English Listening - Learn new phrases & check your listening comprehension

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Today's speaker was Vicky 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Thank you so much! Full transcript: In today's video, we listen to a native speaker say that their friends don't follow through with things. Let's find out what that means and try to understand more. This example speech is a little bit different in terms of topic. It's about friendships and advice. Somebody's talking about their friend, so let's listen to the segment. It's about 30 seconds long, and then we're going to take a look at the script afterwards. So, if you're ready, let's take a listen. ----------------------------------------------- Recently, it feels like everyone's relying on me. It's minor stuff, but it all adds up. Like, I have this friend-sweet girl, very caring. She's been having a rough time lately, but at the same time, she doesn't do herself any favors. What I mean by that is she always asks for advice, whether it's family issues or relationships. But whenever I try to give my opinion, she either brushes it off completely or just kind of agrees but then never follows through with what I've said. So, I don't really know how else to help her. Anyway, sorry for ranting on. ------------------------------------------------ Okay, there were quite a few fast bits there. I'm not sure how difficult that was for you, but let's take a look at what was said. Recently, it feels like everyone's relying on me. It's minor stuff, but it all adds up. So, saying that something all adds up is quite a common way of saying that many small things have added up and have become something significant. For example, you only study for 5 minutes a day, but it all adds up. That's a positive way. I bought too many things online recently. They were only small, but they all add up, meaning you're spending too much money. Hold on. Like, I have this friend-sorry, that wasn't a very natural way of saying it. Like, I have this friend-sweet girl, very caring. She's been having a rough time lately. Rough, of course, being a tough or difficult time. But at the same time, she doesn't do herself any favors. This means… when you're making things hard for yourself, which is often your own fault or it could be avoided. So, if someone else says, "I have no energy today," you could say, "Well, you're not doing yourself any favors by staying up late." Maybe you know that person likes to play video games at 2 in the morning. Or you can say that. You're not doing yourself any favors. Maybe, uh, there's something else as well, but that's your own fault. So, maybe her rough time is to do with other things as well, but also at the same time, she's doing something to herself as well. Now, she goes on to explain. What I mean by that is she always asks for advice, whether it's family issues or relationships. So, she's asking for advice on, you know, a variety of different things. Next page. But whenever I try to give my opinion, she either brushes it off completely. Now, brushing something off means to ignore something that was said or to kind of, you know, not really do anything about it. This is a big problem. Don't just brush it off. It has this idea, this image of, "Okay, but, you know, you put it to one side and nothing gets done." Ignore them. Brush it off. Now, in this case, you're telling somebody to ignore them. Maybe somebody's being mean or said something that they shouldn't have said. You're telling someone, "Brush it off," meaning, "Pay no notice. It's okay. Don't, you know, let it upset you." And also, be careful of brushing up. Brushing up your English is a similar-sounding expression with a completely different meaning. So, she either brushes it off completely or just kind of agrees, but then never follows through with what I've said. So, following through with something is to continue an action until it's completed. For example, he made a study plan but didn't follow through with it. So, you're kind of got something going, you're like, "Oh yeah, I'm going to do this. I've got my books. I'm going to do it," and then, you know, you don't. Seems familiar? Sorry, not accusing you. To carry on with something or to see something through is also something you might hear. So, what does this mean? Well, sometimes she ignores what's said and sometimes she says, "Oh yeah, okay, that's good advice. I'm going to do it," but then, you know, doesn't seem to. So, I don't really know how else to help her. And then, that's kind of the end of, you know, her reporting about her friend. And then, anyway, sorry for ranting on, which is kind of just a polite, "Oh, I've been talking too much." To rant means to say a lot of negative things in one go. "He just ranted on and wouldn't let me speak." So, she's basically saying, "Oh, you know, I've said lots of negative things. Maybe you're getting a bit bored by now. Sorry about that." And, the complete opposite to "rave on" about something is to give lots of positive things to say about something. "Oh, he kept raving on about that new restaurant. He said it was really good." I think that could also, I think that could also be easily mistaken. Sorry for ranting on. Sounds like I'm ranting on now, so I will say that that is the end for English in Five today. Please go back and take another listen. See if you can make a bit more sense of what was said. Play around with the speed. Shadowing is another good idea. And make your own comments with something new that you've learned today, and I'll take a look at it. That's it. Thank you for watching. See you next time.