Feifei Hi! Err, Neil.
Neil Yes?
Feifei What are you doing?
Neil Oh, I’m just standing here, I’m… Actually, I can’t remember why I came in here.
Feifei You seem miles away! We’re in the studio, and we’re about to record an episode of The English We Speak.
Neil Of course we are, sorry. I had a brain fade there.
Feifei Anyway – let’s get on with the programme. And the phrase we’re going to teach is… ‘brain fade’! Imagine that.
Neil Haha, well – let’s explain it. ‘Brain fade’ is a slang term meaning a short period when you can’t think clearly or remember things.
Feifei For example: when you walk into a room and forget why you went there.
Neil That’s a brain fade. Never happens to me!
** Feifei** And how about this: when you can’t remember where you put your keys?
Neil Ah yes, I do know that one. Now you mention it, where are they?
** Feifei** Haha. We often use it with ‘have’: to have a brain fade. Let’s hear a few more examples of this phrase in context.
Examples I saw an old colleague on the street last week. Completely forgot her name! A serious case of brain fade. Really embarrassing.
I’m sure I did terribly in the exam. I had a major brain fade.
I hate doing job interviews. It’s not that the questions are difficult, I just get brain fade as soon as I walk into the room. Can’t even remember my own name!
Feifei You’re listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. The expression we’re looking at in this programme is ‘brain fade’. Neil. Neil?
Neil Good. Err. Give me a second.
Feifei What now?**
Neil** I took my glasses off while we were listening to those examples. And you know… I can’t see them anywhere.
Feifei Neil.
Neil Yes?
Feifei They’re on your head.
Neil That’s a relief. Another brain fade, I’m afraid. I think I just need a good night’s sleep.
Feifei You do that! That’s our phrase, brain fade. Let’s hope we made it easy to remember!
Both Bye.