Lily asks
Tell me about a time you helped someone out.
How to build your answer
Tell a story: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Set the sceneWhen and where. “A few months ago, I…”
- 2What happenedTwo or three moments, in order.
- 3How it feltYour reaction. “I was mortified.”
- 4How it endedThe ending, or what you'd do now.
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
Last month, an old lady on my street was carrying her shopping up the hill, and one of the bags broke. Oranges everywhere, rolling down the road. I'd just left for work, but I stopped and gave her a hand. We picked everything up, and I carried the heavy bag to her door. She was so grateful she tried to give me a biscuit, ha. It only took five minutes, but it really made my day. It's funny how little things like that stay with you.
Phrases to borrow
give someone a hand
/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ə ˈhænd/
help someone, usually with something physical
Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
only take (five) minutes
/ˈəʊnli ˈteɪk (ˈfaɪv) ˈmɪnɪts/
needed a very short time
It only takes five minutes to make this soup.
make someone's day
/ˈmeɪk ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈdeɪ/
make someone very happy
Your message really made my day.
Natural
Lily's voice note
Last month, I was just leaving for work when I saw an old lady from my street carrying her shopping up the hill. Then one of her bags split, and oranges went rolling down the road. I couldn't just walk past, so I helped her pick everything up and carried the heavy bag to her door. She kept saying she didn't want to bother me. It only took five minutes, but she was so grateful she tried to give me a biscuit. It really put a smile on my face for the whole day. Little things like that stay with you.
Phrases to borrow
not want to bother someone
/nɒt ˈwɒnt tə ˈbɒðə ˈsʌmwʌn/
didn't want to disturb or trouble someone
I didn't want to bother you, you looked busy.
put a smile on someone's face
/pʊt ə ˈsmaɪl ɒn ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈfeɪs/
make someone feel happy
Your funny message really put a smile on my face.
stay with you
/ˈsteɪ wɪð juː/
you keep remembering something for a long time
Some things your teachers say really stay with you.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
Last month, on my way to work, I spotted an old lady from my street struggling up the hill with her shopping, totally out of breath. Halfway up, one of the bags split, and suddenly there were oranges bouncing down the road like something out of a cartoon. I dropped everything, my coffee included, and went chasing after them. Then I carried her heavy bag to her door, and she wouldn't let me leave without a biscuit. It only took five minutes, but I'm so glad I made the effort, because it meant a lot to her.
Phrases to borrow
out of breath
/ˈaʊt əv ˈbreθ/
breathing fast and hard, usually after effort
I ran for the bus and was out of breath for ages.
drop everything
/drɒp ˈevriθɪŋ/
stop what you're doing immediately to help or go
When my brother called, I dropped everything.
make the effort
/meɪk ði ˈefət/
try hard to do something, even when it's not easy
Thanks for making the effort to come.
mean a lot (to someone)
/ˈmiːn ə ˈlɒt (tə ˈsʌmwʌn)/
was very important and special to someone
Your card meant a lot to me.
Your turn: answer Lily
Tell me about a time you helped someone out.
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Memories & childhood
not want to bother someone
didn't want to disturb or trouble someone
“I didn't want to bother you, you looked busy.”
heytardy