1.10. Unit Ten. Conversation “ Tom? Will you post…”

Phase A.

In this unit we’re going to build up the conversation in four parts. But after each part we’re going to do an exercise.

Part One of the Conversation

Susan’s written a letter. She doesn’t want to post it herself. She’s talking to Tom.

Susan: Tom? Will you post this letter for me?

Now repeat that.

Susan: Will // Will you post // Will you post this letter // f’r // f’r me?// Will you post this letter f’r me? //

Notice these things about what Susan said just then.

One.

The word “for” in the phrase “for me” is pronounced weakly. Repeat again.

Susan: f’r // f’r me? //

Two.

Notice the whole intonation pattern. It’s very important. Make more sentences like it with the same intonation; like this.

Susan: Will you post this letter for me?

Susan: carry this bag

Will you carry this bag for me?

Now you do it. Concentrate on the intonation!

Susan: Will you post this letter for me?

Susan: carry this bag

Will you carry this bag for me?

Susan: these books

Will you carry these books for me?

Susan: open that door

Will you open that door for me?

Now remember the situation Susan uses that sentence in. She’s just written a letter. She doesn’t want to post it herself. And so she says this to Tom.

Susan: Will you post this letter for me?

Now we’re going to give you more situations just like that. You must say what Susan says in each situation. Like this. Listen. Remember, she’s talking to Tom!

Susan has a heavy suitcase. She can’t carry it herself.

Susan: Will you carry this suitcase for me?

So listen to each situation. Then say what you think Susan must say to Tom. Begin with “Will you” and finish with “for me”.

One. Susan sees the grass in the garden is very long. She doesn’t want to cut it herself.

Susan: Will you cut the grass for me?

Two. She needs some bread but she doesn’t want to get it herself.

Susan: Will you get some bread for me?

Three. She wants a cup of tea but she doesn’t want to make it herself.

Susan: Will you make a cup of tea for me?

Phase B. The Second Part of that Conversation

Listen to the beginning of the conversation again and then to the second or next part of it.

Susan: Tom? Will you post this letter for me?

Tom: Sorry, I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to post it later.

Repeat what Tom says.

Tom: Sorry, // I can’t right now // but I’ll // I’ll be // I’ll be able to post // I’ll be able to post it later. //

Now let’s quickly practise some more sentences with the construction “I’ll be able to”... this is just to give you practice in making the sentence quickly and automatically. Like this. Listen.

Tom: I’ll be able to post it later.

I’ll be able to post it later.

Tom: do

I’ll be able to do it later.

Now you do it. Are you ready?

Tom: I’ll be able to post it later.

I’ll be able to post it later.

Tom: do

I’ll be able to do it later.

Tom: in a few minutes

I’ll be able to do it in a few minutes.

Tom: take

I’ll be able to take it in a few minutes.

Now for a different kind of exercise. Susan is going to ask you to do something. Tell her you can’t but you’ll be able to do it later. Like this. Listen.

Susan: Tom? Will you cut the grass for me?

Tom: Sorry I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to cut it later.

Now you do it. Are you ready?

One.

Susan: Tom? Will you translate this letter for me? It’s in French.

Tom: Sorry I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to translate it later.

Two.

Susan: Tom... will you repair this lamp for me?

Tom: Sorry I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to repair it later.

Three.

Susan: Tom... will you get three pounds of potatoes for me, please?

Tom: Sorry I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to get them later.

Four.

Susan: Tom... will you move these chairs for me?

Tom: Sorry I can’t right now... but I’ll be able to move them later.

Phase C. The Third Part of the Conversation

You’ve already heard two parts of the conversation. Listen to them again and then to the new part.

Susan: Will you post this letter for me?

Tom: Sorry, I can’t right now. But I’ll be able to post it later... in about an hour.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.

Now repeat Susan’s last sentence.

Susan: I suppose // I’ll // I suppose I’ll // I suppose I’ll have to // post it // I suppose I’ll have to post it // myself // I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.//

And now make more sentences like that; like this. Listen.

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.

I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.

do it

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to do it myself.

And now you do it.

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.

do it

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to do it myself.

take it

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to take it myself.

go to the post office

Susan: I suppose I’ll have to go to the post office myself.

Now imagine you’ve asked Tom to do something else for you. For instance, he says this.

Tom: I’ll be able to repair that lamp for you later... in a few days.

So you say this. Repeat.

Susan: No, that’s too late. // I suppose I’ll have to repair it myself.//

And now, you do it. Answer Tom just like that.

One.

Tom: I’ll be able to cut the grass for you later... next week perhaps.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to cut it myself.

Two.

Tom: I’ll be able to get those potatoes for you later... just before the shops close this evening.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to get them myself.

Three.

Tom: I’ll make a cup of tea for you later... in an hour perhaps.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to make it myself.

Four.

Tom: I can’t wash the car right now... but I’ll be able to wash it later... perhaps next week sometime.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to wash it myself.

Phase D. The Last Part of the Conversation.

First you’ll hear the three parts you already know. Then you’ll hear the last part, which is new. Listen.

Susan: Tom? Will you post this letter for me?

Tom: Sorry, I can’t right now. But I’ll be able to post it later... in about an hour.

Susan: No, that’s too late. I suppose I’ll have to post it myself.

Tom: Oh... well... if you’re going to the post office yourself, perhaps you could do something for me.

Susan: What?

Tom: Well... the library’s on the way to the post office, isn’t it?

Susan: Yes. Why?

Tom: Well... I have six or seven books here. Perhaps you could take them for me.

Susan: What! I can’t possibly take all those books!

Tom: But you can take them on your way to the post office.

Susan: No, I’m sorry. You’ll have to take them yourself!

Now listen again to this part of the conversation.

Tom: I have six or seven books here. Perhaps you could take them for me.

Susan: What! I can’t possibly take all those books!

Tom: But you can take them on your way to the post office.

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to take them yourself.

Repeat Susan’s last sentence.

Susan: No. // No. I’m sorry. // You’ll have to take them yourself.// No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to take them yourself.//

Make more sentences like that. For example. Listen. Just listen.

Tom: Please mark these books for me!

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to mark them yourself!

Now you do it!

One.

Tom: Please mark these books for me!

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to mark them yourself!

Two.

Tom: Please wash these shirts for me!

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to wash them yourself!

Three.

Tom: Please eat these sandwiches for me!

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to eat them yourself!

Four.

Tom: Please carry these cases for me!

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to carry them yourself!

Five.

Tom: Please phone these people for me.

Susan: No. I’m sorry. You’ll have to phone them yourself!

And that is the end of this unit. Thank you.