I'm Feifei...

Rob: ...and hello, I'm Rob. Hey Feifei, listen

to this...

[PING]

Feifei: ...ok, interesting. Has your ready meal

finished cooking in the microwave?

Rob: Yes actually - but I wanted you to

name that sound.

Feifei: Errr well, it's a 'ping' sound - obvs.

So what's that got to do with today's piece

of authentic English?

Rob: Well, we can use the word 'ping' to

describe something else.

Feifei: I know that, Rob. 'Ping' is a short

sharp sound - like a microwave makes to

alert you that the food in it is cooked.

But the word 'ping' is also an informal way

of describing sending an email or

a text message. So if I ping you an

email, I basically send you an email.

Rob: Exactly and [TEXT ALERT SOUND]...

Oh, someone's pinged me a text

message. It says

"Let's have some examples, Rob!"

Feifei: That was me, Rob. Come on then...

I need to know the details of the contract.

Could you ping them over to me as soon

as possible, please.

My friend's just pinged me to say she

can't go out tonight so I suppose I'll have

to stay in and watch TV.

I'll ping you over the address of the party

and hopefully I'll see you there later.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from

the BBC and we're finding out about the

word 'ping' which is an informal

way to describe sending an email or a text

message. And Rob,

I'm going to ping you something.

Rob: Oh yes, what's that?

Feifei: I'm going to ping you an email

containing a recipe.

Rob: A recipe? What would I need that for?

Feifei: You need to start cooking some

real food - you can't live on unhealthy

microwave dinners!

Rob: Oh right. And I'm pinging you a

message right now... Send!

Feifei: [TEXT ALERT SOUND] ... "If you'd

invited me for dinner, I wouldn't have to

eat microwave dinners."

OK Rob, I get the hint. How about tonight?

Rob: Great! But can you remind me where

you live?

Feifei: I'll ping you my address. See ya.

Rob: Don't forget. Bye!