Please watch the video below. Remember: Don’t write anything. Just watch and listen. By the end of the lesson you will understand everything!

[toggle title=”Click to reveal Movie Script”]

Mark: I looked…I’m looking at an island. Makes me think there’s a lot of beaches. Did you go to any beaches? What time of year, by the way, was this?

Greg: I believe it was April. And, we didn’t go to any beaches. It was pretty….It was cool. It wasn’t really beach weather. I don’t remember seeing any beaches, actually, that looked like resort-ish, lay-around-on-the-beach kind of beaches.

Mark: Right. Nothing to do with pictures, but how is the language there? Is it….I know kind of how Australian speech is. In your experience, is it similar? Like similar accent?

Greg: Well, let’s hold (off) on that question yet because it relates to one of the pictures I have, actually.

Mark: (mmk) Ok.

Mark: Did you take this picture?

Greg: Yes, I took this picture. And this is in the town center of Christchurch, which is the first town we flew to after Auckland.

Mark: Is this the church for which the town is named?

Greg: I don’t know if the town is named after this church. I don’t think so. And one other point to note: There was a recent earthquake. I believe it was early this year or last year. And this church was… I think the top actually fell off.

Mark: Wow.

Greg: Very, very unfortunate. Yeah, because when I heard about….When I saw all the damage of the earthquake in New Zealand, I really…You just really just kind of felt it, you know?

Mark: Yeah

Greg: Like…Because it’s a really, really pretty little town, you know? The people were great. It was pretty bad to see the damage there, and all these things. I shouldn’t say I felt it compared to how they felt it at all. But I mean, I felt a personal feeling of a little bit of sadness because I had actually been there, experienced that place, and it was really pretty, you know? And to have it wrecked the way it was, it’s too bad.

Mark: Wow. I didn’t know it was such a seismically active area.

Greg: Yeah, it is. It’s right on a fault, actually. And they had a huge earthquake that was very devastating to the town. It was earlier this year or late last year. There will be other pictures we can show while we’re talking about this, but there’s another picture of another trolley and just a waterway. I think there’s one which shows, you know, just how nice this little town is. There’s water going through it, it’s very green, and very relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.

Mark: Did the trolley make that little ding-ding (sound a bell might make), like I envision maybe the San Diego trollies make that sound.

Greg: I don’t know. This was a few years ago. I don’t recall if there was a ding-ding or not. I felt satisfied though.

Mark: You got your tourist dollar out of it?

Greg: Yeah.

Greg: Wanted to show that we started in Auckland, then went to Christchurch, which is around the center. And we finally went down to Queenstown and…. Very different terrain from where we were before, so I wanted to show that this is in the southern part of New Zealand. And, this is where we got to see, finally, some kiwis.

Mark: Now kiwi is… I think of kiwi as a fruit. Evidently it’s not?

Greg: It is a fruit. It is a fruit, it is a shoe-polish and it is a bird.

Mark: How big is that thing? It’s hard to tell.

Greg: Probably the size of an American football, I think.
Mark: Really?

Greg: Yeah, it’s small. Really small. And they don’t fly and…

Mark: Wait, I’m sorry. When you said they don’t fly, that’s a no brainer in as much as he has no wings. Sorry, couldn’t help it.

[/toggle]

1.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #1″]

to have nothing to do with = to have no relation to
Remember, in these four groups of sentences below, a native speaker will usually use the 2nd version. So, “to have nothing to do with” is the advanced phrase we want to learn.

Chris had no relation to that robbery.
Chris had nothing to do with that robbery.

I had no relation to that accident
I had nothing to do with that accident.

This has no relation to that.
This has nothing to do with that.

This has no relation to your photos, but how was the language in New Zealand?
This has nothing to do with your photos, but how was the language in New Zealand?

[/toggle]

2.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #2″]

to hold off on = not (do something) yet
Remember, the 2nd version (using “to hold off on”) is how a native speaker will probably say these sentences.

Let’s not make a decision yet until everyone is here.
Let’s hold off on making a decision until everyone is here.

We’re not buying a car yet.
We’re holding off on buying a car.

Let’s not take that trip yet.
Let’s hold off on taking that trip.

Let’s not talk about that question for now.
Let’s hold off on that question for now.

[/toggle]

3.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #3″]

to be right on something = to be directly on something

The hotel is directly on the beach.
The hotel is right on the beach.

The city is directly on the sea.
The city is right on the sea.

The cafe is directly on the river.
The cafe is right on the river.

The city is directly right on a fault line.
The city is right on a fault line.

[/toggle]

4.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #4″]

hard to tell = difficult to know

It’s difficult to know if that’s the real painting or a very good copy.
It’s hard to tell if that’s the real painting or a very good copy.

It’s difficult to know if she’s lying.
It’s hard to tell if she’s lying.

It’s difficult to know how old he is.
It’s hard to tell how old he is.

It’s difficult to know how big that bird is.
It’s hard to tell how big that bird is.

[/toggle]

5.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #5″]

a no brainer = something so obvious you don’t need to think about it

Do I need to learn English? — That’s something so obvious you don’t need to think about it. Of course you do!
Do I need to learn English? — That’s a no brainer. Of course you do!

You have to take that job! It’s so obvious you don’t need to think about it.
You have to take that job! It’s a no-brainer.

We have to visit the Grand Canyon! It’s so obvious you don’t need to think about it.
We have to visit the Grand Canyon! It’s a no-brainer.

Kiwis have no wings, so it’s something so obvious you don’t need to think about it that they can’t fly.
Kiwis have no wings, so it’s a no brainer that they can’t fly.

[/toggle]

6.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #6″]

in as much as = because the fact is

I can’t drive you because the fact is I have no car.
I can’t drive you in as much as I have no car.

I can’t buy that car, because the fact is as I have no money.
I can’t buy that car, in as much as I have no money.

Because the fact is as it’s raining, I think we should cancel the game.
In as much as it’s raining, I think we should cancel the game.

It’s obvious he can’t fly, because the fact is he has no wings.
It’s obvious he can’t fly, in as much as he has no wings.

[/toggle]

7.

[toggle title=”Click to reveal #7″]

couldn’t help it = couldn’t stop myself from ____ (some action)

I ate a piece of your cake. Sorry…I couldn’t stop myself from doing it.
I ate a piece of your cake. Sorry…I couldn’t help it.

I couldn’t stop myself from doing it. I told him the truth.
I couldn’t help it. I told him the truth.

Matt couldn’t stop himself from doing it. He’s an alcoholic.
Matt couldn’t help it. He’s an alcoholic.

Sorry. I couldn’t stop myself from making that joke.
Sorry. I couldn’t help making that joke.

[/toggle]

Easy: Chris had no relation tothat robbery.

Advanced: Chris ___ ______ __ __ ____ that robbery.

Easy: Let’s not make a decision yet until everyone is here.
Advanced: Let’s ____ ___ __ making a decision until everyone is here.

Easy: The hotel is directly on the beach.

Advanced: The hotel is ____ on the beach.

Easy: It’s difficult to know if that’s the real painting or a very good copy.

Advanced: It’s ____ __ ____ if that’s the real painting or a very good copy.

Easy: You have to take that job! It’s so obvious you don’t need to think about it..

Advanced: You have to take that job! It’s a __-_______ .

Easy: I can’t drive you because the fact is I have no car.

Advanced: I can’t drive you _________ ___ I have no car.

Easy: I ate a piece of your cake. Sorry…I couldn’t stop myself from doing it.

Advanced: I ate a piece of your cake. Sorry…. __ ______ ____ __ .