In this mini episode, you will learn the expression “to be torn.”
Episode 328 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you the expression “to be torn.” Send your questions about English and your comments and suggestions to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi! This is So Yeong from Busan, in Korea. You are listening to (the) informative Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 328 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 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
In this episode, I am going to teach you an interesting expression. And it uses the word torn. Torn, t-o-r-n. Do you know this word? Do you recognize the word torn?
Torn is a form of the verb tear. Tear, t-e-a-r. “To tear” means to rip something. To use your fingers to pull something apart into two pieces. Or to pull it part of the way into two pieces. When we talk about tearing something, we are often talking about something flat, like paper.
And torn is another form of that verb. It’s a form called the past participle. I don’t think you really need to know that word. But, the past participle of a verb is used to make passive verbs. I don’t even know if you need to know the word passive, but you do need to know what a passive verb is. Let me give you an example:
If I have a piece of paper, and I use my fingers to pull it into two pieces, I would say, “I tear the paper.”
Instead of talking about what I did, I could talk about what happened to the paper. And I could say, “The paper was torn.” In other words,the paper was pulled apart into two pieces. Or it was pulled part of the way into two pieces. It was torn.
We use that form of verbs to make this passive form, when we are talking about the direct object of the verb instead of talking about the subject.
All of this grammar talk can be very complicated. I understand that. But just know this: when we say that something is torn, we are saying that it is now in two pieces, because something has pulled it apart into two pieces.
Okay, now we get to this word and this expression that I wanted to talk about: to be torn. What does it mean if we say that a person is torn? What we are saying when we say, “I am torn” is “I can’t make up my mind. I can’t choose. It is as though somebody or something pulled me into two pieces. And one piece thinks this, and my other piece thinks this other thing. I have two different ideas at one time, or two different preferences. I can’t decide what I want. I am torn. It is as though I am now in two pieces.”
For example, let’s say that somebody is considering getting a new job. They don’t really like their current job, so they’re thinking about getting a new job. When they talk about this situation to a friend, they say, “I am torn. There are things I really enjoy about my current job, but a new job might also be good. I’m torn. I don’t know how to choose. I have two different ideas inside my head at one time. Instead of having one preference, I feel like I have two preferences, and I don’t know how to decide.”
I am torn: I think this is an interesting and useful way to use the word tear.
Outro
This is the end of episode 328 of Everybody ESL. Remember: if you have questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way So Yeong recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode. And until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye!