what does it mean if you don't hold your
breath
or you just say the word or you tell
someone
what or if something's your treat
we're looking at these phrases and lots
more like them in this video
they're going to take your spoken
english upper level
there's the english you learn from books
in school and then there's colloquial
english
all those informal spoken expressions
that english speakers use all the time
and that's what this lesson's all about
we'll show you lots of common phrases
and how to use them in action so let's
roll the first video
[Music]
what's that it's my application i'm
applying for my dream job
oh really do you think it's a good idea
sure
go for it what's your visit
i'm applying to be an astronaut with the
space agency
what nasa you bet and they're asking
about my special skills and i have a
great one
do you know what that means i haven't a
clue
it's morse code all right
so do you think you'll get the job i
haven't the foggiest idea
what do you think oh well
don't hold your breath hey but you're
very good at morse code
did you notice this phrase when you go
for something
you put in effort to get or achieve it
we normally say this phrase to encourage
people do you think i should apply for
this job
sure go for it it's a great idea and you
also heard this phrase
you bet you want to be an astronaut with
nasa
you bet it just means yes or certainly
but it's a very enthusiastic yes
we can also use it when someone guesses
something correctly
so you know morse code you bet
and then you heard some informal ways to
say i don't know
for when you don't know at all i don't
have the foggiest
idea in british english we can skip the
word idea
and just say this i haven't the foggiest
and you heard a similar phrase will i
get the job
or not i don't have a clue
this phrase is interesting because you
can also use it in a disapproving way
when you think someone's stupid or bad
at something
don't ask vicky about morse code she
doesn't have a clue
how dare you okay what's next
this is a good one when we hold our
breath we breathe in and don't breathe
out
but the idea is we can't do it for long
do you think i'll get the job well don't
hold your breath
so we say this when we think something's
not going to happen soon
or maybe it won't happen at all
hey jay do you think we'll all get our
coveted vaccinations soon
and life will return to normal maybe
but don't hold your breath it's a joke
answer for when we think something won't
happen
or it'll take a long time okay let's see
another conversation
this one's an old joke but a good one
[Applause]
[Music]
ta-da who are you i
am the genie of the lamp and i can grant
you
one wish really just say the word what
would you like
well there are a lot of countries
in the world where there are wars yes i
see that
and i want them to live in peace hmm
[Music]
sorry no can do oh
well the thing is these countries have
been at war for
hundreds of years it's just not possible
try another wish hmm okay then
i want you to find me a nice man
that's more like it he's got to be kind
and intelligent
and love children and he's got to love
cooking
and housework more than watching
football
show me those wars again
okay the first phrase you should learn
was just say the word
you can say this when you're being
helpful you can have anything you want
just say the word and it's yours the
idea is
you only need to ask and i'll do what
you want
it invites someone to give you an order
if you need me to help you just say the
word
okay next phrase you want world peace
sorry no can do this simply means
i can't we say it when someone's asked
us to do something that's impossible
notice the word order it's strange i
don't know why we say it that way
because
it sounds funny maybe that's why
can you help me file these papers sorry
no can do
i'm going out to lunch with a customer
bye
okay the next phrase is very common the
thing is
so i can't have world peace no the thing
is these countries have been at war for
hundreds of years
it's useful for introducing reasons
we say it before we explain something
i'm sorry i didn't call you last night
the thing is
i fell asleep
i don't really need another pair of
shoes
but the thing is these ones are so cute
okay here's another handy phrase try
another wish
hmm okay then i want you to find me
a nice man that's more like it
it's an encouraging thing to say it
means that something is better and more
acceptable
it's five hundred dollars oh that's too
much
well with our discount it's only 300. oh
that's more like it
so the lower price was better and more
acceptable
no no
no that's more like it
okay i'll work on this one yeah it's
better than the rest
okay let's look at another conversation
now
you'll hear some good phrases for
building relationships
and being supportive really
well let's see i'm so upset
uh-huh why i was expecting to hear from
frank hobson i thought he was going to
place a big order with me
and he didn't no oh
well cheer up it's not the end of the
world
i worked so hard to make that sale i
thought he was gonna buy three thousand
that's a lot but these things happen
and i thought i was going to be
salesperson of the month
ah i'll tell you what
how about i take you out and buy you a
meal tonight
really yes it'll be my treat
and you can choose the restaurant wow
that would be really nice of you
you're welcome thanks very much i really
appreciate it i'll see you later then
yeah see you later
hi frank so you're ready to submit your
order
fantastic just make sure you put vicky
in the box where it says salesperson not
j
okay that's great
thanks frank
[Music]
i'm gonna be top salesperson again
you're so mean to me but i said some
nice things to you
let's look at some oh cheer up
cheer up is a phrasal verb and it means
to become happier and not
sad so if someone's feeling low we might
try to cheer them up
and people say cheer up to encourage
someone who's sad but they also say it
if someone's being miserable
and they're fed up with them that
happens a lot too
i've often thought it was a strange
thing to say
you can't really order someone to be
happy if they're not
true okay here's something you can say
when something bad happens it's not the
end of the world
the idea is things aren't as bad as you
think
the end of the world is the worst thing
possible
so it's a reminder that it's better than
that
and maybe there's still hope perhaps
things can change and here's another
sympathetic phrase
these things happen sometimes it's
nobody's fault when bad things happen
it's just
chance or bad luck so the idea is you
shouldn't feel bad or guilty about
it okay thanks
oh i've just spilled some coffee and not
to worry
these things happen be careful though
because we don't say this when there was
a really bad event
oh my what's happened my grandmother's
died
oh well these things happen
[Music]
that was not appropriate we've made
another video about what to say when
people are grieving
i'll put the link here okay back to the
conversation
here's a really common phrase but when
do we say it
i'll tell you what how about i take you
out for a nice meal tonight
we say it before we offer to do
something and we can drop the eye
and will and just say tell you what
tell you what if you buy 3 000 i'll give
you a discount
we also say it before we make a
suggestion
so where do you want to go tonight
well tell you what let's try that new
indian restaurant
good idea and there's one more phrase
you should know
it'll be my treat treats are things that
are very nice and pleasant
there are things we give to other people
because we know they'll enjoy them
jay's bought some tickets for us to see
hamilton
it's my birthday treat we can use this
word
to tell someone that we're going to pay
what would you like to drink
a beer no no put your money away
this is my treat so it's a very
practical phrase i think
you bet if you have suggestions for
other colloquial phrases you'd like us
to look at
tell us in the comments just say the
word and we'll try to help
oh and i want to tell them about the
bell go for it
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lot everyone bye bye
you