Vague Language Flashcards

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1
Q

Rounding up numbers when telling the time. Twenty-six minutes past two (14:26) becomes …media hora…(4):

A

◆ It’s about half past two.
◆ It’s almost half past two.
◆ It’s half two-ish.
◆ It’s nearly half past two.

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2
Q

When we don’t know the name of something: She’s got a small dog, … of poodle, or something.

A

a kind

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3
Q

Making things sound less factual: I can’t meet up later. I have too much … to do.

A

stuff

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4
Q

Talking about groups and categories: He never eats chocolate, sweets and…

A

that type of thing

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5
Q

List completers are ideal:
○ “I typed some letters, reports and…”
○ “You have to ask a doctor or a lawyer or…”

A

so on

someone like that, you know

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6
Q

List completers are very common and use words such as things and stuff. Here are
some more list completers (2): “algo como eso”

A

○ a stuff like that

○ or something like that

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7
Q

Placeholders are for when a speaker does not know or cannot remember the name of something or someone.
● We use general words like
○ “I need a… for the slide projector.”
○ “I gave it to that …in the accounts department.”

A

thing, thingy, whatsit, thingummy

guy, whatsername, person, woman, bloke

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8
Q

Low numbers are often substituted by phrases such as…

whereas larger numbers are rounded up with …

A

a couple of / a few

about / around or replaced with lots of / loads of.

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9
Q

○ “There were about 30… people at the meeting.”

A

odd / or so

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10
Q

○ “He’s not that old. I’d say he’s about 30-…”

A

ish

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11
Q

○ “There were…muchos(3) of problems.”

A

a lot of / lots of / loads

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12
Q

○ “I’ve been to Prague a…(2) times.” (does not necessarily mean
two. It could mean up to three or even four.)

A

couple of / a few

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13
Q

○ “I think we need about / around 30 (…).”

A

or so

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14
Q

GENERALIZERS

● Also very common are items like (3)
- una especie de (2)
- sabes (1)

A

○ sort of
○ kind of
○ you know

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15
Q

This is very common with colour adjectives:
○ “It’s a sort of green… blue.”
○ “I’ll try and come around two….

A

ish

ish

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