Post Office Services
Friends try to get change at a local post office. The English Grammar focus is on Logical Subjects.
Hagan: “I’m going to step into the post office over here.”
Ike: “Sure, you need some stamps?”
Hagan: “No, actually I just need some change.”
Ike: “I don’t know if they’ll do that for you.”
Hagan: “Hi, any chance you can change this hundred?”
Clerk: “Sorry, we can’t do that.”
Hagan: “Why not? It’s a no-brainer, just two fifties. I’m sure you’ve got the bills.”
Clerk: “That’s only for customers, sir.”
Hagan: “I can’t get anything done around here without smaller bills.”
Ike: “Come on, man, there’s a bank over there.“
Hagan: “Okay, you win.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
No-brainer means anything requiring little thought or effort, something easy or simple to understand or do. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Logical Subject
“There’s a bank over there.” The form of “be” in sentences with “There” in subject position should agree with the noun phrase that follows the verb. In this case, the noun phrase is “a bank” and the copula is “is.” As is common in conversational English, there + copula is contracted, and we get there’s. In everyday speech native speakers often use the contracted singular form there’s with both singular and plural subjects.
There is also commonly an exception to the subject-verb agreement generalization with a compound subject: “There is a cat on the front doorstep and one on the back porch.” This is a good example of the proximity principle, where the verb agrees with the noun closest to it.
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED DIALOGUE
Sandeep asks for several post office services. The English Grammar focuses on Tag Questions.
Sandeep: “I need some stamps, please.”
Postal Clerk: “No problem, do you prefer one design over another?”
Sandeep: “No thanks, just give me thirty bucks’ worth.”
Clerk: “Coming right up. That’s fifty standard-sized, right?”
Sandeep: “Sounds right to me.”
Clerk: “Will there be anything else today?”
Sandeep: “Yes, please tell me about your box rentals.”
Clerk: “You can see the box rental prices on the wall over there.”
Sandeep: “Any chance I could look at the boxes?”
Clerk: “Sure, if you’ll just step over there for a moment. There’s one other person in line behind you.”
Sandeep: “Super cool. I’ll go over there and sit tight.”
Clerk: “Scratch that, it appears you won’t have to wait at all. She just left.”
Sandeep: “Changed her mind?”
Clerk: “Maybe she forgot her wallet.”
Sandeep: “Maybe she just drew a blank and got embarrassed.”
Clerk: “Do you want to see the boxes?”
Sandeep: “I want that one there.”
Clerk: “That was quick!”
Sandeep: “I’m in high gear.”
Clerk: “A man who knows what he wants.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Coming right up means I will bring you what you have asked for. Typically used by waiters and service personnel. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Sit tight means to be patient and await the next move. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Step over means to move to a place a few steps away. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Change her mind means to reverse an earlier decision or previously held opinion. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Draw a blank means to fail to find or remember something. See online Idioms Dictionary.
In high gear means operating at the highest, fastest or most efficient level. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Tag questions
“That’s fifty standard-sized, right?” This is a standard tag question with an idiosyncratic tag finishing the sentence. “Right” is often used as a tag in informal English. It is equivalent to “isn’t that correct?”
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