Learning English

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Introduction

Here’s a phrase that that talks about problems appearing. Learn how to use it in this programme.

Transcript

Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, with me Feifei…

Phil
And me, Phil. We have an expression which is about a bad thing appearing or starting to happen. It’s 'rear its head'.

Feifei
'Rear its head'. I think we need to hear this one. Can you give us an example of how we use it?

Phil
OK. I bought a new computer last week!

Feifei
That sounds great!

Phil
No, not great. I can't get it to work properly. The speakers don't work, it has a virus. Every time I think I've fixed it, a new problem rears its head!

Feifei
Oh no. That's typical, isn't it? I always find when I need to do something important, IT problems rear their heads.

Phil
I'm learning that I need to be better prepared so that when any problems rear their ugly heads, I can sort them out.

Feifei
Well, it's always good to be prepared! Let's listen to these examples.

Examples
Attendance on the course was good until colds and flu reared their heads in the winter.

I was working outside until the wet weather reared its head and I had to go inside.

Food prices were going down, until drought reared its ugly head.

Feifei
You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we are learning the expression 'rear its head'. It's used to talk about something bad appearing, and as you may have heard in one of the examples, we can also say 'rear its ugly head'.

Phil
Yes, we don't use it to talk about good things; it's always problems that rear their ugly heads.

Feifei
And I think the end of this programme is rearing its ugly head now. So, we have to end here.

Phil
Yes, we’ll see you next time! Bye!

Feifei
Bye!

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