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Lesson 88 / Emotions & friends
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Talk about feeling down, accept support and take a small mistake more lightly.
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A randomly assigned, fixed male or female synthetic voice for each phrase or sentence · Slow playback at 0.7× preserves pitch.
The broken model got me down at first.
The broken model got me down at first.
Do not let one small mistake get you down.
Do not let one small mistake get you down.
Put the person feeling sad between “get” and “down”. In this sense it does not mean bending or sitting down; the past form is “got”.
Cambridge Dictionary · get down
You can lean on a friend when you feel worried.
You can lean on a friend when you feel worried.
I leaned on my sister during that difficult week.
I leaned on my sister during that difficult week.
Here this means receiving emotional support, rather than simply resting your weight on someone’s shoulder. It can be close in meaning to “rely on”.
Cambridge Dictionary · lean on
She perked up when her friend arrived.
She perked up when her friend arrived.
A short walk helped me perk up.
A short walk helped me perk up.
This often describes becoming brighter after feeling sad, tired or uninterested. It can be used without an object.
I laughed off the little mistake and tried again.
I laughed off the little mistake and tried again.
She laughed the mix-up off because no one was hurt.
She laughed the mix-up off because no one was hurt.
This can describe taking a minor issue less seriously. It should not imply dismissing another person’s feelings or ignoring a serious mistake.
I was taking the game too seriously, so I tried to lighten up.
I was taking the game too seriously, so I tried to lighten up.
A friendly joke helped everyone lighten up.
A friendly joke helped everyone lighten up.
An informal way to describe becoming less tense or serious. Saying “Lighten up!” directly to someone who is upset can sound unsympathetic.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 50, 77, 96, 76, 79. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
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OBSERVE · UNDERSTAND · MATCH
Drag a wire from the dot beside a phrase to the dot beside its matching picture. You can also tap a phrase, then a picture. Drag again to change a pair before checking.
Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Mây looks sadly at a broken paper model, with lowered shoulders and downcast eyes.
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Mây shares her worries with a friend beside her, who listens carefully and offers support.
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Mây brightens and sits more upright when a friend arrives to play with the repaired model.
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Mây looks at a small smudge on a card and laughs gently, no longer overly concerned.
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Mây relaxes her shoulders, smiles and continues making the card after worrying too much.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
The delays are getting me down.
The delays are getting me down.
You can lean on us when things are difficult.
You can lean on us when things are difficult.
Thanks. Talking about it has helped me perk up.
Thanks. Talking about it has helped me perk up.
“Get someone down” means make them sad or discouraged; here “lean on” means rely on someone for support. It can also mean pressure someone, so context matters.
Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.
The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.
Repeated cancellations discourage a volunteer. Her friends offer support without pressuring her to continue immediately.
Describe the effect of cancellations.
The cancellations are getting her down.
Repeated cancellations discourage the volunteer: “getting her down”, with “her” in the middle.
Complete: You can lean ___ us for support.
on
“Lean on us for support” offers the friends’ help; “on” introduces those providing support.
Write a supportive response.
You can lean on us and take time before deciding what to do next.
The reply offers support and decision time without demanding an immediate return to the activity.
The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.
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