Neil: Yes, Feifei. I feel a bit better now.

Just got a… just a little... just a bit of a

cough.

Feifei: Anyway, it’s good to have you here

because you can finally pay me.

Neil: Oh. Right. Why’s that?

Feifei: Well, remember you said you didn’t

believe I could stand on my head?

Neil: I do. I said I would give you £10 if

you can do it.

Feifei: Yes. Well…

Neil: No way!

Feifei: There we are. On my head. £10

please. Time to cough up, Neil.

Neil: OK, OK! You can come down now.

Feifei: Not bad huh? Now, how about you

‘cough up’, and I explain what it means?

Neil: Hey, I was only joking about the £10.

Oh OK, there you go.

Feifei: Thank you. If you ‘cough up’, it

means you give someone money,

especially if you don’t want to.

Neil: Yes, I didn’t want to give Feifei the

money, but I said I would so I had to

cough up.

Feifei: Indeed. Time for some examples…

I waited two whole weeks for my new TV

to be delivered. And then I had to cough

up an extra £15 for the delivery! I can’t

believe it.

My last trip to the library was expensive.

I had to cough up for the fines for all the

books I returned late. Whoops.

When I sat on my colleague’s glasses he

asked me to cough up £100 to buy a new

pair. I must admit, the new ones are an

improvement.

Neil: You're listening to The English We

Speak from BBC Learning English. The

expression we're looking at in this

programme is 'to cough up'.

Feifei: Neil, that cough is still sounding

bad. Have you tried the cough medicine I use?

Neil: Not yet. It’s just a little expensive.

£10 for a little bottle of medicine!

Feifei: It’s worth it. Listen, if you won’t

cough up, I’ll give you the £10 back if you

promise to buy it.

Neil: That’s very kind.

Feifei: Not a problem. And while you go to

the pharmacy,

I’m going to practise presenting the

programme standing on my head. It’s

good for blood circulation, apparently.

Neil: Standing on your head is one thing,

but presenting a whole programme? No way.

Feifei: Are you sure! £10 says I can!

Neil: Haha. OK then. Bye.

Feifei: Bye.