Listen
Neil needs to put a clock on the studio wall, but can he nail it? Find out more in this week's programme.
Do you need a big hammer to nail it?
The script for this programme
(Noise of hammering)
Neil: Oh¡ the programme has started ¡. Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Neil. And¡ just bear with me because the clock has just fallen off the wall and I have to put it back again¡
Li: And I am Li. Now, Li, the writer! I've nailed it, Neil!
Neil: Oh, have you? But the nail was loose because, you see, the clock fell off the wall and I have to nail it back up again.
Li: Stop this noise please, Neil! I have just told you that I've nailed it! You should say: Congratulations!
Neil: What have you nailed then? Was it that picture over there? Was it the map in the corner? Well, to be fair none of them have fallen to the floor¡ yet!
Li: No, I got my poetry book accepted by a publisher and I am going to be a writer? I've nailed it!
Neil: Oh, congratulations, Li! I am impressed with your skills as a poet! We say someone nailed something when they have achieved something or performed a task successfully.
? Mary finally got a job as a teacher. She went for the job interview and has nailed it!
? Chess is a difficult game to play. I wish I could nail it but I just can't!
? The final exam was not easy but my cousin nailed it and got a place at university.
? Congratulations to him. He's nailed it!
Li: So, there you go, I have written poetry since I was a little girl. Then I decided to send it to a publisher and he accepted it!
Neil: That's all very nice, Li and I'm happy for you. I hope that you don't mind my hammering this nail though. I have to get the clock fixed to the wall as soon as possible.
(Noise of hammering)
Li: Yeah, go ahead. Hammer away if you need to but ¡ the rhythm of the hammering inspires me to do some poetry. What rhymes with hammer¡?
Neil: What do you mean?
Li: I am officially a poet now and everything inspires me to write my poetry. So hammer rhymes with¡
Neil: ¡ grammar.
Li: Oh, yes!
Neil: And we have to do it quickly because we have to prepare our English teaching programme.
(Sound of inspiring music)
Li: To the wall you hammer it all¡
Clock, picture, a proud banner...
To the brain you fix with no pain...
Verb¡ noun¡ adjective¡and English grammar....
Neil: You have really nailed it Li! Clock fixed and everything, let's go and prepare our programmes. Bye for now.
Li: Goodbye.
