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Lesson 177 of 240

New here? This is lesson 177 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Wait, what? in English

Danny is at the Blue Plate with a bigger version of Ana and Tasha's Milwaukee trip. He adds jumps and extra custard.

Ana stops him. She asks him to say the surprising parts again, and to prove how he knows.

By the end, you'll stop a story, check a wild detail, and ask someone to walk you through it.

Wait, what is the short stop. She did what checks her action. That can't be right doubts the fact.

By the end of this lesson

Follow up on a surprise and ask what happened.

  • Wait, what?Stop. I did not catch that. Say it again.
  • She did what?I am surprised. Tell me her action again.
  • Seriously?Is that really true?
  • How do you know that?Who told you this, or how did you learn it?
  • Walk me through that again.Tell the surprising part one more time, step by step.
  • That can't be right.I do not think that is true.

Scene — he grows the trip

Same diner on Larch Street. Danny stands at the counter with his food truck towel on one shoulder. Dee pours coffee.

Ana sits on a stool. Murray is on two stools at the end, with eggs and a coffee he has not finished. The jukebox stays quiet.

A wide view establishes the diner as Danny leans at the counter, Dee pours coffee, and Ana sits on a stool beneath the quiet jukebox.

Learn — wait, what

Six lines help you stop a surprise and ask what happened.

You'll also check the source and ask for the steps one more time.

  1. Ana pauses the conversation with one hand raised, trying to catch the surprising detail she missed.

    Wait, what?

    Stop. I did not catch that. Say it again.

    When to use it: Use this when you missed a step and need them to say it again.

    Treat Wait, what as one piece, not two separate questions.

    Say it: Stress both Wait and what.

  2. Dee turns from the coffee pot toward the counter as she reacts to the story growing bigger.

    She did what?

    I am surprised. Tell me her action again.

    When to use it: Use this when her action sounds too surprising to believe.

    Did is past tense, and what carries the surprise.

    Say it: Stress what, not She or did.

  3. Murray sits across two stools with his eggs and unfinished coffee nearby, quietly weighing whether the story is true.

    Seriously?

    Is that really true?

    When to use it: Use this when you doubt a surprising claim.

    Learn it as one piece that asks if the story is really true.

    Say it: Stress the first part of the word.

  4. Ana questions Danny about how he learned the story, using an open hand as Danny listens at the counter.

    How do you know that?

    Who told you this, or how did you learn it?

    When to use it: Ask this when someone states a fact you did not hear yourself.

    It asks how they learned this, not for a yes or no.

    Say it: How and do can link.

  5. Ana asks Danny to retrace the surprising events while Danny begins laying out the sequence with his fingers.

    Walk me through that again.

    Tell the surprising part one more time, step by step.

    When to use it: Ask this when you need the surprising part step by step.

    Walk me through means tell the steps in order, not take a walk.

    Say it: Through starts with a th sound.

  6. Murray makes a small outward gesture beside his barely touched eggs and coffee as he clarifies that he only heard a bit.

    That can't be right.

    I do not think that is true.

    When to use it: Say this when a detail does not match what you know.

    Can't is cannot as one piece, and it shows you doubt the fact.

    Say it: Can't is stressed and clear. Can is short and weak.

Story — start from the real part

Watch Danny grow the Milwaukee trip. Ana will not let him skip the real steps.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Danny leans on the counter. His towel is still on one shoulder.
  2. DannySo they took the wrong train, and then Tasha jumped off at this warehouse street.He says they took a wrong train, then Tasha jumped off.
  3. AnaWait, what?Stop. I did not catch that. Say it again.
  4. DannyShe jumped off at the warehouse street. Then they ate five frozen custards.He repeats that she jumped off there, then says they ate five frozen custards.
  5. AnaShe did what?I am surprised. Tell me her action again.
  6. Dee looks over from the coffee pot.
  7. DeeHon, he grows a story. Always has.She says Danny always makes a story bigger.
  8. AnaSeriously?Is that really true?
  9. DannyYeah. The whole block already knows.He says everyone on the street heard it.
  10. AnaHow do you know that?Who told you this, or how did you learn it?
  11. DannyMurray. He hears everything at the counter.He says Murray is the person who told him.
  12. MurrayWell, I heard a little. I was just in the neighborhood.He says he heard a little, because he was close by.
  13. AnaWalk me through that again.Tell the surprising part one more time, step by step.
  14. DannyThey took the right train. They got off. They walked. They got custard.He lists the steps, but he says they took the right train.
  15. AnaThat can't be right. I think we took the wrong train.She does not believe the train was the right one, and she names the real mix-up.
  16. Danny holds up his phone. A shop from the trip is on the screen.
  17. DannyThis place is famous for frozen custard. In Milwaukee, that part is true.A lot of people know this shop for this cold dessert.
  18. AnaWhat happened next?What was the following thing in the story?
  19. DannyYou walked toward the river. That's the real part. Sorry.He says they walked to the river, and he is sorry.

Practice — check the surprise

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

    What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    What does it mean?

    She did what?

  3. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Danny says Tasha ate five frozen custards in a row. You doubt that this is true.

  4. Pick the reply

    Danny says:

    Pick the reply

    It's all true. I'm sure of it.

    He says the story is true and he is sure.

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    Build the line

    Tell the surprising part one more time, step by step.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    I do not think that is true.

    That ____ be right.

  7. Match the pairs

    English

    Wait, what?Drop the Simple English here
    She did what?Drop the Simple English here
    Seriously?Drop the Simple English here
    That can't be right.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

  8. Swap the word

    Swap the word

    Danny says you were on the right train. Change the word to match the real trip.

    I think we took the ____ train.

  9. True or false?

    True or false?

    This line asks who was with you on the trip.

  10. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    A lot of people know this shop for this cold dessert.

    This place is ____ for frozen custard.

Say it — say it back

Now you're Ana at the counter. Danny is still growing the trip. 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. DannySo Tasha jumped off the train.He says Tasha jumped off a train.
  2. Ana (you)Stop him. You missed that part.

    Stop him. You missed that part.

    Wait, what?

    Stop. I did not catch that. Say it again.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Every line from this lesson
EnglishSimple EnglishPlay
Wait, what?Stop. I did not catch that. Say it again.
She did what?I am surprised. Tell me her action again.
Seriously?Is that really true?
How do you know that?Who told you this, or how did you learn it?
Walk me through that again.Tell the surprising part one more time, step by step.
That can't be right.I do not think that is true.
Next: lesson 178That must be hard

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