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Learn more about feelings and emotions

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Introduction

Here’s a phrase about things that scare you. Learn how to use it in this programme.

Transcript

Feifei
Welcome to The English We Speak, with me Feifei…

Phil
And me, Phil. We have an expression about things that scare you – they ‘make your hair stand on end’.

Feifei
‘make your hair stand on end’. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to find out how you use this one! Go on, tell us what makes your hair stand on end.

Phil
I can’t stand mice, and my house is full of them – when I see one it makes my hair stand on end!

Feifei
I don’t even want to think about it – but what about other times. What other things are you scared of? What makes your hair stand on end?

Phil
You know when you see great big spiders – really hairy ones? Even if I just think of them, they make my hair stand on end.

Feifei
Is it just animals that you’re scared of? Is there anything else that can make your hair stand on end?

Phil
OK, maybe heights, I remember being high up on a mountain, and looking down at the rocks below. It really made my hair stand on end!

Feifei
Has anyone ever said that you’re easily scared? Let’s hear some more examples.

Examples
Being on a scary fairground ride makes my hair stand on end.

Hearing footsteps outside my window on a dark night made my hair stand on end.

If I saw a shark while I was swimming in the sea, it would make my hair stand on end.

Feifei
You’re listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we are learning the expression ‘make your hair stand on end’, it’s used to talk about things that scare you. We can replace ‘your’ with other pronouns such as ‘my’, his’, ' her’ so we can say ‘make my hair stand on end’ or ‘make his hair stand on end’.

Phil
And another way that we say it is that something ‘makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up’.

Feifei
And seeing as you’ve said that mice, spiders and heights all make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, remind me never to go on a walk in the countryside with you!

Phil
I think I need to stay in the city – too many things in the countryside make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Feifei
So, you’ll definitely be here to record the next terrifying episode of The English We Speak. See you next time!

Phil
Bye!

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