Showing interest

In this video, Bob tells Noelia about when he broke his leg. Listen to the language Noelia uses to show interest and practise saying the useful phrases.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.

Preparation

Speaking A2: Showing interest – preparation

Transcript

Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say!

Do you know what to say when you want to show interest? Listen out for useful language for showing interest. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.

Noelia: Morning, Bob.

Bob: Oh, good morning.

Noelia: It's so rainy today. The weather in this country is horrible!

Bob: Yes … yes … The weather was even worse when I lived in Canada.

Noelia: Oh, I didn't know that you lived in Canada, Bob. How cool!

Bob: One winter it was so cold and windy that I fell on the ice and broke my leg in three places.

Noelia: Oh no! You're joking!

Bob: I wish I was, Noelia, I wish I was. I was never the same after that winter. And my leg is still bad today.

Noelia: Really? I'm sorry to hear that. Poor you.

Bob: But it's not all bad. I met my wife in the hospital. She was the doctor who looked at my leg!

Noelia: No way!

Bob: It was love at first sight!

Noelia: Ah, that's brilliant!

Bob: Yes, and we're still in love 40 years later …

Noelia: So in the end, breaking your leg was the best thing that could have happened.

Bob: Yes, I suppose it was!

Ana: Hello again! Aww, I love a story with a happy ending! So, did you notice the useful phrases used for showing interest? Listen to me and then repeat.

Oh, I didn't know that you lived in Canada!

How cool!

Oh no, poor you.

You're joking!

Really?

I'm sorry to hear that.

No way!

That's brilliant!

Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you want to show interest in English. Bye for now!

Discussion

Have you ever broken an arm or a leg? What happened?

Download

Worksheet116.44 KB

Language level

A2 Pre-intermediate

When I was about nine-year-old, I fell from a ladder and my right arm was injured. I cried out and my parents took me to the clinic. We came to know that my forearm bone was broken and my arm kept immobile with a splint for one month. I was very lucky that I can move it at all joints without limitation after that.

oh! Just now. But, really I don't have my leg broke, but my leg isn't good. Fifteen years ago, I fall down from stairs. :(

I never haven't broken arm or leg. But once time I fell with big tree and my body became blue

Once upon a time while i'm playing football i obstructed and fell in the ground but the good thing, just my right arm broken. so the answer is yes i have.

Until now l've never broken any leg or arm. I think it must cause a lot of pain! My gramma broked her leg once and the healing process was tough; I believe the elderly are the most succeptable to fall and have a fracture.

When I was child, once I was driving my bicycle, I lost the control of it and suddenly I was on the floor. both my wrists were broken, y I ended crying.

I've never broken any legs or arm. Good for me )) But once I hurt my leg really badly. I happened in winter when I went skiing in the Carpathian mountains. We were there with my future wife (that was her first time on the ski), the weather wasn't good - too few snow. During the descent, I got caught on something and dramatically fell. My leg was almost broken (happily just almost but not completely). It became deep blue and swell that big. I spent about a month at home recovering and my leg continued to hurt for long three or four months.

No, I haven't. But I think it will really hurt if my leg or arm is broken.

In this conversation, I don't understand what Bob said. He said, "I wish I was, Noalia”.If it is translated directly, the meaning is different from the context.

Hello Min Htet Kaung,

What Bob means is 'I wish I was joking'. This is a common way of saying 'I wish that it wasn't true' -- Bob wishes that it wasn't true that he broke his leg.

Does that make more sense now?

All the best,

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Showing interest

Preparation

Transcript

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Discussion

Language level

Online courses