English, baby!

Caught in the Crossfire

Learn English meaning of ‘caught in the crossfire’

Date: Oct 10 2017

Themes: Soap Opera

Grammar: Second Conditional

Go Super!

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

last-minute

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

Go Super to Listen

Did you ever fight with your friends when you were young? When kids fight, it’s usually about something silly. Like, who ate the last cookie, or who popped the float? Maybe, you were the one always looking for ways to end the fights. You just wanted to make sure everyone got along. You didn’t expect your friends to fall in love, but you wanted everyone to be nice to each other. Sometimes, the fights happened anyways, and you were caught in the crossfire.

When you are caught in the crossfire, this means that you are in the middle of an argument or conflict between two other people. This isn’t a very fun place to be. You can get worn out very quickly when you are caught in the crossfire. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do except wait until the fight has played out. Hopefully, everyone apologizes in the end, and no one is left with bad feelings.

Kelsey and Andy get in a small argument about coolers and floats. Watch as Dominique gets caught in the crossfire.

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.

Kelsey

Dominique

Andy_H

Kelsey: I wish Jordin were around. She’d love a river day.

Dominique: She totally would. How long do you think it’ll take Andy to get out here?

Kelsey: Way too long. I can’t believe Jordin is in Greece!

Dominique: I know! That was, like, a last-minute decision, right? How long is she going to be out there for?

Kelsey: I think two weeks! I think she was still worn out from being caught in the crossfire between Andy and Sheila. She’s been really busy, so I don’t think she’s had any time for herself.

Dominique: I can’t believe that played out the way it did. I wish I could leave for two weeks!

Kelsey: Maybe, Jordin will fall in love with Greece and move there.

Dominique: That’d be sad!

Kelsey: Yeah, but then we’d have a place to stay in Greece!

Dominique: Andy. Where are you?!

Andy_H: OK… So, when you say cooler, do you mean, like, big cooler, or mid-size, coupe, sedan…

Dominique: He’s asking about the size of the cooler.

Kelsey: Tell him a big one.

Dominique: She says a big one.

Andy_H: OK. I was worried because I don’t know how we’d float a large cooler.

Dominique: He’s worried about floating with the large cooler.

Kelsey: Tell him to bring another float!

Andy_H: Tell her I don’t have another float.

Kelsey: Tell Andy to hurry up.

Andy_H: Tell Kelsey I will hurry, but I want to make sure I bring the right one.

Kelsey: Tell Andy…

Dominique: You know what, I’m not getting caught between you guys in the crossfire, so here.

Kelsey: Just bring a cooler you can float with.

Andy_H: OK. I just wanted to make sure. Because in part of my dream last night, I was looking for a cooler and then I couldn’t find one…

Kelsey: Thanks Andy, byeeeeeeeeee.

Andy_H: I don’t even need to say… typical!

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Second Conditional" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Kelsey and Dominique are hanging out at the river, waiting for Andy. They both wish Jordin was there! Jordin loves the river. She was worn out from being caught in the crossfire between Andy and Sheila, so she went to Greece for two weeks.

Andy calls Dominique and asks her what size cooler he should bring. Dominique tells Kelsey that Andy needs to know what size cooler. Kelsey says a big one. Andy is worried that a big cooler will be hard to float. Pretty soon, Dominique realizes she is caught in the crossfire between Kelsey and Andy. She finally just hands the phone to Kelsey.

Have you ever been caught in the crossfire? What did you do to get out of it?

Comments

allenzhaojl

China

Last night both of my friends werein a big fight and I talk to them and got caught in the crossfire.

Artsay3

Philippines

Yes, I was caught in the crossfire in the past and I didn’t know what to do or how to react because the people involved were close to me. I excused myself from the group to avoid being worn out by the argument, though it was a difficult situation.

Elisa1

Spain

I don’t like to be caught in the crossfire but when I am I try to escape. Sometimes that it is impossible so it’s important not to be worn out and to be around.

DanielBorges

Portugal

When someone is in conflit and i’am caught in the crossfire i try not to take part of the discussion, and create a distraction, so that the persons having an argument could relativise the subject and leave the discussion. When it’s severe i could try to be around (so the persons feels that someone is there) or if i see i will get worn-out i could leave.

If i could, i might travel to greece for two weeks too!!

abdullah201933

Saudi Arabia

honestly we should always be in caught in the crossfire by smart way

otherwise we will increase the fight between each one.

samirah

Saudi Arabia

I always caught in the crossfire .what i did in that case , i just tried to make things end smoothly .

kelvindu

China

My parents quarrelled a lot when I was a kid. They fighted for silly reasons for most of the time. I was quite often caught in the crossfire between them and it was rather frustrating. I sometimes tried to calm them down and usually found all efforts useless. So I learned to just watch it play out pretty soon.