This invention concerns a method and system for monitoring an automated dialog system for the automatic recognition of language understanding errors based on a user's input communications. The method may include determining whether a probability of understanding the user's input communication exceeds a first threshold. If the first threshold is exceeded, further dialog is conducted with the user. Otherwise, the user may be directed to a human for assistance. The method also illustratively determines whether the probability also exceeds a second threshold, the second threshold being higher than the first. If so, then further dialog is conducted with the user using the current dialog strategy. However, if the probability falls between a first threshold and a second threshold, the dialog strategy may be adapted in order to improve the chances of conducting a successful dialog with the user.