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Lesson 89 of 240

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Start hereHow this works

Maybe and almost there in English

Tasha sends a voice memo: she is on her way. Ana waits at the Blue Plate door.

Ten minutes later, Tasha is still on the Blue Line. Dee will not let Ana wait outside for long.

By the end, you'll say you are coming, you are close, a plan might work, or it is too late.

You'll also say you are just around the corner, and that you can still make it.

By the end of this lesson

Say you are coming, you are close, a plan might work, or it is too late.

  • I'm on my way.I have left and I am coming to you now.
  • I'm almost there.I will arrive very soon.
  • It might work.This plan could be okay.
  • It's too late.We cannot do it now; the time has passed.
  • I'm just around the corner.I am very close to you now.
  • We can still make it.We still have enough time to arrive.

Scene — waiting at the door

Saturday afternoon on Larch Street. Ana stands at the Blue Plate door with her phone out.

Tasha sent a voice memo from the Blue Line. Dee watches from the counter, coffee pot in hand.

Murray sits on two stools with eggs and a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Ana waits at the diner door while Dee tends the counter and Murray sits over his meal.

Learn — on my way and almost there

Six short lines cover coming, being close, a plan that might work, and being too late.

You'll also say you are around the corner, and that you can still arrive in time.

  1. Tasha records a voice memo while riding the train toward the diner.

    I'm on my way.

    I have left and I am coming to you now.

    When to use it: Say this after you leave, when you are coming to someone.

    I'm is a contraction, so learn it as one piece.

    Say it: I'm and on can link.

  2. Tasha watches the platform as the train eases into a station.

    I'm almost there.

    I will arrive very soon.

    When to use it: Say this when you will arrive very soon.

    Almost means very near in time or place.

    Say it: Stress the first part of almost.

  3. Ana looks from her phone toward the street corner, unsure where Tasha means.

    It might work.

    This plan could be okay.

    When to use it: Say this when a plan is possible, but you are not sure.

    Might means this could happen, but it is not sure.

  4. Dee gestures toward the occupied window booth to show that it is no longer available.

    It's too late.

    We cannot do it now; the time has passed.

    When to use it: Say this when the time has passed and you cannot do it.

    It's is a contraction, so learn it as one piece.

    Say it: Stress too in 'too late.'

  5. Tasha turns the last brick corner on Larch Street and heads toward the diner.

    I'm just around the corner.

    I am very close to you now.

    When to use it: Say this when you are very close to the other person.

    Just means only a short distance away here.

  6. Tasha pushes open the diner door as Ana welcomes her inside.

    We can still make it.

    We still have enough time to arrive.

    When to use it: Say this when you still have enough time to arrive.

    Make it means arrive in time, not build a thing.

    Say it: Can is short, not like can't.

Story — ten minutes later

Watch Ana wait at the diner door. Tasha is still on the Blue Line.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Ana stands at the diner door. A voice memo plays on her phone.
  2. TashaI'm on my way.I have left and I am coming to you now.
  3. Ten minutes pass. Dee comes to the door with the coffee pot.
  4. DeeCome on in, hon. She's not here yet?Please come inside, and she asks if Tasha has arrived.
  5. AnaShe said, "I'm on my way." Which way?Ana thinks way is a street name.
  6. DeeShe's coming, sweetie. Not a street named Way.Dee tells her Tasha is coming, not a street.
  7. The phone buzzes again. Ana puts it on speaker.
  8. TashaI'm almost there. I'm just around the corner.She will arrive very soon, and she is very close now.
  9. AnaI looked. She is not on the corner.Ana looked at the real street corner.
  10. DeeThat means she's close, hon. Window booths go fast.The words mean Tasha is close. Window seats go quickly.
  11. TashaWe can still make it.We still have enough time to arrive.
  12. Tasha pushes the door, a little out of breath.
  13. TashaSorry I'm late. I always take the Blue Line.I take that train every time.
  14. AnaShould we ask Dee for a booth?She asks if they should ask Dee for a table.
  15. TashaIt might work.This plan could be okay.
  16. DeeThere are booths, hon, but it's too late to get the window booth.Other seats are free, but the window booth is already gone.
  17. MurrayWell, sit anywhere. Pie is still here.You can choose any seat, and pie is still there.

Practice — coming or too late

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, build a line, and swap a word.

They stay small, so you can move through them fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    I'm almost there.

  3. What do you say?

    Tasha wants to try a booth near the pie case. You are not sure, but the plan could be okay.

  4. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    The train leaves in ten minutes. Do we have time to get to the station?

    She asks if you can arrive at the station before the train leaves.

    And you reply with:

  5. Fill the gap

    We cannot do it now; the time has passed.

    It's too ____.

  6. Build the line

    I am very close to you now.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You left home. Tell Tasha you are coming now.

    I'm on my ____.

  8. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    I'm at the door. Can I come in?

    She is outside and wants to enter.

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    This line means you never take that train.

  10. What do you say?

    Tasha is already inside the diner and looks around for a seat.

Say it — say you are close

Now you're Ana, walking to the Blue Plate to meet Tasha. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. TashaWhere are you?She asks where you are now.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her you left and you are coming now.

    I'm on my way.

    I have left and I am coming to you now.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I'm on my way.I have left and I am coming to you now.
I'm almost there.I will arrive very soon.
It might work.This plan could be okay.
It's too late.We cannot do it now; the time has passed.
I'm just around the corner.I am very close to you now.
We can still make it.We still have enough time to arrive.
Next: lesson 90Good news, bad news

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