AEE: Making Jokes in English? I See What You Did There!

Summary

Episode Summary: All Ears English Podcast – "Making Jokes in English? I See What You Did There!"

Release Date: June 21, 2025

In this engaging episode of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the art of using humor in English to foster meaningful connections. Titled "Making Jokes in English? I See What You Did There!", the episode is a treasure trove for intermediate to advanced English learners aiming to enhance their conversational skills through wit and playful exchanges.

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Building Connections Through Humor

The episode kicks off with Lindsay and Michelle emphasizing the importance of humor in building connections. They underscore that making jokes, especially puns, can be a powerful tool to engage others and create a friendly rapport.

Lindsay [02:25]:
"What is a witch's favorite test? A spelling test."
This playful pun not only entertains but also makes the communication more memorable and enjoyable for listeners.

Michelle shares a personal anecdote about incorporating jokes into notes for her children before state testing, which garnered positive reactions from her kids and their friends. This real-life example illustrates how humor can alleviate stress and make interactions more pleasant.

Michelle [02:21]:
"That's a huge win for me, for my kids thinking I'm funny."

---

Listener Question: Playful Responses

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to addressing a listener question from Sophia, who seeks advice on responding to a friend's humorous teasing. Sophia struggles with maintaining the flow of jokes and turning them back playfully.

Sophia [03:59]:
"When I joke around with my friend, she often says things like, not necessarily, or I see how it is pretending to be mad at me, but in a very humorous way. I'm wondering if there are other similar ways to respond."

Lindsay and Michelle break down Sophia's query, recognizing it as a C1 level skill that requires nuanced understanding of playful banter in English.

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Key Phrases Explained

"I See How It Is"

One of the primary phrases discussed is "I see how it is." This idiomatic expression is used to acknowledge someone's actions in a playful yet slightly teasing manner.

Michelle [05:22]:
"Our first phrase today is 'I see how it is.' If I'm playing volleyball and someone tips it really short where I can't get to it, I might say, 'Okay, I see how it is,' implying I'm going to respond in kind."

Lindsay adds that the tone is crucial; it should be playful and upbeat to ensure the connection remains positive.

"I See What You Did There"

Another key phrase is "I see what you did there," which serves a dual purpose. It can acknowledge a joke or pun and express genuine appreciation or amusement.

Lindsay [10:52]:
"It's like after someone makes a joke or a pun, you're just pointing out that you see it and appreciate what they've done."

Michelle further explains that this phrase can also signify admiration for someone's cleverness.

Michelle [11:27]:
"I'm impressed by what you did. It's also kind of a joke, a little bit of a pun on words."

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Role Plays and Examples

To illustrate the practical application of these phrases, Lindsay and Michelle engage in several role plays:

1. Inviting Friends to a Concert

   Michelle [08:48]:
   "All right, I'll start. Do you want to hang out Friday night? A bunch of us are going to a concert."

   Lindsay [08:52]:
   "Ooh, fun. I wish I could. I actually have a date that night."

   Michelle [08:56]:
   "Oh, I see how it is."

   This exchange showcases how "I see how it is" can be used to tease a friend gently about their prior commitments.

2. Responding to a Punning Joke

   Lindsay [10:59]:
   "Yes. So what do you think of this logo?"

   Michelle [11:03]:
   "Oh, I see what you did there. The U looks like a smile. I love it."

   Here, "I see what you did there" acknowledges and appreciates the cleverness of a visual pun.

---

Importance of Tone and Context

A recurring theme throughout the episode is the significance of tone of voice and context when using humor. Lindsay and Michelle stress that the effectiveness of phrases like "I see how it is" and "I see what you did there" largely depends on delivering them with the right intonation and in appropriate situations.

Lindsay [05:36]:
"When Lindsay said, 'I see what you did there,' it would be very strange if she says it or whatever. Your tone really needs to be playful and fun and upbeat."

They caution against using these phrases in serious contexts, as it could lead to misunderstandings or awkwardness.

---

Handling Potential Misinterpretations

The hosts explore scenarios where these humorous phrases might backfire if not used carefully. For instance, if used when genuinely upset, phrases like "I see how it is" could strain relationships.

Michelle [10:43]:
"Be careful with these phrases. They can hurt the connection if you use them the wrong way or in the wrong tone."

They advise listeners to be mindful of their relationship with the person they're interacting with and the emotional context of the conversation.

---

Final Insights and Takeaways

Wrapping up the episode, Lindsay and Michelle reiterate the core philosophy of "Connection, not perfection." They emphasize that the primary goal of using humor in English is to build connections, not to showcase flawless language skills.

Michelle [18:20]:
"Today's phrases are great for building connection. But also, like Lindsay was saying, be careful with the intonation and the context because it could hurt the connection if you use them in the wrong way."

The hosts encourage listeners to practice these phrases in safe, friendly environments to gain confidence and fluency in their conversational English.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Michelle [03:20]:
  "Connection, not perfection."

• Lindsay [05:22]:
  "I see how it is," implying I'm going to respond in kind.

• Michelle [11:17]:
  "This conversation is very natural, very typical."

---

This episode is a must-listen for English learners aspiring to enhance their conversational skills through humor. By mastering phrases like "I see how it is" and "I see what you did there," listeners can navigate playful banter with ease, fostering deeper connections in their interactions.

Join Lindsay and Michelle in their journey to make learning American English fun and effective, embracing the mantra of Connection, NOT Perfection!

Transcript

[A]

This is an All Ears English episode. Making jokes in English. I see what you did there. 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. To get real time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the All Ears English app for iOS and Android. Start your seven day free trial at allearsenglish.com forward/app.

[B]

Today we look at some of the finer skills of high level connection in English. When someone makes a pun, they expect a response. What can you say? Learn all of this and more today.

[C]

When you speak English, do people ask what a lot? Or maybe they tell you you have great English, but but you don't feel like you do. Break free from awkward conversations and shake off that feeling of almost fluent by taking our free two minute quiz. Get your personalized results immediately. Check it out. Allearsenglish.com fluencyscore that's allearsenglish.com fluencyscore.

[A]

Hey there, Aubry. What's going on?

[B]

Hi, Lindsay. I'm great. How are you?

[A]

Good. Aubry, I have a question for you. You ready?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So, Aubry, have you had any mom wins lately? Anything?

[B]

Yes. Yeah, I had to write notes for my kids that their teacher gave them before state testing. And I put jokes on the notes and they loved them. Every day at school, they're like, we loved the joke you wrote. They were showing them to all friends and bragging about how funny their mom is. And that's a huge win for me, for my kids thinking I'm funny.

[A]

Yeah. That is awesome. So what was one of the jokes, for example?

[B]

Okay, well, one was what is a witch's favorite test and what a spelling test.

[A]

Nice, Nice. I see what you did there. Because witches cast spells.

[B]

Exactly. So a lot of them were puns like that, but really fun. And I would illustrate them. I had like a cauldron with the witches in their brooms around the cauldron. Super fun.

[A]

That's so fun. That's so cute. I mean, I'm sure that it also made them feel more relaxed about their test. Right?

[B]

Oh, I think I'm like, I gotta remember to do this because usually it's just like, you're gonna do great. I love you.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Jokes. I like, looked up jokes about tests.

[A]

That's so cute.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

That's so funny. Oh, guys, we love it. This episode is all about connection, any kind of connection. Right? We want to build connection with people in our lives. So hit the follow button. Because the you philosophy here is connection, not perfection. Right, Aubrey, what does that mean to you? Connection, not perfection.

[B]

Now, you don't want to be stressed about little mistakes that you're making. It should be much more important to you who you're connecting with in English. Right. Take that chance to have a conversation. People you're talking to, they don't mind if you're making little mistakes with pronunciation, grammar. They just want to connect with you.

[A]

Yeah. Connection should never be hindered by mistakes, and it never has to be. Okay? So that's our philosophy, and that's what we show you here on the show. So follow guys. And we have a question from Sophia. Excellent.

[B]

Yeah. You use this phrase at the end of that there, you said, I see what you did there. Which is perfect. So, yeah, let's. Let's hear this question. You want to read it for us?

[A]

Yep. And this comes from the YouTube channel channel. By the way, guys, don't forget, we do have a YouTube channel. You can go over there and watch this episode being recorded on video. So here we go. So she says, hi, I'm Sophia. I love learning fun and natural English expressions from the podcast. I have a quick question. When I joke around with my friend, she often says things like, not necessary, or I see how it is pretending to be mad at me, but in a very humorous way. I'm wondering if there are other similar ways to respond. Sometimes I find it challenging to keep the joke going or turn it back on her, but I still want to give some kind of playful reply. Thank you so much in advance. Wow, this sounds like a C1 level skill.

[B]

I love it. Absolutely. Yes. And I love that Sophia has this relationship with someone in English where you're teasing, you're being playful. Playful. You're using these fun expressions to pretend to be mad, but in this humorous way. So we're going to share three ways that we do this in English. I first want to touch on the not necessary. That's a little different. Right. If you have offered to do something or then we might be like, not necessary. And. And sometimes you will see this. They'll almost say it, like, angry at you for even offering. Right. So that's a little different. We're going to go into the I see how it is. And then also I see what you did there, because these are very fun ways to be playful in English.

[A]

Yeah. And it's a really good point that Sophia is making. When someone hints that they're. They're going to be joking around, your tone kind of needs to change in a way. You need to become playful. Right. And we need to know how to do that. I mean, that's not something our textbooks have taught us how to do.

[B]

Right, Exactly. Right. When Lindsay said, I see what you did there, it would be very strange if she says, I see what you did there, or whatever. You can sound annoyed or angry. Your tone really needs to be playful and fun and up. Upbeat.

[A]

Yes. So we're going to get some vocabulary resources today and talk about tone of voice, too, because it matters just as much as the words that you choose. So, Aubrey, what do we need to know?

[B]

Yeah. So let's first dive into. Our first phrase today is I see how it is. This is really fun. Here's an example. If I'm playing volleyball and someone tips it really short where I can't get to it, I might say, okay, I see how it is. And that's sort of me implying, like, I'm gonna do the same to you. Or, yeah. Criticizing them a little bit for sort of a cheap move. Right. Or, like, underhanded. I'm like, okay, I see how it is.

[A]

And just so we're totally clear, what is it here? What is? What is it? What is? I see how it is. What is.

[B]

Yeah. This is like a chunk, Right. Idiomatic. It means, like, I see what you did.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I don't really like it.

[A]

And yeah, I see what you did. Or like, I see how the situation is. I see what we're doing here today.

[B]

I see what's happening here.

[A]

Yeah. Ye. Yeah, yeah. It's like you're just basically saying, like, I've caught on. I'm. I'm on to you. Like, I know we're not playing by the rules or something, and you're sort of punching.

[B]

Yeah. But it's a very playful and friendly way to let someone know that you don't love what they did, but not. You're not, like, super upset. So, like, here's an example. You're shopping with a friend, and there's only one pair of shoes left, and maybe you want it, she takes it. You might be like, I see how it is. Right. And this is a playful way of being like, maybe I wanted those shoes.

[A]

Right. Because we've done episodes. I mean, we did an episode of on the Word Doormat before. Right. I remember when we talked about that yes. So you have to say something. Like when someone does something a little sneaky, but you're gonna. You're fine, and you're gonna maintain the relationship, and it's fine, but you have to say something. Right.

[B]

You kind of said, oh, would you like these shoes? If not, I'll take them.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So you should say something.

[A]

Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Or you ask a friend to hang out, but they say they have a date. Right. So there might be a little bit of, like, maybe you would sort of plan something informally before. And they scheduled a date. You want to push back a little.

[B]

Exactly. Right. You should be like, okay, I see how it is. You're sort of saying, like, I see that you're prioritizing dating over me. Which this is maybe the most common way. We use this because we get it. Right. Like, okay, you need to be dating, but, like, what about me? What am I, chopped liver?

[A]

Exactly. Yeah. That's a good expression too. We should investigate where that expression comes from.

[B]

We totally really like to know. Yeah. For that follow up. Because that is a fun phrase that means, like, why am I nothing? Am I not worth anything to you? But, yeah, really, we're being playful about it. We're not really mad.

[A]

Yeah. It's almost like the skill today is how to call someone out without really calling them out, you know, without attacking them. Or really being serious about it.

[B]

Exactly. Which. What an important connection skill, because you don't want to let people just, like, do things you're even a little bit upset about without saying anything. But you also don't want to seem like you're really mad about something that's not that big of a deal.

[A]

Exactly. Let's see how this works in a role play. So let's get into it.

[B]

All right, I'll start. Us want to hang out Friday night? A bunch of us are going to a concert.

[A]

Ooh, fun. I wish I could. I actually have a date that night.

[B]

Oh, I see how it is.

[A]

Ah, come on. You know I'd hang out with you guys if I could.

[B]

Yeah. I'm just playing. I'm excited for you. Let me know how it goes.

[A]

Yeah. So normal.

[B]

This.

[A]

This conversation is very natural, very typical. Okay.

[B]

Exactly. Right. And this is. It's a really interesting way to. If. If you invite someone somewhere and they say no, even if they give you a reason why, you're also sort of letting them know that sad they can't come, but in a playful way. Right. It's interesting.

[A]

No, that's a good point. Because if you invite someone and they just say, I can't come. And you go on, okay, okay.

[B]

You're just like, good. I didn't want you there anyway.

[A]

You didn't really want them to go.

[B]

There's so many things you could say that would sort of give that impression that you don't mind that they can't come. You don't want to do that.

[A]

That's right. Exactly.

[B]

But there's a lot of things. This can also be used when someone really is upset. So for example, let's say a friend says they can't hang out and then you see them with another friend at the movies or something.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And then they're like, I see how it is. Then it would be like, oh, they're really mad. So it really depends on the context. You want to avoid using it. If you really do have a reason to be angry, that would create awkwardness.

[A]

Yeah. It makes me think of high school. Like trios of friends. Right.

[B]

And then someone always gets jealous when.

[A]

The two hang out, you know, or maybe even adults, too.

[B]

Absolutely. And there may be a time where something like that happens, but you would not want to create this awkwardness by saying that and calling them out in public. Like maybe have a conversation with them privately later. Like, that hurt my feelings. But I would really avoid this. This could hurt a connection for sure.

[A]

Yep. Be careful.

[B]

There's always.

[A]

It's a double edged sword with these more advanced, precise phrases. Right. We need to have the context right, make sure it's the right tone. There's a lot to think about here, Aubrey.

[B]

Exactly. Just say it when you're not really upset. If you're really upset, don't say this.

[A]

Nice. Okay, next one. I see what you did there. So this one's more about when someone makes a joke and you're acknowledging that you get it right. Kind of. Would you say?

[B]

Yeah, there's. I feel like there's two ways. That's the first way we use it. Just like you did at the top of the episode, acknowledging you got a joke. Let's show a mini role play what that would look like.

[A]

Yeah, let's do that. Here we go. Yes. So what do you think of this logo?

[B]

Oh, I see what you did there. The U looks like a smile. I love it. Like after someone makes a joke or a pun. Right. Then we're just pointing out that we see it, we appreciate what they've done.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But the other way we use this is when we're sharing that we think something is impressive.

[A]

I love that. Yeah. What would that look like Aubry. How could that.

[B]

Okay. Oh, so this. I've flipped them here. So the one I just said was, what would be impressive? Right. I'm showing. Oh, I see what you did here. You've taken the U and made it a smile. I want to tell you, I think that's impressive. I'm impressed by what you did. And then the other way, like at the top of the episode where it's a joke. Let's do an example there. Maybe you're at the zoo.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. And someone says, I'm very happy to be here with you. Right.

[B]

Oh, and you're at the. You're, like, looking at the bears. Be like, I see what you did there. It's fun. Yeah.

[A]

Or the thing could kind of be both. You know, if people going back to the logo idea, I mean, I think it's kind of cool. Our logo is the Statue of Liberty holding an iPad and headphones. Right. So it's like American culture and then listening to a podcast. Right. It's kind of cool.

[B]

Yeah. So someone could be like, I see what you did there. Right. Or even using All Ears English as the company, because it's this cool idiom. We're all ears. Right. Because I bet a lot of our listeners have been like, I see what you did there.

[A]

I see what you did there. Right. So it's kind of impressive if I don't say so myself. And it's also kind of a joke, a little bit of a pun on words, on play on words. Exactly. Love it.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

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[B]

All right. Want to start us out?

[A]

You're. Oh, okay. Yes. Isn't that Maggie with a blue hat over there?

[B]

Oh, you're right, it is. I see how it is. I invited her, but she said she had plans.

[A]

Oh, it looks like she's on a date. Maybe she didn't want to tell us.

[B]

Yeah, maybe we tease her too much about her dating life.

[A]

They look pretty serious.

[B]

Yeah, they're like two birds in love. A couple of tweethearts.

[A]

Oh, I see what you did there.

[B]

Nice. I had to look up, like a corny joke because I couldn't think of anything for this role play. I needed one. I was like, yeah, I don't use.

[A]

Puns very much, but once in a while, I'll come up with one. But then it's not really like I'm not speaking in that moment or there's no platform to share it. It's so disappointing, you know?

[B]

Yes. No one's around to hear it. I love it when they happen accidentally. Sometimes you'll say something and realize it's a pun. You'll be like, no pun intended. But also, see what I did there?

[A]

Yes, yes, yes.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

We should do another episode. We should revisit puns. I think Michelle and I did one years ago, but we haven't talked about them in a while, so that'd be a good one to come back to.

[B]

Yeah, I love that. Let's go over the role play I first said. Oh, you're right. That is Maggie. I see how it is. I invited her, but she has plan. So this is interesting because I could potentially be upset about that. She told us she had plans, couldn't come, and then we see her at the beach. Yeah. I couldn't say this to her. Imagine walking up to her and be like, I see how it is. You're on a date. You said you couldn't hang out with us. Never would I do that. Say it to you.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, you might do that depending on your personality and your relationship. You might escalate. But that's really saying, like, we're gonna fight now. Not physically, but making it awkward, creating a lot of drama. I mean, maybe if someone's cheating on someone. Right. That kind of scenario, then that person is confronting the. Right. Maybe they might say that to someone.

[B]

So I don't know if you'd say, I see how it is. I think you'd be like, how dare you?

[A]

Yeah, how dare you. Sure, sure.

[B]

Because I see how it is. It's still a little playful, right? When you're mad.

[A]

Yeah, maybe if it's very early stages of dating and you're not exclusive yet. Because some people have that whole scenario. They're dating a few people the first few dates. You haven't had the talk yet. Maybe you want to keep it playful and joking and act like you don't care.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But you are bringing up the topic and you're. Yeah.

[B]

You run into them in public with another person. Yeah, I see it how it is. That's fine.

[A]

Yes, yes, exactly. So again, depending on when you drop this, it could have very different meanings, Right?

[B]

Exactly. And then at the end you used our other one when I made this cheesy joke. A couple of tweet hearts. Because a bird makes the sound of tweet. But we usually say sweethearts. You said, I see what you did there.

[A]

Yeah. And it's good. It's good to have this as a resource, this phrase. Because when someone makes a pun, we should say something. Right? Maybe we could laugh, but we should say something. We can't just.

[B]

I agree. It would be really awkward if you just don't say anything. Especially if they're looking at you like, did you get it? Did you pick that?

[A]

They want an acknowledgment of their pun.

[B]

You're like, good one. Yeah, roll your eyes.

[A]

People that come up with puns, it's. They want to be acknowledged, Right. Because they're proud of their pun.

[B]

Yes, exactly.

[A]

What's another episode we should check out? Aubry Anything.

[B]

Here's what's interesting. You'll note in the title, we had three ways because the third one I wanted to share is tell me how you really feel. I love this one. But I found an episode that we did on the Business English Podcast 295 was what should you do when a co worker is rude to you? And we were discussing strategies for handling workplace rudeness and we taught that phrase like, wow, tell me how you really feel. It's a light hearted way to address like overly blunt or critical remarks. So you can go to the business English podcast. Check out that one for details on this third way to connect.

[A]

I love that, guys, open the search bar. Type in business English. The yellow will come up. Hit the follow button on that show. And where should we leave our listeners today? I mean, this is clearly about connection this episode.

[B]

Yes, absolutely. Today's phrases are great for building connection. But also like Lindsay was saying, be careful with the intonation and the context because it could hurt the connection if you use them at the wrong way or if you say them in like a monotone. They need to be fun and upbeat and for the most part, don't say them when you're really mad about something.

[A]

Yeah, really high level episode today. Love it. All about connection. Aubry, we'll see you in the next one. All right, Have a good afternoon. Okay, yeah, take care.

[B]

See you guys next time.

[A]

Bye bye. Thanks for listening. To all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our 22 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.