To make a mountain out of a molehill
Rob is making a big fuss about not finishing the script for this programme but Feifei has some words of wisdom that involves mountains and moles. What's going to happen if he doesn't complete his work? Find out in this programme and learn a new phrase about making a big issue about something small.
Feifei
Hi everyone, I'm Feifei, and this is The English We Speak and with me is… is… Rob.
Are you ok Rob?
Rob
No… I haven't finished writing the script for this programme—I still don't know how it's going to end.
Feifei
So what! Rob, it's not important.
Rob
What?! A script is not important—how am I going to make this programme word-perfect, without any mistakes? What will the audience think of me?
Feifei
At the moment, they probably think you are a little crazy—you're over-reacting Rob—you're making a mountain out of a molehill.
Rob
Making a mountain out of a molehill! I won't be making any mountains, I haven't got time.
Feifei
No Rob—it's just a saying! The phrase 'to make a mountain out of molehill' means you're making a big issue out of a small issue. You are over-reacting! So calm down Rob—it's not a big issue not having a script, is it?
Rob
[silence]
Feifei
Rob?
Rob
I don't know what to say—it's not on the script!
Feifei
Oh dear—we'd better hear some other examples of this phrase…
Examples
I only asked him to do the shopping and now he's going on about how he has no time to go to the pub—he's making a mountain out of a molehill.
It's only a 2000-word essay—stop making a mountain out of a molehill!
Feifei
So—making a mountain out of a molehill means making a small problem seem like a big one. And Rob, not finishing a script for this programme is a small problem.
Rob
If you say so Feifei.
Feifei
Just do what we always do—make it up!
Rob
OK, I'll try—hold on, what's that?
[DIGGING/SQUEAKING FX]
Look! A real mole has buried into the studio—so now we have a real molehill to make a mountain out of.
Feifei
You would never have written that in a script Rob!
Rob.
True. Bye!
Feifei
Bye!