persuading and deciding Flashcards
Lesson 15: Phrasal Verbs for
Persuading & Deciding
Carrie: Hey Michelle. How’s the remodeling going?
(<strong>remodeling</strong> = making design changes to a house/building)
Michelle: It’s really … me … <span><strong><span>stresser</span></strong></span> ! Things are taking forever, and Kevin and I can’t seem to agree on anything.
Carrie: Really? Knowing Kevin, I’d have thought he’d … … … <span><strong><span>être d’accord</span></strong></span> whatever you wanted for the house. He’s so easygoing.
Michelle: See, the problem is that he … his sister … <span><strong><span>embarqué</span></strong></span> helping us out, and she’s an interior designer. So he always … … <span><strong><span>se mettre du coté de</span></strong></span> her ‘cause she’s the “professional.”
Carrie: Yeah, but you’re the one who’s gonna have to live with the results!
Michelle:That’s what I said! The other day we went to … … <span><strong><span>choisir, selectionner</span></strong></span> the wallpaper for the bathroom. I wanted lilac, but she was … … <span><strong><span>insister sur</span></strong></span> this awful sea-green color that made me want to throw up.
(lilac = a light purple color)
Carrie: So who won that battle?
Michelle: Eh, we … … <span><strong><span>se contenter de</span></strong></span> a light blue. I can live with that.
Carrie: You know, I’ve been … … <span><strong><span>jouer avec </span></strong></span> the idea of doing some redecorating myself. I’d have to … my husband … <span><strong><span>convaincre</span></strong></span> it though. He hates spending money on the house, but if I show him it could be done without breaking the bank, he might … … <span><strong><span>changer d’avis</span></strong></span>.
(“without breaking the bank” = without spending too much money)
Michelle: Just make sure you really … it … <span><strong><span>bien réfléchir</span></strong></span> before you begin, because once the work is started, you have to … it … <span><strong><span>mener à bonne fin</span></strong></span> . And definitely plan ahead when it comes to the timing – we were … … <span><strong><span>viser</span></strong></span> having everything finished by June, but I doubt that’s gonna happen.
Carrie: Hmm, my husband will probably want to … … <span><strong><span>accorder un délai</span></strong></span> until we have a bit more money saved up. But in the meantime, I’ll start … … to see if I can find a good designer.
Michelle: Well, you can … … <span><strong><span>exclure</span></strong></span> my sister-in-law – she has terrible taste!
(“taste” in this context means opinion, style, or preferences)
Lesson 15: Phrasal Verbs for
Persuading & Deciding
Carrie: Hey Michelle. How’s the remodeling going?
(<strong>remodeling</strong> = making design changes to a house/building)
Michelle: It’s really stressing me out <span><strong><span>stresser</span></strong></span> ! Things are taking forever, and Kevin and I can’t seem to agree on anything.
Carrie: Really? Knowing Kevin, I’d have thought he’d go along with <span><strong><span>être d’accord</span></strong></span> whatever you wanted for the house. He’s so easygoing.
Michelle: See, the problem is that he roped his sister into <span><strong><span>embarqué</span></strong></span> helping us out, and she’s an interior designer. So he always sides with <span><strong><span>se mettre du coté de</span></strong></span> her ‘cause she’s the “professional.”
Carrie: Yeah, but you’re the one who’s gonna have to live with the results!
Michelle:That’s what I said! The other day we went to pick out <span><strong><span>choisir, selectionner</span></strong></span> the wallpaper for the bathroom. I wanted lilac, but she was pressing for <span><strong><span>insister sur</span></strong></span> this awful sea-green color that made me want to throw up.
(lilac = a light purple color)
Carrie: So who won that battle?
Michelle: Eh, we settled for <span><strong><span>se contenter de</span></strong></span> a light blue. I can live with that.
Carrie: You know, I’ve been toying with <span><strong><span>jouer avec </span></strong></span> the idea of doing some redecorating myself. I’d have to talk my husband into <span><strong><span>convaincre</span></strong></span> it though. He hates spending money on the house, but if I show him it could be done without breaking the bank, he might come around <span><strong><span>changer d’avis</span></strong></span>.
(“without breaking the bank” = without spending too much money)
Michelle: Just make sure you really think it over <span><strong><span>bien réfléchir</span></strong></span> before you begin, because once the work is started, you have to see it through <span><strong><span>mener à bonne fin</span></strong></span> . And definitely plan ahead when it comes to the timing – we were shooting for <span><strong><span>viser</span></strong></span> having everything finished by June, but I doubt that’s gonna happen.
Carrie: Hmm, my husband will probably want to hold off <span><strong><span>accorder un délai</span></strong></span> until we have a bit more money saved up. But in the meantime, I’ll start asking around to see if I can find a good designer.
Michelle: Well, you can rule out <span><strong><span>exclure</span></strong></span> my sister-in-law – she has terrible taste!
(“taste” in this context means opinion, style, or preferences)
Explanation
Michelle says that the process of remodeling her house is stressing her out – this phrasal verb means it’s causing her to feel lots of stress.
Carrie is surprised to hear that Michelle and Kevin are arguing, because she had imagined that Kevin would go along with whatever Michelle wanted. To go along with something means to agree with it, or to accept it even if you don’t agree completely or you don’t really have an opinion.
The problem is that Kevin roped his sister into helping. To rope (someone) into doing something means to convince the person to get involved – maybe using a little bit of force – kind of like how a cowboy uses a rope to capture an animal.
Because his sister is a professional interior designer, Kevin sides with her in every decision. To side with (someone) means to agree with them or take their side in a discussion, debate, or argument.
Michelle tells Carrie about the day they picked out the wallpaper for the bathroom. To pick (something) out means to choose one thing from a list or group of possibilities.
Michelle wanted lilac (a light purple), but Kevin’s sister was pressing for sea-green. To press for something or push for it means to insist on it and put pressure on other people to do it.
They eventually settled for light blue. To settle for something means to agree to accept something (although it’s not the best option). A related phrasal verb is settle on – this simply means to decide (without the idea of being less than ideal).
Carrie says she has been toying with the idea of redecorating, too. To toy with an idea means to consider it semi-seriously (more or less seriously). However, she would have to talk her husband into it. To talk (someone) into something means to convince the person to do something, even though they have some objections. In the case of Carrie’s husband, he objects to spending so much money.
The opposite of talk (someone) into is talk (someone) out of something – that means convincing the person NOT to do what they had wanted or intended to do.
If Carrie can show her husband that the work can be done inexpensively, he might come around. If a person comes around, it means that they change their opinion after some time.
Michelle warns Carrie to think it over. To think (something) over or think (something) through means to think about it carefully and thoroughly, considering all the details.
She says that after the work has started, you need to see it through. To see (a project) through means to continue supervising or working on it until it is completed.
Michelle and Kevin were shooting for having the remodeling done by June. The phrasal verb shoot for is an informal way to say you hope and plan to achieve a specific goal.
Carrie says her husband will want to hold off until they have more money saved up. To hold off means to delay because you’re waiting for something else to happen. But at the moment, she can start asking around to find a good designer. To ask around means to request information from many different people.
Michelle says that Carrie can rule out her sister-in-law because she has terrible taste (in this context, “taste” refers to her opinion and style). To rule (someone / something) out means to eliminate it from consideration.
I was thinking of getting a tattoo on my arm, but my friend … …. … … <span>dissuader quelqu”un</span> it by telling me it could hurt my chances in job interviews.
I was thinking of getting a tattoo on my arm, but my friend talked me out of it by telling me it could hurt my chances in job interviews.
We can … …. <strong><span>exclure</span></strong> these three consultants - they’re far too expensive for us to work with.
We can rule out<strong><span> </span></strong>these three consultants - they’re far too expensive for us to work with.
After visiting a dozen colleges, Linda …. …..<strong><span>choisir</span></strong> attending the state university.
After visiting a dozen colleges, Linda settled on attending the state university.
We’re going to adopt a dog - we’ll ….. one …..<strong><span>selectionner</span></strong> from the animal shelter next week.
We’re going to adopt a dog - we’ll pick one out from the animal shelter next week.
Let’s ….. ….<strong><span>attendre</span></strong> on making this decision until we get more data.
Let’s hold off on making this decision until we get more data.
The environmental groups are ….. …..<strong><span>insister pour</span></strong> stricter anti-pollution laws.
The environmental groups are pressing for stricter anti-pollution laws.
I asked my boss if I could work from home, and he said yes! I can’t believe he <strong><span>être d’accord</span></strong> it.
I asked my boss if I could work from home, and he said yes! I can’t believe he went along with it.
Sarah has won two Olympic silver medals; she’s <strong><span>vise</span></strong> her first gold this year.
Sarah has won two Olympic silver medals; she’s shooting for her first gold this year.
At first my mother hated the idea of having a cell phone, but after she started using one, she eventually <strong><span>changer d’avis</span></strong>.
At first my mother hated the idea of having a cell phone, but after she started using one, she eventually came around.
Gary always <strong><span>prendre parti</span></strong> the boss during discussions because he’s hoping to get promoted.
Gary always sides with the boss during discussions because he’s hoping to get promoted.
