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Language, when you need it
Search concise C2 rules, vocabulary and speaking phrases without leaving the course to hunt through past lessons.
What it is
This is a four-move technique for handling a difficult live interview or Q&A: name the question directly so you don't sound evasive, concede any fair part of it, pivot to the point you actually want to make, and land on a clear, quotable line.
Form
| Form | Pattern | Model sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Name | That's a fair question about... | That's a fair question about the delay, and I want to address it directly. |
| Concede | You're right that... | You're right that the timeline slipped by three months. |
| Pivot | What matters more is... | What matters more is that the delay came from a safety check we chose to run. |
| Land | Short, quotable closing statement | We'd rather be three months late than one safety check short. |
Use it when
- You're being interviewed live and asked a hostile or pointed question
- You need to avoid sounding defensive or evasive on air
- You want to redirect the conversation to your key message without ignoring the question
- You need a soundbite the interviewer or audience will remember over the difficult detail
Examples
- That's a fair question, and yes, the figures were lower than we projected.
- You're right to raise that — it's something we take seriously.
- But the real story here is what we've changed as a result.
- What I'd ask people to focus on is what happens next, not what happened then.
- In the end, this comes down to one thing: we listened, and we acted.
Watch out
✗ I don't think that's a fair question.
✓ That's a fair question, and I want to answer it directly.
Dismissing the question live on air reads as evasive, not confident.
✗ No comment on that.
✓ You're right that this is a sensitive issue — here's what I can tell you.
Refusing to engage looks worse on air than a careful, partial answer.
✗ A rambling answer with no clear final line.
✓ A short, quotable closing statement that sums up the position.
Without a clear land, the interviewer or headline will pick the moment for you.
Remember
Name it so you don't dodge it, concede what's true, pivot to your point, land on one clean line.
Quick check
- 1. What are the four moves for handling a tough live question?
Reveal
Name, concede, pivot, land.
- 2. Why is 'no comment' risky in a live interview?
Reveal
It looks evasive and lets others control the narrative instead of you.
- 3. What should the final 'land' move achieve?
Reveal
A short, quotable line that sums up your position clearly.