How to …

© BBC Learning English 2007

Complain (informal)

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BBC Learning English
How to …
Complain (informal)

Jackie:

Hello, welcome to bbclearningenglish.com with me, Jackie Dalton. In a

previous How to, we looked at how to tell someone you’re not happy

about something and ask them to change their behaviour in a polite way,

with phrases like ‘Would you mind…?’

Insert

Neil, I hope you don’t mind me mentioning this…but, would you mind keeping the

toilet seat down after you’ve used the toilet?

Jackie:

In this programme, we look at more direct ways to tell someone you’re

unhappy with their behaviour - expressions that might come up in very

informal contexts. If you’re not already in an argument when you use

this kind of language, you’ll probably end up in one pretty soon, because

the expressions we’re going to look at in this programme are aggressive

and likely to upset whoever you’re speaking to. Callum and William live

together and they’re beginning to annoy each other…

Callum + William

- Oh not again! Will, will you for once in your life, please do the washing up!

- I did it, I did it on Sunday!

- Yeah, but it’s Friday now, for goodness sake! I’m just fed up with the way you

leave everything lying around in the kitchen because nobody can cook anything there

without cleaning up your mess first and I’m just sick and tired of it!

Jackie:

As we heard, Callum is not happy with William because he never seems

to do the washing up. One expression Callum uses to show his anger is

How to …

© BBC Learning English 2007

Complain (informal)

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bbclearningenglish.com

‘for goodness sake!’ The phrase shows he’s really annoyed, frustrated

and exasperated. ‘For goodness sake!’ We can also tell he’s annoyed by

the tone of his voice: there’s quite a difference between…

‘For goodness sake!’ Which sounds a bit annoyed, but quite relaxed, and

‘For goodness sake!’ Which sounds like the person is very angry!

Callum

Yeah, but it’s Friday now, for goodness sake! I’m just fed up with the way you leave

everything lying around in the kitchen

Jackie:

Another expression he uses is ‘I’m fed up with…’Listen to some more

examples with ‘fed up with…’

Examples

I’m fed up with him!

I’m fed up with the trains always being late!

I’m fed up with the way she leaves her rubbish on the floor!

I am fed up with you bringing your boring – I won’t say ‘boring’… boring friends

round.

Jackie:

Let’s listen to Callum again. This time, listen out for the expression he

uses at the end of his outburst.

Callum

I’m just fed up with the way you leave everything lying around in the kitchen because

nobody can cook anything there without cleaning up your mess first and I’m just sick

and tired of it!

Jackie:

He ends with ‘I’m sick and tired of it!’ This means more or less the same

thing as ‘I’m fed up with it!’ You could also just say: ‘I’m tired of it!’ Or,

‘I’m sick of it!’ Or even, ‘I’m sick of you…!’ A bit like William does

here…

How to …

© BBC Learning English 2007

Complain (informal)

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bbclearningenglish.com

William

I’m sick of you always going on at me about these stupid things that don’t matter!

Jackie:

We often use the word ‘always’ when we want to make accusations or

complaints about something which someone does often.

William and Callum

- You’re always leaving it for me.

- But why is it, why is it that it’s always you that tells me what to do.

Jackie:

‘Never’ comes up quite often too… ‘You never do the washing up!’

‘You never say you love me!’ In this next clip, we’re going to hear three

separate expressions to show annoyance. See if you can spot them.

Callum

What really gets under my skin is I just hate the way you come home late and make

so much noise when I’m in bed. I’m sick of it!

Jackie:

Did you spot them? The first one was, ‘what really gets under my

skin…’ it’s a way of saying that something really irritates you and makes

you angry.

Callum

What really gets under my skin…

Jackie:

It’s followed straight away by another expression of annoyance: ‘I hate

the way you…’

Callum

What really gets under my skin is I just hate the way you come home late.

Jackie:

And ‘I’m sick of it!’

How to …

© BBC Learning English 2007

Complain (informal)

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Callum

I’m sick of it!

Jackie:

If Callum hates the way William makes a lot of noise at night, William

hates the way Callum makes a lot of noise in the mornings.

William

Well, if we’re talking about noise, how about this: ‘mrroooo,’ that’s the noise that I hear

every morning at about six o’ clock with you blow-drying your hair, Callum. And yet,

every- ‘mrroooo!’ I’m sick of that! It's got to stop because it just can’t carry on! I’ve

had enough!

Jackie:

William uses the expressions: ‘It's got to stop!’ ‘It can’t carry on!’ and

‘I’ve had enough!’ Firm and clear phrases to deliver your message that

you want someone to stop doing something.

William

It's got to stop because it just can’t carry on! I’ve had enough!

Jackie:

So let’s end with a recap of those expressions:

For goodness sake!

I’m fed up with the way you…

I’m sick of…

I’m tired of…

I’m sick and tired of…

You always…

You never…

What really gets under my skin is…

I just hate the way you …

It's got to stop!

It just can’t carry on!

I’ve had enough!

Jackie:

And that’s where we’ll end this week’s programme!