I bet you did!
(A useful phrase in conversation)

    I suppose that my beard has become my trademark. Most people who live in Ena have never seen me without my beard. But did you know that when I was working in Kanazawa several years ago, I actually shaved off my beard? A few days later I spoke to my mother (Teresa) on the telephone and told her about it. The next section contains a transcription of our conversation.

    A telephone conversation

    (Bob announces that he has shaved his beard off)

    Teresa:     (surprised) You shaved your beard off!

    Bob:     Yeah. I'd been thinking of shaving it off for a while 'cause I just wanted to see what my face was like without it. So, I waited till the beginning of the school holiday and then, when Ari-chan (Bob's wife) was out one evening, I shaved it off. And then, when she came back, I was standing there with my back to her...

    Teresa:   Yeah?

    Bob:   ...and she started talking to me, and I started answering her. Then, at one point, I turned round and she nearly fell over (see *note below).

    Teresa:   I bet she did.

    Bob:   And it took her about 4 or 5 days to get used to it.

    Teresa:   (laughter)

    Bob:   The funniest thing was when she woke up the next morning and saw this strange man lying next to her. She said something like, "Oh, my God! Who's that?"

    Teresa:   (laughing) Oh, poor Ari-chan.

    *Note:
    She nearly fell over = she was very, very surprised

    I bet she did!

    In this week's lesson, I want tofocus on the phrase in red:

    Bob:       ...I turned round and she nearly fell over.
    Teresa:   I bet she did!

    I bet... is a very common expression in English conversation. We use it to show that we understand the other person's feeling. Here are some more examples:

    1. I had to work for 16 hours yesterday. I was really exhausted by the time I got to bed.
    2. I bet you were.

    1. The children are really looking forward to the New Year holidays.
    2. I bet they are.

    1. I'd love to have a beer now.
    2. I bet you would. So would I.

    1. I really enjoy living in Japan, but sometimes I miss my mother's cooking.
    2. I bet you do.

    Do you notice how we decide which verb to use after I bet...? With be abd other auxiliaries like can, will and would, we use thesame verb:

    • I'm... / I bet you are.
    • I was... / I bet you were.
    • I'll... / I bet you will.
    • I can... / I bet you can.

    With main verbs like want, miss, like, enjoy etc. We use a form of do:

    • I get really annoyed when... / I bet you do.
    • It makes me happy when... / I bet it does.
    • She really enjoyed... / I bet she did.

    PRONUNCIATION POINT    :
    When you use one of these short I bet... responses, be sure to put your main stress on bet and not on the second verb:
    • I BET you did!

    Exercise

    Respond to the following comments with a suitable I bet... expression:
    1. My brother went mad when he found out I'd ruined his favourite T-shirt.
    2. I really enjoyed my trip to Malaysia last year.
    3. The students are all looking forward to the skiing trip next weekend.
    4. Julie was really happy when she passed her driving test.
    5. I'm delighted with my new satellite TV.
    6. My mother was really surprised when I told her the story of Ari and the snake.
    7. I'd love to take a month off next summer and travel around Europe.
    8. I wish I could find more time to read my favourite novels.

    To check your answers to these questions, please click here.

    I bet is a very common expression in conversational English. There is another lesson connected with I bet... on this website. Please click on the link below, if you want to look at it:
    I bet that must have been scary.

    There are many more one point lessons on this website. Please click on the link below if you want to try some others:
    Bob's One-Point Weekly Lesson Archive.

    © Robert E. Jones, 2005