I Need More Time

Hello English learners! Welcome back to EnglishPod! My name is Marco.

And I’m Erica.

And today with Erica we’re bringing you a great lesson about time.

We need more of it.

We need more time, right?

Yeah.

So, we’re gonna be teaching you how you can ask for more time.

If you’re working on a project at work and you can’t finish it on time, you have to ask your boss for more time.

Right, so, today in our dialogue Casey needs more time to put together a press kit.

What’s a press kit?

Good question. A press kit is something the marketing department will put together, basically, pictures, logos, um, all… information about the company.

Uhu.

So, when a newspaper or a magazine wants to write an article about them, so, they have something already prepared that they could give the newspaper or magazine.

Okay.

Okay, so, let’s listen to our dialogue for the first time and as always it’s gonna be at a normal speed, so, it might be a little bit difficult to understand.

We’ll come back in one minute and tell you about some of the key language.

Alright, so, Casey is in trouble, I think.

Yeah, I think her boss is pretty upset.

Yeah, well, let’s take a look at some of the language that we saw in this dialogue in “language takeaway”. Voice: Language takeaway.

First word today is deadline.

Deadline.

Deadline.

Deadline.

So, Erica, what’s a deadline?

It is the last possible date to do something.

So, for example, when we were in school…

Uhu.

Our teacher would send us homework and say it was for Friday.

So, the deadline was Friday.

Was Friday.

Uhu.

Right? Or when you’re at work you have projects that you have to finish by a certain date. That’s your deadline.

Exactly.

Okay, let’s look at our next word – extension.

Extension.

Extension.

Extension.

So, extension and deadline go together, right?

Exactly, if you can’t reach your deadline or you can’t make your deadline, you must ask for an extension.

An extension. So, you ask for more time.

Yeah, an extension is moving the deadline in the future.

Alright, interesting. Let’s look at our next word – ran into.

Ran into.

Ran into.

Ran into some problems.

So, we ran into some problems in this dialogue. Let’s listen to some more examples of run into, so we can understand the meaning. Voice: Example one.

We’ve ran into a storm on our way home. Voice: Example two.

If you’re not careful now, you’re going to run into a lot of problems later. Voice: Example three.

I ran into some trouble with my computer.

Okay, good examples, so, it’s clear now, right?

Right, if you run into problems, you meet some problems.

Right. Many students say it in that way “I met some problems”.

Yeah, but that’s wrong.

Right. So, you would say “I ran into some problems”.

Right, “I met some problems” is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Okay, don’t say “met some problems”.

I ran into some problems.

I ran into, okay. And our last word for language takeaway – delayed.

Delayed.

Delayed.

Delayed.

So, when something is delayed, it’s…

Late.

Late.

And the opposite is…

On time.

Yeah, so, your flight was delayed.

Or your flight was on time.

The project was delayed.

Or your project was on time.

Clear.

Alright. So, now let’s go back to the dialogue. Let’s listen to it again.

And this time it’ll be a little bit slower, so you can understand some of these phrases we just talked about. DIALOGUE, SECOND TIME (slow)

Okay, so, there were some really useful phrases that we saw in this dialogue.

Yeah, some wonderful phrases that you can use when you want to ask for more time.

Okay, so, let’s look at these phrases in “fluency builder”. Voice: Fluency builder.

Alright, what’s our first phrase?

I’ve been meaning to talk to you.

I’ve been meaning to.

I’ve been meaning to.

Okay, we have some really great examples of how you can combine I’ve been meaning to with different verbs.

Yeah, let’s listen. Voice: Example one.

I’m sorry I haven’t called you yet; I’ve been meaning to, but I’ve been busy. Voice: Example two.

I’ve been meaning to tell you, but John quit yesterday. Voice: Example three.

I’ve been meaning to see that film for a while.

I’ve been meaning to go to that restaurant, but I haven’t had time.

So, you’ve been wanting to for a long time.

Right. I’ve been thinking about it.

Yeah.

I’ve been planning to do it.

But you just haven’t done it.

I haven’t done it.

Yeah.

Maybe because I haven’t had time or money.

Uhu.

Okay. Good phrase.

Our next phrase is… beyond my control.

Beyond my control.

It’s beyond my control.

So, it means that I can’t control it.

You can’t do anything about it.

Can’t do anything about it. The weather is beyond my control.

Right. Or relate with this project: because Jane was sick for one month, it was beyond my control.

Okay.

Uhu.

It wasn’t you fault.

No.

Okay. And our last phrase for fluency builder – put this off.

Put this off.

Put this off.

Put this off.

So, let’s listen to some more examples of put this off before we explain the meaning. Voice: Example one.

I’ve been putting off this project for a week and it’s due tomorrow! Voice: Example two.

Can we put off our meeting to next week; I’m too busy right now. Voice: Example three.

I’ve been putting off my e-mail all day and now I have fifty messages to respond to!

So, Marco, when you put something off, you…

Leave it for later.

Okay.

Right? So, maybe I have to write a report today…

Uhu.

But I’m gonna put it off till tomorrow.

So, you’re gonna do it tomorrow.

I’ll do it tomorrow. Okay, so we’ve seen some great words and some really good phrases, so, now let’s listen to our dialogue for the last time and then we’ll come back and talk some more.

Uhu.

Well, Marco, do you think that Casey’s reasons for being late are good?

I think so, because it wasn’t really her fault, the whole situation with, uh, photographer and then one of her coworkers was sick for three weeks.

Yeah.

It’s not really her fault, right?

Right, but maybe the boss thinks that she’s making excuses.

Yeah, maybe she’s making excuses. That’s really common like, for example, when we were kids, you would say “oh, you know, my dog ate my homework”.

Right, but… that… really happened to me once.

Hehe. Your dog ate your homework?

My cat ate my homework.

Your cat ate your homework.

Yeah.

And what did your teacher say?

Well, actually I was a really good student, so, my teacher believed me.

Hehe. Well, my teacher wouldn’t have believed me.

Really?

No, no, she would’ve… she would’ve called my parents most likely.

Yeah, well, my… my cat really did eat my homework. And… I just left it on the table and it chewed it at all.

That’s weird. Why would your cat do that?

I don’t know.

A lot weir excuses out there.

Yeah.

I was abducted by aliens.

Aha.

My mom accidentally mailed my homework to Africa.

Really?

Yeah, that was…

Was it happen to you?

Creative…

Aha.

Writing.

Oh, Okay.

Creative excuses.

Well, I wanna hear from our listeners. I wanna know what excuses they’ve used for being late with something.

So, send us your excuses, send us your comments and questions. Go to our website at englishpod.com, where Erica and I are always there to answer you questions.

That’s right, Marco, and this is an elementary lesson, right?

Exactly.

But we also have intermediate and upper-intermediate and advanced lessons for you more fluent English speakers.

Exactly, so, if you’re listening to us on iTunes, be sure to visit our website and come see what else we have to offer.

Well, I think we’re out of time, but until next time… it's… Good bye!

Bye!