What to say instead of “Does that make sense?”

Short answer: say “What questions do you have?”

DON'T SAY
“Does that make sense?”
SAY THIS
“What questions do you have?”
It assumes you were clear and invites real engagement.

When to use it

Use it at the end of an explanation, a presentation, or a set of instructions. “Does that make sense?” invites a polite yes. “What questions do you have?” assumes questions are normal, so people actually ask them, and you find gaps before they become mistakes.

Example

You: “So that's the new approval flow. What questions do you have?”

Teammate: “Who approves when you're out?”

You: “Good question. Priya covers for me.”

In an email or Slack message

In email, close with “Happy to answer any questions. The part people usually ask about is the approval step.” Pointing to the likely question makes it easier for readers to raise it.

Quick drill

At the end of any update, presentation or long comment.

Which sounds more confident?

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