Anita
Could you please check this dialogue for mistakes? Does it sound like a real informal conversation? Any ideas what I could add to it? A: Have you heard what happened to Steve? B: About the car accident? Sure, I’m still shaken. That’s awful! A: Did he fall asleep while driving? He’s a bit out there but he’s normally very cautious as he drives… B: Really? I actually never liked Steve’s driving, it’s kinda sketchy. A: I never noticed! Poor fella… Well, I guess it’s just how it goes sometimes. B: Yeah… And you know what’s crazy? I was supposed to join him that day but I took a rain check A: No way! Why didn’t you go? B: I got swamped at work by the end of the day and couldn’t make it A: I’ve got goosebumps all over my body, you could’ve died too! B: I know, right?
Mar 27, 2023 4:52 PM
Answers · 11
1
A: Have you heard what happened to Steve? B: About the car accident? [Here it would be more natural to remove 'about', and say 'The car accident?' or 'That he got into a car accident?'. We would answer with the word 'about' if the question used the word 'about', for example 'Did you hear about what happened to Steve?'] Sure [Here we would say 'yeah'. 'Sure' is only used for 'yes' when we are agreeing to a suggestion. For example, 'Do you wanna come with me to the cafe? - Sure!'), I’m still shaken [This is okay, but 'shaken (up)' implies that you were in the accident or you were there when it happened. 'Shocked' might be better here]. That’s awful! A: Did he fall asleep while driving? [This is perfect, and we also have an idiomatic phrase, 'fall asleep at the wheel' which we use more often] He’s a bit out there ['Out there' usually describes ideas or actions, not people. For example, 'that idea's pretty out there' means that idea is pretty crazy. 'Crazy' or 'wild' would be a better adjective here.] but he’s normally very cautious as [better: 'when'] he drives… B: Really? I actually never liked Steve’s driving, it’s kinda sketchy. ['Sketchy' is okay, but usually refers to a person/place/thing that you feel has ulterior negative motives, like a sketchy neighbourhood or a sketchy deal. I'm having trouble thinking of an adjective equivalent. I would probably either say 'Steve's a bad driver' or describe more specifically why it is bad, like 'it's really jerky' (stopping and starting abruptly)] A: I never noticed! Poor fella… Well, I guess it’s just how it goes sometimes. B: Yeah… And you know what’s crazy? I was supposed to join him that day but I took a rain check A: No way! Why didn’t you go? B: I got swamped at work by the end of the day [More natural would be: I was swamped with work by the end of the day] and couldn’t make it A: I’ve got goosebumps all over my body, you could’ve died too! B: I know, right?
March 27, 2023
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I don't understand "he's a bit out there". What are you trying to say?
March 28, 2023
> A: Have you heard what happened to Steve? This sentence doesn't feel very natural to me. If you take Lizzy's advice around removing 'about' from the second sentence, it might be useful here instead: > A: Have you heard about what happened to Steve? > A: Did you hear about what happened to Steve? Then I would change the response just a little (matching Lizzy's more or less): > B: The car accident? Yeah, I’m still shaken up. That’s awful! > A: Did he fall asleep while driving? He’s a bit out there but he’s normally very cautious as he drives… Same response more or less as Lizzy. > B: Really? I actually never liked Steve’s driving, it’s always been kinda sketch. Like Lizzy said, usually 'sketchy' is for people/places/things, you can use 'sketch' to describe verbs and most people will understand. You could also upgrade that to 'super sketch'. But, depending on the actually driving style other adjectives could be: scary, aggressive, like a grandpa (dangerously slow, which might match falling asleep at the wheel), reckless. Depending on what is trying to be stated about the driving, it might change how you structure that portion of the sentence. Could be something like "his driving always scared me, he was so aggressive". > A: I never noticed! Poor fella… Well, I guess it’s just how it goes sometimes. This is technically fine, but it doesn't feel like a natural response. Something that might seem more inline with the conversation could be: > A: Interesting, I never noticed that myself. Poor fella...Well, I guess it's just how it goes sometimes. The two parties are on other ends of spectrum regarding Steve's driving. Usually people will address that before continuing. Nothing is actually wrong with the initial sentence though.
March 27, 2023
Hi Anita, Hope you are well . Happy to help you with your English language.
March 27, 2023
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