Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.
Transcript
Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say!
Do you know what to say when you want to persuade someone to do something? Listen out for useful language for persuading someone to do something. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.
Paul: OK. Yeah, all right. I'll send them over tomorrow. OK, yep, bye. People are always asking for favours. Paul, can you do this? Paul, can you do that?
Noelia: Hey, Paul, have you got a minute?
Paul: Go on, then.
Noelia: I've got a small favour to ask you.
Paul: Right.
Noelia: So … how would you feel about DJing at the office party next week?
Paul: Office party? I don't usually do work parties.
Noelia: Oh, right. So where do you usually DJ then?
Paul: No, I mean I don't usually go to work parties, let alone DJ at them.
Noelia: Come on, I think you'd be brilliant at it!
Paul: Oh, I don't know …
Noelia: Look, I wouldn't usually ask, but you are the only DJ I know.
Paul: I'm not a very good one though. My music taste is … quite strange. Everyone will probably hate it.
Noelia: Come on! These guys will dance to anything when they are at a party! Why don't you give it a go? You'll be great!
Paul: Urgh … I think I'm probably busy that day anyway.
Noelia: Come on! There's nothing to lose!
Paul: Except my reputation and credibility …
Noelia: Paul, you'd really be helping me out.
Paul: OK, I'll think about it.
Noelia: Great! Thanks, Paul!
Ana: Hello again! It's very difficult to say no to Noelia! So, did you notice the useful phrases used for persuading someone to do something? Listen to me and then repeat.
I've got a small favour to ask you.
How would you feel about DJing?
You'd be brilliant at it.
I wouldn't usually ask, but you're the only DJ I know.
Why don't you give it a go?
There's nothing to lose.
You'd really be helping me out.
OK, I'll think about it.
Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you want to persuade someone to do something in English. Bye for now!
Hi Razan Mahairy,
This is an idiom. It means: Why don't you try it? The base phrase is 'give something a go'.
Best wishes,
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Ahmad Alamari,
The exercise is designed with British English in mind, so the spelling is favour. Of course, favor is also possible as it is the standard spelling in US English.
It doesn't matter which form you use but you should try to be consistent, I think, and use either UK spelling or US spelling (or some other variant of English) rather than mix them in a single text.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team