At One's Wit's End
May 26 2015
Intro
A witty person is a funny person. But one’s wit is also a person’s intelligence. You can be living by your wits (making money in a clever way), or you can be scared out of your wits (so frightened that you feel crazy). If you have your wits about you, you’re ready to think quickly in a situation. Your wits are your ability to truly understand what’s happening around you.
If you’re at your wit’s end, you’re unable to think of any more ideas for how to solve a problem. Maybe your baby sister won’t stop crying, no matter what you try. Perhaps you’ve talked with many doctors about an illness, but nobody knows what’s wrong with you. You might feel at your wit’s end if a boy you don’t like calls and emails you every day. When you have tried and tried to fix a situation and you can’t find a solution, you are likely to feel at your wit’s end.
Jessica is at her wit’s end with the office ghost, Oscar. Can she make him stop causing problems? Read more in today’s English lesson about feeling frustrated.
If you’re at your wit’s end, you’re unable to think of any more ideas for how to solve a problem. Maybe your baby sister won’t stop crying, no matter what you try. Perhaps you’ve talked with many doctors about an illness, but nobody knows what’s wrong with you. You might feel at your wit’s end if a boy you don’t like calls and emails you every day. When you have tried and tried to fix a situation and you can’t find a solution, you are likely to feel at your wit’s end.
Jessica is at her wit’s end with the office ghost, Oscar. Can she make him stop causing problems? Read more in today’s English lesson about feeling frustrated.
Dialogue
Jessica: I am so nervous.
Brian: Me, too. I love interviewing people, but it’s different when I’m being interviewed.
Jessica: What time is the TV crew supposed to be here?
Brian: 7:00.
Jessica: Huh. That was weird.
Brian: What do you think the news anchor is going to ask us?
Jessica: I think they’re going to ask us why we believe there’s a ghost in the building. What has he done? Are we afraid of him? Did anyone die here? Stuff like that.
Brian: Is Oscar trying to tell us something? Well, are you, Oscar?
Jessica: OK! I am at my wits end with you, mister! Do you hear me?
Brian: I think he’s trying to communicate with you.
Jessica: Do you understand me, Oscar? Good. Now you listen carefully! None of us has done anything to deserve this. You’re being a big bully.
Brian: Yeah! A big bully.
Jessica: We left food for you. We left you blankets, a pillow, and a book. What else do you want? Are you proud of yourself?
Brian: I think that means “no.”
Jessica: I sure hope so. Now find someplace else to haunt. Do I make myself clear? Good. Goodbye and good luck to you.
Brian: Wow. I never want to put you at your wit’s end.
Jessica: No, you don’t.
Brian: Me, too. I love interviewing people, but it’s different when I’m being interviewed.
Jessica: What time is the TV crew supposed to be here?
Brian: 7:00.
Jessica: Huh. That was weird.
Brian: What do you think the news anchor is going to ask us?
Jessica: I think they’re going to ask us why we believe there’s a ghost in the building. What has he done? Are we afraid of him? Did anyone die here? Stuff like that.
Brian: Is Oscar trying to tell us something? Well, are you, Oscar?
Jessica: OK! I am at my wits end with you, mister! Do you hear me?
Brian: I think he’s trying to communicate with you.
Jessica: Do you understand me, Oscar? Good. Now you listen carefully! None of us has done anything to deserve this. You’re being a big bully.
Brian: Yeah! A big bully.
Jessica: We left food for you. We left you blankets, a pillow, and a book. What else do you want? Are you proud of yourself?
Brian: I think that means “no.”
Jessica: I sure hope so. Now find someplace else to haunt. Do I make myself clear? Good. Goodbye and good luck to you.
Brian: Wow. I never want to put you at your wit’s end.
Jessica: No, you don’t.
Discussion
Jessica is angry with the office ghost, Oscar. She is tired of all the trouble he causes, and she wants him to find a new place to haunt. Jessica believes that she and her friends don’t deserve to be scared and bothered all the time. She thinks it’s time for Oscar to go.
Jessica tells Oscar that she’s had enough. She lists everything that has been done for him, and points out that nothing seems to make him happy. Jessica tells Oscar to find a new home, because he isn’t welcome at the office anymore. It seems that Oscar is listening, because the lights turn on and off when Jessica asks if he understands her.
Do you believe in ghosts? What puts you at your wit’s end?
Jessica tells Oscar that she’s had enough. She lists everything that has been done for him, and points out that nothing seems to make him happy. Jessica tells Oscar to find a new home, because he isn’t welcome at the office anymore. It seems that Oscar is listening, because the lights turn on and off when Jessica asks if he understands her.
Do you believe in ghosts? What puts you at your wit’s end?
Grammar Point
Passive Voice
Brian says, “I love interviewing people, but it’s different when I’m (I am) being interviewed.” He uses the passive voice.
Sometimes you say things like, “My bike was stolen,” or, “The boy was given a gift.” But who stole my bike? Who gave the boy a gift? You aren’t sure. That’s why you use the passive voice, which emphasizes the person or thing an action was done to, not the one who did the action.
Passive voice is normally formed with to be + a past participle, as in, “Chriswas hired yesterday.” You can use the passive voice in any tense by changing the form of to be. For instance, you can say, “My cookie was eaten” (past tense) or, “My cookie is being eaten!” (present progressive tense). When Brian says that ”... it’s different when I’m (I am) being interviewed,” he’s using the passive voice in present progressive tense.
When you want to include the one who performed the action in a passive voice sentence, you use the word by after the verb. For instance, “Danny will be picked up by his mother today.”
Sometimes, the verb to get is used instead of to be, as in “My sister got sick last night.”
Which is correct, “Lena was bitten by a dog,” or, “Lena was bitten from a dog”?
Brian says, “I love interviewing people, but it’s different when I’m (I am) being interviewed.” He uses the passive voice.
Sometimes you say things like, “My bike was stolen,” or, “The boy was given a gift.” But who stole my bike? Who gave the boy a gift? You aren’t sure. That’s why you use the passive voice, which emphasizes the person or thing an action was done to, not the one who did the action.
Passive voice is normally formed with to be + a past participle, as in, “Chriswas hired yesterday.” You can use the passive voice in any tense by changing the form of to be. For instance, you can say, “My cookie was eaten” (past tense) or, “My cookie is being eaten!” (present progressive tense). When Brian says that ”... it’s different when I’m (I am) being interviewed,” he’s using the passive voice in present progressive tense.
When you want to include the one who performed the action in a passive voice sentence, you use the word by after the verb. For instance, “Danny will be picked up by his mother today.”
Sometimes, the verb to get is used instead of to be, as in “My sister got sick last night.”
Which is correct, “Lena was bitten by a dog,” or, “Lena was bitten from a dog”?
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