Riding the Wave
Friends are riding the wave about a pregnancy. The English Grammar focuses on Complementation.
Jim: “What are you smiling about?”
Barry: “A few things, actually. My wife is pregnant, for one.”
Jim: “Congratulations! Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”
Barry: “Well, I would like a boy, but we have a feeling it’s a girl.”
Jim: “You want someone to follow in your footsteps, I understand.”
Barry: “Well, we have a winery here, and a girl will do fine!”
Jim: “How far along is she?”
Barry: “Several months now.”
Jim: “So you’ll celebrate her birthday around Thanksgiving, and then Christmas shortly afterwards!”
Barry: “You’re right, but don’t say ‘her birthday’ yet. I’m still hoping for a boy!”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Follow in one’s footsteps means to do the same job, have the same style of life, etc. as somebody else, especially somebody in your family. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Will do typically means affirmative, I will do as you asked. But here with “fine” it means will be perfectly suitable, adequate, or acceptable. See online Idioms Dictionary.
How far along here means how many months pregnant, but the expression can be used in other contexts to refer to progress made towards a goal. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Complementation
“I want someone to follow in my footsteps.” Clausal complements frequently take the form of tensed that-clauses, e.g. “People know that college is expensive.” But another form, along with subjunctive and gerund complements, is infinitive complements. That is what we have here.
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED DIALOGUE
Friends are riding the wave about a new job. The Grammar focuses on Idiom Meanings, and how they must always be considered in context.
Evelyn: “Tell me what made you smile today.”
Hazel: “Your question makes me smile. Where does that come from?”
Evelyn: “Just thinking, you know. The news everywhere always seems so bad, and I don’t believe it.”
Hazel: “You’re absolutely right, Evelyn. After burning the candle at both ends for so long, my girl Julie finished her classes last week. Now she’s going to work at a hospital.”
Evelyn: “That made you smile. What was she doing before?”
Hazel: “She was working at a coffee bar. She liked the people okay, but it was slave wages. Now she will be a lab assistant for almost thirty bucks an hour.”
Evelyn: “That is a major improvement! She must be thrilled.”
Hazel: “Pretty much. She got hired on a few days ago, so that was her high point. She starts on Monday.”
Evelyn: “I would be dancing in the streets if it were me.”
Hazel: “She was. She and her sister went barhopping that evening, and she’s been riding the wave ever since.”
Evelyn: “I am so happy to hear that!”
Hazel: “She’s cooled down some but you can still see it in her eyes. I’m so happy for her.”
Evelyn: “So our education system does work. Contrary to all the doom and gloom scenarios I’m always reading about!”
Hazel: “Just gotta put in the effort.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Burn the candle at both ends means extreme effort without time to rest. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Pretty much means for the most part, mostly. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Riding the wave means enjoying the benefit of a particularly successful moment in time. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Cool down means to become less intensely passionate. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Doom and gloom means a general feeling of pessimism or despondency. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: The Meaning of Idioms varies by context
It’s important to remember that idioms have variable meanings, depending on the speakers and the context. “Ride the wave,” “cool down,” “burning the candle at both ends” — in English, the context must always be taken into consideration, especially with idioms. For example, a person could collapse after burning the candle at both ends, but in the dialogue here Julie triumphs, finishing her classes and landing a new job.
Consider the idiom/phrasal verb “check out”:
To examine carefully: “Better check it out thoroughly before you buy it.”
In a library: “I’m going to check out this book and take it home.”
In a grocery store: “If you don’t have five items, go to the express lane to check out.”
In a hotel: “We have to check out by 12 noon.”
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