We Speak. I'm Feifei...

Rob: ...and hello, I'm Rob.

Feifei: Rob, I'm having a bit of trouble with my computer...

Rob: What, again! What's the problem this time?

Feifei: Well, I've written the script for

this programme, but it won't save. And I

can't print it out - this computer just

does not work. Can you fix it?

Rob: Let me have a pop at it.

Feifei: A pop? Are you going to make it

explode? That's a bit extreme, Rob.

Rob: Don't worry, Feifei. If I have a pop

at something, I just mean I'll try and do

it - so I'll have a go doing something,

like fixing your computer...

Feifei: Right! OK, Rob, have a pop then.

But just don't delete all my work.

Rob: Don't worry, Feifei, I would never do

that, would I? Let's hear some more

examples of the phrase while I sort this out...

I'm going to have a pop at doing this

online application for a passport -

apparently it's really easy.

We had a pop at making a cake but we

baked it for too long and it burnt!

Why not have a pop at yoga? I've heard it's

good for your mind, body and soul.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English

and we're talking about the phrase 'have a pop', which

means to try something. So, Rob, you've

had a pop at fixing

my computer... any luck?

Rob: Ermm, not exactly. Everything seems

to have disappeared from the screen.

Feifei: Let me look... no! You have deleted

my script. Hmm, Rob, did you know that

'have a pop' has another meaning?

Rob: Oh yeah, what's that?

Feifei: To 'have a pop' also means to

criticise or even to try and hit someone.

And I'm going to have a pop at you

for losing my script.

Rob: Hold... hold on, Feifei. If we don't

have a script, we won't know what will

happen next.

Feifei: I think the listeners know, Rob,

don't they? Bye.

Rob: Bye. Ouch!