上一篇練的是寫程式面試裡自己主動要講的話。這篇處理另一種狀況：面試官順著我的回答一直往下問，問到我沒準備的地方。
求職面試指南支持先整理想法再回答；這篇部分示範句則來自 IELTS 口說教材。練習時可用來演練停頓與接話，但不把語言測驗的例句當成真實求職面試逐字稿，也不據此比較英美用法。
我當時想說什麼
被追問時我最常發生三件事：
- 需要幾秒鐘想，但不知道怎麼開口要，結果就是沉默
- 對方問原因，我沒有驗證過，只有推測，不知道怎麼講才不會像在亂猜
- 對方問到我沒用過的工具，或指出我設計的弱點，我不知道怎麼承認
先確認一件事：開口要時間是被允許的。Google 的面試準備頁寫得很直接：
Rephrasing questions or asking for clarity is okay, as is telling the interviewer you want a few moments to collect your thoughts
Amazon 的面試頁則是說，資訊不夠時可以問：
If you're asked a question and don't have enough context to give a strong answer, it's totally okay to ask for more information. If none is available, focus on how you'd approach the problem based on what you do know.
這兩頁都只說「可以這樣做」，沒有給要說的句子。句子我是從別的地方找的。
在這個情境可以怎麼說
一、爭取思考時間
| 想說的意思 | 這個情境可用的說法 | 和來源的關係 |
|---|---|---|
| 讓我想一下。 | Let me think about that for a minute. | 原句 |
| 這個問題很有意思。 | That's an interesting question. | 原句 |
| 這個問題不容易，不過我試著回答看看。 | That's a difficult question, but I'll try and answer it. | 原句 |
| 我沒想過這個問題，不過我會說測試比較重要。 | I have never thought about that, but I'd say testing matters more. | 改寫 |
| 我想花一點時間整理一下想法。 | I'd like a few moments to collect my thoughts. | 改寫 |
前四句出自 IDP 的 IELTS 口說建議。IDP 是共同主辦 IELTS 的機構之一，那一頁的第五點叫 Pause to think：
There is no harm in taking a brief pause to think about what to say. We all do it to process questions.
它列的說法還有 Let me see 和 That's a good point。第四句它只給開頭 I have never thought about that, but...，後半是我自己填的。
要注意這是口說測驗的建議，不是求職面試的教材。 把這幾句用在面試是我自己套用的；我的依據是 Google 那一頁說要時間沒問題。
同一頁的第六點要考生避開填充詞，清單裡有 Umm、Like、You know，也有 Well。它的理由是填充詞會讓考官覺得你找不到話，所以建議改用上面那些完整的句子。
第五句是把 Google 原文的 you want a few moments to collect your thoughts 改成第一人稱。
二、只能說推測
| 想說的意思 | 這個情境可用的說法 | 和來源的關係 |
|---|---|---|
| 我的猜測是快取的問題。 | My guess is that it's a caching problem. | 改寫 |
Oxford 的 guess 定義是「不確定對不對時給出的答案或看法」，例句 My guess is that we won't hear from him again。同一個條目還有 At a guess, I'd say there's a problem with the fuel pump，是另一個可以用的開頭。
這一句只有字典支持句型，沒有面試情境的來源。
三、承認沒用過、承認不漂亮
| 想說的意思 | 這個情境可用的說法 | 和來源的關係 |
|---|---|---|
| 我沒用過那個函式庫，不過我會先讀它的文件。 | I haven't worked with that library before, but I'd approach it by reading its docs first. | 改寫 |
| 這個做法不太漂亮，但行得通。 | It's not very elegant, but it's workable. | 改寫 |
第一句的前半是 Northeastern University 面試指引的原句，放在標題叫 Don't bluff 的那一段：Say so honestly: "I haven't worked with that library before, but I'd approach it by…"。後半的做法是我填的。
第二句出自 Google 的示範面試影片。面試官追問「如果要回傳那一組數字，找不到的時候怎麼辦」，應徵者說了一個做法，然後自己評價：I mean it's not very elegant but it's workable。我拿掉開頭的 I mean。引句來自影片的自動字幕。
四、講完一段，確認對方要不要更多
| 想說的意思 | 這個情境可用的說法 | 和來源的關係 |
|---|---|---|
| 需要我再多講一點背景嗎？ | Would you like more context? | 改寫 |
Amazon 的面試頁建議：A good tip: Pause after your answer and ask if your interviewer would like more context. 它沒有給句子，我把這句建議直接改成問句。
也可以這樣說嗎
| 英文 | 對誰／做什麼時用 | 是否仍是同一個意思 |
|---|---|---|
| Let me think about that for a minute. | 需要時間想 | 主要說法 |
| Let me see. | 同一情境，短一點 | 是（IDP 同一份清單） |
| I'd like a few moments to collect my thoughts. | 題目很開放，需要比較久 | 不同：明講要一段時間，比較正式 |
| Sorry, can you repeat the question? | 沒聽清楚題目 | 不同：是請對方重說，不是要時間（BBC 的句子，先前那篇做過卡片） |
| My guess is that… | 講推測 | 主要說法 |
| At a guess, I'd say… | 同一情境 | 是（Oxford 同一個條目的例句） |
換內容再說一次
先看中文，自己說一次，再看參考說法。
- 我沒想過這個問題，不過我會說要看團隊。
- I have never thought about that, but I'd say it depends on the team.
- 我的猜測是少了索引。
- My guess is that the index is missing.
- 我沒用過那個框架，不過我會先做一個小東西。
- I haven't worked with that framework before, but I'd approach it by building something small first.
- 這個做法不太有效率，但行得通。
- It's not very efficient, but it's workable.
- 需要我講更多細節嗎？
- Would you like more detail?
這五句都是我把來源句子的內容換掉，不是來源原句。
一段短對話
以下是自己寫的練習示例，不是真實面試，也不是教材的對話。
A: Why do you think the page got slower after that release?
B: Let me think about that for a minute.
A: Sure, take your time.
B: My guess is that it's a caching problem.
A: We use our own caching library here. How would you get started with it?
B: I haven't worked with that library before, but I'd approach it by reading its docs first.
A: And the workaround you described earlier, what do you think of it now?
B: It's not very elegant, but it's workable. Would you like more context?
不看英文，你會怎麼說
自評的標準是能不能把意思說出來，不是字有沒有完全一樣。
| 中文情境 | 參考說法 |
|---|---|
| 需要時間想 | Let me think about that for a minute. |
| 先回應一句 | That's an interesting question. |
| 問題很難 | That's a difficult question, but I'll try and answer it. |
| 沒想過，但有看法 | I have never thought about that, but I'd say testing matters more. |
| 要一段時間整理 | I'd like a few moments to collect my thoughts. |
| 只能說推測 | My guess is that it's a caching problem. |
| 沒用過那個工具 | I haven't worked with that library before, but I'd approach it by reading its docs first. |
| 承認做法不漂亮 | It's not very elegant, but it's workable. |
| 確認要不要更多 | Would you like more context? |
整體來說
九句裡三句是來源原句，六句是改寫。最值得先練的是 Let me think about that for a minute 和 My guess is that…，一句換時間，一句讓我在不確定的時候還能往下講。
這一批的依據比前幾篇薄。雇主的官方頁面確認了「可以要時間、可以問、可以承認不知道」，但句子本身來自語言測驗的建議和字典。面試現場實際有人這樣說的，只有 Google 示範面試裡那一句 it's not very elegant but it's workable。
更新紀錄
- 2026-10-25：納入統一口說系列；查證待辦移至研究紀錄，保留教材來源與使用範圍。
參考資料
- IDP IELTS: IELTS Speaking test: 10 tips from Experts：爭取思考時間的說法、避開填充詞的建議
- Google Careers: Interview prep：可以請對方釐清、可以要時間整理想法
- Amazon: Interview loop：資訊不夠時可以問、回答後確認對方要不要更多背景
- Northeastern University: Interview Type: Technical：承認沒用過某個函式庫的句子
- Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: guess：My guess is that… 的例句
- Life at Google: How to: Work at Google — Example Coding/Engineering Interview：被追問設計時承認不漂亮的說法