Sweet tooth

Hi you are listening to The English We Speak. I am Li and with me today is Finn. Hi Finn.

Hello everyone…

Oh dear, your face is a bit swollen. What’s the matter?

I’ve got this bad toothache again! Blame my mother for giving me a sweet tooth, Li.

Yes you are very sweet and you always bring us nice chocolates and sweets. But why should you blame your mother for this great quality - your kindness?

Oh that’s very sweet of you Li, but the phrase to have ‘a sweet tooth’ is another way of saying that someone craves sweet food all the time, such as sweets, desserts and chocolates.

I see. So when you say someone has a sweet tooth you mean this person likes sweet-tasting food, such as sweets, chocolates and desserts.

Oh that’s right, yes. Have you noticed that I take five sugars in my tea? I usually have six or seven cups of tea every day!

That sounds like you do have a sweet tooth! Let’s hear some examples of how this expression is used:

Examples John always has a bag of sweets open on his desk. He’s got such a sweet tooth.

I wish I didn’t have a sweet tooth, because I had four rotten teeth pulled out and eight filled when I was only twenty.

You know what Finn, don’t blame your mother. Blame the ‘sweet’ culture of Britain. I think that this country makes the best desserts in the world!

Really Li? Well it is difficult to resist the temptation of the yummy cakes you see in the shops!

So, seeing as you’ve got such bad toothache, perhaps I could help you with the delicious cheesecake you have with you in the studio…

Oh… you are cheeky, aren’t you, Li?

I will buy you one back when your toothache is gone, I promise.

That’s a deal!

Bye