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Quick tips: drawing a blank

Zach McLaughlin

When was the last time you suddenly forgot a word, or perhaps the name of something, in the middle of a conversation? I’d bet it has probably happened recently. It’s a pretty common occurrence! So, what do you say when that happens? Here are three handy phrases:


“To draw a blank” is an idiom that means you can’t remember something or find an answer. When this happens, you can say “I’m drawing a blank.” It means that the word or answer is not in your head at the moment.


If someone asks you a question and you cannot think of, remember, or suggest anything at that exact moment, you can say “Nothing comes to mind / Nothing is coming to mind.” It means that you’re trying to recall something or come up with an idea, but it has not come to you.


If you are sure you know a specific word, name, or fact, but you cannot quite remember it at the moment of speaking, you can say “It’s on the tip of my tongue.” It feels like the word is right there, but you just can’t quite get it out!   


So, the next time you forget a word, I hope you remember one of these phrases!


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