Talk Like a Native

Episode 16 - Take with a grain of salt

Kevin: Hey, guess what? I think I’m moving to Macau!

Christine: What? Really? Why all of a sudden?

Kevin: Robert just offered me a job position in Macau. He said that his company is about to hit the jackpot*, I think I can make a lot of money if I move there to work for him!

Christine: Robert said that? Kevin, you know Robert! You should always take what he says with a grain of salt.

Kevin: With a grain of salt? Are you trying to get back at me for telling you to put salt on your wound?

Christine: No, no. I’m telling you that he seems to exaggerate a lot and maybe you shouldn’t take everything he says so seriously.

Kevin: Oh, you mean I should give it some more thought before I decide to move to another country?

Christine: Right. I’m saying that what he says may be true, but there’s a bigger chance that it might not be. I’m just saying that you should be careful.

Kevin: Are you telling me that I should be skeptical of whatever Robert says?

Christine: Yeah kind of, but don’t tell him that I told you this!

Kevin: Hmm. Let’s hear some examples of this week’s phrase:

I would take everything that’s written in that article with a grain of salt. That website isn’t exactly the most reliable source of news.

We should take this engagement with a grain of salt. Last time she told me she was going to marry the guy and then started dating someone else the next week!

The reason why I take what he says with a grain of salt is because once he told me he was fluent in 5 languages and it turned out he only knew how to say hello in all of them. Kevin: Well, thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a lot more thought before I give Robert an answer.

Christine: No problem. What are friends for?

*hit the jackpot - to win a lot of money in gambling or in a lottery