The I.T. crowd, an Exaggeration?

Weeks 5^th - 12^th February

Last week we went on working on the hot verb “Get”.

·         How did you get on with your exercises?

·         How do you get on with your colleagues?

·         It’s nice to get together with people you get on with, don’t you think?

·         I must get on with my work. I got behind because my computer crashed and I couldn’t finish it.

·         Let’s get this exercise over with, and we can see a video.

·         We´d better get away before it starts to rain or will be got held in the traffic.

·         Some people get away with doing so little work! I simply can’t get over how they do it!

If you got tired of “Get”, wait until we’ll see “Take”!

And taking advantage of this week being Valentine’s Day on 14^th February, we started talking about exaggeration and understatement. (Subtlety, euphemism)

·           I’m absolutely dying for a drink! (It’s clearly an exaggeration)

·           He isn’t very bright, isn’t he? (On the other hand, this is a polite way of saying that he isn’t intelligent)

·           He’s as thick as two short planks. (And, this is the exaggeration!)

·           I’m knackered (very tired).Can we stop for a rest? (exaggeration)

·           OK. I feel a little out of breath (a little tired), too. (understatement)

You must have hit the roof when she told you that she had crashed your car! (exaggeration).

Yes, he must have been really angry. Anyway, apart from “hitting the roof”, there are more expressions with “hit”. An example: “hit it off”

We came across, (found) interesting idioms and examples of colloquial every day English in the video we watched.

We watched the first episode of the series “The I.T. Crowd”. This is an exhilarating (very funny) sitcom (situation comedy) based on the usual life

of an unusual IT department!

There’s a female new employee who’s meant to be (supposed to) the new head of the IT department because she said on her CV that she’s got lot of experience with computers, although she doesn’t. And this is the starting point for rows (arguments, fights), disappointment amongst the other members of the department – which is made up (formed) by only two people!

Interesting phrasal verbs and expressions!

·        He fixed her computer but it seems he didn’t hit it off. (He wasn’t successful in having an affair with her. They didn’t flirt)

·        The boss likes to seize up his new employees through a long stare! (looking fixedly at them. Making them feel uneasy, not comfortable)

·        He told her not to be scared, but then she told her to be. He couldn’t make up his mind! (Reach a decision)

·        Her colleagues went to the boss to tell on her. (Accuse her of not having any IT knowledge)

·        Finally, they decided not to. Otherwise, they’d be fired (dismissed). And they pretended to get on like a house on fire! (Get on very well)

It was a funny way of learning new vocabulary, don’t you think?

We’ll finish seeing the episode next Wednesday. Meanwhile you can review some grammar by doing the exercises I gave you.

C.U. next week!

Exaggeration and Understatement