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Quick English: "Got you Covered" Idiom

2 min read

30 October 2013

Looking for a Halloween costume? I've got you covered.
Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) October 3, 2013

Do you know the word cover?

If you look it up in the dictionary, you'll notice there are a lot of different definitions.
In the example today, the meaning of cover is more like 'taking care of you.', when used in an idiom.

Halloween is a big event for both kids and adults in the U.S. because everyone likes to dress up. That being said, a lot of people also worry about what they will dress up as!
So Ellen, a TV talk-show host, is introducing some funny costume ideas to people looking for a costume. 'I've got you covered' is a way of saying 'I've got lots of costume ideas for you, so don't worry."

Here's another example that uses covered like this:
You go to a concert with a friend, but realize that you've forgotten your wallet. You're friend is really nice, and pays for your ticket too. He says, "Don't worry about it. I've got you covered. Just pay me back later."

Let's look at this example written in a more phonetic way. It looks a little strange at first, but we use this kind of spelling to show you exactly what sound you should make.

LU keen furuh H@ lou ween KAH shchewm? / aiv GAH choo KUH vurd.

Go ahead and take a look. Try to sound it out. Everything is reduced down to the way it is spoken into clauses (Standard American Dialect). Keep repeating this a few times until you feel like you can comfortably say the whole thing.

Great job! How did it go?

Let us know in the comments, and also tell us about the best Halloween costume you've seen this year!

This post is a guest lesson written by Nate Hill from Tweet Speak English.
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