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On One's Case

Learn English slang and the difference between "you're" and "your"

Date: Jan 04 2011

Themes: Soap Opera, Work

Grammar: You're vs. Your

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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rapport

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Fairness is important in the workplace. But with many people doing different jobs, it’s hard to be fair sometimes and it’s hard to measure fairness. For instance, no one wants someone looking over their shoulder all the time at work. If you’re watched too closely and criticized too often, you can start to feel like your boss is on your case.

If someone is on your case, they frequently bother you about what you’re doing. At work, slackers will often find their boss is on their case, making sure they do a good job. But sometimes, a good employee will feel like the boss is on their case too since they can always be counted on. Watch what happens when Marni asks Beren to do some extra work.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni: Hey, Beren! How’s it going?

Beren: Good!

Marni: You’re such a good worker. Hey, I’m going to need you to…come in on Saturday.

Beren: Saturday?

Marni: Yeah. Saturday.

Beren: Yech…

Marni: Yeah.

Beren: OK…

Marni: OK? Great. I’ll see you then, OK? Thanks!

Beren: Whoa, whoa! Why are you always on my case? Why do I have to come in on the weekend? I’ve got stuff to do, you know that!

Marni: I’m not on your case. I just…You know I know that you’re…

Beren: Nobody else has to come in on Saturday except for me?

Marni: Yeah, because I know that you’re accountable and I know that I can trust you. I mean, you’re a good worker, right? We have a good rapport?

Beren: So, I should be rewarded, not punished.

Marni: I don’t see it as punishment. You know I’ve got a big project coming in…I know I can count on you because you’re so responsible, and, you know, we have a long history. So, you’re the person for the job! So…come on, I know you can do it. Hey, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.

Beren: Yeah, I’ll do it. I’ll be here. I’ll be here. Saturday.

Marni: Great. Thanks.

Beren: Why is Marni always on my case? Did you hear that? I have to come in on Saturday!

Jason: I heard part of it, you know, yeah…

Beren: I’m getting sick of this.

Jason: I guess that’s not very cool…Hm.

Ella: I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.

Jason: I don’t know. Do you think Marni’s on her case? I don’t know. I mean, having to come in on the weekend isn’t awesome, but it’s not really being on someone’s case.

Ella: Yeah.

Jason: Seems like you have to bug someone about multiple things that they’re doing, and get upset with them, and just complain about things on a regular basis in order to be on someone’s case.

Ella: I don’t think what just happened constitutes being on someone’s case. It seems like Marni was just trying to get the job done. Normal Marni.

Jason: Yeah. We’ll see, though, maybe Beren’s right. Maybe she is on her case. I haven’t seen it yet, if that’s the case.

Ella: Yeah.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni asks Beren to come in and work on Saturday. This upsets her. She feels as though she is being punished. Marni explains that she doesn’t mean to punish—important work has to be done and Beren is the person she trusts to do it.

Still, Beren insists that Marni is on her case. She asks Jason and Ella to agree with her, but they’re not sure if Marni is really on Beren’s case. It seems to them like it would take more than asking Beren to come in an extra day to be a problem.

Do you think Marni is on Beren’s case? Has your boss, teacher or parent ever been on your case?

Comments

julito

Argentina

Marni is a pain in the neck to Beren. i don´t know why she is always singling out her to come to the office on saturday , i think that Marni is very mean to Beren.

Marcelolic

Brazil

She is a sacks! Marni is really on baren’s case! Why she doesn’t ask fr the others if they could come on saturday too?! Thanks God I have not anyone on my case! I have it :P

Hector

Dominican Republic

yes my parent always but i try to do it

ahmed2580

India

ahmed2580

India

alexcai

China

I dont' think Marni is on Beren's case.Sure,i don't wanna come in on weekends for extra work.It really bug me if that happens.

ChingYun

Taiwan

I don't think Marni is on Beren's case, but I can understand the feeling if no one except me need come in office in weekend, it's really upset me.

jerryjeff

United States

come on Beren , I'll do anything to be in your place right now..I can definitely use some extra hours at work nowadays.I think her boss really sees her as a reliable employee…so whenever a big project pops up ..Beren is her first choice, I'd take this as a compliment.

MUHAMMAD92

Saudi Arabia

hi daer marni why punished beren ,you like justic .

best wishes have you.

weah44

Sudan

i think to be on someone's case is not meaning that he is trying to bother you or make you do some thing wast , but he is really count on you and realized that you are acountable person who can achieve the desired goal .

so if some in my case i will make him realize that i am the one who can be resposible and acountable at any time . at least i will gain his trust

nice new concept

koxa

Ukraine

If someone really needs a help and want that everything goes smoothly, cooperation should be fit between the people who are involved. If you see that work,which you are offered, is not easy and you can have a problem later with that someone's looking over your shoulder would be good.

aleksolivar

Mexico

I don´t understand nothing!!!

afufu

China

I believe Marni is telling the truth. She is not on Beren's case, quite the opposite, she really trust Beren.

If I am the boss and there is some extra work need to be done urgently, I would let some countable employee to do it. So, Beren should be happy about it. Unless Marni let Beren work on some stupid, meaningless work on Saturday. Then that's really a punishment.

foz12

Saudi Arabia

acutlly now I should have my lunch but you know what my boss asks me to stay for the work I’m angry inside me but what should I do !!

sam.club

Thailand

Sometimes, I would feel good if my boss was on my case. That means you are dependable and responsible for your job. But it shouldn't be too often.

tiger_bagira

Greece

nice

simply_maricel_concepcion

Philippines

If someone is on my case then I'll be thankful that they can spare a time to criticize me. It simply means that they care a big deal about me to give me some of their attention. People will always be in our case every once in a while but that shouldn't stop us from doing well but it should serve as an inspiration to do better in our craft or job.

dearling

China

I think be on someone's case sometimes is a good thing.

If my boss is on my case, I would know I need to do better in some way, but if he drives me crazy, I would rather QUIT.

aunglawkeeshein

Myanmar

well I guess it's good to be on someone's case sometimes but if someone does it on me all the time , it definitely upsets me. There are tons of benefits when your teacher or parent or boss has been on your case because it shows how much they know about you and how much they care about you.