Up your game

Neil Welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Neil.

Feifei And I’m Feifei.

Neil Actually, Feifei, can you help me with something?

Feifei Go on.

Neil There’s this girl I like. I want to ask her for coffee. But I don’t want to seem too serious or creepy or anything. Just friendly.

Feifei And you’re writing her a message? OK.

Neil I just can’t find the words.

Feifei Easy. Stick a couple of emojis on there. Much less formal!

Neil You mean, like, a smiley face?

Feifei Yeah, but those are so last year.

Neil Maybe a love heart?

Feifei Seriously? That’s a bit too much. You need to up your emoji game!

Neil My emoji game… like an emoji of a video game… or a football?

Feifei No. The phrase ‘to raise your game’, or ‘to up your game’, means to improve.

Neil Yes, it’s a good phrase. Feifei, you’re not working hard enough, you need to up your game!

Feifei That’s not true… but good use of ‘up your game’. The phrase has now developed a bit. We often add what we’re trying to improve before the word ‘game’.

Neil Like this:

Examples I never finish novels. I need to up my reading game.

I badly need to work on my interview game before my big interview next week.

You could do with a bit more exercise, mate. You should raise your running game!

Feifei Great. Hope those examples help. Any progress with that text message?

Neil Here goes: “Lucy. Please have a coffee with me tomorrow.” And then some coffee emojis.

Feifei Well, it’s direct! But I still think we need to up your emoji game. Actually, and your texting game. Oh, and your dating game… We’ve got a lot of work to do!

Neil Oh, ok. Well I already sent the message. Let’s hope it works! And she’s replied already.

Feifei No way, what did she say?

Neil “Neil. I thought you’d never ask! I’d love to have coffee. 3pm?” And then a couple of big smiley emojis.

Feifei Wow, congratulations. Maybe it’s me who needs to up my game.

Neil Looks like it!

Neil+ Feifei Bye.