Audio script
Olivia: How’s the leg Johnny?
Johnny: A bit better thanks...I’ve got the plaster off it now, but I still need the crutch.
Olivia: Good to hear...
Johnny: Your nephew young Joe didn’t help...he’s not here today is he? I need to recover!
Olivia: No, don’t worry...I’m not looking after him today. He’s with my sister.
Harry: Hello there!
Olivia: Hi Harry!
Johnny: Hi there workmate!
Olivia: How’s it going, Harry?
Harry: Erm...not bad...
Olivia: You don’t sound so sure...
Harry: No, really, everything’s fine...
Johnny: Everything ok at work? I don’t get to see you much...
Harry: Well, I’m always busy, you know...
Johnny: Oh yeah, I know...busy busy busy. That’s me, too! Got to go right now...just to the doctor’s though, he’s having another look at my leg, making sure it’s ok...
Olivia: Bye then Johnny! Hope it goes well!
Johnny: Me too! Whoops.......Magda! Watch out!
Magda: Oh, sorry Johnny!
Johnny: Owwww!
All: Oh no!
Magda: Oh! I stepped on your toe!
Johnny: Don’t worry...never mind...nothing serious...I’ll get better! Good job I’m going to the doctor’s right now! Bye!
Magda: Oh no! I feel so bad!
Harry: Don’t worry about it, he’s not really that bad! He hasn’t broken any bones or anything.
Olivia: He’s just a bit of an actor, that’s all...
Harry: Tell me about it...he’s terrible at work! I try and avoid him...
Olivia: Oh no! Why?
Harry: He just talks about his work all the time, about how important he is, and how rich he’s going to be...it gets boring...
Olivia: But are you getting on with him ok, otherwise?
Harry: Yeah, I guess so...they really make me work hard for my money though...
Olivia: Do you think you’ll stay with that job?
Harry: For a bit, I guess. I’ll have to see how it goes, long term...
Magda: Isn’t anyone going to ask about my interview?!
Olivia: Oh yes...sorry! Of course..so, how did it go?
Magda: I’m not sure...ok I think...it’s difficult to say...
Harry: What questions did they ask you?
Magda: The usual ones...why I want this job, what I can bring to their company...
Olivia: Did you answer all the questions?
Magda: Sure...yes.
Harry: Did you ask a question?
Magda: Yes...I only got a chance to ask one, so I asked them how far I’d be free to follow my own projects as part of the job.
Olivia: Good question.
Harry: What did you wear?
Magda: A suit, like Johnny told me to! Black jacket, trousers...
Olivia: Did you arrive on time?
Magda: I was perfectly punctual!
Harry: You’ll be a shoo-in!
Magda: Sorry? A what?
Harry: A shoo-in! It means you’re certain to get the job!
Magda: Well, I hope so.......Oh no! It’s them...they’ll be calling to tell me if I got the job or not....
Comments
Hello Azhan,
I'm not quite sure what sort of friends and chatting you mean. Do you mean on this website or another site or chatting by telephone?
Best wishes,
Adam
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi,
Harry said: "He just talks about his work all the time, about how important he is, and how rich he’s going to be...it gets boring."
Why is the present simple used here? If we used The Present Continuous like: "he's just talking..." and "it's getting...", how would the meaning change?
Thank you in advance
Nick
Hi Nick
Harry uses the phrase 'all the time' as an adverbial of frequency. You can find out more information about these here: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/adverbials/adverbials-time/how-often
More generally, the present simple is used when we describe permanent features or thinks that don't change. If Harry had used the present continuous, it would indicate that he thought that Johnny's work talk is a temporary thing.
When my sister was pregnant with my niece, all she would talk about was babies. I could imagine having said: "Wow, she's talking about babies a lot!"
Now, she has given birth and baby-talk has been replaced with talk about my niece. This is a more permanent situation so I might say: "Wow, she talks about Penny a lot!"
Does that help? If not, please let me know and I'll try to explain more clearly.
Thanks
Jack
The LearnEnglish Team
actually, i am so greatful for being a member in britsh coucil and hope be active and share with you to improve my English
hello
Day by day i feel myself better in english so let me practice little bit , i will be a shoo-in i mean the language challenge. than
i would like to show me the methodology so that i follow this program correctly .
Regards
hi hamza it is very interesting this site.
Hi all!
I didn't understand what "I’ve got the plaster off it now"
means, could someone explain me?
thanks
Hi Fayza
The 'plaster' that Johnny is talking about is a hard pot that a doctor puts around a broken bone. If you break your arm, the doctor will wrap your arm in a hard white bandage to hold it still and protect it. This is a plaster. Johnny is saying that his leg is much better and that his doctor has taken the plaster off it.
Thanks
Jack Radford
The LearnEnglish Team
oh, I see now
thanks a lot
its really helping me , thanks for this exercise
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