Pointee-talkees are similar to the language guides that were used during World War II. They contain English phrases on the left, the same phrases written in the foreign language in the center, and the foreign phrase written phonetically on the right side of the page. The evader selects the desired English phrase and points to the translation of the phrase beside it. The evader may augment the pointee-talkee by making drawings and signs to help in communication. The major limitation of the pointee-talkee, as with the Blood Chit, is communication with illiterate persons. In many countries the illiteracy rate can be very high, so personnel may have to resort to pantomime and sign language – tactics that have been relatively effective in the past.

In some cases, multiple versions of the same language exist. This reflects the variety of synonyms or speaking styles that may be encountered. As in the US, individuals from the northeast, deep south, or far west have different speaking styles.