This mini episode teaches you how to use the idiomatic question “What’s the big idea?”
Episode 205 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you how to use the idiomatic question “What’s the big idea?” Send your questions about English and your suggestions for future episodes to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi! This is Liyah from Korea, and you’re listening to Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 205 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts, on the Stitcher app, and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to everybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
Today I want to teach you a very useful expression. And that expression is “What’s the big idea?” What’s the big idea? That’s what’s—w-h-a-t-apostrophe-s—the big—b-i-g—idea—i-d-e-a. “What’s the big idea?”
When we ask somebody this question—when we say, “What’s the big idea?”—we are asking, “Why did you do that?” Or “Why did you think that was a good idea?” Usually we use this question when we are frustrated or annoyed or angry. And when we ask this question, it usually does not sound very friendly.
We can use this question all by itself. We can just ask somebody, “What’s the big idea?” or we can say, “Hey! What’s the big idea?”
Or we can use this question as part of a longer sentence. For example, let’s say it is the middle of the night. It is three o’clock in the morning. And your phone rings. I guess you forgot to set your phone to vibrate and instead the phone rings, and it wakes you up. And that makes you feel annoyed or maybe angry.
You answer the phone, and it is your friend calling you, and you say to your friend, “What’s the big idea, calling me in the middle of the night?” What’s the big idea, calling me in the middle of the night? That is a way of saying, “Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?” Or “I am annoyed that you are calling me in the middle of the night.” Or “Why did you think it was a good idea to call me in the middle of the night? What are you thinking?”
And that is “What’s the big idea?”—a very useful expression that I think you should know.
Outro
And we have reached the end of episode 205 of Everybody ESL. Remember: if you have questions about English, or if you have comments or suggestions about the podcast, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can use at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Liyah recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to everybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with another episode, and until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. Goodbye! I’ll see you soon.