AEE: Learning English Is Not Like Pulling Teeth

This is the All Ears English Podcast. Learning English is not like pulling teeth. Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast. downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection. American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.

To get real time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the All Ears English app for iOS and Android. Start your seven day free trial at allearsenglish.com. forward slash app. Today, learn a useful and fun way to say that something is hard to do. Plus, get bonus phrases so that you can share what you are struggling with in life and connect.

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Visit HomeDepot.com. How doers get more done. Hey, Lindsay, how are you? Good, Michelle. How are you? How's it going? I'm good. I don't think I wish you a happy new year yet. Oh, happy new year in that case, Michelle. Glad to be here. So exciting. Oh my gosh, it's going to be a good year, I think.

Yes. Yeah. Lindsay, when was the last time you went to the dentist? Well, funny you asked, Michelle. I actually just went yesterday. I'm glad that I have a good answer for that instead of like five years ago. That's right. I went yesterday. You're very responsible. Yeah. Feeling good about that. So yeah. Yeah. I try to go three times a year usually. Three? That's good. Wow. That's a lot. Yeah. Just a little extra cleaning never hurt, you know? Yeah. So you're not afraid of the dentist, are you?

I don't love it because usually, you know, when they clean your teeth, it hits nerves and stuff. So that can be a little painful. But I know that it's good for me to go. So I go and I don't have to get teeth pulled or anything when I go. Thank goodness. Right? Yep. Yep. And that's what we're talking about today is a fun little expression. I love when we teach our listeners these super native natural expressions because it gives them like a quick, I don't know, it's like a secret.

They can put their back pocket and pull these out anytime they want to sound natural. And what is the expression though, Michelle? All right. So the expression is it's like pulling teeth. Yes. This is, I mean, this is a super, this is an old school one, right? Yeah. It's cheesy, but would you say it's still common?

Yeah, I use this. I like this one. This is part of my repertoire, my personal repertoire. It's fun. It's descriptive. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's good. I endorse this. You endorse. Very good. um yeah i i it so basically this means that something is very difficult to do that's what it means um so but it is funny because so my husband is a dentist and yeah he always talks about this expression because he always says

For a dentist, it's not that hard to pull a tooth. So he's like, who is the expression talking about? Is it for the person getting their teeth pulled? Because if it's from the dentist's perspective, that's actually not that difficult.

It's a good point. He's really overthinking that, I think, a little bit. Definitely. Yeah. That's where this idea came from, because we were having this talk about that. And he's like, I don't understand who this expression is meant for pulling teeth for a dentist. Like, that's what we're trained to do. That's not that hard. Oh, that's funny. I love that. In my mind, it's more from the perspective of the person whose teeth are being pulled. You think so?

I think so. Because think about how painful. I mean, now we have Novocaine. Obviously, we have all the drugs and all the things. But I'm sure there was a time, you know, hundreds of years ago when they just yanked your tooth out.

You know? True. Maybe it's because, yeah. I mean, but if it was from the perspective of the person getting their teeth pulled, wouldn't it be... it's like like having your having your teeth right so i always thought of it as like the dentist perspective but yeah then from i don't know i think we're thinking too much into this basically guys this means something is difficult to do

Yeah, yeah. I love this. This is going to be a fun episode today. Guys, hit the follow button so you can get more fun episodes from Waller's English. We do publish our sassy Saturday episodes like this one, but we also publish four days a week, Monday through Thursday. So don't miss a single episode.

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Okay. Yes. And you know what's funny is that right now, right in front of me, I just realized that there is... on the windowsill a giant crocheted tooth with eyes on a mouth because I always have all this random yeah I have all this rant and so now I'm just looking at it like hello and it's like don't pull me

Yeah, don't pull me. Oh my gosh, that's funny. I love it. When I think about this expression, though, I think about this first example we have for our listeners, which is trying to get my kids to tell me about their days is like pulling teeth. So I do think about like... Kids just not wanting to do something or talk or share. Yep.

It's like pulling teeth. I feel like that's where it comes up the most. Don't you think? Yeah, I would say. I mean, even it's funny with my son. I when he gets off the bus. First of all, he's the most loving boy in the whole world. Like. Unbelievable. He's so loving. But when he gets off the bus, he barely acknowledges that I exist. Interesting.

Yeah, and then I don't even really bother asking him any questions. I just kind of wait for things to come out naturally. And then, you know, when everything comes out, lying down at night. So, you know, you just kind of have to wait. Noah, as a parent, you know, when are you...

When should you ask and how should you ask? And because all you want to do is know everything. I wish I could know everything about it. You want to know it all. So you have to back off and not pull the teeth, right? Yes, exactly. You have to play it cool. I love it. Play it cool. Here's another example. Getting my bandmates to practice every day is like pulling teeth. So they clearly they don't want to practice.

Maybe they're lazy or they're just busy or something. So it's very hard. So you're always nagging them to practice. That word nag is a good one. Nag, yes. Or finding the right holiday gifts for my friends is like pulling teeth. So they're hard to shop for. Lindsay, are you good at knowing what gifts to get people? No, I'm really bad at that. And I also leave things to the last minute. I leave things to the last minute and then I panic and then it just never turns out well.

We've got to get started early this year. We're recording this in early December, so there's still a chance. There's still time, Lindsay. so yeah but this is about it's basically about an effort that you have to put in something maybe trying to get someone to do something or say something so like an extraction of some sort for the most part you're trying to get something from somebody. So pulling tea.

No, that's a good description. That's why I always think of like trying to get your kids to tell you something or share something or take out the garbage or something, right? Yeah. It's like pulling teeth. Would you say there's anything in your life that comes to mind that's like pulling teeth? I think so. Geez, I can't think of anything right. I guess. That's okay.

getting myself to do my chores. Sometimes I just don't feel like vacuuming on a Sunday or cleaning. That can be like pulling teeth. That's an interesting use of it, right? On yourself. It's not how we use it. it's my own. Yeah. But English is like that. You can, you can use it, you know, you can play with the language. So for me,

I'm going to call out my brother. I mean, it's getting my brother to answer a question about planning and he's notorious for this. I mean, my dad will ask him questions and we can't get an answer. And oh, like he. He's very wait until the last minute. And I am in a sense, but he is to the extreme. So if you try and ask him, like we were trying to plan my dad's birthday and.

I was going to sing a song with my sister-in-law, and he was going to play piano. How did that turn out? Did you end up doing it? It was good, but it was two days before, and I finally got him on the phone, and he's like, oh. I said, maybe we can just talk about which part my sister and I are singing. And he's like, I don't think it needs to be that serious.

I think this is a normal conversation. Who's singing what? Yeah. So you just want to plan. So he's not a planner, it sounds like. No, to the extreme. But yeah, so I would say that's like pulling teeth. Yes. We talked about this a little bit. So you don't seem, you don't, it doesn't sound like you think this is outdated, this expression. I'm not too worried about that. No, I still use it. I mean, maybe I'm outdated. I don't know. No, I don't think it is.

You know, because we talk sometimes about like, oh, raining cats and dogs and those. Right. That one is pretty outdated, I think. Right. And it's funny because this one seems to kind of hold up because it's still. I don't know when it started being used, but it's still kind of stood the test of time, I think. I think so. And I think it's a good connection phrase. I mean, why do you think it would be good for connection, Michelle?

Because you're talking about your struggles. It's good for relating to people. Oh, yeah, trying to get my kids to do this is like pulling teeth. Oh, mine too. You know, people can start to relate to you on things that are difficult for them. Yep. Especially if you're at a similar life phase as someone else, maybe you pick up your kids at daycare or something and you're struggling with the same things. That is the recipe for building connection and friendships, right? Exactly.

All right. So there are other ways to say the same thing, which are very funny too. These are fun little idioms. For example, it's like herding cats. Have you heard that one? I've heard this one, of course. Yeah. I mean, and the idea here, I mean, why is this hard? Yeah, because the cats aren't going to... They can't be heard. Yeah, you can't herd them. You can't just say, oh, we're all going in the same way, right?

no cows you can herd cows you can herd the cats you can't my my dog is like a herding breed he is a part border collie and so it's like in his it's in his genes. Like he'll see a dog and he'll crouch and start to stalk it. And then, but he doesn't want to hurt it. He wants to herd it. He doesn't want to hurt it. Not hurt. Yes. And then he'll do these spins and it's part.

Part of his herding routine is just really funny. That's cute. What would be an example, Michelle? All right. My life. Exactly. Trying to get my kids out the door in the morning is like herding cat. Yeah, because cats will run in all directions, right? That's what they'll do. They'll meow and run and hide and it's impossible, right? Yep. That's why we're always late. That's your reality, yes. Next one.

A hard nut to crack. So these are kind of related expressions. So that means something is difficult to solve or someone is difficult to get information out of. So similar idea, not exactly, but I want to know what's going on in... his head, but he's a hard nut to crack. So I could have said, but talking, asking him questions or getting him to answer is like pulling teeth, right? So that's how they're kind of related.

Yeah, they're related. I mean, maybe the person's a bit of a mystery and enigma, right? You just don't, can't quite figure the person out. right this expression getting nowhere fast you know it's like spitting your wheels right not progressing I can tell this conversation is going nowhere fast

Yeah, that's a good one. So what else, Michelle? The last one is just you could say something is really tough. That's kind of the most basic way, but it's also good to use. So getting my teacher to help me more with this assignment is really tough. Right. That's just kind of very, very neutral, not with any bells and whistle idioms on it, but very common. Yeah. Sometimes we just want the most straightforward phrase and that is an option for our listeners, too.

There's nothing wrong with that. We don't have to always come up with the fanciest idiom because remember, guys, connection is the goal. So don't go off in la-la land trying to come up with the idiom. You want to connect. Make the eye contact and say the direct phrase. sometimes. Right, Michelle? Yeah, exactly. Kind of like the most basic one. So should we do a role play? Let's do it, Michelle. So here we are both first grade teachers. Wow, I don't think I could do it.

But we're friends and we work at the same school. All right. Here we go. All right. Here we go. So how's your class going? That's good, but trying to get them to leave for music class is like herding cats. Oh, tell me about it. They're so cute, but sometimes getting them to answer questions is like pulling teeth. Definitely. It can be really tough.

Especially one boy in my class. He is a hard nut to crack. I'm not sure if he likes school. Oh, that's too bad. It can feel like you're getting nowhere fast, but we're still at the beginning. That's true. Maybe it's the beginning of the school year or something, right?

which is what you mean there. Yes. So here we're talking about, you know, getting kids organized, getting them moving all in one direction down to the music class, down the hallway is like herding cats. Right. Yeah. Because one kid has to go to the bathroom. The other kid has to. at his lunch and, you know, it's just chaos, I'm sure. Yeah.

And then I said, they're so cute, but sometimes getting them to answer questions is like pulling teeth. So maybe I'm sitting there and saying, oh, and who knows the answer to this? And no one says anything. Nothing. Silence. I mean, this can happen when you're teaching adult learners too.

100% been in the adult classroom teaching adults esl and sometimes you ask a question there's no response there's big silence yeah yeah and then you're like okay i'll just answer my own question right right yes yeah and then and then we just went with a straightforward phrase here, right, Michelle? So I said, definitely can be really tough. And this is good for empathizing, right? We don't need, because I'm trying to reflect.

back what you've said so i don't necessarily need to come up with some fancy idiom here i just need to know that i show that yeah That I get you. Right. Because you didn't. Right. I said one. So if then you just came back right away with another one in order, you know, because again, here you're just empathizing. So if I said getting them to answer questions is like.

pulling teeth definitely it can be like hurting cats you know it's it might be like a little overkill so it's good to have those more basic expressions just to insert when you need them Yep, exactly. Because again, the goal is connection. It's not being fancy with our vocabulary. It's not sounding like a genius. It's connecting.

Right? Love that. What else, Michelle? I said, especially one boy in my class, he's a hard nut to crack. I could have also said a tough nut to crack, I think. Yeah, that's true. We do say both. Both. And then I said, I'm not sure if he likes school.

Mm-hmm. Good. And then I said, that's too bad. It can feel like you're getting nowhere fast, but we're still at the beginning. So, and that also, I mentioned a bonus idiom spinning our wheels, right? It's kind of similar idea. You feel like you're putting all this energy in. to something, but your wheels are just spinning. They're not going anywhere. Yes. Right. Great. This is a good one, Michelle. What's another episode our listeners should check out?

All right, check out All Ears English. This was another, I think another Saturday one, although it could have been a Friday. Avoid mistakes with these English adjectives. yeah and what's our takeaway for today where should we leave our listeners we've learned a lot of idioms today yeah we got a lot here listen out for these i taught you very common ones we taught you very common ones um and um

You know, these are just super good connection topics because they can always bring to the surface things that other people are feeling or can get people to tell a story, share something about their life. So very, very useful for connection. Yeah, for sure. If you can show in a kind of a lighthearted way with an idiom that maybe you're struggling with something, right, you're struggling to talk to your child or struggling to do something that kind of that opens up.

Like you said, Michelle, that space for connection. So these are the phrases to do it. All right. Excellent. Good. All right. Well, this was fun, Lindsay. All right. Great stuff, Michelle. You have a good rest of your day. I'll talk to you soon. All right. Bye. Thanks for listening to All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two-minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection,

then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.