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Work One's Butt Off

Learn English with this stress English lesson

Date: Jun 03 2014

Themes: Celebrity, Friend, Pop Culture, Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: There, Their & They're

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Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

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Today is the big day! You have been planning and organizing your party for months. You have invited all of your friends, asked an awesome band to play music, cooked all of the food, and bought all of the drinks. You have cleaned your house for days, worked in the garden, and even put flowers on the tables. You have worked your butt off to get ready, and now you can celebrate!

When you work your butt off, it simply means that you work hard. People work their butts off at their jobs, in their homes, and even in their relationships. To work one’s butt off is to try hard to make something happen. If you’re working your butt off on something, it’s probably really important to you.

Gary and Brian have been working their butts off, and they want to show the results to their friends. Learn more in today’s English lesson about hard work.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

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

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

Gary: Thanks for coming, everyone.

Jeff: Yeah, well, it was pretty hard walking over here from my desk.

Brian: I know, right? Hey Lily, do you want a drink?

Lily: Actually, I think I’m good. Thanks though, Brian.

Marni: So, why are we here?

Gary: Well, we’ve been working really hard on our website, and we wanted to show you what we’ve been doing. It’s kind of a StarScoop.com open house.

Lily: Cool.

Brian: We’ve been really working our butts off, trying to get this space the way we want it. And I don’t know, but I think it looks pretty good.

Lily: Yeah, it looks great. What are all these pictures for?

Gary: Mostly they’re there to motivate us. They’re also there to remind us of where celebrities hang out and who we want to interview.

Jeff: Who have you interviewed so far?

Brian: Mostly local celebrities. We haven’t landed any world-famous celebrities yet.

Gary: Yet.

Brian: Do you have any connections?

Jeff: I do not. But when I do meet a celebrity, you will be the first to know. Trust me, my friend.

Marni: Are you interested in movie stars like Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, or singers like Miley Cyrus?

Lily: Or are you interested in sports people, like Michael Jordan and LeBron James?

Gary: Anyone and everyone.

Brian: We’re really working every angle. We’re interested in anything that can be an “in,” you know?

Lily: We have had celebrity endorsements in the past.

Brian: You have? Like who?

Jeff: Greta Vanderlake.

Gary: No way. Really? Do you think we could get an interview with her, maybe?

Marni: Probably not. Long story. But we’re here to help you guys in any way that we can.

Lily: Totally. You guys are working your butts off, and it’s time you got your big break.

Brian: I will drink to that.

Jeff: Hear, hear!

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Gary and Brian have been working hard on their website and office since they moved into the conference room at AmericanDreamD8.com. They invite Lily, Jeff and Marni over for an open house and a chance to show them what they’ve been doing at StarScoop.com.

Marni, Lily and Jeff can tell that Brian and Gary have been working their butts off. They ask about the photos in StarScoop.com’s office and also about the kinds of celebrities that Gary and Brian want to interview. They haven’t gotten any big interviews yet, but they’re interested in singers, actors, and athletes. Whoever they can get!

What makes you want to work your butt off? Do you work hard every day, or only once in a while?

Comments

sunny_ling88

China

I have been working my job butt off, but unfortunately I didn’t get what I deserved.

Mr. Learner

Peru

I work my butt off when I’m working for a volunteering project.

However, do you think that this phrase is a polite phrase?!! It sounds like a street talk!!

ahmet55

Germany

It’s thoroughly obvious that the answer is money first of all, in the second order humanity, stepping up, special motivations and finally which is important for me and my family will make me to work my butt off.

Actually, it depends on the possible results and its role on my life. Totally I’m a hardworking man however these days I only work my butt of once in a while in some specific cases.

veronica_mourad

Egypt

Not every day working hard but When Im eager to do something and have motivation I work my butt of to acheive it.

selpie

Indonesia

For now, I work my butt off when i write my thesis

mohammad126140

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

As a moonlighter I always have to make an endeavour and push the pedal to the metal to meet deadlines.

kind of satisfaction I land after hardwork makes me work my butts off.

Hiva Sh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Actually, I think that my gools make me work my butt off…

For example, my final exams that are really driving me crazy these days, make me work my butt off in order to pass this term successfully..

Ditti

Hungary

I have been learning English for years. I think I really working my butt off, but unfortunately I haven’t got a job yet,where I can use my english knowledge. Although I like English so much that it worth learning it just for a hobby.

Anyway I guess that Gary and Brian have to work their butt off in the future too, because they seem a bit untrained, don’t they?