| Rob: | Hello and welcome to the English We Speak. My name is Rob. |
| Helen: | And hello, my name is Helen. |
| Rob: | Hold on Helen, hold on. We can't hear you properly. I think your microphone is playing up. |
| Helen: | Playing up? |
| Rob: | Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. |
| Helen: | Let me just push this button. There! Hello. Now, you said the microphone was playing up? |
| Rob: | That's right. It wasn't working properly. If something isn't working as it should be, we sometimes say it's playing up. |
| Helen: | Up—not down? |
| Rob: | Nope. Playing down is a different expression that means something totally different. |
| Helen: | OK. So as the picture on my TV at home is flickering, I can say my TV is playing up? |
| Rob: | Exactly. Let's hear about some other things that are playing up ... |
| I don't think I'll be able to give you a lift to work today, my car's been playing up. |
| My phone keeps playing up. Every time I dial a number, it just switches itself off. |
Helen: That sounds like my phone! So if something isn't doing what is should do then it's misbehaving?
| Rob: | Ha Ha! Well, you could say that. It's just like people. When they misbehave we can say they're playing up. Like this ... |
| Sorry but I'm going to be late. The children have been playing up and I've still got so much to do. |
Helen: Children are very good at playing up; it's usually because they want attention.
| Rob: | Now, Helen, could I have your attention now please because playing up is also something you can say to describe a part of your body that's not working properly. |
| Ow! I'm going to have to lie down; my back's playing up again. |
| Count me out of this weekend's football match; my leg's playing up so I need to rest it. |
Helen:So it seems playing up refers to anything that's not working or behaving as it should. Now Rob, my leg's also been playing up so I wonder if you could give me a lift home in your car?
| Rob: | No way—oh it looks like my microphone's playing up now! |
| Helen: | No Rob, it's you who's playing up—now switch it back on! |
| Rob: | Oh, oh OK then Helen! |
| Helen: | Let's go then. Bye! |
| Rob: | Bye. |
