{"id":50740,"date":"2019-09-04T01:15:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T01:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/127.0.0.1\/aee\/aee-1220-jokes-on-me-how-this-phrase-can-anchor-your-listening-and-spice-up-your-vocabulary\/"},"modified":"2023-04-25T15:44:41","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T15:44:41","slug":"aee-1220-jokes-on-me-how-this-phrase-can-anchor-your-listening-and-spice-up-your-vocabulary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allearsenglish.com\/aee-1220-jokes-on-me-how-this-phrase-can-anchor-your-listening-and-spice-up-your-vocabulary\/","title":{"rendered":"AEE 1220: Joke’s On Me! How This Phrase Can Anchor Your Listening and Spice Up Your Vocabulary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever played a practical joke on somebody?<\/p>\n

How did this go over?<\/p>\n

This is one of those things that happens and can be fun if done in the right way.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to look at a phrase that has to do with this sort of thing. The phrase today is, \u201cthe joke was on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019re going to show you what this means, how to use it, and how it can add some fun to English conversations.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Get Your Transcripts Today!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\"All<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Make sure you understand every word you hear on All Ears English.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bring your English to the advanced level with new vocabulary and natural expressions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Subscribe and get the transcripts delivered by email.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Learn to speak naturally with the American accent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click here to subscribe and save 50%<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n

We have a listener question about this unique phrase.<\/p>\n

\n

Hello dear Lindsay, Michelle and Jessica, <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I just wanted to thank you very much for answering my question about the phrase \u201cJonesing for this.\u201d The episode was thorough and really helpful. I appreciate your great job.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I have another question that actually just came up. Lately, I\u2019ve been hearing the phrase \u201cthe joke is on me\/you\u201d in a lot of TV shows and movies. I couldn\u2019t figure out exactly what it means or in what situations it\u2019s used.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

It would be great if you could work it into one of your upcoming episodes.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Once again I really appreciate your hard work.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. I also learned lots of great phrases from your short videos on Instagram. This is such a creative way to introduce new phrases to ESL learners. Thank you.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Best,<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Maral <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n

Different Uses For This Phrase<\/strong><\/p>\n

You will hear this phrase used in native English conversations quite a bit.<\/p>\n

You might hear it used in a couple different ways, and so you want to know what those are.<\/p>\n

You use it by saying the joke is\/was on someone then you must expand and explain why.<\/p>\n

You essentially want to explain what exactly this means. <\/p>\n

One way is the dictionary definition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The dictionary describes it in this way: \u201cused to describe a situation in which a person is trying to make something happen to someone else (such as being tricked or embarrassed) ends up having it happen to himself or herself instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

So for example, \u201cI tried to pull the seat away from my brother to make him fall, but the joke was on me\u2013 I slipped and fell on the floor!\u201d<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI tried to prank call a girl in my class, but the joke was on me. She had my number in my phone and knew it was me calling! She pretended I was pranking her until the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cI told her I couldn\u2019t come to the party because I was sick, but the joke was on me\u2013 her brother saw me at a restaurant right before the party started. I felt so bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Example: \u201cThe host at the restaurant told me there were no tables available when I tried to make a reservation, but the joke was on them. I saw an empty table right when I walked in and they gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n