Hi, everyone!
I can’t say I am sorry for being very busy and not posting any learning tests as you prefer to discuss polygamy and polyandry instead of mastering your language. On the other hand, in my real life, I have to deal with many people speaking very interesting English “dialect”. As far as I have noticed, their (and your) main problem is phrasal verbs and vocabulary. I mostly understand what they mean but being a humorous person I always want to react, you know! LOL! So, I’d like to propose you some new task. I am posting a few dialogues between a learner and a native/fluent speaker. A LEARNER makes mistakes (in italic). A TEACHER reacts to what the learner says. Now, you should correct learner’s mistakes and explain teacher’s reaction. In fact, you should explain all phrasal verbs and give your examples.
Episode I.
Learner: “Yesterday, I ran over my friend downtown but he pretended not to recognize me and passed away.”
Teacher: “No wonder he did! I wonder he had enough time to pretend! I wish I would never run into you anywhere!”
Episode II.
Learner: ”You know two days ago I reserved a table in a nice restaurant and called away my girlfriend asking her to join me for dinner. I had waited for her for a few hours but she neither called nor showed off!”
Teacher: ”Hahaha! Show off?! You have done your best! If I were her, I would call off all our meetings in advance! If I were you, I would rather have called for her before dinner or call on her to beg pardon. But being myself, I am calling you out! To arms, my boy!”
Episode III.
Learner: “Sir, I thought my article would bring out the last issue of the Journal but they decided to put it away till May!”
Teacher: “Is there anything really special in the last issue of this famous Journal to be brought out?! I though you have brought off your research! If you haven’t, our partners may bring us up before the arbitrage!”
I can't help adding one more episode after talking to the guy who had tried to invite an American woman for dinner in such an unusual way.
Episode IV.
Learner: "Danny, I think that lady is out-of-date. She told me to look for someone else to share dinner with! She said it is you who can call me away being my boss. Did she really mean what I think?"
Teacher:"Come on! You know I am married to a woman. But if you want to be considered up-to-date, you had better pick up a few girls hoping at least one of them would be able to understand your true intentions."
I'd like to tell you that all the episodes are based on my talks with the real people I am working with now.
Let’s see if you like such a task!
Comments
Dear Onee, no one has corrected episodes III or IV although most of you corrected PUT AWAY. So, you still have a chance to be the first! I have already said if you can't find the appropriate phrasal verbs, you may correct the learner's direct speech using your regular vocabulary. It is quite clear what he means in both episodes.
Teacher,,
Have episode III and IV been corrected very well? hooo....it's pretty hard to solve.
Dear SNR, really happy to see you, too! If you feel like taking part I recommend that you read all my comments on this blog as I have already explained almost all phrasal verbs. In my opinion, "reading" some phrasal verbs in a dictionary or any other book is almost senseless. It is always better to learn them in the context. However, the more phrasal verbs and idioms you know, the better it is.
Dear Onee! Happy to know that!
Dear Roman, here is my belated comment.
I believe you have got Episode I. A learner used only two wrong prepositions. As a result, his sentence changed the meaning completely! He wanted to say he had met his friend on the street but that guy pretended not to notice him, didn't greet him and just walked by. But, in fact, he said he had knocked his friend downd and drove over him. However, before dying a poor guy had enough time to make believe he didn't know our learner! And I have to add this sentence is grammatically correct and makes sense! So, the "teacher" reacted to what he had heard meaning he had no desire to meet the learner outside not to be run over by him! This episode is really funny!
Yes, my friend! To tell a lady she is out-of-date is like to hand down own death sentence! LOL! In Episode IV, TO CALL OFF would be OK. However, we know she agreed to come but couldn't and didn't inform the guy. So, the learner didn't know why and decided she didn't want to date him. There is an appropriate phrasal verb but if you can't find it you can just express your mind without it. Now, in this episode CALL AWAY is used correctly by the learner. He reported lady's direct speech and she meant only her boss could tell them both what to do. Being a native speaker, she just wanted to teach our learner a lesson like I usually do reading your fantastic expressions! LOL!
Of course, I will explain each phrasal verb and each sentence some later when you all run out of your ideas! But I still hope to see your corrections and explanations.
Yes, Sir. I realize my wrong sentence with fetch. I actually checked them right after that, and understood it. That's why.... :D
Sure, Danny! :)
Roman, let me reply some later, OK?
Dear Bet, you know I am aware of the problems you may face now, OK?
Let me say the following.
I'd like to say that correcting LEARNER's direct speech, you don't have to use phrasal words only. You may use any proper word if there is no (or you don't know) the right expression. First of all, I mean Episodes III and IV.
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