The moment

Monday morning in a Toronto office. Fatima asks Oliver about his camping trip, and the first answer sounds like a disaster. Listen for the past simple doing all the work (rained, started, packed, drove), and for how Fatima's short follow-up questions pull the whole story out of him.

The conversation

FatimaOliver
  1. Fatima
  2. Oliver
  3. Fatima
  4. Oliver
  5. Fatima
  6. Oliver
  7. Fatima
  8. Oliver
  9. Fatima
  10. Oliver
  11. Fatima
  12. Oliver
  13. Fatima
  14. Oliver

Words to know

"it was bad", a joke that invites the story anyway

letting water in through a hole

the town closest to where you are

something with no good part at all

"you were lucky", sometimes with a little envy

Check yourself

1What does Oliver mean by "Don't ask"?
2Why did Oliver leave the campsite?
3Why does Oliver say "Lucky you" at the end?

Practice · 3 min

Round one: repeat every line. Round two: mute Oliver and tell the camping story from his lines. Round three: mute Fatima and ask the follow-up questions yourself. Notice how each of her questions uses "did" plus a base verb: did you stay, did you find.

  1. FatimaMorning, Oliver. How was the camping trip?
  2. OliverDon't ask. It rained the whole time.
  3. FatimaOh no. Did you stay in the tent?
  4. OliverFor one night. Then the tent started leaking.
  5. FatimaSeriously? What did you do?
  6. OliverWe packed everything and drove to the nearest town.
  7. FatimaDid you find somewhere to sleep?
  8. OliverA tiny hotel above a pizza place.
  9. FatimaThat actually sounds kind of fun.
  10. OliverIt was, honestly. Best pizza I've had all year.
  11. FatimaSo the trip wasn't a total loss.
  12. OliverNo. But I'm buying a new tent. How was your weekend?
  13. FatimaQuiet. I stayed home and read. Very dry.
  14. OliverLucky you.

Say it today

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