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Photo-grammar from London
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Colour picture of the poster

Wudja? Cudja?
What would you do for money?
Thursdays 11.30PM ITV2

We hope you know that the sound of English changes in rapid speech by native speakers - here is an advertisement for a television programme which shows it's true!
What would you do? What could you do? for money.

"Would you" pronounced "wudja" and "could you" pronounced "cudja"

"Wudja like to go for a walk?"
"Wudja like a drink?"
"Cudja give me a hand please?"

"Thursdays" = every thursday
"ITV2" = a subscription channel; the non-satelite, non-cable channels are BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. BBC1&2 have no commercials and are paid for by licence fee.

It's clearly a goldfish on the right; I think it is raw eggs on the left - any other ideas?
6.8.2002


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"Robin"

One of the younger people working at Megabank.

Because of this he knows much more about computers, the Internet etc. than his older colleagues. He is also paid less than more senior staff and is more expendable.

OK

"...about"

An informal way to introduce a subject.

On the telephone, you can say 'About the meeting next week...I'm afraid I can't make it.'

OK

"sorted"

Or 'sorted out' - fixed, arranged.

'Sort out' is one of the important Phrasal Verbs.

OK Phrasal Verbs

"You see"

You can say this to introduce an explanation.

Compare with 'You know' to introduce a comment: 'You know, the first time I went to London...'

OK

"to bypass"

= to avoid. A bypass is a road that does not go through a town, but round it.'

OK

"Handy"

= useful or convenient.

German speakers: It is not a portable telephone which is a 'mobile' in English.

OK

"I don't have to"

'I am not obliged to' - the opposite of 'I must'

Remember 'I mustn't' is a frequent mistake in this context. It means that it is not permitted or it is forbidden.

OK Must

"bang on about"

Slang: to talk about something (aggressively?) without stopping and in a boring way.

Compare 'to rabbit on about' which is only repetitive and a little boring.

OK

"blame it on you"

Say it is your fault - because of something you have done

OK

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