logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2023
11m 30s

ESLPod011 - Expressing Emotions

Dr. Jeff McQuillan
About this episode

Interview

It would be great if I could always feel happy all the time, day in and day out. But sometimes I feel down. This is one of those days. Sometimes I get depressed if something disappointing happens—like if I interview for a job and I don't get it, or if I have to cancel my vacation after looking forward to it for a long time.

Once in a while, I'll even feel down if I've read a very sad book or have seen a movie with a sad or tragic ending.

Well... None of those things happened today, but I'm still feeling a little blue. I don't know what the cause is, but maybe what I need to do is to try to cheer myself up.

When I've felt this way in the past, I've found that a change of pace helps. Getting out of the house, going to a new restaurant for dinner, or just going for a walk outside can sometimes get me out of this bad mood.

Sometimes, I hate to say it, but going out and buying myself something new sometimes does the trick. Getting something new, especially something I've wanted for a while, can sometimes cheer me up.

Other times, just having a long talk with a good friend helps me put things into perspective, and I feel better.

Okay, I've got it. I'll call my friend Debbie and invite her out to dinner. Debbie is such a good friend, and she has a way of seeing the bright side of things. She's one of those people who always sees the glass half full—not half empty. I bet she'll help me get out of my lousy mood. And, if that doesn't work, I'm heading to the mall.

Vocabulary and Expressions

There were several expressions that we heard that mean the same thing—all of them expressing the idea of feeling sad. You heard the woman say:

  • I feel down.
  • I feel depressed.
  • I'm feeling a little blue.
  • I'm in a bad mood.

All of these are ways of saying pretty much the same thing: that we don't feel well, that we're not happy.

The expressions I feel down or I get depressed or feel depressed are fairly common. The expression I'm feeling a little blue is a little more old-fashioned—not used quite as often anymore in English—but to feel blue means to feel badly, like the color blue.

A bad mood can sometimes be used when we feel sad, but a bad mood can also be when you are angry or upset over something.

A couple of other expressions that were used:

  • The woman said that it would be great if I could feel happy all the time, day in and day out. The expression day in and day out means all of the time, constantly. For example:
  • It rains day in and day out, meaning every day, all the time.

The woman also said that because she was feeling a little blue, she was going to try to cheer herself up. To cheer yourself up means to make yourself happy.

One way she was going to do this was by having a change of pace. Change of pace means a change in the way that you are doing things. Literally, the word pace refers to speed, but here it means doing something different from your usual routine.

For example, in a race: If you are going to run a long race, like a marathon, you want to pace yourself, to keep your pace so that you don't get tired. To change your pace or have a change of pace means, more generally, to do something in a different way—to go in a new direction, to do things to get yourself out of your depression, to cheer yourself up.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
ESLPodcast 55 - A Trip to the Library
<p>I read in the <strong>local paper</strong> that a new public library had just opened two weeks ago in my neighborhood. I wanted to <strong>check it out</strong>. But first, I called the library to check the <strong>hours of operation</strong>. The <strong>librarian</strong> to ... Show More
20m 50s
Yesterday
ESLPodcast 54 - Talking to the Professor
<p>[A knock on the door.] Jeff: <strong>Come in.</strong> Julie: Hi, Dr. McQuillan, I'm Julie Taylor. I'm in your <strong>2 o'clock class</strong> on Thursdays. Jeff: Hi, Julie. <strong>Have a seat.</strong> What can I do for you? Julie: I wanted to come see you during your <stro ... Show More
20m 6s
Yesterday
ESLPodcast 53 - Understanding Men and Women
<p>Lucy: Jeff, <strong>here's a question</strong>. I was <strong>just talking</strong> to Dawn. You know, they had their first <strong>wedding anniversary</strong> last week. Guess what her husband gave her as a present. Jeff: I don't know. What? Lucy: He gave her a <strong>vacuu ... Show More
19m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 20
Job suffixes
What's the connection between a teacher, a driver and a presenter? We explain.FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co. ... Show More
6m 10s
Sep 2024
#290 Top 4 Business English Expressions with Paola (Talaera Talks)
<p><a href='https://www.talaera.com/podcast-talaera-talks/'>Paola from the Talaera Talks podcast</a> and I are doing a cross-post episode today. You can also find this episode and many more over on their podcast. <br/><br/>The topic is all about jobs, careers, and business Englis ... Show More
54m 58s
May 2025
Talking about childhood
Neil and Beth have a real conversation in Easy English about when they were children.WATCH THIS PODCAST: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/250523FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follo ... Show More
6m 21s
Jan 2025
Real Easy English: Talking about food shopping
Neil and Beth have a real conversation in easy English about food shopping.TRANSCRIPT You can read along with this podcast and find important vocabulary here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/250110SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://ww ... Show More
6m 1s
Mar 2025
Real Easy English: Talking about teachers
Neil and Beth have a real conversation in Easy English about their favourite teachers.WATCH THIS PODCAST: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/250328FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Foll ... Show More
5m 44s
Aug 2024
741 - English Idioms and Phrases Using ALL
I've been working all month long to bring you variety of podcasts to learn English and American culture. All along, I had an idea that these would be helpful and all in all, I think I was right. Thanks a lot for being all ears when it comes to my lessons.  Join my Podcast Learner ... Show More
8m 29s
Aug 4
Ordinal numbers
What's the date today? Do you know how to say it? Listen to the programme to find out.FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www ... Show More
6m 21s
Oct 2024
Real Easy English: Talking about shopping
Georgie and Neil have a real conversation in easy English about shopping. TRANSCRIPT You can read along with this podcast and find important vocabulary here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/241011FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our w ... Show More
5m 5s
Aug 8
1162 Daily Easy English Lesson PODCAST— ~ish
Easy English Expressions...E-cubed!! Listen and Learn English FREE!! Get your Magic Mind here : https://www.magicmind.com/LME You get 20% for one time purchase and up to 48% off for subscriptions with my code: LME Today's English expression and dialog: ~ish I'm hungry. You just a ... Show More
5m 56s
Dec 2024
Ordinal numbers
What's the date today? And do you know how to say it?FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsle ... Show More
6m 21s