You are working at your desk with a colleague. You need a small tool next to their keyboard (like a flash drive or a stapler). You point toward it, but your mind goes blank and you cannot remember its name. What do you naturally say to them?, Could you hand me that whatshisname next to your keyboard?, Could you hand me that thingy next to your keyboard?, Could you hand me that thing that escaped me next to your keyboard?, Could you hand me that whatshername next to your keyboard?, A friend asks you, "What was the name of that excellent Italian restaurant we visited last month?" You knew the name this morning, but right at this exact second, your mind is a total blank. What do you say?, I'm sorry, the name has completely slipped my mind., The restaurant is a whatchamacallit., The restaurant is a whatshisname., I'm sorry, the restaurant has thingy., Which of these options is grammatically correct in English?, How do we call it? One of those things for keeping papers together., How do we say it? One of those things for keeping papers together., What do we call it? One of those things for keeping papers together., What's the word for this? One of those things for keeping papers together., In "whatchamacallit" where must you place the primary word stress?, WHATCH-a-ma-call-it (stress on the first syllable), whatch-A-ma-call-it (stress on the second syllable), whatch-a-ma-CALL-it (stress on the fourth syllable), whatch-a-ma-call-IT (stress on the last syllable), In "thingimjig" where must you place the primary word stress?, THING-i-ma-jig (stress on the first syllable), thing-I-ma-jig (stress on the second syllable), thing-i-MA-jig (stress on the third syllable), THING-i-ma-JIG (stress on the last syllable), In "Whatshisname / Whatshername" is there a sound we don't pronounce?, Yes, No, I need to fix this file. Do you have a... a _________? You know, one of those metal things for keeping papers together., whatshisname, whatchamacallit, slipped my mind, whatshername, That husband John _________, the cheater, called again last night looking for her. I should've called the police., thingamajig, whatshisname, escapes me, slipped my mind, I know exactly what tool I need to fix the sink, but the actual word _________., has slipped my mind, is a thingamajig, is a whatshisname, has whatshername, Can you pass me that _________ on the table? No, not the pen, the little plastic thing for opening boxes., thingy, whatshisname, whatshername, one, Do you remember that woman from the marketing department? Julia... _________? She just got promoted to manager., Whatshername, Whatshisname, Thingamajig, Thingamabob, I need a... a _________, that thingy to open this wine bottle. I don't know the exact English word for it, but it has a metal screw., Whatshisname, Whatshername, escapes me, whatchamacallit, He was searching his pockets for his car keys and found a strange plastic _________ instead. He has no idea what it is for., whatchamacallit, Whatshisname, Thingamajig, Thingamabob, I wanted to recommend that great new coffee shop downtown, but the name _________ right now. Give me a minute., avoids me, escapes me, is a thingamajig, has disappeared

Memory lapse | Useful language

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