In yesterday's lesson, Gary used the Singaporean phrase “I catch no ball”。 Non-Singlish speakers do not understand this. In good English we say “I don't understand”。
Gary and Jaya are talking in the canteen……
Jaya： I think you need that coffee, eh, Gary？ You look a bit tired！
Gary： Yes, yesterday I slept very late.
Jaya： How come？
Gary： Well, I was shaking leg when my friend call me go M.S. Road.
Jaya： Any good？
Gary： Walau, man, it was very fun！ First I go one place must queue up long time. Then when he give me go in, it was pack until cannot move.
Jaya： You call that fun？
Gary： No, lah. But then my friend bring me go another place. This place very nice one. Got music and dance floor, then I drink until high already and then I friend this girl.
Jaya： Tell me more！
Gary： But she want to go to that first place. I say dowan' but then I still go.
Jaya： You queued up again？
Gary： No, because the security chop my hand.
Jaya： Then？
Gary： Then dance, lor！ Afterward, then I go for supper at Newton and go back at four.
Jaya： I wish I were young again！
Jane comes over……
Jane： Hey, Jaya, you're not that old！ So, what's the gossip？
Gary： （under his breath） U-oh！ Here comes Jane. I'd better speak good English - remember the Speak Good English drive？
Jaya： Right！
Jane： Hey, Gary, you look tired！ Come on, then. What have you been up to？
Gary： I went to bed very late last night. I wasn't doing anything, but my friend called me and we went to Mohamed Sultan Road.
Jane： That sounds good！
Gary： Yes, it was a lot of fun, but I had to queue up at the first place. Then it was so packed inside that we couldn't move.
Jane： Why didn't you leave？
Gary： We did. My friend took me to another place that was very good. The music was good and there was a dance floor, but I had too much to drink.
Jane： Then？
Gary： I met this girl.
Jane： Very good！ Go on！
Gary： Then she wanted to go to the place I went first. I told her I didn't want to go back there, but I went anyway.
Jane： What a gentleman！
Gary： It was OK, though. We didn't have to queue because the security had stamped my hand, so then we danced and went to Newton for supper. I got home at 4.
Jane： You're right, Jaya！ He's making me feel old as well！
Narrator： Well, Gary's English has certainly improved. Look how he managed to speak good English when he needed to. He knew Jane wouldn't understand him if he told the story the same way that he told it to me. It looks like the Speak Good English drive is working！
Why don't you read today's lesson in the newspaper and look for the differences？
Gary and Jaya are talking in the canteen……
Jaya： I think you need that coffee, eh, Gary？ You look a bit tired！
Gary： Yes, yesterday I slept very late.
Jaya： How come？
Gary： Well, I was shaking leg when my friend call me go M.S. Road.
Jaya： Any good？
Gary： Walau, man, it was very fun！ First I go one place must queue up long time. Then when he give me go in, it was pack until cannot move.
Jaya： You call that fun？
Gary： No, lah. But then my friend bring me go another place. This place very nice one. Got music and dance floor, then I drink until high already and then I friend this girl.
Jaya： Tell me more！
Gary： But she want to go to that first place. I say dowan' but then I still go.
Jaya： You queued up again？
Gary： No, because the security chop my hand.
Jaya： Then？
Gary： Then dance, lor！ Afterward, then I go for supper at Newton and go back at four.
Jaya： I wish I were young again！
Jane comes over……
Jane： Hey, Jaya, you're not that old！ So, what's the gossip？
Gary： （under his breath） U-oh！ Here comes Jane. I'd better speak good English - remember the Speak Good English drive？
Jaya： Right！
Jane： Hey, Gary, you look tired！ Come on, then. What have you been up to？
Gary： I went to bed very late last night. I wasn't doing anything, but my friend called me and we went to Mohamed Sultan Road.
Jane： That sounds good！
Gary： Yes, it was a lot of fun, but I had to queue up at the first place. Then it was so packed inside that we couldn't move.
Jane： Why didn't you leave？
Gary： We did. My friend took me to another place that was very good. The music was good and there was a dance floor, but I had too much to drink.
Jane： Then？
Gary： I met this girl.
Jane： Very good！ Go on！
Gary： Then she wanted to go to the place I went first. I told her I didn't want to go back there, but I went anyway.
Jane： What a gentleman！
Gary： It was OK, though. We didn't have to queue because the security had stamped my hand, so then we danced and went to Newton for supper. I got home at 4.
Jane： You're right, Jaya！ He's making me feel old as well！
Narrator： Well, Gary's English has certainly improved. Look how he managed to speak good English when he needed to. He knew Jane wouldn't understand him if he told the story the same way that he told it to me. It looks like the Speak Good English drive is working！
Why don't you read today's lesson in the newspaper and look for the differences？