4 Short English Sentences | You’ll Actually Use

Think about the last time someone made a really good point, or something happened exactly the way you expected. What would you say at that moment? We've got four short English sentences for situations just like these. And let's see how many of them you already know. You got me there. We use you got me there when someone makes a good point, and you don't really have an answer. Let's move to our first conversation. David, you said you were too busy to exercise yesterday. I was. I had a lot to do. Really? Because I saw you watching that movie last night. Well, I only watched a little bit. A little bit? You were watching it when I left, and you were still watching it when I came back. Okay, okay. You got me there. Exactly. Sometimes, you just have to admit it when someone makes a good point. Perfect. I hope you've got a good understanding of you got me there now. Keep practicing, and try using it whenever you find yourself in a similar situation. I'm not sure. Before we move on, let's practice this sentence first. Say it slowly. Listen carefully. I'm not sure. Now you try it. I am not sure. Good. Now say it naturally, without stopping between the words. I'm not sure. Do you know when and where you can use it? Okay, I'm not sure is useful when you don't know something or haven't made a decision yet. You could say, which pair should I get? I'm not sure. They both look good. One more moment. In this example, our friends are at a restaurant, looking over the menu. Okay, Emma. Are you ordering the pasta? Hmm. I'm not sure yet. Still deciding? Yep. Give me another minute. Remember, I'm not sure is a simple, natural way to say that you don't know something or haven't made a decision yet. Now you know how to use it. Try saying, I'm not sure, the next time you haven't made up your mind. That figures. David, do you know what that figures means? Yeah, I do. We say, that figures, when something happens just as we expected. Exactly. It basically means, I'm not surprised. So, shall we hear how we use it in a conversation? Absolutely. Let's listen. All right. See what's happening in the image. David has been waiting for Emma, and she has just arrived. Judging by his expression, he probably expected her to be late. Finally. I was starting to wonder. Sorry, my alarm didn't go off. Your alarm? Again? I know. I really need a new alarm clock. Yeah, that figures. Okay, I deserved that. We hope you now feel comfortable using that figures in your everyday conversations. Keep practicing. All right. Here's another useful expression for our English learners. I knew it. But first, let's listen to a short conversation and then discover what it means. As you can see on your screen, Emma and David are looking at a dark sky through a window. David is holding an umbrella. Look at those clouds. I think it's going to rain. I don't think so. The sky doesn't look that bad. Hmm. I'm taking my umbrella anyway. You always think it's going to rain. Oh. Here we go. I knew it. Okay, you were right. Let's talk about what happened. Emma looked at the sky and expected it to rain, while David wasn't convinced. When the rain finally started, Emma said, I knew it. She used this short sentence because what she expected actually happened. Let's try one more. I thought you'd order the chocolate cake. How did you know? You always choose chocolate. Okay. You know me too well. See? I knew you'd pick it. So the next time your prediction comes true, you can simply say, I knew it. Recall challenge. Okay, students. It's time for a quick recall challenge. Ready? Here's the situation. Your friend says, you said you were saving money, but you just bought a new pair of shoes. Hmm. What would you say? Think for a moment. Did you get it? The answer is, you got me there. Exactly. If you got that right, great job. Let's move on to the next one. Wow. We've learned four useful English expressions already. Let's see if you still remember them. Yeah, and each one can be used in a different situation. First, you got me there. We use it when someone makes a good point and we don't have a good answer. Right. Then there's that figures. We say this when something happens just as we expected. And what about, I knew it. We use it when something happens and our prediction turns out to be right. Exactly. And finally, I'm not sure yet. We use it when we haven't decided or don't know the answer. Great job. If you remember most of them, you're making real progress. Keep practicing, and try using these expressions in your own conversations. Remember, short sentences can say a lot. The key is knowing when the moment calls for them. So listen for those moments, and when one comes along, give one of these a try. You might be surprised. See you in the next one.