your train of thought.
- Where was I? Ah yes, we’d just got to the hotel when we realised the bags were missing.
Use it when: the interruption has made you forget exactly where you were.
Right, where was I?
Another very natural conversational expression.
- Right, where was I? Oh yes, I was telling you about my interview.
Here, right does not mean correct. It acts as a discourse marker and helps the speaker organise what they are saying.
Polite Ways to Show That You Haven’t Finished
Sometimes someone interrupts before you have had a chance to complete your point. In this situation, you may need to be slightly more assertive.
Sorry, I hadn’t quite finished
This is polite, natural and particularly useful in British English.
- Sorry, I hadn’t quite finished. There’s one more thing we need to consider.
The word quite helps soften the sentence.
Use it when: you want to remind someone politely that you still have something to say.
If I could just finish…
This is polite but firm.
- If I could just finish, I think the reason for the delay will become clear.
Use it when: someone is trying to respond before you have completed your argument.
Could I just finish my point?
This phrase is more direct but still courteous.
- Could I just finish my point? Then I’ll come to your question.
Use it when: you need to hold the floor for a little longer.
Let me just finish this thought
This is very natural in meetings and discussions.
- Let me just finish this thought, because it relates directly to what Sarah mentioned earlier.
Use it when: you want to make it clear that you will give the other person a chance to speak shortly.
I’d just like to finish what I was saying
This is a useful professional expression.
- I’d just like to finish what I was saying about the budget.
The word just softens what might otherwise sound rather firm.
How to Continue after Being Interrupted When the Conversation Has Moved On
Sometimes an interruption lasts longer than a few seconds. By the time you get another chance to speak, everyone may be discussing something completely different.
This is when you need phrases that bring the conversation back to your original point.
Going back to what I was saying…
- Going back to what I was saying about the deadline, we may need another week.
This works particularly well in meetings, discussions and presentations.
To get back to my original point…
- To get back to my original point, price isn’t the only factor we should consider.
This is slightly more formal than Anyway, as I was saying…
Coming back to…
This is another very useful phrase for refocusing a discussion.
- Coming back to the question of cost, we haven’t yet discussed maintenance.
Before we move on, I’d like to add one thing
Sometimes the conversation is already progressing to a new topic, but you still have an important point to make.
- Before we move on, I’d like to add one thing about the timetable.
This is especially useful in meetings and group discussions.
When Someone Keeps Interrupting You
Occasional interruptions are normal. In lively conversations, people naturally overlap from time to time.
But if someone repeatedly prevents you from finishing, you may need a firmer expression.
If I may finish…
Short, polite and quite firm.
- If I may finish, I think you’ll see why I disagree.
I’ll come to that, but let me finish this first
This acknowledges the other person’s contribution while keeping your turn.
- I’ll come to that, but let me finish this first because the two issues are connected.
This is particularly effective because you are not ignoring the other person—you are simply asking them to wait.
One moment, please. I’m not quite finished
This is noticeably firmer.
- One moment, please. There’s one final point I’d like to make.
Use this mainly when softer expressions have not worked.
Want to Sound More Confident at Work?
Knowing how to handle interruptions is just one part of communicating naturally in professional English. English at Work 3: Business Collocations and Communication helps you build the vocabulary and expressions you need for meetings, discussions and everyday workplace situations.
How to Continue without Mentioning the Interruption
You do not always have to say I was interrupted. In fact, fluent speakers often simply continue naturally.
Here are several useful techniques.
1. Repeat the key idea
Repeating an important word or phrase can help you reconnect with your original thought.
- The biggest problem is lack of preparation…
After the interruption:
- Preparation is particularly important because…
This technique is simple but very effective.
2. Briefly summarise your point
If the interruption has been long enough for listeners to lose track of what you were saying, give them a quick reminder.
- So, just to recap, we have two main problems: cost and time. The next question is how we solve them.
- So, as I was saying, regular exposure to English is important. Now let’s look at how you can get more of it.
3. Use a discourse marker
Words and phrases such as these can help you restart naturally:
- Anyway,…
- Right,…
- So,…
- Now,…
- In any case,…
- Coming back to…
- Going back to…
For example:
- Anyway, the point I was making is that we need more time.
- Right, so the next thing we need to consider is cost.
- In any case, we eventually decided not to go.
These small expressions are extremely important in spoken English because they help conversations sound organised rather than rehearsed.
A Note on Tone and Body Language
Knowing how to continue after being interrupted is not only about choosing the right words.
Your tone can completely change the meaning.
Compare:
- Sorry, I hadn’t quite finished.
Said calmly, this sounds polite and confident.
Said loudly or with obvious irritation, the same words may sound confrontational.
In professional situations, try to:
- keep your voice steady
- maintain normal eye contact
- avoid speaking much louder than the other person
- acknowledge their point when appropriate
- finish your own point clearly and concisely
Confidence does not require aggression. Very often, the calmest speaker sounds the most authoritative.
How to Continue after Being Interrupted in Cambridge Speaking Exams
Being able to recover smoothly after an interruption is also a useful speaking skill if you are preparing for B2 First or C1 Advanced.
In collaborative speaking tasks, you and another candidate need to exchange ideas, respond to each other and manage turn-taking naturally. Occasionally, both of you may begin speaking at the same time or one person may start responding before the other has completely finished.
You do not need to panic or start your whole answer again.
Simply use a natural expression such as:
- As I was saying…
- Just to finish my point…
- Yes, I agree, but what I was going to say was…
- Exactly. And to come back to what I was saying…
Being able to recover naturally helps demonstrate that you can manage a real conversation rather than simply deliver prepared answers.
Practice
Imagine someone interrupts you in each situation. How would you continue?
- You are telling a friend what happened on holiday.
- You are explaining an idea during a work meeting.
- Someone asks a question before you have finished giving your opinion.
- A discussion moves to another topic before you have made your final point.
- Someone has interrupted you several times and you need to be firmer.
Try to use a different expression each time.
Final Thoughts
Interruptions are a normal part of conversation. Even native speakers talk at the same time, lose their train of thought and occasionally have to reclaim their turn.
The important thing is knowing how to respond naturally.
For everyday conversations, phrases such as As I was saying…, Anyway… and Where was I? are often all you need. In meetings and more formal discussions, expressions such as If I could just finish my point… or I’d just like to finish what I was saying allow you to be polite without giving up your turn.
Learning how to continue after being interrupted will help you sound more fluent, more confident and better able to handle real conversations in English.
Related post:
- How to Interrupt Politely
- How to Use Discourse Markers
- Discussion Phrases in English
- Vocabulary Related to Meetings
- B2 First Speaking Part 3: Discuss, Agree & Make a Decision
- B2 First Speaking Part 4: How to Discuss and Develop Your Idea
- Functional Language for Speaking Exams
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