If the cap fits

Feifei Welcome to The English We Speak. Hello I’m Feifei…

Rob …and hello, I’m Rob. Feifei, why the sad face?

Feifei It’s not a sad face, it’s an angry face.

Rob
Oh no, has someone upset you?

Feifei They sure have. I’ve just overheard Neil saying I have no fashion sense - he says I dress like I’m living in the 1980s!

Rob Ouch!

Feifei
And he says my clothes are uncoordinated and dated!

Rob Well, Feifei. I hate to say it, but if the cap fits…

Feifei
What cap? I don’t wear hats.

Rob
No, Feifei. I mean, the criticism is probably true and you should accept it. In other words, he’s probably right.

Feifei
Hmm! Rob, I can’t believe you agree with Neil!

Rob
Let’s hear some examples, shall we?

Examples A: My boyfriend calls me messy and untidy - what a cheek! B: Well, if the cap fits.

You say your teacher thinks you’re lazy because you never do your homework? Well, if the cap fits!

A: They think I ate all the biscuits because I was the only one in the kitchen last night. B: Well, if the cap fits!

Rob
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we’re finding out about the phrase ‘if the cap fits’, which means you agree with someone’s criticism or an opinion about someone else - and they should accept it. But Feifei, you’re claiming you can’t accept what Neil said about your fashion sense. So you’re saying, the cap doesn’t fit?

Feifei Exactly. But Neil is rude, unkind and tactless.

Rob
Absolutely!

Feifei
And you are the same for agreeing with him. So Rob, ‘if the cap fits’ …

Rob I know… I should wear it! Actually, Feifei, your clothes aren’t that bad. You look very fashionable in fact.

Feifei
You’re a hypocrite too. Rob, keep wearing that cap!

Rob
Fair enough. See ya.

Feifei
Bye.