BBC Learning English
The English We Speak
10th May 2011
Gatecrash
Wang Fei : Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Wang Fei.
William: And I'm William. Welcome to the programme. You look very smart today,
Wang Fei.
Wang Fei: (false modesty) Mm, really? Do you think so?
William: Oh, yeah - very smart. Look at your bow tie! And your evening jacket!
Wang Fei: Well, this is just a little something I get out every now and then. I'm sure
George and Jack and Tom will be will be wearing something similar.
William: Who? George, Jack and...?
Wang Fei: (off-hand) Oh yeah, you know. George Clooney, Jack Nicholson and Tom
Cruise.
William: What? You're going to see George Clooney and Jack Nicholson and Tom
Cruise tonight?!
Wang Fei: Yep. Cannes Film Festival opens tomorrow so I'm going to a little party
tonight.
William: Wow! That's incredible! How did you get a ticket?
Wang Fei: Erm... well, I don't have a ticket as such. I'm just going to show up. I'm sure if
I'm dressed like this they'll let me in.
William: Right... so basically you're going to gatecrash a celebrity party.
Wang Fei: Gatecrash? What s that?
William: To gatecrash a party. It means to go to a party even though you haven't been
invited. Let's hear some more examples.
Examples
Woman A: What was the party like last night?
Woman B: Oh it was awful! All these kids crashed it and drank all the beer.
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Man A: How are the preparations going for the party tonight?
Man B: Yeah, not bad.
Man A: Aren't you worried it might get gatecrashed?
Man B: Yeah, we re going to pay a guy to be on the door to stop people coming in.
Wang Fei: In the first example, the speaker described a party that was ruined
because kids crashed the party. So, to crash a party means to gatecrash
a party?
William: Yeah. And in that second example, the speaker said that he was going to pay
a guy to be on the door.
Wang Fei: 'To be on the door'  so this man will check that everyone who comes in has
an invitation. Hmm& do you think that there might be someone on the door
at this party tonight?
William: The one that you re going to?
Wang Fei: Yes.
William: The celebrity one in Cannes with George and Jack and Tom?
Wang Fei: Yeah.
William: Yeah, I think, Wang Fei, there might be.
Wang Fei: (crestfallen) Ah!
William: Well, I tell you what, Wang Fei, my friend's having a birthday party in the
pub down the road. Why don't you come to that instead? You'll be a little bit
overdressed but I'm sure it will be fun.
Wang Fei: I was just looking forward to a bit of glamour for a change, with George, Jack
and&
William: & and Tom, yeah I know. One day, Wang Fei, if you keep making great
programmes with BBC Learning English then I m sure that one day you ll be
mixing it with George and Jack and Tom.
Wang Fei: But for now, I ll have to be happy with the pub. Again. Bye.
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William: Bye!
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