AEE 2560: Do You Want the Long or Short Version? How to Open a Story with Respect

Summary

All Ears English Podcast: Episode 2560 – “Do You Want the Long or Short Version? How to Open a Story with Respect”

Date: February 4, 2026
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Michelle Kaplan

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on a nuanced but vital connection skill for English learners: knowing how to politely check how much detail someone wants before telling a story or giving information. Lindsay and Michelle explore the importance of respecting people’s time and attention, a key value in American culture, and share practical phrases to open stories considerately. Listeners learn how these expressions not only aid communication but also foster better relationships and self-awareness in social situations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why This Skill Matters

• Respecting Time and Social Context:
  Americans highly value time and directness. Checking in before sharing a lengthy story signals emotional intelligence and respect for the other person's circumstances.
• Connection, Not Perfection:
  The skill aligns with the show’s theme of building true connections in English, focusing on real-life social nuances over flawless language.

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The Origin of the Topic

[02:41]

• Michelle shares her inspiration from visiting the Ronald Reagan museum, learning he was once a “play-by-play” radio announcer.
  • "That got me thinking about the phrase 'play by play.' Yo, I don't need a play by play." – Michelle

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Key Phrases to Check Level of Detail

1. “Do you want the long version or the short version?”

[05:00]

• Straightforward and widely used to gauge the listener’s preference for story length.
  • Role-play Example:
    • Lindsay: “Okay, I will, but it's a long one. Do you want the long version or the short version?” [05:15]

2. “Do you want the full play by play or just the highlights?”

[06:08]

• Draws on sports terminology (“play by play” = every detail; “highlights” = summary). Adds a casual, friendly tone.
  • Role-play Example:
    • Michelle: “Oh, man. Do you want the full play by play or just the highlights?” [06:36]
    • Lindsay: “I want to hear everything.”

3. “Do you want the full story or the abridged version?”

[08:22]

• “Abridged” means shortened (like a summarized version of a book). Useful for formal or academic contexts too.
  • Lindsay: “Are you sure? Do you want the full story or the abridged version?” [08:58]

4. “How much detail do you want me to go into?”

[09:15]

• Slightly wordier but more explicit, especially beyond just stories (e.g., explaining a job).
  • Michelle: “Well, it's a lot. How much detail do you want me to go into?” [09:32]

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Why These Phrases Matter

[10:02]

• Respectful Conversation:
  Using these checks demonstrates care for the other person’s interests and schedule.
• Displays Social Awareness:
  Lindsay: “It just shows that you're thinking above a certain level...that you put some extra thought into how you sound, what people are looking for, and really giving people that choice.” [10:07]
• Personality and Character:
  Michelle: “Not all native speakers do this. It's a personality thing...I think it shows good character.” [11:45]

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Practical Role-Play Example

[11:17] In line at a party:

• Lindsay: “So you never told me how Kylie and George got engaged.”
• Michelle: “Oh, right. Well, it's a long story. Do you want the long version or the short version?”
• Lindsay: “Well, I want to hear everything, but it's hard to hear now.”
• Michelle: “Right. I'll give you the abridged version.”
• Lindsay: “Okay. Right. Because we're in line. Maybe it's loud at the party…”

Takeaway: Context influences which version to share; offering options makes everyone comfortable.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Social Skill Value:
  “If our listeners can just take this one tip, these few phrases, and implement them, they will be ahead of probably 50% of native speakers, socially.” – Michelle [12:21]
• On Importance of Self-Awareness:
  Michelle: “I totally agree with you. It's a self-awareness that you are not the most important thing in the world.” [10:34]
• On Cultural Fit:
  Lindsay: “Americans place a big value on time, so when you show that you respect someone's time, that's really going to be important to them.” [03:42]

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Additional Context & Tips

• Connection to Previous Episodes:
  • Listeners are encouraged to check out episode 2551 on the word “embrace.” [12:52]
• Situational Adaptation:
  • The hosts emphasize matching your approach to the context—a relaxed campfire vs. a bustling party. [13:22]
• Not Just a Language Skill:
  • These habits go beyond ESL—they build empathy and connection for native speakers, too.

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Episode Takeaways

• Proactively offering a choice about story details demonstrates respect, self-awareness, and strong conversational skills.
• Implementing these phrases will help listeners connect more meaningfully in English-speaking environments.
• Context matters: Read the room and adapt!
• Adopting these tips will make both learners and native speakers better communicators.

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For more on conversational nuance and connection, subscribe to All Ears English and keep focusing on “Connection NOT Perfection!”

Transcript

[Lindsay McMahon]

This is an All Ears English podcast, episode 2560. Do you want the long or short version? How to open a story with respect.

[Michelle Kaplan]

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 hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward/subscribe.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

When you get started telling a story and you know it could be a.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Long one, what can you say to.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

Find out how much detail the person wants?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Find out today and learn why this is crucial for connection and friendship.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

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[Michelle Kaplan]

Hey there, Michelle.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Hi, Lindsay. How are you?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Good, how are you? What's new?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Good, good. So, Lindsay, I just have to tell you what happened to me over the weekend. Do you want to hear the long version or the short version?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Just give me the highlights. Okay.

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right. I actually don't have anything specific to tell you, but I wanted to use that because today we are going to think about an idea. Talk about an idea. Hello. That I think you came up with, Lindsay. So what. What is it that we're going to talk about today?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, I came up with this idea because I went to the Ronald Reagan museum in Southern California and apparently what I learned about him is that he used to be a play by play announcer.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh.

[Michelle Kaplan]

On the radio for sports, I guess. And that got me thinking about the phrase play by play. Yo, I don't need a play by play. And that's something we might say to someone right. When we don't. Like the person is giving you too much information.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And then I thought, okay, this is. This is so important to ask someone exactly how much information do they need or want in that moment? Because you don't want to be that person that just talks and talks and talks.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes, yes, exactly. So, I mean, sometimes when you're about to go into depth with someone, you just really need to check with the listener and see.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, okay.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Do they have time? Are they interested?

[Michelle Kaplan]

And you probably should also check in periodically as you tell the story too, right? By body language cues, things like that.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes, exactly. And to me, this shows like a huge amount of respect for someone's time. And we've talked about time and how valued it is in American culture. So when you show that you respect someone's time, that's really going to be important to them.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes. Guys, we're going to get into a very high level, nuanced, but important connection skill today. Before we do, if you love our style of connection, not perfection, then hit the follow button wherever you're listening. Or of course, if you're on YouTube, hit Subscribe because this is your year to find real connection in English. This is how we can lead happier lives by being connected with the people around us.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay? Yes, exactly. So we are going to give to you some ideas of language that you can use to check in with someone before you say more. Yes.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I do have a friend of a friend who does this. She's known for this, for these really long winded stories where you'll, you just, you just have to settle in. Once you get started, you get a cup of coffee and just sit down and settle in. Because she's gonna go on and she's gonna give all these details. It's become her reputation. She's funny, but it's become her reputation.

[Lindsay McMahon]

She needs this episode.

[Michelle Kaplan]

She does. So what should she say then when she starts?

[Lindsay McMahon]

So here are some ideas. So the first one is just, I think we use this in the beginning. Do you want the long version or the short version?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, perfect. Straightforward. Right. So let's see what this looks like.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

So tell me the story you wanted.

[Michelle Kaplan]

To tell me before.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay, I will, but it's a long one. Do you want the long version or the short version?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Great. So this is respectful. It's very attuned to me socially and emotionally. What. What am I ready for?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right, right, exactly. And, and just by you asking, it shows I'm not going to be offended whichever answer you choose. So you don't, you don't need to feel weird being like, oh, you know, the short version is fine.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Like you don't have to feel bad.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Exactly, exactly. And here's my favorite phrase, play by play. Right. So again, this, this Literally used to be the name of a role, a job of a radio announcer for sports, the play by play announcer. It's what Ronald Reagan did in college or sometime in his 20s or something. But now it's become just a phrase that means giving too much information, Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Or just all the information.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So you might say, do you want the full play by play or just the highlights?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

So yeah, it sounds like sports. I mean, either you're listening, either you're watching the whole game, you're hearing everything the announcer has to say, every basket, every goal, whatever sport it is. Or just the highlights where you're watching the clips. Right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Exactly, exactly. So let's do. Let's see what that looks like, Michelle.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay, so what happened with you and Jordan?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, man. Do you want the full play by play or just the highlights?

[Lindsay McMahon]

I want to hear everything.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, Good, good.

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[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay, Michelle, we're back. We have another one more thing. One or two more things we could say to double check how much information people want. So the next one is do you want the full story or the abridged version? Nice.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, the abridged version means the shortened version.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, sometimes. Yeah. You see, books will publish like an abridged version notes. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Remember Cliff's notes? Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, I remember yellow books.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yep, yep, yep, yep. Just the summaries. So here we go. There's so much to explain.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I don't mind.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Are you sure? Do you want the full story or the abridged version?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay, good.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

So you're really double checking with me here. And this is being aware of who you're talking with and what they need. Last one is how much detail do you want me to go into? Feels wordy, but it, it's communicative, right?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. Like how many? Like, yeah, the word detail is how much detail. This is very specific. And it doesn't, this one doesn't have to be for an actual story. So let's see how it's used here.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I really want to hear more about your job. I want to understand what you do on a daily basis.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

Wow, thanks.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Well, it's a lot. How much detail do you want me to go into? Yeah. Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

So this isn't a story. I mean, you could also be telling a story with this expression with about how much detail do you want? But yeah, here you're just saying they're, you know. Yeah. I'll tell you what am I supposed to say Monday I get in at nine and then I check my email and that. Or do you just want some basics?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Sure, sure. And so why do we feel like these phrases are important, Michelle? For connection.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So again, what we mentioned was respecting someone's time.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Huge.

[Lindsay McMahon]

In this, in American culture, very important to show that you like if and you are. It just shows that you're thinking above a certain level. Right. You're not thinking just, oh, everybody just wants to hear what I say. And I'm just so excited to talk that I'm not even gonna think this through. It shows that you put some extra thought into how you sound, what people are looking for, and really giving people that choice.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I totally agree with you. It's a self awareness that you are not the most important thing in the world.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And maybe everyone doesn't care about all these little details as much as you do. Right, Good.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And I also think that it can allow you to get to know the person that, that how they listen in stories. So.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Like how much interest do they have? How much time do they have? It might give you some insight into them as well.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, Interesting, Interesting point. So let's see what this looks like in a role play then. All right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay, There we go.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right. So we're just using one of them because you would only say this one time in a conversation.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

So we're not gonna use them.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Exactly.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Exactly. And we're at a party, but we're in line for food, so there might be, like, a potluck. And there's a line there.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right. So here we go. Okay. Here we go. So you never told me how Kylie and George got engaged.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

Oh, right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Well, it's a long story. Do you want the long version or the short version?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Well, I want to hear everything, but it's hard to hear now.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right. I'll give you the abridged version.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Okay. Right. Because we're in line. Maybe it's loud at the party. So I just. But I want to hear something.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I want to hear something. Exactly. So I said, oh, right. Well, it's a long story. Do you want the long version or the short version? This is good. This shows a high. I mean, not everyone does this. Not all native speakers do this. It's a personality thing. I think it shows good character. Yeah. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I totally agree. So, yeah, I said. You said, it's a long story. Do you want the long version or the short version? And then I said my answer, and then it was interesting. You said, right, I'll give you the abridged version. So I didn't see say, I want the short version, but I kind of gave this answer of like, oh, I really do want it, but I can't hear. So I want the basics, you know?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So, again, this is it. I mean, it's very straightforward, Today's episode. But I like it, because if our listeners can just take this one tip, these few phrases, and implement them, they will be ahead of probably 50% of native speakers, socially. You know what I mean? I mean, a lot of people just don't do this when they should do it. No. Do you know anyone, Michelle, in your life that tends to.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, I do. Oh, yeah, I do.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're getting our listeners ahead of the game here. I love it.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Is there another episode we could go to?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes. Guys, check out episode 2551. That was. That was a fun one. Embrace both meanings of this useful English word.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Beautiful. Yeah, we talked all about the word embrace and how many different meanings that word has.

[Lindsay McMahon]

You wouldn't.

[Michelle Kaplan]

You wouldn't imagine. So go and check it out. Any other final takeaway? I mean, self awareness is huge.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Self awareness, respect, expecting of others. I just think it's a great way to. To, you know, build that connection. Show. So. Show people you care about their time. Yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

And I think context also matters here. Are we sitting by a campfire and you have the floor for three hours and there is space or are you at a busy party maybe in a big city where people are just are kind of mingling, wanting to meet each other. Right. So context really matters.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

But you can't go wrong by just.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Asking, you know, how in are you on this story?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Right, right. Exactly.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I love it. So this was a fun one. Thank you, Lindsay, for bringing that idea to us and also for teaching us a little bit about Ronald Reagan that we.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, I know, I know. There's a lot to learn here. All right, good stuff, Michelle. I'll see you very soon. You have a good day.

[Lindsay McMahon]

You too. Bye.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Bye. Thanks for listening to all ears.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

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[Michelle Kaplan]

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