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Play Along English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn to use English phrasal verbs and play jokes at work

Date: Oct 26 2010

Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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It’s fun to play jokes on your co-workers. Usually, you will end up laughing together and become a little closer. Of course, sometimes, a prank can get out of control.

Jason wants to play a prank on Dale. He can’t do it alone, so he asks Beren for help. He needs her to play along and pretend like what is happening is real so that Dale will believe it. See how it goes.

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Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Beren

Beren

Dale

Dale

Jason:  Hey, Beren!

Beren:  Yeah?

Jason:  I’ve got this great idea for a prank on Dale.

Beren:  Oh no, oh no… What is it?

Jason:  You don’t really have to do anything. All you have to do is play along.

Beren:  You want me to follow your lead, and…

Jason:  Yeah!

Beren:  ...you know, go along with what you’re saying?

Jason:  Exactly.

Beren:  I can do that!

Jason:  And we’ll see what happens.

Beren:  Alright! Let’s do it!

Jason:  Okay.

Beren:  Alright!

Jason:  Are you all set? Hey, Dale?

Dale:  Yeah! What’s up?

Jason:  I overheard some of the meetings about how the company is going to be structured now…

Dale:  Oh! And is it good?

Jason:  Yeah! You’re not going to believe this! You’re in charge! I don’t know how it happened, but, I mean, it’s not official yet but that’s what I heard! That they’re basically, like, “Dale is going to be essentially in charge of everyone!”

Dale:  I’m in charge?

Jason:  Hiring, firing, et cetera!

Dale:  Thanks! I knew it, I knew it… You’re fired!

Beren:  What? Are you serious?

Dale:  Time for you to go!

Beren:  Are you kidding me? Jason, you gotta…alright, if you…like, why, though?

Dale:  Well, remember that one time, you were in the bathroom and I was pounding the door. I needed to go! I really needed to go. And even though you weren’t in the bathroom, and I saw you outside of the bathroom, I was still mad that you didn’t answer the door. So, you know, I thought that was disrespectful to me.

Jason:  Why did you do that to our new boss, Beren?

Beren:  Is that it? Is that your only reason?

Dale:  No. You actually took my pencil and my stapler. I remember you taking it even though they were all the same color. I knew it was mine, though. I knew it. ‘Cause it was right there…

Beren:  Oh my…Alright!

Jason:  Unforgivable.

Beren:  No! Okay, wait, stop right there! I can’t play along anymore. This is…this is outrageous. This is just a little prank that Jason set up. Just a friendly little prank.

Dale:  A…a prank?

Beren:  It was a joke. Got taken too far.

Dale:  A joke? Okay…

Beren:  But now I know how you really feel!

Dale:  No no! Shhh! I’ve got it! But when I become the real boss, you guys are really fired.

Beren:  Oh my God, dude! That was pretty good.

Jason:  Thanks for playing along!

 

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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At the water cooler, Jason asks Beren to help him play a prank on Dale. At first she doesn’t want to, but he tells her that all she has to do is play along.

Jason tells Dale that he overheard in a meeting that from now on, Dale would be in charge of the company. Beren plays along and confirms that this lie is true.

Dale gets really excited, stands up and immediately fires Beren. Jason encourages her to continue playing along and not let Dale know that it’s all a joke. But when Dale gives some really bad reasons for firing Beren, she can’t play along anymore and reveals that it’s all a prank.

Outside of jokes, to play along can mean to cooperate, usually with something dishonest. If someone you know breaks a law and doesn’t want you to tell anyone, they might ask you to play along.

Have you ever asked someone to play along and follow your lead? How did it go? Are you good at playing along?

 

Comments

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busy_man232

Philippines

It seems like, leading someone on. Am I right? I haven’t intentionaly done this yet.

06:24 PM Oct 26 2010 |

siberian tigger

Mexico

It is phrase is really to need for working in teams in whatever place for example in a job, in at school and so far….

 

05:20 PM Oct 26 2010 |

Hajiyeva Ayshad Super Member!

Azerbaijan

I am not good at playing along at all and I don't like take it too far.I think it is just disrespectful to people.Some of my friends asked me to do it but  I just ignored it.

02:53 PM Oct 26 2010 |

yashe

China

TO make a frank is interesting ,but sometimes you must to let someone to play with you ,in this case ,people will easily  believe  you. One person can play two roles ,you need someone to help you.  

12:44 PM Oct 26 2010 |

satomi23

satomi23

Japan

協力

12:13 PM Oct 26 2010 |

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