Welcome to a new episode of English Vocabulary Booster.
My name is Lara and I'm a SALSA certified English teacher.
Learning new vocabulary usually takes a long time, but we'll do it in a way that's easy, quick and efficient.
In every episode, we'll learn how to use five new English words or expressions, so that you too can start speaking like a native.
So let's get learning!
Alright you guys, welcome back!
This week's topic is acronyms.
Before we listen to the story remember, you can find the transcript of the story and the questions at learn-laracom.
Let's listen to today's story.
Last weekend I celebrated my birthday.
It took me months to plan it.
Oh, and FYI, the guy I like was going to be there.
Well, I wake up in the morning super excited.
I look in the mirror and OMG, I see this huge pimple right in the middle of my forehead.
I swear it was the biggest pimple I had ever seen.
In the afternoon, right before getting ready for the party, I checked again and he was twice as big and even redder.
Sorry, I know this is probably TMI.
Anyway, I called my doctor's office and asked the secretary to have the doctor call me back ASAP.
When he did and I explained the situation to him, he said it was NBD.
I just had to wait and it would go away.
He couldn't understand.
There was only one thing I could do.
I took a pair of scissors and cut my hair so it would hide my forehead.
Nobody noticed my pimple at the party, only how ridiculous I looked with that terrible new haircut.
Okay, raise your hand if that has never happened to you.
You have to go to this huge party, you're super excited about it and bam, you wake up you got a huge pimple.
It always happens.
It's always like that.
All right, let's take a look at today's acronyms.
Let's begin with acronym number one, FYI.
And FYI, the guy I like was going to be there.
Ahem.
So what does the acronym FYI stand for?
FYI for your information.
And is FYI used in formal or informal communications?
FYI can be used both in informal and formal communications.
All right, acronym number two, OMG.
OMG, I had this huge pimple.
What does the acronym OMG stand for?
I'm sure you've heard this before.
It's oh my gosh or oh my goodness.
Is OMG used in formal or informal communications?
Okay, this one's different from the previous one.
Absolutely and strictly only in informal communications.
All right, you cannot go to the Queen of England and be like, OMG, I'm so happy to see you.
No, no, no, no, no.
And when do you use OMG?
Is it when you're bored or surprised?
It's usually used to show surprise.
So imagine I tell you, I just saw Leonardo DiCaprio drive by.
Like, OMG, are you serious?
Careful when using it because depending on the way you say it, you may not sound the smartest.
It's something that's mostly associated with like shallow girls.
So just be aware of how you use it.
It can be used in a jokingly manner.
But again, definitely not in formal situations.
Acronym number three, TMI.
I know this is probably TMI.
So this acronym has become very popular, especially thanks to social media.
So what does it mean?
What does it stand for?
TMI stands for Too Much Information.
And do you think it's using formal or informal communications?
It's usually used in informal communications, especially again on social media YouTube Instagram, all of these platforms.
So why do you use the acronym TMI?
Because you're saying something that's appropriate or inappropriate.
If you think something is too much information, that means that you think it's inappropriate, right? and especially for the people you're talking to, all right?
If you're going to the doctor and you describe, for example, your symptoms, you say how many times you go to the bathroom.
It's fine, okay.
It's not TMI because you have to say it.
But if you're, let's say, shooting a YouTube video And you start talking about how many times you go to the bathroom, or that one time that you threw up.
Some people may think that that's not necessary and it's inappropriate.
And that's TMI.
So you could warn your audience by saying, this is going to be TMI.
Or you can apologize later by saying, sorry, this is probably, you know, TMI.
What topics would you consider TMI?
I personally think if I'm like watching a story on Instagram or watching a YouTube video, and someone starts talking about their health issues to the point where they like – they describe in detail everything that's wrong with them, like you know, in great detail.
That really grosses me out.
And I think it's TMI.
I don't need to know that.
Acronym number four, ASAP.
I asked the secretary to have the doctor call me back ASAP.
What does the acronym ASAP stand for?
This is a very popular one.
It means as soon as possible.
Is ASAP used in informal or formal communications?
ASAP has become incredibly popular and can be used both in informal and formal communication.
So pretty much all the time.
And if someone tells you to call them or text them ASAP, do you actually do it?
I'm hoping you would say yes, because if someone says they need to talk to you ASAP, that means that it's probably urgent.
So you might want to call them or text them right away, ASAP, as soon as possible.
Acronym number five, NBD.
He said, he said it was NBD.
What does the acronym NBD stand for?
This is a tricky one.
N-B-D.
No big deal.
So is NBD used informal or informal communications?
Absolutely 100% informal.
All right.
You can only use it with your friends.
And I'm sure, Like the doctor from the story, he didn't actually use the word NBD, because if you call your doctor to tell him about a problem you have and he says oh, it's NBD, then they're probably not the most qualified doctors.
So if I were you, I'd look for another one.
Is it used to say that something is important or not important?
Well, the expression is.
No big deal means that something is not important.
So, think about the story.
A pimple on the forehead.
Do you think it's NBD or not?
Well, I think my answer is very different now from when I was a teenager, because when I was a teenager, I definitely thought that a pimple on my forehead was a big deal.
But now I think it's NBD.
You know, just throw on some makeup and forget about it.
Nobody cares about your pimple at the end of the day.
And that is it for today.
And remember, if you want to access the transcript, as well as lots of other resources, visit enboocom.
That is E-N-B-O-O-O dot com.
Have a great day.
