To make a mountain out of a molehill

Feifei Hi everyone, I’m Feifei, and this is The English We Speak and with me is… is… Rob. Are you ok Rob?

Rob No… I haven’t finished writing the script for this programme - I still don’t know how it’s going to end.

Feifei So what! Rob, it’s not important.

Rob What?! A script is not important - how am I going to make this programme word-perfect, without any mistakes? What will the audience think of me?

Feifei At the moment, they probably think you are a little crazy - you’re over-reacting Rob - you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

Rob Making a mountain out of a molehill! I won’t be making any mountains, I haven’t got time.

Feifei No Rob - it’s just a saying! The phrase ‘to make a mountain out of molehill’ means you’re making a big issue out of a small issue. You are over-reacting! So calm down Rob - it’s not a big issue not having a script, is it?

Rob [silence]

Feifei Rob?

Rob I don’t know what to say - it’s not on the script!

Feifei Oh dear - we’d better hear some other examples of this phrase…

Examples I only asked him to do the shopping and now he’s going on about how he has no time to go to the pub - he’s making a mountain out of a molehill.

It’s only a 2000-word essay - stop making a mountain out of a molehill!

Feifei So - making a mountain out of a molehill means making a small problem seem like a big one. And Rob, not finishing a script for this programme is a small problem.

Rob If you say so Feifei.

Feifei Just do what we always do - make it up!

Rob OK, I’ll try - hold on, what’s that?

[DIGGING/SQUEAKING FX]

Look! A real mole has buried into the studio - so now we have a real molehill to make a mountain out of.

Feifei You would never have written that in a script Rob!

Rob. True. Bye!

Feifei Bye!