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Inside Jokes
Inside Jokes

Learn English with this inside jokes English lesson

Date: Dec 18 2019

Themes: Friend

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Laughter is said to be one of the best medicines. But what if you don’t understand what’s so funny? Even worse, what if everyone is laughing at you?

It’s never fun to be in a room full of people where everyone except you is laughing hysterically. When you ask to be clued in to the joke, people ignore you or maybe just laugh harder. You’re probably the object of some inside jokes, and it’s not a very nice position to be in.

While inside jokes may be funny to the people who are part of a particular clique, they are discriminating against those on the outside. When people make jokes about other people, they will likely hurt another person’s feelings. Not only are inside jokes rude, but they are also harmful. If you want to make others laugh, make sure it’s not at the expense of your friends.

Marni is feeling hurt and left out. Find out who’s been telling inside jokes in this English lesson.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amanda

Amanda

Marni:  Amanda, I was recently hanging out with some friends, and I just felt left out. I felt like they had all these inside jokes that I just wasn’t a part of.

Amanda:  Well they probably did. I actually really enjoy inside jokes because it’s kind of alienating to everybody else in the room.

Marni:  You like that aspect of it? You don’t feel like you’re discriminating against people?

Amanda:  That’s exactly what you’re doing. You have cliques. You surround yourself with people of like mind and like values and then you kind of chuckle about things that only you know. I’m sorry if your feelings were hurt.

Marni:  Do you think that strengthens the bonds of your friendship?

Amanda:  I guess of my friendship within my clique, but with me and you not so much. I’m sorry.

Marni:  I have a good sense of humor and everything, but inside jokes… I didn’t get them. I was feeling left out.

Amanda:  Sounds like someone needs to lighten up a little bit. It’s just a joke.

Marni:  I guess, but it’s so alienating. I don’t know.

Amanda:  I have an idea.

Marni:  Yeah?

Amanda:  Why don’t you and I come up with an inside joke?

Marni:  OK!

Amanda:  OK? Cool.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni tells Amanda she is feeling hurt because she didn’t understand the inside jokes people were making recently. She wasn’t part of it, so she felt left out.

Amanda doesn’t offer Marni any sympathy, though. In fact, Amanda says she enjoys inside jokes. It helps her feel close to people in her small group and keeps other people far away.

Amanda tells Marni to lighten up, but Marni’s mood doesn’t improve. She’s still not sure about inside jokes. Then Amanda has an idea: she and Marni can make an inside joke together!

What’s your opinion on inside jokes? Can inside jokes make friendships stronger? Do inside jokes do more harm than good?

 

Comments

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mahbubeh92

mahbubeh92

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Most of the time inside jokes and chuckles and everything related, are to ridicule other people with a different value if you’re that other people or clique with opposite values they’d make fun of you and you really feel left out and like a stranger and those chuckles annoy a lot, i had such experiences, i just hoped to make it to them. but at last, they became my friends and i realized they were actually losers. I think inside jokes do more harm than good even if they lead to a friendship.


I’m not on the same page with Amanda about lightening up.

08:01 AM Jan 31 2018 |

ShiningSun

ShiningSun

United Kingdom

It feels like inside jokes are primarily meant to ridicule people who are outside the group. In these terms humor turned into the best illness rather the best medicine. To the contrary I think good humorists make people laugh with their own idiotic behaviours and situations. I feel inside jokes make friendship stronger in short term but in long term it make friendship vulnerable because when the group members don’t find outsiders to ridicule they start ridiculing their own group mates.

09:32 PM Jan 29 2018 |

1 person likes this

eduardosoutoSuper Member!

Brazil

I think inside jokes are not a bad thing; however, you need to know when to use and try not to exclude people around you because it is so boring!


I do believe that inside jokes can make a friendship stronger yeah!


Greetings from Teacher Eduardo Souto, from Brazil! <3 

04:02 PM Jan 29 2018 |

1 person likes this

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

Generally speaking it depends on personal characteristic of someone. As me, no, bcz i’m a littile bit serious boy, i afraid. In my opinion it can hurt sb’s feeling and even worse if it has occured regurarly it might provide emotional damages for left out person, too. it does not matter who says what but i’m disagree. 


Of course inside joke could make friendship stronger enough but on the contrary it could destroy it easily, also. I think it has more harmful effects than being useful. I’ve told before all rely on what colique we invove in as well as whether our friends have deep sense of humor and aspect of being part of inside joke or not. 

07:51 AM Dec 28 2013 |

1 person likes this

batool899

batool899

Bahrain

i hate inside jokes as they make fun of others, 


but if these jokes have no humiliate for others..i even dont like to mention people’s names in jokes..



08:58 AM Dec 25 2013 |

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I hate inside jokes, the’re kinda getting someone frustrated and all that stuffs.

08:18 PM Dec 24 2013 |

saveme911

saveme911

Algeria

Hi everyone ,inside jokes ,i really get all steamed up about them ,it shows lack of respect ,and the image of whispering in someone’s ear and lol,,,,,,well it’s just not the doing of a gentelmen or a lady .

09:03 PM Dec 23 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Gohoos, nice inside joke:))

06:29 PM Dec 23 2013 |

1 person likes this

Marcel We

Marcel We

Germany

I personally like inside jokes. Mostly they are very funny to the people who are involved with its background, but outsiders can’t understand. On the other hand I also have to say that I sometimes also feel left out if I’m one of those outsiders and if I were the reason why they laugh, I would feel quite upset even more. So, if make some inside jokes, I always try to make the people around me understand that it’s not about them or try to enlighten them about what is the reason why we were laughing.

03:41 PM Dec 23 2013 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

sometimes ,new generation jokes seems to me like inside jokes..ı dont understand their jokes very well )))

03:21 PM Dec 23 2013 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

I am on the same page with Marni, she is feeling hurt and with a good reason , cracking up inside jokes  and purposely leaving you  guessing what is all about ,frankly speaking , i would think that they are also making fun of one`s ignorance. I would also feel left out  ,and worth considering if i am part of their clique or what .

03:18 PM Dec 23 2013 |

ayhaan

ayhaan

Turkey

I think inside joke mean is that word or sentece we couldnt use in our public coversation.and abuot joke i  think its good for make relationship with our close friends if it be respectlly.

09:56 AM Dec 23 2013 |

3 people like this

S&W

S&W

China

Inside jokes means people in a small circle rings true with each other’s opinion.I think girls like” inside jokes”than guys.Sometimes gossipe will become the topic of those inside jokes.The advantage of inside jokes is that can enliven atmosphere and people became more close.For the person not in  the clique ,it’s can be a disaster.It may turn into an very impolite behavior.

08:13 AM Dec 23 2013 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

I remember when I lived with my roomates in university. We often had inside jokes in the dormitory. It won’t got any bad results if the outsiders didn’t find out. :D On the contrary, we have lived happily each other for four years in the same root. It did really make our relationship stronger.


However,it could be harmful to the outsider once he/she found it. That’s kind of disrepect. At last,the friendship comes to an end!. ><

06:17 AM Dec 23 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I a little bit misunderstood the inside jokes meaning. So had to delete the previous comment. Yes, it really those kind of jokes that are being understood and accepted within a small group of people. It’s a lot of fun to laugh understandably. Within a smal circle everyone knows about the other, so called little secrets and can play jokes on them. Should be also careful whether to crack joke within the presence of the person or without though. The other day i had such a joke with a collegue and it was a roar of laughter. It was so funny, nobody was hurt. I just didn’t know it calls and inside joke but it really is since  the outsiders would never understand what we were laughing about.

02:42 PM Dec 20 2013 |

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