Dialogue

Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Michael: Talking About Your Baby.
Michael: Hi everyone, I'm Michael.
Alisha: And I'm Alisha.
Michael: In this lesson, you'll learn how to post and leave comments in English about a smiling baby picture. Jennifer plays with her baby, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:
Alisha: "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine! I mean, look at that smile!"
Michael: Listen to a reading of the post and the comments that follow.
DIALOGUE
(clicking sound)
Jennifer: "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine! I mean, look at that smile!"
(clicking sound)
Chris: "She takes after her dad!"
Gloria: "Gorgeous!"
Wendy: "She looks like you when you were a kid!"
Alex: "She has grown so quickly!"
POST
Michael: Listen again to Jennifer's post.
Alisha: (SLOW) "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine! I mean, look at that smile!"
Alisha: (Regular) "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine! I mean, look at that smile!"
Michael: Let's break this down.
Alisha: First is the expression, "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine!"
Michael: "I can't believe" is used when expressing something unbelievable, shocking, or surprising. For example: "I can't believe he said that!" Listen again.
Alisha: (SLOW) "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine!" (REGULAR) "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine!"
Michael: Then comes the phrase...
Alisha: "I mean, look at that smile!"
Michael: "I mean" is a slang expression similar to "well," "after all," and "as a matter of fact." It fills out a sentence but is not actually needed. It's used for adding a comment or explaining what you have just said; technically, it does not change the meaning of the sentence, but it can change its feeling or attitude. This is usually noticed by the tone of voice of the speaker. For example, "I mean, look how expensive it is!"
Another usage of "I mean" is to correct a mistake in something you have just said. For example, "I need two cups. Wait, I mean three cups." Listen again.
Alisha: (SLOW) "I mean, look at that smile!" (REGULAR) "I mean, look at that smile!"
Michael: All together...
Alisha: "I can't believe this sweet pea is mine! I mean, look at that smile!"
COMMENTS
Michael: In response, Jennifer's friends leave some comments.
Michael: Her husband, Chris, says...
Alisha: (SLOW) "She takes after her dad!" (REGULAR) "She takes after her dad!"
[Pause]
Alisha: "She takes after her dad!"
Michael: Use this expression to show that you are being vain in a humorous manner.
Michael: Her neighbor, Gloria, says...
Alisha: (SLOW) "Gorgeous!" (REGULAR) "Gorgeous!"
[Pause]
Alisha: "Gorgeous!"
Michael: Use this expression to show you are feeling warm-hearted.
Michael: Her high school friend, Wendy, says...
Alisha: (SLOW) "She looks like you when you were a kid!" (REGULAR) "She looks like you when you were a kid!"
[Pause]
Alisha: "She looks like you when you were a kid!"
Michael: Use this expression to relate to someone.
Michael: Her nephew, Alex, says...
Alisha: (SLOW) "She has grown so quickly!" (REGULAR) "She has grown so quickly!"
[Pause]
Alisha: "She has grown so quickly!"
Michael: Use this expression to show that you are amazed at how fast someone has grown.

Outro

Michael: Okay, that's all for this lesson. If a friend posted something about a smiling baby picture, which phrase would you use? Leave us a comment letting us know. And we'll see you next time!
Alisha: Bye!

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