30 Exclamations and warnings

A

The exclamations on this page are all informal. Be careful with the ones marked * as you risk insulting the person you are speaking to.

Encouraging others

Eat up! Take it away!1

Drink up! Can I look at your paper?

Sure, go ahead!

B

Go on then! Go for it!

1 a command used in musical contexts, meaning ‘Start playing/singing!’ Keep it up!

Expressing impatience

expression possible context

Roll on (Friday)!

You are in the middle of a very busy week at work.

Dream on! A not very musical friend is telling you about their plans to become a famous rock star.

Grow up!* A member of your family refuses to speak to you.

Hang on! Hang about!

A friend is telling you about a problem when you suddenly think of something that might solve their problem. tell someone to stop doing or saying something, to wait a minute

Go on!

A friend has just told you that he’s been invited to appear in a Hollywood film. tell someone that you do not believe what they just said (Note: spoken with a falling intonation)

Come on!

Come off it!

A friend is claiming he plays better chess than you – and you pride yourself on your play.

Wake up! You are telling someone how to do something but they are clearly daydreaming.

Shut up!* Your two brothers are arguing when you are trying to concentrate. you say this in order to …

show that you are looking forward to a time or event

tell someone that what they hope for is not possible and will not happen

tell an older child or an adult to stop acting like a small child

tell someone you don’t believe them or disagree or are angry with them

tell someone not paying attention to listen to what you say

tell someone to stop talking

30.1

30.2

30.3

dictionary.cambridge.org Using exclamations from the opposite page, what could you say to a family member who …

1 was about to start a race in the hope of breaking a record? 2 was acting in a childish way which was annoying you very much? 3 told you a very surprising bit of news? 4 told you he/she had just seen a flying saucer? (give two possible answers) 5 was in a long-distance race and who was looking very tired and about to give up? 6 was daydreaming and had not listened to something important you just said? 7 said he/she intended to be an astronaut?

Complete these sentences with a verb from the opposite page.

1 on the end of term! I’m sick of studying. 2 Oh, on! I’ve just found her number; we can ring her straightaway. 3 up, everyone! Your glasses are still half-full. We have to leave now if we’re to catch

the film!

4 Tim Can I print something out on your printer?

Mariam Of course, go ! You don’t need to ask!

5 (Older brother to younger brother) maths problem. 6 (Emma is standing at the side of the pool)

Emma Mum, watch me dive in! up Tom, will you! I’m trying to work out this

Mum OK, on then, but be careful, darling!

7 Come on,

up, children! Grandma has cooked us a delicious meal. 8 (Singer to guitarist) OK, it away! One, two, three!

Which exclamations from the list would fit these situations? Use a dictionary if necessary.

Get off ! Hurry up! Watch out! Calm down! Hold on! Go easy on them!

1 You think a teacher should treat some students less severely. What might you say? 2 Someone is starting to lose their temper. What might you say? 3 A child is pulling at the clothing of another child, who is getting annoyed. What might the second child say? 4 Someone is about to cross a busy road without looking. What might you say? 5 You are waiting for a friend to arrive to go to the cinema, but he calls you to say he is running late.

What might you say? 6 A friend calls with some important information that you need to write down, but you don’t have a pen. What might you say to the caller while you find one?