English Vocabulary in Use Advanced » Unit 82: Whatchamacallit: being indirect

Word List
  • as things are
  • bags of
  • a bit of
  • dozens of
  • for another thing
  • for one thing
  • gather
  • get
  • get it together
  • get somebody to yourself
  • get things sorted (out)
  • have a thing about
  • if you don’t mind me/my saying so
  • incidentally
  • a load of
  • loads of
  • make a big thing of
  • a mass of
  • masses of
  • mean something in the nicest possible way
  • myself included
  • no offence intended
  • not the most
  • present company excepted
  • a scrap of
  • thing
  • the thing is
  • thingumibob
  • thingumijig
  • thingummy
  • thingy
  • tons of
  • umpteen
  • whatchamacallit
  • whatnot
  • whatsername
  • whatsisname
  • whatsit
Exercises

82.1 ‣ Look at A opposite. Explain what the underlined expressions with thing and get mean in the following sentences.

  1. Don’t make such a big thing about _____ it. I’m only going for a few days.
  2. Jess has got a thing about _____ wanting straight hair, but her natural frizz suits her much better.
  3. The thing is _____, I don’t know when we’ll be at home.
  4. Unless things _____ change, we won’t be able to get away for a holiday _____.
  5. We have a number of things _____ to get through _____ before lunchtime.
  6. I don’t get on with _____ them very well. For one thing _____, we like different things _____. For another _____, I find them quite rude.
  7. Did you get _____ what the lecturer was saying? I didn’t get a thing _____.
  8. I hope we can get everything sorted out _____ today. It’s time we got it together _____!

82.2 ‣ What words do you think the speaker is looking for in each of these sentences? Choose from the words in the box.

  1. colander
  2. hammer
  3. rolling pin
  4. protractor
  5. sieve
  6. Daniel Craig

  1. Where’s the thingummy for sifting the flour so there aren’t any lumps in it? _____
  2. Look, isn’t that whatsisname? The actor who was in the latest James Bond? _____
  3. I can’t find the thingumibob for measuring angles._____
  4. Have you got a whatsit, you know, for bashing in nails? _____
  5. Where’s the thingy for draining potatoes? _____
  6. I need a whatchamacallit – you know, one of those things for flattening pastry. _____

82.3 ‣ Look at the sentences in 82.2 again and find a different vague word from the one used in the exercise.

  2. _____
  3. _____
  4. _____
  5. _____
  6. _____

82.4 ‣ Look at C. Rewrite the underlined parts of these sentences in a more informal style.

  1. The garden had great numbers of pink and yellow flowers.
    _____
  2. I’ve asked her out a great many times, but she’s always got some excuse.
    _____
  3. He hasn’t done any useful work here since he first got the job.
    _____
  4. I’ve got a large number of papers I want to get rid of.
    _____
  5. Alice invited a great many people to her party at the weekend.
    _____
  6. Yasmin’s got a great deal of energy – I don’t know where she gets it all from!
    _____
  7. A great many people were turned away because the lecture room was full.
    _____
  8. She was told many times not to leave any valuables on her desk.
    _____

82.5 ‣ Look at D, and then fill the gaps in this text.

This is a very boring party, present 1_____ excepted, of course. No one, myself 2_____, seems to be making much of an effort to chat. I 3_____ a lot of people couldn’t come. 4_____, no 5_____ intended, but don’t you think you could have dressed a bit more smartly? If you don’t 6_____ me saying so, I think you should have changed out of your gardening clothes. I mean that in the nicest 7_____ way, of course!

82.6 ‣

Over to you

  1. Have you got a thing about anything?
  2. Is there anything you need to get sorted out this week?
Answer Key
A ‣ Vague and general words

In informal speech, we make frequent use of rather vague words and words with many different or rather general meanings, like thing or get.

That’s one of the things I want to talk to him about. [thing = subject]

Laura has got a thing about mice. [she either really likes or dislikes them]

Don’t make such a big thing of it! [Don’t make so much fuss about it!]

There wasn’t a thing we could do about it. [a thing = anything]

For one thing, I haven’t got time. For another thing, I can’t afford it. [Firstly …, secondly …]

The thing is, I have to take my car for a service tomorrow morning. [used to introduce a topic or a problem, or to provide an explanation]

As things are at present, … [as the situation is]

I don’t get what you’re saying. [understand]

We must get that parcel in the post today. [send]

She had big plans to travel the world but she just never got it together. [took positive action or organised herself]

Jill will get things sorted (out) today. [organise things so that the problem is solved]

I hope I can get her to myself this evening. [be alone with her]

B ‣ When you can’t think of the word

When we can’t remember a word or name, we often replace it with a vague word.

For objects: thingy, thingummy /ˈθɪŋəmi/, thingumijig /ˈθɪŋəmədʒɪg/, thingamibob /ˈθɪŋəməbɒb/, whatsit, whatchamacallit /ˈwɒtʃəməˌkɔːlɪt/, whatnot

Have you seen the thingy we use for keeping the door open?

For people: whatsisname /ˈwɒtsɪzneɪm/ (for a man); whatsername /ˈwɒtsəneɪm/ (for a woman)

Did you see whatsisname today?

Note that these words can be written in different ways. It is also possible to use thingy for either a man or a woman: I was talking to thingy about that yesterday.

C ‣ Quantifiers

Some quantifiers are common in informal speaking but are rare in formal writing. For example, the following expressions mean a lot of:

  1. bags of
  2. a load of
  3. loads of
  4. a mass of
  5. masses of
  6. dozens of
  7. tons of
  8. umpteen

I can help you – I’ve got bags of time.

They can afford to go on expensive holidays as they’ve got loads of money.

I’ve tried phoning her umpteen times but she never seems to answer her mobile.

These expressions mean a little or some: a bit of, a scrap of.

I’ve got a bit of a headache.

You’ve been sitting there all day but you haven’t done a scrap of work.

D ‣ Being indirect and less threatening

Here are some expressions which we can use in speech to make what we are saying sound less threatening and potentially offensive to the person we are talking to.

It’s not the most practical/sensible/intelligent/appropriate thing you’ve ever done. [it’s impractical / not very sensible / rather unintelligent / inappropriate]

It’s not the most practical idea – and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

No offence intended, but I think you’ve misunderstood the basic problem.

If you don’t mind me/my saying so, I think that you could have handled that better.

I gather you feel upset by the recent changes in the office. [I’ve heard it from someone]

Incidentally, have you paid your money for the club outing yet? [often used to introduce a new subject into the conversation in an indirect way]

What a load of idiots – present company excepted, of course. [not including you or me]

The staff here, myself included, have not been working quite as hard as we should.

Favorite Books
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary

The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for elementary level (A2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with 60 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.

Read more
English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate

The words you need to communicate with confidence. Vocabulary explanations and practice for Upper-intermediate level (B2) learners of English. Perfect for both self-study and classroom activities. Quickly expand your vocabulary with over 100 units of easy to understand explanations and practice exercises.

Read more
Table of Contents