Interrupting word or phrase

прерывающий

глагол

- обрывать, прерывать, внезапно прекращать
- прерываться, делать паузу; прерывать
- прерывать; вмешиваться (в разговор)
- отрывать (от чего-л.), мешать, препятствовать
- прерывание

существительное

- спец. сигнал прерывания (работы ЭВМ и т. п.)
- временная остановка, перерыв
- разрыв, брешь

Словосочетания

amperes of interrupting capacity — разрывная мощность по току в амперах  
rated interrupting capacity — номинальная отключающая способность  
circuit interrupting device — устройство разрыва сети  
contact interrupting capacity — размыкающая способность контактов  
contact interrupting rating — максимально допустимый ток размыкания контактов  
current interrupting — отключение тока  
gas interrupting unit — полюс элегазового выключателя; модуль газового выключателя  
interrupting beam — импульсный пучок  
interrupting capability — отключающая способность  
vacuum interrupting unit — вакуумный выключатель  

Примеры с переводом

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Возможные однокоренные слова

interrupt  — прерывание, прерывать, перебивать, мешать
interrupter  — прерыватель
interruption  — прерывание, перерыв, нарушение, перебой, задержка, помеха, препятствие, заминка
interrupted  — прерванный

Definition and Examples of Interrupting Phrases

An interrupting phrase is a word group (a statement, question, or exclamation) that interrupts the flow of a sentence and is usually set off by commas, dashes, or parentheses. An interrupting phrase is also called an interrupter, an insertion, or a mid-sentence interruption.

The use of interrupting words, phrases, and clauses, says Robert A. Harris, «confers a natural, spoken, informal feel to a sentence» (Writing with Clarity and Style, 2003).

Examples of Interrupting Phrases

• «Perhaps the most unusual track is ‘Compulsion,’ a marvellous extended funk workout which sounds — I kid you not — like Blondie’s ‘Rapture’ being covered by LCD Soundsystem.» (Dave Simpson, «Doves: The Pop Tortoise That Finally Beat the Hare.» The Guardian music blog, Mar. 16, 2009)
• «So how can the less obsessive — er, organized — among us better manage our money?» (Ismat Sarah Mangla, «Discover Your Budget Style.» Money, June 2009)
• «Nehi was the pop of small towns—I don’t know why—and it had the intensest flavor and most vivid colors of any products yet cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for human consumption.» (Bill Bryson, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Broadway Books, 2006)
• «Below the moon, the houses opposite her window blazed back in transparent shadow; and something — was it a coin or a ring? — glittered half-way across the chalk-white street.» (Elizabeth Bowen, «Mysterious Kor.» The Demon Lover and Other Stories, 1945)
• “[H]e had the true New Yorker’s secret belief that people living anywhere else have to be, in some sense, kidding.” (John Updike, Bech Is Back, 1982)
• «A-Rod, popping up, takes a backward step, bumps the upper part of his bat with his fist—bad bat—turns left and lifts his chin on departure, as if he were counting the house.» (Roger Angell, «The Yankees Are Dead.» The New Yorker, October 19, 2012)
• «Did you know—this is a little-known fact but absolute truth—that when they dedicate a new multistorey car park, the Lord Mayor and his wife have a ceremonial pee in the stairwell? It’s true.» (Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island. Doubleday, 1995)
• «Long term, car loans and—you guessed it—home loans will be much harder to come by.» (Barbara Kiviat, «Walking Away From Your Mortgage.» Time, June 19, 2008)
• «‘God,’ I would say, when I was standing in deep right field—the coach put me in right field only because it was against the rules to put me in Sweden, where I would have done less damage to the team—‘please please PLEASE don’t let the ball come to me.'» (Dave Barry, «Our National Pastime.» Dave Barry Is From Mars and Venus. Crown, 1997)
• «The Norman Conquests is so damned funny (though grounded, as Ayckbourn’s comedy always is, in real emotion) that it may simply perpetuate the misconception of Ayckbourn as a skilled boulevard entertainer. Which would leave American audiences still largely ignorant of the astonishing body of work by—controversial pronouncement alert!—the greatest living English-language playwright.» (Richard Zoglin, «Man of the Moment.» Time, May 4, 2009)
• «The Inspector, normally a peaceable, easy-going man, kind to his wife and family, fond of books, genial in his enforcement of the law and very generally liked in Tolnbridge, had now become a formidable machine, practically insensible to ordinary fear.» (Edmund Crispin, Holy Disorders, 1945)
• «Count ’em [is a] cliche often seen in parenthesis after a number is mentioned. For example, an article referred to ‘the seminal Andrex puppy advent calendar with 25—count ’em—puppy pictures … .'» (David Marsh and Amelia Hodsdon, Guardian Style, 3rd ed. Guardian Books, 2010)

Interrupting Phrases and the Conversational Style

• «[S]entence interruptions may flow naturally from a speaking style. In the following example, Sebastian Junger seems to be speaking to his readers: ‘She keeps trying—what else is there to do?—and Stimpson goes back on deck to try to keep the Satori pointed into the seas.’ (154) Even in Lewis Thomas’s sentence below, the interruption has the air of speech: ‘I bring up these shoals of numbers and their repeated cycles, when reduced to single digits, not out of vanity (although I admit to some self-indulgence) but rather the opposite: to disclose that I cannot be a mathematician.’ (167) The purpose of interruptions is usually to add information… .»
• «How writers punctuate interruptions depends on how much separation and emphasis they want. … Commas usually give the least amount of separation and emphasis, dashes more so. Parentheses give greater separation but usually less emphasis.»
  (Donna Gorrell, Style and Difference. Houghton Mifflin, 2005)

Interrupting Phrases as Attention Getting Device

• «The verbal violence involved in stopping one’s sentence in order to jump in and present some other information grabs the reader’s attention in a dramatic way. It creates the sense that the writer could not wait until the next sentence to make an announcement relevant to the current idea. The emphasis of the interruption is most profound when dashes are used and when the interruption consists of an entire sentence … .»
  «Many speakers interrupt themselves just this way, so similar interruptions in writing give the prose a feeling of having been spoken.» (Robert A. Harris, Writing With Clarity and Style: A Guide to Rhetorical Devices for Contemporary Writers. Pyrczak, 2003)

Asked by: Angelica Rowe

Score: 4.8/5
(7 votes)

Interruption in a Sentence

1. The birth of her first child posed a slight interruption in Halle’s acting career, but she went back to work after a year off. 2. Irritated by the constant interruption of the telephone, the writer unplugged the line so that the ringing wouldn’t disturb him anymore.

What is an interrupted sentence example?

Interrupted sentence example. «It doesn’t matter, Carmen,» he interrupted gently. «Carmen,» Alex interrupted in a stern tone. A phone call interrupted further discussion.

How do you use an interruption?

At length there came an interruption, which seemed like a powerful stimulant. I prayed that the matador had met with a similar interruption! The interruption of his career was the real and unappeasable wrong. There came, however, an interruption which put an end to the deadlock and it came from Tarzan’s rear.

What does the interruption mean?

1 : an act of interrupting something or someone or the state of being interrupted: such as. a : a stoppage or hindering of an activity for a time Our conversation continued without interruption for over an hour. b : a break in the continuity of something Internet service interruptions.

What is an interrupter sentence?

Interrupters are little thoughts in the middle of a thought, added to show emotion, tone or emphasis. When we use an interrupter in the middle of a sentence, it should be emphasized with commas. … Interrupters are easily identified by saying the sentence out loud; you’ll naturally pause where the commas should be.

35 related questions found

С детства нас учат, что перебивать собеседника нехорошо и невежливо. Бывают случаи, когда просто необходимо перебить говорящего, чтобы своевременно сообщить важную информацию, внести поправку, прояснить что-либо, или просто высказать собственную точку зрения. Кроме того, на экзаменах умение правильно перебивать собеседника может принести вам дополнительные баллы.

Для того, чтобы делать это правильно и не показаться грубым и невоспитанным, нужно владеть специальными фразами и к месту их употреблять.

Если перебиваете, не забывайте учитывать ситуацию общения и статус вашего собеседника. В зависимости от ситуации общения фразы делятся на формальные и неформальные. Формальные всегда звучат более вежливо и включают большее количество слов. Неформальные высказывания, как правило, короткие и содержат фразовые глаголы.

Формальные и полуформальные фразы (Formal and Semi-Formal Expressions)

Неформальные фразы (Informal Expressions)

Не забывайте, что теоретические знания обязательно нужно применять в общении. Если вы чувствуете недостаток реальной практики, наш разговорный курс английского именно для вас. Записывайтесь на бесплатное вводное занятие прямо сейчас.

APPENDICES: Academic Writing Basics

Appendix F: Punctuation Matters

Suzan Last

“Punctuation marks are the road signs placed along the highway of our communication, to control speeds, provide directions and prevent head-on collisions.” 

Pico Iyer, “In praise of the humble comma”^[1]

Consider how punctuation can change the meaning of the following run-on sentence:

I have two hours to kill someone come see me. 

The main function of punctuation is to separate phrases and clauses into meaningful units of information. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the basic structure of sentences—phrases and clauses—to understand the proper uses of punctuation. When punctuation is missing or incorrectly used, the reader may get a completely different message than the one intended. This can not only confuse readers and waste time, but can have disastrous results in cases where the writing has legal, economic, or safety implications.

An example of how a punctuation error can have real world costs and consequences is reported in “Comma Quirk Irks Rogers”:  one comma error in a 10-page contract cost Rogers $2 million.^[3]  If you need further evidence, read about the case of the trucker’s comma that went all the way to the supreme court, resulting in a $10 million dollar payout!^[4]

There are several helpful rules that will help you determine where and how to use punctuation, but first, it might be helpful to understand the origins. Punctuation was initially developed to help people who were giving speeches or reading aloud. Various kinds of punctuation indicated when and for how long the reader should pause between phrases, clauses, and sentences:

Comma = 1 second pause

Semicolon = 2 second pause

Colon = 3 second pause

Period = 4 second pause

These “pause rules” can still offer some guidance, but they are not foolproof, as there are many reasons that someone might pause while speaking, including that they simply ran out of breath, got distracted, or need time to think of a word. Below are some more consistent rules that you should follow to properly punctuate your sentences. These are presented in a numerical order to help you remember the rules more easily.

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If the subject is not the first word/phrase in the sentence, place a comma before it to separate it clearly from the introductory element and indicate clearly what the subject of the sentence is.

As we have discussed before, sentences are most often strongest when the subject is the first element of the sentence:  S →  V →  O

Occasionally, however, we might want to place a word or phrase before the subject. In cases where you want to do this, it can be helpful, and often necessary, to place a comma after that word or phrase to clearly indicate the subject of the sentence. In the following sentence, see if you can determine what the subject is without a comma to help you:

Based on that initial design concepts will be generated.

The subject—and therefore the meaning of the sentence—depends on where you place the comma. If the initial phrase is “Based on that,” and “that” refers to some previously stated idea, then the sentence indicates that the subject is “initial design concepts,” and the verb is “will be generated.” However, if the initial phrase is “Based on that initial design,” then we already have an initial design to work from and do not have to generate one. We are now focusing on creating more advanced “concepts,” that will be “based on that initial design.”

So if the subject is not the #1 word in your sentence, place a comma before it to clearly show what the subject is (hence “comma rule #1”). In each of the following examples, the subject of the main clause is bolded.

After an introductory word	Finally, the design must consider all constraints.
After an introductory phrase	In the initial phase, the design must meet early objectives. Meeting all the client’s needs, this design has the potential to be very successful. Unlike Emma, Karla loves mechatronics.
After a subordinate clause	If the design meets all the objectives, we will get a get a raise. Although we are slightly over budget, the design will be  cost effective overall. While he interviews the client, she will do a site survey.

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Never place a single comma between the subject and verb of the sentence; you need either two commas (like brackets) or no commas between the subject and verb.

When you place an interrupting word, phrase, or clause between the subject and verb, if that phrase is a non-essential element, you must enclose that phrase in commas (use the “bracket test”: if you could enclose it in brackets, then you can use commas).  If the phrase is essential to the meaning, omit the commas. The words interrupting the subject and verb are bolded in the examples below.

Interrupting word	Communication errors, unfortunately, can lead to disastrous design flaws. The rules, however, are quite easy to learn.
Interrupting Non-Essential Phrase or Relative Clause (these could be bracketed, and even omitted, without changing the meaning of the sentence)	The Johnson street bridge, commonly known as the “Blue Bridge,” had to be replaced. The new bridge, completed last year, is a rolling bascule design. The new bridge, which is a rolling bascule design, was completed last year.
Interrupting Essential phrases or clauses do not use commas; these are essential to the meaning of the sentence	The objective that is most critical to our success is the first one. That bridge that needed replacing was the Blue Bridge. The man with the yellow hat belongs to Curious George. The student who has the best design will get an innovator’s award.

If you would like more information on Essential vs Non-Essential elements, and when to use “that” vs “which,”  check out this Grammar Girl link: Which versus That

Beware the “Pause Rule”—many comma rule 2 errors occur when a sentence has a long subject phrase followed by the verb “is.” People have the tendency to want to place a comma here, even though it is incorrect, simply because they would normally pause here when speaking:

The main thing that you must be sure to remember about the magnificent Chinese pandas of the southwest, x  is that they can be dangerous. 

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When listing a series of 3 or more items, separate the items with commas.

Whether you are listing 3 or more nouns, verb, adjectives, phrases, or even clauses, use commas to separate them. In general, do not place a comma before the first item or after the last item. If you are only listing two items, do not separate them with commas. Note what happens when you forget to put commas in the following sentence:

“I love cooking my family and my pets.”

The author may have intended to list three things that she loves, but without punctuation, she ends up listing two things she loves to cook.

Only use the commas if there are three or more elements being listed. Make sure to list the elements in a consistent grammatical form (all nouns, or all verbs, or all using parallel phrasing).

2 listed elements (no commas needed)	All initial designs must incorporate mechanical structures and electrical systems. (2 nouns) Squirrels eat acorns and sleep in trees.  (1 subject + compound verb (2 verbs)
3 listed elements	The final design must incorporate mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems.  (3 adjectives describing different subsystems) Squirrels eat acorns, sleep in trees, and dig holes in the garden.  (3 verbs) The proposed designs must not go over budget, use more than the allotted equipment, or take longer than 1 week to construct.   (3 verbs:  go, use, and take)
faulty parallel phrasing (one of these things is not like the others…)	Proposed design concepts must adhere to all constraints, meet all objectives, and the components x must be on the approved list.  (2 verbs and a 1 noun) The new bridge is aesthetically pleasing, structurally sound, and has x a pedestrian walkway.  (2 adjectives and 1 verb)

There is some debate about whether to place a comma before the “and” used before the final listed item. This comma, referred to as the Oxford Comma as it is required by Oxford University Press, is optional in many situations. For an optional piece of punctuation, has stirred up a surprising amount of controversy! As with most grammatical rules, they can be broken when it is prudent and effective to do so; use your judgment, and choose the option that achieves the most clarity for your reader.

Punctuate my imaginary award acceptance speech below, indicating where you would put commas and which rules you are following:

For their guidance and inspiration throughout my life I with all humility would like to thank my parents Lady Gaga and Ghandi.

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Separate independent clauses by placing a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

While you might occasionally omit commas if the two clauses you want to join are very short (“She drove and he navigated.”), it is a good habit to separate them with a comma for the sake of clarity. The mnemonic device for remembering the coordinating conjunctions that can link two independent clauses together is FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). When you have two complete sentences, but you want to join them together to make one larger idea, use a comma before the coordinating conjunction.

FANBOYS	Two clauses joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction
, for	Thanks goodness next week is reading break, for we all need rest.
, and	Vampires drink blood, and zombies eat brains.
, nor	You should not play with vampires, nor should you hang around with zombies.
, but	The undead are not acceptable playmates, but werewolves are ok.
, or	You can simply avoid werewolves during the full moon, or you can lock them in the basement.
, yet	Some rules of etiquette suggest it is rude to lock someone in the basement, yet safety is of paramount concern.
, so	I think you understand my concerns, so I will leave it at that.

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Use commas to indicate that a non-essential sentence element (a word, phrase, or clause) follows the comma, or to signal an abrupt shift in thought.

Learning comma rules takes practice, of course.

Practice makes perfect, in the long run.

Vampires make everyone nervous, even the bravest slayers.

I told you I need it by Wednesday, not Thursday.

Consider the difference between “It’s raining cats and dogs” and “It’s raining, cats and dogs.”

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Use semicolons to link ideas when something stronger than a comma is needed. 

A semicolon has three main functions:

1. Join closely related independent sentences into one sentence:

Scott was impatient to get married; Sharon wanted to wait until they were financially secure.

(Subject are strongly related — indeed, in this case, they are engaged!)

2. Link two sentences joined by a transitional phrase/conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, finally, moreover, etc.):

Canadian History is a rather dull class; however, it is a requirement for the elementary education program.

3. Separate items in a complex list where one or more of the items have internal punctuation:

The role of the vice-president will be to enhance the university’s external relations; strengthen its relationship with alumni, donors, and community leaders; and implement fundraising programs.

In the first two cases, a semicolon works the same way a period does; if you could put a period there, then you can put a semicolon there. The semicolon simply connects the ideas more closely as part of one key idea, and makes the pause between them a little shorter.

The main rule you must remember is that if you use a semicolon in this way, the clauses on either side of the semicolon must be complete sentences. You cannot use a semicolon to introduce a phrase or fragment.

Complete sentence; complete sentence.

Think of the semicolon as working like a hinge in a bi-fold door; it joins two complete door panels that each have their own frame together as one.

Also remember that you cannot simply use a comma instead of a semicolon to link the two clauses; that would result in a comma splice error.

The 3rd case–using semicolons to separate long, complex list items that contain commas within them–can result in complicated sentences that are difficult to read. You might consider using a bullet list instead of an in-sentence list in these cases.

How would you punctuate the following to clearly show how many courses Makiko is taking?

Makiko is taking Classics, a course on the drama of Sophocles, Seneca, Euripides, Fine Arts, a course on Impressionism, Expressionism, Modernism, Literature, a course on Satire, Pastiche, Burlesque, and Science, a new course for Arts students.

1. Many companies make sugar-free soft drinks that are flavored by synthetic chemicals the drinks usually contain only one or two calories per serving.
2. The crab grass was flourishing but the rest of the lawn unfortunately was dying.
3. The hill was covered with wildflowers it was a beautiful sight.
4. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like watercolors.
5. The house was clean the table set and the porch light on everything was ready for the guests’ arrival.
6. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second however it could not think spontaneously.
7. The snowstorm dumped twelve inches of snow on the interstate subsequently the state police closed the road.
8. We invited a number of senior managers including Ann Kung senior vice-president Lionel Tiger director of information technology and Marty Sells manager of marketing.

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Use a colon to introduce amplification in the form of an example, explanation, quotation, summary, or list.

Keep in mind that when correctly used, colons are only placed where the sentence could come to a complete stop (i.e: you could put a period there instead).

Amplification	The hurricane lashed the coastal community: within two hours, every tree on the waterfront had been blown down.
Example	The tour guide quoted Gerald Durrell’s opinion of pandas: “They are vile beasts who eat far too many leaves.”
List	Today we examined two geographical areas: the Nile and the Amazon.

Remember that when introducing a list, example, or quotation with a colon, whatever comes before the colon should be a complete sentence.  You should not write something like this:

Today we examined:  x

Three important objectives we must consider are: x

If these cannot end in a period, they should not end in a colon. Whatever comes after the colon can be a fragment or list; it does not have to be a complete sentence.

1. Download the attached Punctuation Exercise (.docx) document and compete the exercises with a classmate.
2. Choose a paragraph from the Pico Iyer’s Time Magazine article, “In praise of the humble comma,” and examine how he has used punctuation to demonstrate his point in that paragraph.  In particular, note how he not only explains the importance of punctuation, but also shows its use in action.

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• Dictionary
• I
• Interrupting

Definitions of interrupting word

• verb with object interrupting to cause or make a break in the continuity or uniformity of (a course, process, condition, etc.). 1
• verb with object interrupting to break off or cause to cease, as in the middle of something: He interrupted his work to answer the bell. 1
• verb with object interrupting to stop (a person) in the midst of doing or saying something, especially by an interjected remark: May I interrupt you to comment on your last remark? 1
• verb without object interrupting to cause a break or discontinuance; interfere with action or speech, especially by interjecting a remark: Please don’t interrupt. 1
• noun interrupting Computers. a hardware signal that breaks the flow of program execution and transfers control to a predetermined storage location so that another procedure can be followed or a new operation carried out. 1
• noun interrupting Present participle of interrupt. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of interrupting

First appearance:

before 1375

One of the 22% oldest English words

1375-1425; late Middle English interrupten < Latin interruptus past participle of interrumpere to break apart, equivalent to inter- inter- + rup-, variant stem of rumpere to burst + -tus past participle suffix; see rupture

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Interrupting

interrupting popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 91% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

This word is included in each student’s vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

Synonyms for interrupting

adjective interrupting

• obstructive — to block or close up with an obstacle; make difficult to pass: Debris obstructed the road.
• interfering — to come into opposition, as one thing with another, especially with the effect of hampering action or procedure (often followed by with): Constant distractions interfere with work.
• intermeddling — Present participle of intermeddle.
• meddlesome — given to meddling; interfering; intrusive.
• defensive — You use defensive to describe things that are intended to protect someone or something.

noun interrupting

• meddling — to involve oneself in a matter without right or invitation; interfere officiously and unwantedly: Stop meddling in my personal life!
• obtrusion — the act of obtruding.

Top questions with interrupting

• how to stop interrupting?
• how do you spell interrupting?
• what is an interrupting phrase?
• how to stop interrupting people and finishing sentences?
• what are interrupting words?

See also

• All definitions of interrupting
• Synonyms for interrupting
• Related words to interrupting
• Sentences with the word interrupting
• Words that rhyme with interrupting
• interrupting pronunciation

Matching words

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Could you use 75 ways to politely interrupt a conversation as you learn to become an awesome American English speaker? Even while we’re learning new ways to comfortably speak English like a native, it’s important to never forget to use our manners! To become a successful American English speaker, it is essential to always address others politely and to be sure to measure words and interjections carefully.

When Can I Interrupt?

A good rule of thumb when you’re not 100% confident is to observe others around you and listen to the words, phrases, or sounds they are using to interrupt a conversation.

Good places to interrupt a conversation are:

• When the speaker is pausing to breathe
• When the speaker is finishing a phrase or sentence
• When you have a good point to make that would contribute positively to the discussion (be sure to measure your timing carefully, so as to not appear rude!)

It is also important to be prepared! Don’t interrupt if you have nothing to say. Give your interruption a purpose and form your comment in your mind before interrupting. You will feel very satisfied as an English speaker when you can successfully interrupt a conversation and make your own contribution, thus appreciating the natural ebb and flow of American English.

75 Ways to Politely Interrupt a Conversation

Here is a comprehensive list of ways to interrupt a conversation that will allow you to interject and make your point while still being polite to the other members of the conversation.

These cover a range of functions, such as: attention getters (#1-12), phrases that add information (#13-18), phrases that clearly announce that you want to interrupt (#19-30), phrases that allow you to jump in or join a conversation (#31-36), phrases that are particularly useful in meetings or class situations (#37-40), phrases that ask for clarification (#41-47), phrases that ask for time (#48-56), interjections to share your opinion (#57-63 and #67-72), interruptions that allow you to bring other people into the conversation (#64-66, this is a great way to encourage others who are being quiet or are not as confident to participate in a conversation), and suggestions that can be used to interrupt (#73-75). 

Attention Getters

These are a category of words that don’t have any meaning but that we often use to get people’s attention.

1.Clearing your throat

2. Uhm…

3. Hmm…

4. Ah…

5. Oh…

6. Well…

7. So…

8. Hey… (Note that this one is a bit casual, so only use it with people you are good friends with.)

9. Using the other person’s name (eg. “James, that’s a great idea!”)

10. Guys… (Can be used in a group of men or women, or a mix of both!)

11. Ladies and Gentlemen… (This would be the formal version of “Guys,” should be used in formal situations or when you’re trying to be funny in a casual situation.)

12. Everyone… (eg. “Everyone, I think that’s a great idea!)

Add Information

Would you like to contribute extra information to someone else’s thought or argument? Try these!

13. I need to add something here…

14. Can I just say something here? (When using this phrase, you do not need to wait for others to respond to your question, and you may continue with the comment you’d like to make.)

15. May I add…

16. I’d like to add…

17. Let me add something…

18. That reminds me… (For this one, you’d want to tell a connected or related story or piece of information. For example, “That reminds me, we need to prepare the report for next week.”)

Need to Interrupt?

Can’t wait any longer? Are other speakers not allowing others to speak? Use these phrases!

19. Let me interrupt a second…

20. I’m sorry to interrupt, but…

21. I don’t mean to interrupt, but… (Although you technically DO mean to interrupt, this is simply a polite way of interrupting that works best when you have a point to make quickly before the conversation changes, or when other members of the conversation are deep in a discussion but you’d still like your point to be heard.)

22. Sorry for interrupting, but…

23. Can I stop you there for a moment?

24. Can I just butt in for a second? (Yes, it is spelled like a word used to reference a person’s back end, but in this instance it literally means ‘to interrupt’!)

25. Can I just mention something?

26. Excuse me for interrupting, but…

27. Excuse me, I’d like to say something.

28. Excuse me for butting in, but…

29. Just a moment, I’d like to…

Jump In!

Assert yourself! Don’t be afraid to jump into the conversation.

30. Let me jump in…

31. Do you mind if I jump in here?

32. Can I jump in here?

33. Do you mind if I come in here?

34. I don’t mean to intrude, but… (Similarly to #19, this one works best when you are trying to contribute to a conversation you’re not already a part of, like when you overhear something and you want to join their conversation.)

35. I don’t mean to be rude, but…

36. May I interject?

Professional Setting

Need a less casual way of interrupting? Try using these.

37. Before we move on to the next point, may I add…?

38. Before you move on, I’d like to say something.

39. Before you go on, I’d like to say something.

40. Pardon me (This leans more toward the formal ways to interrupt, but it can also be used as a nice way to say “Excuse me” in both conversational situations or even when you’re on the street and need someone to move out of your way.)

Ask for Clarification

Are you still unsure or not clear enough on someone else’s point? Take a look at these examples. They are excellent phrases to try in a class setting!

41. Could you clarify that?

42. Sorry, could you explain that a little more?

43. Do you mean that…? (When using this phrase, you will need to continue by summarizing what the person has already said to make sure your understanding is correct. For example, “Do you mean that you think that’s a great a idea?”)

44. Would you tell us/me a little bit more about that?

45. Could you clarify that last point before we move on?

46. Would you mind explaining that a little more?

47. Could you explain that more fully?

Ask for Time

American English speakers are known for being fast speakers. If you’re having a hard time keeping up or gathering your thoughts, you should feel free to ask the other speakers for more time. You want to be polite, but you also want to have enough time to formulate a cohesive argument!

48. Hold on…

49. Just a minute…

50. Wait, what about…

51. Can we just pause a second?

52. Let’s see…

53. One quick thing…

54. Just one thing…

55. Just let me say…

56. Listen…

Share Your Opinion

Be confident in your opinion! If you feel strongly one way or another, don’t be shy and share with your conversation partners. 

57. I think…

58. I agree…

59. I disagree…

60. I don’t agree.

61. I’m not sure about that.

62. That’s great!

63. That’s interesting! (Be mindful that your tone matches your intention with this one. The way you intonate can be seen as a genuine feeling of appreciation, or instead as a sarcastic comment that means that opposite!)

Bring Others In

Do other members of the conversation seem shy or too quiet, or are others not letting them get a word in edgewise? Use these phrases to politely turn the conversation, so that everyone gets their say!

64. What’s your opinion, James? (Don’t forget to replace James with the actual name of the person you are speaking to!)

65. What do you think, James?

66. James, do you agree? 

Other Ways to Share Your Opinion

Do you still need to assert your opinion further? Try these!

67. As far as I’m concerned…

68. Personally, I believe…

69. The way I see it…

70. That’s right.

71. That’s correct.

72. Actually…

Make a Suggestion

Offering suggestions is a polite way to wrap up a conversation or a point of thought, or allow for other points to be explored. Use these if you need to add some creativity or action plans to the conversation!

73. It would be interesting to…

74. Why don’t we…

75. How about…

What Happens After 75?

The more vocabulary you learn, the more ways you will learn to form phrases to interrupt that suit your own style. We highly recommend that you practice using these ways to interrupt so that you gain confidence in your conversation and interruption skills! Of course, you don’t NEED to say any of these words or phrases! You can simply say what you want to say. Just speak up and jump into a conversation.

These 75 words and phrases can really help you to jump in and to manage tricky conversations with people who speak too fast or too loud, or who rarely give others the time to contribute to a conversation. Sometimes, you just need to jump in and take it for yourself. So, be brave, be fearless, and learn to use some (if not all!) of these awesome 75 words and phrases to interrupt in any American English conversation. You deserve to join in on the conversation, and other people want you to. So, don’t be shy, jump in today!

And remember, being polite is FREE! 🙂

Click on the video below to check out Gabby’s tips!

For more videos: Go Natural English YT

Expressing a Future Action: When To Use “Will” And “Going To”

Published December 5, 2017

What’s an interrupter?

Interrupters—like this little guy right here—are squeezing into more and more contemporary writing. They’re often the goofy/sarcastic “wink-wink-nudge-nudge” asides writers play with in nonacademic writing and online content.

Also called insertions, interrupting phrases, or parenthetical expressions, interrupters are words, phrases, or clauses that break the flow of writing—because if the author feels like it, why not?—to offer additional, can’t-be-held-back, or spur-of-the-moment thoughts (helpful, humorous, “just because”).

Examples of interrupters

“I decided zoodles are definitely better than the other impasta (get it?), spaghetti squash.”

“On Dec. 20th, a new Survivor champion will be crowned. Whomever it may be—Devon? Lauren? Cole coming back into the game off the jury in the biggest twist of all time?—will join the 33 other winners over 34 seasons.”

“Go on a camping trip, lock yourself in your man cave, or just check into a hotel that offers hot continental breakfasts (Mmmm … am I the only one who loves continental breakfasts?) and hash out your blueprint.”

Warning: We’re admittedly over-interrupting ourselves in this article, but it’s only to illustrate how written interruptions work. Just remember, in normal practice, use interrupters sparingly—a little salt enhances all flavors; too much makes the thing inedible. (Maybe we should take our own advice!)

How to punctuate an interrupter

One thing is certain: English is now more democratic and less elitist; interrupters give an unpretentious quality to writing that appeals to readers. Of course, successful interrupters have to be punctuated accurately (womp womp). A poorly dressed (naked as a jaybird) interrupter is not an excuse for a random run-on sentence!

In order for them to work, interrupters need to be accessorized with—you guessed it—commas, parentheses, or em dashes. Here’s a rundown of how to accessorize your interrupter. Our examples showcase longer forms of lightly-salted, twinkling interrupting phrases. They also feature a goat:

Using commas: “The goat, who had every reason to believe his lean hindquarters were in danger, hid behind the dumpster at the Greek restaurant.”

The interrupter above (also called an appositive) is the least eye-catching of the three types of interrupting phrases. Maybe it’s an understated elegance, though? This is by far the most common type of interrupter, used in both fiction and nonfiction to provide added detail while maintaining a steady rhythm in the flow of words.

Using parentheses: “The goat (who loved his rump because he invested a lot of time in keeping it lean) hid behind the dumpster at the Greek restaurant.”

Parentheses draw more attention to the interrupter than commas do, but the words between them are downplayed at the same time—at least compared to the dazzling em dash. Usually, whatever’s adorned with parentheses makes no real difference to the meaning of the sentence, but it “feels right” to the author to make the addition. It also jazzes up the rhythm of the sentence. Doo-wop.

Using em dashes: “The goat—who adored his backside, frontside, and every side, and was prepared to save all sides at any cost!—hid behind the dumpster at the Greek restaurant.”

OK, these goat examples are getting ba-a-a-ad. Nevertheless, we carry on. When em dashes surround an interrupter, the reader will pay the most attention to what’s encased. When you want to put the most emphasis on your interrupter—as here, where the poor goat, loving all facets of himself, is desperate to not have his hindquarters cut up for souvlaki—by all means, em dash the heck out of it.

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A well-placed interrupter can be appreciated

Readers and writers appreciate a nicely timed interrupter. In many cases, the occasional interrupting word-spurt is a welcome intruder because it provides additional information or expresses engaging emotional content, like the author’s attitude toward what’s written. It’s a multipurpose tool that can inject humor, break up text into more digestible bites, and shatter—or maybe just topple a couple of stones—the “fourth wall” between author and reader. When gently sprinkled, the device is really effective at creating an informal, intimate language space and keeps the reader’s eyes on the page.

A tool of the online masses

Hands down, interrupters are a tool to create the easy, light-hearted content we read today, especially in blogging and other online writing forms where social-media outlets provide channels for conversational self-expression (and formal writing just doesn’t fit).

This conversational—dare we say “shoot the sh**”—characteristic is the backbone of the written interrupter. It’s a carry-over from spoken conversation and just one of many examples of how, in certain contemporary discourses, written English is becoming increasingly informal (in nerd-speak, this is called informalization or colloquialization of language).

Mainstream interruption

That’s not to say interrupters only appear in the pop-culture blogosphere; established journalism outfits like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal also relish the flavor a dash of interrupters imparts. Keep in mind, for the most part (as far as our not-rigorous-at-all research methodology indicates), this device in journalism is seen more often in opinion pieces, editorials, and articles found in later sections of the paper (y’know, the real-deal physical paper that gets your fingers all smudgy).

This relates to the findings of one definitely rigorous study not conducted by us: The book Textual Choices in Discourse: A View from Cognitive Linguistics states that readers find news texts “more lively and suspenseful” when authors insert “free indirect thoughts.” But, readers also consider those texts less suitable for the news genre. Maybe they think the “look at me!” interrupters damage the impartialness that characterizes the news.

We hope you’ll pardon all our (many) interruptions, but we think you’re now ready to go out and (SHAZAM!) do some interrupting of your own … remember—keep it tasteful!