Words to know

want something very much

persuade someone not to do something

wait until tomorrow before making a decision

Step 1 of 5

Listen first

No text yet. Listen for who, where and what goes wrong.

JakeFatima

Practice · 3 min

Take Jake's part first, then Fatima's. Jake is excited and talks a little too fast; Fatima is calm, patient and very dry. Stress "standing still" in her line about the traffic light, and let Jake's "Ah." hang for a second.

  1. JakeFatima, can I show you something? Don't say no right away.
  2. FatimaThat's a bad start. What is it?
  3. JakeThis. A motorcycle. A used one, from a guy at work. Only four thousand dollars.
  4. FatimaJake. You fell off a bicycle last summer.
  5. JakeThat was a pothole. It wasn't my fault.
  6. FatimaYou were standing still at a traffic light.
  7. JakeOkay, it was partly my fault. But I've really got my heart set on this.
  8. FatimaI'm not going to talk you out of it. I just want you to be safe.
  9. JakeI'll be safe. I've got a helmet already. A really good one.
  10. FatimaAnd your license? For motorcycles?
  11. JakeAh. That's the part I was coming to.
  12. FatimaYou don't have one.
  13. JakeNot yet. But I can learn. The guy says he'll teach me in the parking lot.
  14. FatimaThe same guy who's selling it to you?
  15. JakeOkay, when you put it that way, it sounds less smart.
  16. FatimaHere's my idea. Take a proper safety course first. Then buy the bike.
  17. JakeThat takes six weeks. He might sell it to someone else.
  18. FatimaThen there'll be another bike. Sleep on it, at least.
  19. JakeFine. I'll sleep on it. And I'll look up the course tonight.
  20. FatimaGood. And I'm coming to watch your first lesson.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.