How to find missing words in the middle of a phrase

If you remember the beginning and end of an English phrase but not the middle, put * in the gap in Playphrase.me.

For carry and forward, the query is:

carry * forward

The wildcard sits between the two parts of the phrase you remember.

The search allows words between the two parts. You can look through possible matches without guessing every missing word.

Read the lines in the results. The asterisk does not restrict the search to one fixed expression: a substantial part of a sentence can fall between the words you know. For example, a result for carry * forward contains carry out this order and, elsewhere in the same line, brought forward. It matches the query, but it may not be the phrase you remember.

Playphrase.me shows the result carry our work forward — The result shows which words fill the missing middle.

When you recognize the line, remove the asterisk and search for the recovered expression. You can then hear those words in other scenes. If there are too many results, add another word you are sure of or narrow the source in Clip Search.

This approach suits a phrase whose word order and missing section you remember. If you recall only scattered words, try the suggestions in ordinary search: they may offer the complete phrase.