If the cap fits: The English We Speak - YouTube

Feifei: Welcome to The English We Speak.

Hello, I'm Feifei...

Rob: ...and hello, I'm Rob. Feifei, why the

sad face?

Feifei: It's not a sad face, it's an angry

face.

Rob: Oh no, has someone upset you?

They sure have.I've just overheard

Neil saying I have no fashion sense - he

says I dress like I'm living in the 1980s!

Rob: Ouch!

Feifei: And he says my clothes are

uncoordinated and dated!

Rob: Well, Feifei. I hate to say it, but if

the cap fits...

Feifei: What cap? I don't wear hats.

Rob: No, Feifei. I mean, the criticism is

probably true and you should accept it. In

other words, he's probably right.

Feifei: Hmm! Rob, I can't believe you agree

with Neil!

Rob: Let's hear some examples, shall we?

A: My boyfriend calls me messy and

untidy - what a cheek!

B: Well, if the cap fits.

You say your teacher thinks you're lazy

because you never do your homework?

Well, if the cap fits!

A: They think I ate all the biscuits because

I was the only one in the kitchen last

night.

B: Well, if the cap fits!

Rob: This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English and we're finding

out about the phrase 'if the cap fits', which

means you agree with someone's

criticism or an opinion about someone else -

and they should accept it. But Feifei,

you're claiming you can't accept what Neil

said about your fashion sense?

So you're saying the cap doesn't fit?

Feifei: Exactly. But Neil is rude, unkind

and tactless.

Rob: Absolutely!

Feifei: And you are the same for agreeing

with him. So Rob, 'if the cap fits'...

Rob: I know... I should wear it! Actually,

Feifei, your clothes aren't that bad. You

look very fashionable in fact.

Feifei: You're a hypocrite too. Rob, keep

wearing that cap!

Rob: Fair enough. See ya.

Feifei: Bye.