Exploring the Cause & Impact
The friend elaborates on the specific details of the disappointment (e.g., why they didn't get the job, how it affects their plans). The comforter asks open-ended questions to understand better and shows empathy for the impact.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
down
Feeling sad or depressed. In the dialogue, 'you sound a bit down' means you seem unhappy. Use it to check on a friend's mood, like 'Are you feeling down today?'
shot
A chance or opportunity. 'I had a good shot' means I thought I had a strong chance. It's casual and common in job or competition contexts, like 'You have a good shot at winning.'
niche
A specific area or market segment. 'Specific niche' refers to a specialized field. Useful in business talks, like 'This product fits our niche market.'
frustrating
Causing annoyance or irritation. 'How frustrating that must feel' shows empathy for disappointment. Say it to comfort someone, like 'That's really frustrating!'
poured your heart into
Put a lot of effort and emotion into something. It means working hard with passion. Use it for dedication, like 'I poured my heart into this project.'
wrench
An idiom 'throw a wrench in' means to cause problems or disrupt plans. 'It throws a huge wrench in them' shows how something ruins plans. Common in casual English for setbacks.
overwhelmed
Feeling unable to cope due to too much stress or emotion. 'Feel overwhelmed' is used to validate strong feelings. Say 'I feel overwhelmed by work' to express it.
roadblock
An obstacle that stops progress. 'Hit a roadblock' means facing a barrier to goals. Useful for challenges, like 'This issue is a roadblock to our success.'
upside
The positive aspect or benefit. 'See the upside' means finding the good side. Encourage with 'Look for the upside in this situation.'
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hey John, you sound a bit down. What's going on?
This is a casual way to start a comforting conversation by noticing someone's mood. 'Sound a bit down' uses 'sound' for how voice indicates feelings. Useful for friends; it shows care and invites sharing.
Oh no, John, I'm so sorry to hear that.
An empathetic response to bad news. 'I'm so sorry to hear that' validates feelings without fixing the problem. Use it anytime someone shares disappointment to show support. Simple past tense for recent events.
Do you know why they decided not to go with you?
An open-ended question to understand the situation better. 'Go with you' means choose you. Great for showing interest; it uses 'do you know' for gentle inquiry in empathetic talks.
I can only imagine how frustrating that must feel.
Shows empathy by acknowledging emotions. 'I can only imagine' expresses understanding without claiming to know exactly. Modal 'must' softens assumption. Use to comfort during tough times.
It feels like all that effort I put into preparing was for nothing.
Expresses disappointment in wasted work. 'It feels like' introduces personal feeling; 'for nothing' means without result. Common after failures; helps share emotions honestly.
How does this affect your plans?
An open question to explore impact. 'How does... affect' asks about influence. Useful in support talks to deepen understanding; present simple for general effects.
That's completely understandable to feel overwhelmed right now.
Validates feelings to make someone feel normal. 'That's understandable' agrees with emotion; infinitive 'to feel' explains the feeling. Use to encourage during stress.
It's tough when you have a clear goal and then hit a roadblock.
Acknowledges difficulty of setbacks. 'It's tough when' uses a clause for situations; 'hit a roadblock' is an idiom for obstacles. Helpful for motivation; shows shared human experience.
But this doesn't mean your efforts were wasted.
Offers positive reframing. 'Doesn't mean' contrasts negative thoughts; past 'were wasted' refers to completed actions. Use to encourage by highlighting value in efforts.
It's just hard to see the upside right now.
Admits current negativity but implies hope. 'It's hard to' expresses difficulty; 'see the upside' means find positives. Casual for ongoing feelings; use to relate to someone's struggle.