1. Expressions

2. Pronunciation

3. Grammar

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1/

Sally: We gonna leave soon?

Jennifer: Yeah. Jus' lemme grab a bite to eat.

Sally: Sure. No rush.

Expressions

grab a bite to eat = have a quich snack

no rush = There's no need to rush = we have plenty of time.

Rush: to move or go somewhere quickly [= hurry]

Pronunciation

- We gonna leave soon?

"going to " often changes to "gonna"

- Jus' lemme grab a bite to eat.

The final "t" in "just" can be dropped.

"let me" can change to "lemme".

Grammar

- We gonna leave soon?

Auxiliary verbs ("helping verbs") are sometimes dropped. Full question here:

Are we gonna leave soon?

- Yeah.

"Yeah" is commonly used for "yes" in informal English. Other substitutes for "yes" (and even more informal) include yep, uh-huh, and mm-bm.

End of Lesson one

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subscribe BrE: AmE: /sEb'skraIb/ verb

[intransitive] to pay money so that a newspaper or magazine is regularly sent to you

subscribe to

• What magazines do you subscribe to?

-subscriber noun [countable]

subscribe to something phrasal verb formal

to agree with an idea or opinion

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2/

Jennifer: Hello? Oh, hey there! How ya doin'? I'll get Sally for you. Hold on a sec, okay? Sally! It's for you.

Sally: Coming!

Jennifer: She's comin' now, okay? Bye.

Expressions

- Hey there! = used as a greeting in informal English.

- Hold on a sec. = used to ask someone to wait

The full question is: "Can you hold on a second"

The more polite request for a more formal conversation is "could (would) you please hold?" - OR - One moment, please."

- Bye. = "Good bye" in spoken English.

Pronunciation

- How ya doin'?

"you" sometimes changes to "ya"

Verbs ending in "-ing" often lose the final "g"

- She's comin' now, okay?

Again, the final "g" is dropped from the "-ing"

Grammar

As seen before, words are left out when the context is clear to all speakers:

"Coming." = I'm coming.

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3/

Jennifer: You up for a movie tonight?

Sally: I dunno. I'm kinda tired.

Jennifer: We could take in an early show. Say 6 o'clock?

Sally: Okay.

Expressions

- be up for (something) = be interested or in the mood for something.

- take in (something) = go see a movie, play, etc.

- Say...? = used to make a specific suggestion (such as the time of an event or the type of something).

Pronunciation

- I dunno. = "don't know" often changes to "dunno"

- I'm kinda tired.

"kind of" often changes to "kinda"

Grammar

- You up for a movie tonight?

Auxiliary verbs ("helping verb") are sometimes dropped.

Full question here: Are you up for a movie tonight?

- Say 6 o'clock?

Again, words are omitted.

The full question is: Let's say 6 o'clock. - OR- Shall we say 6 o'clock? ("Shall" would make the question very polite and more formal)

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4/

Jennifer: Can you gimme a hand?

Sally: Sure. Whaddya doin'?

Jennifer: I'm trying to put this together, but I goofed up.

Sally: Lemme see. You just hafta put these on the other way. See?

Jennifer: Oh.

Expressions

- give (someone) a hand = help someone

- goof up = make a mistake (usually not that serious)

Some people use "screw up," but this expression is more common for a very bad mistake.

- See? = Do you understand?

Pronunciation

- Can you gimme a hand?

"give me" can change to "gimme"

- Whaddya doin'?

"what are you" can change to "whaddya"

Verbs ending in "-ing" often lose the final "ing"

- Lemme see.

"let me" can change to "lemme"

- You just hafta put these on the other way.

"have to" often changes to "hafta"

Grammar

- See?

Words have been omitted.

The full question is: Do you see?

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5/

Natalie: Hey, ya know what? I was flippin' through channels last night, an' I saw our old classmate Chris Tyler.

Isabel: No way!

Natalie: Yeah!

Isabel: What was he doing?

Natalie: A commercial for his furniture store. It was good. He was really funny.

Isabel: Yeah, well, I'm not surprised. Chris always cracked me up in high school.

Natalie: Yeah. He was a real riot.

Expressions

- Hey, ya know what?

This question is used to get the listener's attention. This is said right before the speaker informs the listener about something.

Variations: You know what?

Know what?

You (wanna) Know something?

- flip through channels

To quickly change from one TV channel to the next looking for something interesting to watch.

- No way!

An expression of surprise = I don't believe it!

How can that be?

That's impossible!

- Crack (someone) up

To make other people laugh by telling jokes or acting funny.

- (be) a riot

To be vey funny (said of people of things)

Pronunciation

- Hey, ya know what?

"you" often changes to "ya" in fast speech.

- I was flippin' through channels...

Verbs ending in "-ing" often lose the final "g"

- an' I saw our old classmate Chris Tyler.

"and" can lose the final "-d" in fast speech.

Grammar

- Hey, ya know what?

Auxiliary verbs ("helping verb") are sometimes dropped.

Full question here: Do you know what?

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6/

Gossip (noun/ verb)

Talk about other people and their private lives

Jane: Don't freak out or anything, but I think Dan is gonna ask you out.

Isabel: Me?

Jane: Uh-huh. He told Rob that he'd like t' get t' know you better.

Bella: Oh no. This is the last thing I need. Office romances complicate every thing.

Jane: I hear ya. I find it awkward working with Peter ever since I turned him down for a date.

Expressions

- freak out

- freak (someone) out (phrasal verb)

= to suddenly become upset

Variation

Don't freak out or anything

When speaking informally,"...or anything" is sometimes added to a request in the neagative.

Additional example:

Don't laugh or anything, but I'm going to show you my baby pictures.

- ask (someone) out (phrasal verb)= to invite someone out on a date

- get to know (someone) better = become better acquainted with another person (you learn more about the person and become closer as a result.)

- ...is the last thing I need.

- the last thing I need is..

= used to stress how undersirable and/ or unnecessary something is

- I hear you. ("I hear ya.") = I know what you mean.

Used to agree with and/ or express understanding of someone's feelings.

- turn (someone) down = to say no to someone's offer, request, or invitation (often an invitation for a date)

Pronunciation

- Dan is gonna ask you out.

"going to" often changes to "gonna" in fast, informal speech.

- He told Rob that he'd like t' get t' know you better .

In fast speech, "to" sounds like the "o" is either missing or has changed to /Ə/

- I hear you. ("I hear ya.")

"you" often changes to "ya" in fast, informal speech.

- ...I turned him down for a date.

"for" often changes to "fer" in fast speech.

Stressed words:

- Creates drama and reflects emotion

Oh no. This is the last thing I need. Office romances complicate everything.

- for clarification

I find it awkward working with Peter ever since I turned him down for a date.

= I'm talking about Peter, not Dan, not any body else.

Grammar

- uh-huh.

"uh-huh" is commonly used for "yes" in informal English.

Other substitutes for "yes" include yep and mm-hm.

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