AEE 2358: English Vocabulary is Tricky? You’re Telling Me!

Summary

All Ears English Podcast Summary
Episode: AEE 2358 – “English Vocabulary is Tricky? You’re Telling Me!”
Release Date: February 17, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 2358 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Aubrey Carter delve into the nuances of English vocabulary, specifically exploring alternative expressions to the commonly used phrase “Tell me about it.” Aimed at intermediate to advanced English learners, this episode emphasizes the importance of connection over perfection in language learning, providing listeners with practical phrases to enhance their conversational skills.

Opening Conversation

The episode begins with a casual exchange between Lindsay and Aubrey, highlighting their busy schedules:

• Lindsay [02:07]: “Wow, Aubry, I am crazy busy today. So much to do.”
• Aubrey [01:45]: “Oh, you're telling me. I have to take one child to lacrosse, another one to soccer. I need to figure out a carpool. I can't be two places at once.”

This relatable dialogue sets the stage for the episode’s focus on expressing agreement and empathy in everyday conversations.

Main Topic: Alternatives to “Tell Me About It”

Understanding “Tell Me About It”

Lindsay and Aubrey revisit a listener’s question from a previous episode regarding the phrase “Tell me about it” and its varying intonations to convey either curiosity or sympathy.

• Aubrey [03:11]: “Intonation is really key there to know which meaning you mean.”
• Lindsay [04:13]: “This is such a fun connection skill when you have something in common to use one of these fun phrases.”

They clarify that “Tell me about it” can be used both to express agreement and to show genuine interest, depending on how it's said.

Three Alternative Phrases

1. “You’re Telling Me”

   • Aubrey [06:00]: “You’re telling me. Emphasizes how much you agree or how much you have something in common.”
   • Role Play Example [06:10]:
     • Aubrey: “Why do I even bother buying lottery tickets?”
     • Lindsay: “Ah, you’re telling me. I’ve never even won a single dollar.”
   • Insight: This phrase is playful and modern, making it a natural way to show agreement in casual conversations.

2. “You Said It”

   • Aubrey [07:01]: “You said it. I can’t believe we didn’t know about this place.”
   • Lindsay [07:59]: “I rarely use it. It might be from a previous generation.”
   • Adaptation: The hosts suggest using “A hundred percent” as a more contemporary alternative.
   • Insight: While “You said it” is clear, it may not resonate as strongly with younger generations.

3. “I Couldn't Agree More”

   • Aubrey [08:20]: “I couldn’t agree with you more. That’s a great idea.”
   • Role Play Example [11:50]:
     • Aubrey: “This hotel is amazing.”
     • Lindsay: “I couldn’t agree with you more. We should see if anyone wants to go to a bar nearby after.”
   • Insight: This phrase is highly emphatic and versatile, suitable for both personal and professional contexts. Splitting the contraction (“I could not agree more”) adds further emphasis.

Practical Application: Role Plays

To illustrate the usage of these phrases, Lindsay and Aubrey engage in role plays set at a high school reunion:

• Aubrey [11:50]: “It’s high time I came to one of these. I missed the first two.”
• Lindsay [11:54]: “This was the one to come to.”
• Aubrey: “You’re telling me. This ballroom is so opulent. I kind of would prefer somewhere more chill, though.”
• Lindsay: “I couldn’t agree with you more. We should see if anyone wants to go to a bar nearby after.”

These scenarios demonstrate how the alternative phrases can enhance conversational flow and deepen connections by expressing agreement effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Connection Over Perfection: Emphasizing meaningful interactions is more beneficial than striving for flawless language use.
• Variety in Expression: Utilizing different phrases to express agreement keeps conversations engaging and natural.
• Context Matters: Understanding the appropriate context and intonation for each phrase ensures the intended meaning is conveyed.

Aubrey [14:08]: “If ever you agree with someone, don't just say, oh, yeah, I agree. Why not be emphatic like you said, Lindsay, support the speaker.”

Lindsay [14:28]: “Sometimes these tools for connection are very accessible. They’re right there, so grab it and agree with the person and then expand.”

Conclusion

Episode 2358 of the All Ears English Podcast offers valuable insights into enriching English vocabulary with alternative expressions for “Tell me about it.” By practicing phrases like “You’re telling me,” “You said it,” and “I couldn’t agree more,” learners can enhance their conversational skills, fostering deeper connections and more engaging interactions. Lindsay and Aubrey reinforce the podcast’s core philosophy: prioritize connection over perfection in language learning.

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Transcript

[Aubrey Carter]

This is an Allers English podcast. Episode 2358. English vocabulary is tricky. You're telling me.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection. With your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz and Lindsey McMahon, the English adventurer, coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe a high level connection skill is agreeing with someone when they make a statement to show that you have something in common with them. Listen in today for three alternatives to the phrase Tell me about it.

[C]

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[Lindsey McMahon]

Hey Aubrey, how are you doing today?

[Aubrey Carter]

I'm great. How are you, Lindsay?

[Lindsey McMahon]

Good. Feeling good. Feeling good.

[Aubrey Carter]

What do you have going on later today?

[Lindsey McMahon]

Wow, Aubry, I am crazy busy today. So much to do.

[Aubrey Carter]

Oh, you're telling me. I have to take one child to lacrosse, another one to soccer. I need to figure out a carpool. I can't be two places at once.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Wow, that makes me stressed out just thinking about it. Honestly, that's insane. Okay, good luck, Aubrey. Thank you.

[Aubrey Carter]

I need it. Wow.

[Lindsey McMahon]

All right, I'm excited to get into the topic for today. But first, guys, hit the follow button right here in Allers English, we do publish five episodes a week. So if you want to make English learning part of your habit, which is how people get better, go ahead and hit the follow button. Right, Aubrey?

[Aubrey Carter]

Absolutely right. Then our episodes will just drop right into your queue and you won't miss any of them.

[Lindsey McMahon]

You got it? Now, today's episode is inspired from a YouTube viewer. And thank you for watching us over in YouTube. Yeah.

[Aubrey Carter]

Yes, absolutely. So this was attacking 2 era 23159 and the question was left on a recent episode that you and Michelle recorded. All yours. English love language learning. Tell me about it. And so then this listener said when saying tell me about it, it does the intonation depend on situations where I am showing curiosity or sympathy to the Story which someone is telling me. Thank you so much for today's episode. So this was definitely covered in that episode a little bit. But intonation is really key there to know which meaning you mean.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Oh, that's true. That's true. Yeah. 100. So. And there's a lot of other ways to say, tell me about it.

[Aubrey Carter]

Right, Exactly. That's what we want to dive into today. As I was listening to that conversation, I'm like, oh, we could do a part, too, with some of the other fun ways that we say that. So definitely go back. Don't miss that first episode for more details about, you know, tell me about it. The different intonation, how we use it. And today we're going to dive into these other phrases that convey a similar meaning.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And first of all, for any listeners that didn't listen to that episode, let's just define, you know, what does that mean when we say tell me about it? Aubrey.

[Aubrey Carter]

Yeah, we are responding with a affirmation. We're really agreeing. Right. Someone says something and you say, tell me about it usually means, like, I wholeheartedly agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And it's funny because sometimes, like, with the busy conversation, you could be much busier than I am. But I feel I'm busy. You feel you're busy. So we kind of empathize with each other. Even if we're not as busy as each other, it doesn't matter. We're just empathizing. Right.

[Aubrey Carter]

But we do use it a very different way when, like this listener said, if we want to show curiosity, we could just be like, tell me about it. And it just means, like, I want to know more about that. So depending on your intonation has a very different meaning.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Oh, my gosh. So we're coming up with alternatives today for which meaning, Aubry? Which meaning?

[Aubrey Carter]

Or the first one, tell me about it. Meaning, like, I really agree. Emphasizing how much you agree with someone or how much you have something in common. Like we were both saying, we are both really busy. This is such a fun connection skill when you have something in common to use one of these fun phrases.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And this is. Yeah, exactly as you said, Aubry. It's a huge connection skill. And on Allers English, we are all about connection. Connection, not perfection. Yes, it's great. Great to learn grammar. It's great to learn vocabulary, but what does it actually mean for your level of connection in the world, Your friendships, your professional relationships? That's what we're going to show you here. Okay.

[Aubrey Carter]

Absolutely. And it makes sense that we have so many Options. Because this is such a great connection skill. But you want to be able to use all of these. You want. You don't want to just have to say, you know, tell me about it, or even like, I agree. So there are a lot of fun ways to say this so that you can switch it up.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And we do. I do find that I'm saying this a lot. What about you, Aubry? Is this. Does this come up for you often? I. I would guess yes.

[Aubrey Carter]

Yeah, absolutely. Right. Because you want to highlight that when you have something in common, it would be such a lost opportunity to not point it out. Right. You want to point out when there are similarities when you. This bonds people to find out you have things in common.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Support the speaker. Exactly. Exactly. All right, so then we have. How many do we have today? Two or three options. Three great options. Okay.

[Aubrey Carter]

What would be the first one we used at the top of the episode? You're telling me. Emphasizes how much you agree or how much you have something in common. Let's do a little mini role play to see it again.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Okay.

[Aubrey Carter]

Why do I even bother buying lottery tickets?

[Lindsey McMahon]

Ah, you're telling me. I've never even won a single dollar.

[Aubrey Carter]

Perfect.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Right.

[Aubrey Carter]

This is such a great. If someone is just kind of venting that they're wasting a lot of money on something, something's not going well. This is a very fun, playful way to say I agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Exactly. It's straightforward. It's clear what you're saying. It's kind of modern and native and natural.

[Aubrey Carter]

Exactly. And we are doing mini role plays here because this usually is a response to someone. Right. It's difficult to give an example sentence how you would use this. And because we use it to respond to what someone else has said.

[Lindsey McMahon]

100%. And that's another thing we could say to agree 100%.

[Aubrey Carter]

Totally. Right.

[Lindsey McMahon]

That's a bonus for today. But let's move on to number two, Aubrey.

[Aubrey Carter]

All right. Two is you said it so very similar. Meaning you're just agreeing with what someone said. And you know, because the word said is in there, this is a little more specific to. You're going to say it right after someone says something that you either really agree with or you really share something in common.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Right. So, for example, this dessert is delicious.

[Aubrey Carter]

You said it. I can't believe we didn't know about this place.

[C]

Yeah.

[Lindsey McMahon]

And so you're just saying, hey, I totally agree with you. I'm glad you said that because I'm saying the same thing.

[Aubrey Carter]

Right, Exactly. Right. Just a fun way to Say you agree. It gives you just an option to switch it up. I don't use this one as often. I think it's a little more rare or a little more common for maybe a generation older than ours. I hear it a little bit less these days. What do you think, Lindsay?

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Almost at 100 again. Geez. Why don't we swap in 100 instead of. You said it. Yeah, no, I think you're right. I rarely. I mean, I know about it.

[Aubrey Carter]

It.

[Lindsey McMahon]

I know of it, but I don't really use it. And I. I don't know that I hear it. That it might be from a previous generation.

[Aubrey Carter]

Maybe. Yeah. I think we have swapped in a hundred percent. Instead of saying you said it, we say a hundred percent.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah, we're discovering this episode in real time here, Aubrey. This is good. All right. But the next one, 100. We do say it. I couldn't agree with you more. Right.

[Aubrey Carter]

Yes. I absolutely say this. I hear it. It's such a great chunk for just letting someone know that you really agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. So, for example, Duke's is the best bar in town.

[Aubrey Carter]

I couldn't agree with you more. I love that place.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And that's just even more emphatic in a way. I don't know. It just really makes it clear that you really agree. I couldn't agree with you more. Could it also be useful in a professional context, maybe more than the others?

[Aubrey Carter]

Yeah, that's true. This would definitely work at work. Right? Someone has a great idea in a brainstorming session. This is perfect. I couldn't agree with you more. That's a great idea. And then we'll also, for more emphasis, split apart the contraction and we'll say, I could not agree with you more. That's just to emphasize even more how much you agree even more.

[Lindsey McMahon]

And it's fun to be able to do that. Just split that out. Put the emphasis on not. It just makes it a little more interesting, more emphatic. Putting some life and personality into what you're saying.

[Aubrey Carter]

Absolutely. I agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

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[Aubrey Carter]

No, I actually have never gone to any of mine.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Have you? I think I went to my five year high school reunion, but it. It was just, you know, a year out of college. Nothing had changed for people other than going to college. So I've never been to a later one.

[Aubrey Carter]

I just wasn't in my hometown or I would have gone. I had already moved away. I wasn't going to go back for it. But I'm kind of sad I missed out. It could have been fun.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. Well, I'm sure they're still having them. Aubrey.

[Aubrey Carter]

Probably still go have to go to the next one.

[Lindsey McMahon]

I think later ones would be the more interesting ones. Right?

[Aubrey Carter]

Right. Now that we've all changed, I probably wouldn't recognize anyone. I actually had a mini high school reunion this last summer in Idaho. I was playing pickleball and there were four different people from my high school. Wow. They all came up to me. They're like, Aubry. I didn't recognize any of that. I couldn't remember name. So they look and they all knew you crazy. Yeah, but they. So I guess that's a compliment.

[Lindsey McMahon]

That's great. That's great.

[Aubrey Carter]

Okay, I'll start us out.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Okay.

[Aubrey Carter]

It's high time I came to one of these. I missed the first two.

[Lindsey McMahon]

This was the one to come to if you had to choose one. This hotel is amazing.

[Aubrey Carter]

You're telling me. This ballroom is so opulent. I kind of would prefer somewhere more chill, though.

[Lindsey McMahon]

I know what you mean. It's kind of hard to just chat at such a formal event.

[Aubrey Carter]

I couldn't agree with you more. We should see if anyone wants to go to a bar nearby after.

[Lindsey McMahon]

I don't really know anyone well enough to ask. I'm really bad at staying in touch.

[Aubrey Carter]

Me too. It's crazy how much we've all changed.

[Lindsey McMahon]

You said it. I hardly recognize anyone.

[Aubrey Carter]

I could totally feel like you would say 100 there instead of you said it under my overuse that a little bit nice anyway.

[Lindsey McMahon]

But yeah, it's true. It's true. So you said, this hotel is amazing. So you're really. Or I did. I'm really impressed with the location. And you said you're telling. Telling me. So you're really agreeing there, right?

[Aubrey Carter]

Yes. Right. Just a fun way to say absolutely or I really agree. You're telling me.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And good bonus here. This ballroom is so opulent. What a great high level word for ielts, for example, or just work, maybe.

[Aubrey Carter]

Absolutely. Right. It's a little less common. It means extremely fancy. And so, yeah, really fun word if you can fit it in on ielts or. Yeah, anytime you want to just uplevel your vocabulary.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Exactly. And then what did you say? So I said, it's hard to chat at a formal event like this.

[Aubrey Carter]

And you said, I couldn't agree with you more. Right. So you can say, I couldn't agree more or I couldn't agree with you more, either. Works perfectly and just as a great way to say, oh, I really agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah. And you also have the option of saying, I could not agree with you more. That would work too.

[Aubrey Carter]

Right?

[Lindsey McMahon]

As we said.

[Aubrey Carter]

Absolutely. That might even emphasize it a little more. Right. If you're really wanting to be emphatic about how much you agree.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Exactly. And then I said, you said, me too. It's crazy how much we've all changed. Right? You don't know anyone. Well. And then I responded by saying, you said it. I hardly recognize anyone. And that's the one that we said is maybe not as common right now in our generation, but our listeners might still hear that on a TV show.

[Aubrey Carter]

Right. Especially older TV shows, but even now podcast. Like, I would understand what someone meant if they said that. I feel like I just don't hear it as much anymore.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Exactly. I love it. Aubry, what's our takeaway for today?

[Aubrey Carter]

Yeah, I think this is a fun connection skill to agree emphatically. Right. If ever you agree with someone, don't just say, oh, yeah, I agree. Why not be emphatic like you said, Lindsay, Support the speaker. Because that feels good when you say something and then the other person is willing to like really double down on how much they agree. Why not?

[Lindsey McMahon]

Yeah, it's kind of a ninja connection skill that is very accessible to all of us, right? It's right there in front of you. Sometimes these tools for connection are very accessible. They're right there. So grab it and agree with the person and then expand. Sometimes we hear our listeners are worried that a conversation will end and they don't know how to continue a conversation. Guys, this is a good way to do it too, right?

[Aubrey Carter]

Yes, absolutely right. So any chance you have to agree emphatically use one of today's phrases. What a fun way to connect.

[Lindsey McMahon]

All right. Sounds good, Aubrey. See you next time. Have a good one.

[Aubrey Carter]

See you next time. Bye.

[Lindsey McMahon]

Thanks for listening to Allears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com fluencyscore and if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.