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Reply Expressions
Have you noticed one thing from your
own experience? Have you noticed that the most difficult part
in giving a reply is to start the reply? When somebody
asks you a question, do you get the feeling that you have
a lump in your throat? A tight feeling in your throat, preventing
the reply from coming out? Often, the reply just doesn’t start
coming out. Most non-fluent people have this problem.
To overcome this problem, this is what you
must do:
You see, there are certain prefabricated-sort-of
response-initiator word groups — word groups that would
help you start your reply. Sometimes, these expressions
alone would be enough for a complete reply. At other times,
these expressions would help you to avoid a lump getting formed
in your throat, and to start your reply. You have to
get into the habit of starting your replies with an expression
of this kind.
Once you get started, your general training
would come to your help — the training you get through the
other Lessons in this course. So the thing you should do now
is to get to know closely the frequently-occurring types of
response-initiator word groups. You’ll find these expressions
against the letter ‘Y’ under the following heading (‘Prompt-response
practice’). Pay particular attention to them.
Prompt-response practice
You’ll find below a series of prompts
and responses. Most of the prompts are questions made up of
the “question-initiator word groups” you saw in Book 9.
Repeat each prompt (‘X’) and each response
(‘Y’) several times — ALOUD.
• X: Will they be angry with me? ~ Y: I
think so, yes. • X: Have they left the office? ~ Y: No,
I don’t think so. • X: Won’t he be busy now? ~ Y: Yes, I
think so. • X: What does it cost? ~ Y: Let’s find out. •
X: Will she come here today? ~ Y: Yes, she will. • X: When
does she go to bed everyday? ~ Y: Quite early. • X: How
does it concern you? ~ Y: It doesn’t. • X: Aren’t you the
daughter of our Principal? ~ Y: Yes, I am. • X: Did he bring
the books? ~ Y: Yes, he did. • X: Has she managed to get
a camera? ~ Y: Yes, she has. • X: What were they telling
you? ~ Y: Nothing. Nothing important anyway. • X: Should
we be punctual? ~ Y: You had better. • X: Can you come a
little early? ~ Y: I’m sorry, I can’t. • X: Why did they
leave so early? ~ Y: I have no idea. • X: How far will this
train go? ~ Y: As far as Hyderabad. • X: Hasn’t he been
away on a tour? ~ Y: Yes, he has. • X: Why can’t he come
here more often? ~ Y: I’m afraid I don’t know. • X: What
did you do that for? ~ Y: Just to scare the children. •
X: Who did I talk to yesterday? ~ Y: To me. • X: Can they
be a little more strict with the children? ~ Y: I’ll ask
them. • X: Why did David borrow money? ~ Y: I don’t know.
Please tell me. • X: What is the name of the baby? ~ Y:
We’ll have to ask someone. • X: Wasn’t she a little rude
to him? ~ Y: Yes, she was. • X: Would you like to have a
cup of tea? ~ Y: No, thank you. • X: Can they come here
right over? ~ Y: No, they can’t. • X: What can it be used
for? ~ Y: For washing clothes. • X: What did you have for
breakfast? ~ Y: Nothing much. • X: Will they be asking for
the payment? ~ Y: No, they won’t. • X: What was he doing
there? ~ Y: Eating food. • X: When do they have breakfast
everyday? ~ Y: You’ll have to ask them. • X: Should he be
experienced in your line? ~ Y: Yes, he should. • X: What
vegetable do we get most protein from? ~ Y: I don’t quite
know. • X: Have you a match to light a cigarette? ~ Y: No,
I haven’t. • X: Were they waiting for long? ~ Y: Yes, they
were. • X: What are you doing for your headache? ~ Y: I’m
taking tablets. • X: Has Simon been sleeping long? ~ Y:
Yes, he has. • X: How much should I pay for these fruits?
~ Y: Ten rupees altogether. • X: Which one do you prefer
— the red one or the yellow one? ~ Y: Neither. • X: Who’s
that man standing there? ~ Y: I’m not sure who he is. •
X: Do you know what the punishment for late-coming is? ~
Y: I really wonder what. • X: How often does he go for films?
~ Y: Not very often. • X: What is the best way to the zoo?
~ Y: I’m out of this place myself. • X: Are your friends
going home this weekend? ~ Y: No, They aren’t. • X: Is there
a restaurant anywhere near here? ~ Y: There’s one a kilometre
to the south. • X: What road is the hotel on? ~ Y: I don’t
know what road. • X: Did it take him long to get back? ~
Y: No, not very long. • X: Weren’t you supposed to send
a report? ~ Y: Sorry, I didn’t know that. • X: Why did you
have to leave so early? ~ Y: Because I had some private
work to do. • X: What size shoes does he wear? ~ Y: I’m
afraid I don’t know. • X: Haven’t you heard what happened?
~ Y: No, what did happen? • X: What should they have done
to escape punishment? ~ Y: Ask someone else. • X: What has
he been complaining to you about? ~ Y: About the way those
boxes were unloaded from the trucks. • X: Does he have to
put in a written complaint? ~ Y: No, he doesn’t. • X: What
sort of a trick did he play? ~ Y: A nasty trick. • X: How
long is the journey from here to Chicago? ~ Y: Just about
ten hours. • X: Does John usually carry your bags? ~ Y:
No, he doesn’t. • X: How much are these oranges? ~ Y: Ten
rupees a dozen.
X: Did you have trouble finding this address?
~ Y: Just a little. • X: Why didn’t she marry him? ~ Y:
No one can explain. • X: Which one are you going to select?
~ Y: I can’t decide. • X: What do I have to do to help him?
~ Y: I really can’t say. • X: Who did he meet there? ~ Y:
I’m sorry I didn’t hear you. • X: Are there any samples
left? ~ Y: No, no more samples. • X: Will there be any deduction?
~ Y: Sorry, there won’t be. • X: Which one did they like
best? ~ Y: I can’t tell. • X: Isn’t he showing off too much
lately? ~ Y: I think so, too. • X: Have you ever seen a
better film? ~ Y: It’s difficult to say. • X: Why weren’t
you getting her the things she wanted? ~ Y: You’d like to
know, wouldn’t you? • X: Does he get up early? ~ Y: Yes,
he does. • X: Couldn’t he be doing this just to fool you?
~ Y: Yes, he could. • X: Weren’t you well yesterday? ~ Y:
No, I wasn’t. • X: Which will you give me — the one in the
right hand or the one in the left hand? ~ Y: The one in
the left hand. • X: Should I be more strict with the children?
~ Y: Yes, you should. • X: Has John come back from the office?
~ Y: I hope so. • X: Why should she get upset over such
a minor thing? ~ Y: I wonder why. • X: How much did you
pay for the bag? ~ Y: I don’t remember. • X: Were father
and mother here yesterday? ~ Y: Yes, they were. • X: Are
all the staff in the office against you? ~ Y: No, only a
few of them. • X: What time do you get up in the morning?
~ Y: Sometimes quite early, and sometimes quite late. •
X: Do you want to come with me? ~ Y: No, thank you. • X:
Could they be planning to strike work tomorrow? ~ Y: I’m
afraid they could be. • X: What did she pick up from there?
~ Y: We know what. • X: What do you plan to do during the
summer holidays? ~ Y: I haven’t decided yet. • X: Do we
have time for coffee before the film begins? ~ Y: I’m afraid
not. • X: What will it look like if nobody goes for the
party? ~ Y: He’ll think everyone has ganged up against him.
• X: Have your father and mother been away
long? ~ Y: Not very long. • X: Where will they stay if they
come? ~ Y: With you; where else? • X: How did he do in the
last examination? ~ Y: Quite well. • X: Where have they
been all these days? ~ Y: They alone know where. • X: Do
Mary and Minu have raincoats? ~ Y: Who knows! • X: Did you
like the film? ~ Y: No, I didn’t. • X: How soon will the
rains come? ~ Y: In a month or two. • X: Who did they laugh
at? ~ Y: I don’t know who. • X: Why wasn’t anyone friendly
with him? ~ Y: Because he was rude. • X: Can I show you
a trick? ~ Y: What trick? • X: Should the man be asked to
go away? ~ Y: You decide. • X: What should it cost according
to you? ~ Y: Far less. • X: Haven’t you been going there
frequently? ~ Y: Yes, I have. • X: Which one of these is
the best? ~ Y: The one lying on the top. • X: Can you tell
me how I can get to this address? ~ Y: Ask someone else,
please. • X: Who is the officer-in-charge here? ~ Y: The
one who is sitting there. • X: Didn’t I warn you not to
fight with him? ~ Y: You did. • X: How can I start this
engine? ~ Y: Press this button. • X: Do you often come here?
~ Y: No, only seldom. • X: Are short people taken in the
army? ~ Y: I don’t quite know. • X: Will Mary and you be
at the party today? ~ Y: Can’t say. • X: Where do you get
vegetables from? ~ Y: From the market. • X: How large is
your bedroom? ~ Y: Not very large. • X: Should she be where
others would see her or behind the curtain? ~ Y: Behind
the curtain. • X: How much will it cost to have this shoe
mended? ~ Y: Fifty rupees. • X: What did he do when the
plane landed? ~ Y: I wasn’t there. • X: Don’t you care for
mutton chops? ~ Y: No, I don’t. • X: How long ago did his
grandfather die? ~ Y: I don’t know exactly.
• X: How old are you? ~ Y: Twenty years.
• X: Who is this little boy with you? ~ Y: My nephew. •
X: Where has Priya been studying all these years? ~ Y: Somewhere
outside. • X: Have you and your friends taken exercise today?
~ Y: Yes, we have. • X: Do you have to take a lot of exercise
to keep fit? ~ Y: Yes, they say so. • X: How far is Calcutta
from here? ~ Y: Very far. • X: How often are there trains
to Calcutta? ~ Y: Everyday, there’s a train. • X: Can I
show you some magic? ~ Y: That’d be fine. • X: Isn’t it
wonderful to have such good friends? ~ Y: Really it is.
• X: How will you get to the station from here? ~ Y: I’ll
get a taxi, I guess. • X: Where are you staying tonight?
~ Y: In a hotel. • X: Have you ever been to this place before
now? ~ Y: No, this is the first time. • X: Are you a salesman?
~ Y: No. • X: Could you spare some money for a week? ~ Y:
I’m indeed sorry. • X: Do you want anything else? ~ Y: No.
These are about all, I guess. • X: What did he want? ~ Y:
You know it, don’t you? • X: Have you got a few minutes
to spare? ~ Y: Certainly, please come in. • X: Are you going
to the cinema? ~ Y: No. Not really. • X: Who will be the
Home Secretary next? ~ Y: Who knows!. • X: Has Dad ever
scolded him? ~ Y: No. That’s the trouble. • X: Do you like
being scolded? ~ Y: No, of course not. • X: Did she have
to give him a beating? ~ Y: No. He told the truth when he
got a good scolding.
X: Did he have to pay for the seat? ~ Y: It doesn’t seem
so. • X: Did Gita have to take a plane to reach there early?
~ Y: It looks like it. • X: How many students are there
in your school? ~ Y: I’m not sure just how many. • X: Hasn’t
he repaid the loan? ~ Y: He probably has. • X: What places
have you visited so far? ~ Y: Just a few. • X: Did your
brother bring you any present? ~ Y: Yes, he did. • X: How
much did you draw from the bank? ~ Y: You’d like to know,
wouldn’t you? • X: Do you prefer tea with sugar or without?
~ Y: With sugar, and plenty of it. • X: Are you sure today
is Thursday? ~ Y: Well, the calendar says so. • X: How old
is your father? ~ Y: Not very old. • X: Did you have a nice
time at the party? ~ Y: Yes, I had a wonderful time. • X:
Do you often go to restaurants? ~ Y: Not often, but on occasion.
• X: When should she serve coffee? ~ Y: A little later.
• X: Did it take him long to come back from the shop? ~
Y: Yes it did. I was wondering what kept him so long. •
X: Why weren’t you angry with him? ~ Y: Because it’d do
no good. • X: Can you tell me all these things in French?
~ Y: I’ll try to. • X: What time does he leave for the office?
~ Y: By about eight. • X: Have you ever been to the department
store? ~ Y: Yes, why? • X: Did the workers strike work today?
~ Y: No. The dispute was settled yesterday. • X: What is
wrong with this report? ~ Y: Everything. Take a look at
it. • X: Doesn’t Mary come here any more? ~ Y: No, she doesn’t.
• X: Would you like to go for a film? ~ Y: That’d be fine.
• X: How was the film? ~ Y: Not very good. • X: Do you think
we’ll be late for the film? ~ Y: No, there’s plenty of time.
• X: Does he always find fault with everything you do? ~
Y: Yes, he does. • X: Hadn’t we better stay away from that
area? ~ Y: Yes, we had. It’s quite unsafe. • X: Who did
she go to the park with? ~ Y: With a friend of hers. • X:
What are they supposed to do when a customer comes in? ~
Y: Give him service. • X: How long ago did he borrow the
money from you? ~ Y: Five or six months ago. • X: Are you
having a headache? ~ Y: Yes, I am. • X: What hotel is the
best hotel here? ~ Y: That’s difficult to say. • X: What
school is nearer to her house? ~ Y: I don’t remember its
name.
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