The #1 fear we hear: “What if I don’t understand the officer?”
June 1, 2026 · 1 min read
The #1 fear we hear: “What if I don’t understand the officer?”
Good news: you have options. Better news: officers expect this.
If you don’t understand, here’s what to do:
✅ “Could you please repeat the question?” — totally fine, ask as many times as you need ✅ “Could you say that more slowly, please?” — also fine ✅ “Could you rephrase that?” — also fine
What not to do:
❌ Pretend you understood and guess ❌ Stay silent ❌ Answera different question
Officers will repeat. They will slow down.They will rephrase. They want you to understand the question — becausethey need to know your answer is accurate.
The English requirement is “ordinary English.” Notperfect English. Not legal English. Ordinary English — the kind you’d use totalk to a neighbor.
But here’s the catch: you need to practice these recoveryphrases out loud. Reading them isn’t enough. Under stress, even simpleEnglish vanishes if you haven’t rehearsed it.
In the Citizen Pass Mock Interview, you practice answering AND asking for clarification — built right into the simulation.
👉 7-day free trial: https://citizenpass.us
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