[00:00.46]C: Hi, I'm Chris, and welcome to The English We Speak.
[00:03.79]C: It's a nice day here in London, so I've come outside to meet Helen.
[00:07.97]C: Ah, there she is.
[00:09.51]C: Helen, how are you?
[00:11.32]H: I'm fine thanks.
[00:14.16]C: What are you doing? What are you looking at?
[00:18.40]H: I'm looking up.
[00:20.43]C: Right. But I can't see anything.
[00:25.35]H: Neither can I.
[00:27.53]C: Have you seen an aeroplane or something?
[00:30.57]H: Not sure.
[00:31.86]C: Maybe a bird?
[00:34.22]H: Well, apparently things are looking up.
[00:37.61]C: Things are looking up?
[00:39.69]H: Yes, Rosie told me that the weather has been sunny for the last three days, so things are looking up.
[00:46.00]H: I thought I'd come and see for myself.
[00:49.02]H: But there's not much going on to be honest.
[00:52.72]C: Ah, I think you've misunderstood.
[00:55.65]C: Rosie didn't mean there are things up in the sky.
[00:59.14]H: Really? What do you mean?
[01:01.18]C: It's an expression.
[01:02.72]C: You use the phrase "things are looking up" when you want to suggest that conditions are getting better or more positive.
[01:09.23]H: Oh, right.
[01:11.04]C: Here are some examples.
[01:12.90]Examples: My wife and I both found great new jobs last month, so things are looking up.
[01:19.45]Things are finally looking up now that he's recovered from his illness.
[01:24.67]H: So when Rosie told me that things were looking up, she meant that the weather has been getting better at the moment.
[01:31.70]C: Yes, she's suggesting that it looks like the weather in general is improving.
[01:36.51]C: So what do you think?
[01:38.12]C: Do you think the weather is getting better?
[01:40.77]H: So far, yes, yesterday was really hot.
[01:43.18]H: I hope it lasts for the weekend.
[01:45.21]H: But if things get worse, would you say, "things are looking down"?
[01:50.29]C: Not really.
[01:51.07]C: Instead, you could say, "It's taken a turn for the worse".
[01:54.98]H: It's taken a turn for the worse.
[01:57.80]H: That's a useful phrase.
[01:59.58]C: Oh, but hang on.
[02:01.30]C: Look at that black cloud in the sky.
[02:03.32]C: It looks like it might rain after all.
[02:05.90]C: That's typical English weather.
[02:08.03]H: Oh great. Things really have taken a turn for the worse.
[02:12.82]H: Quick, let's get back to the office before it rains.
[02:15.82]C: Let's go!
[02:16.85]C: Do join us again for another edition of The English We Speak and visit our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
[02:22.77]C: Bye.
[02:23.14]H: Bye.
[02:23.98]