Learn English with Coffee Break English
Aug 17, 2026 · 11 min · 8 segments
Native English speakers react to each other constantly with short phrases like "No way!", "Fair enough" and "What a nightmare", but you rarely find them in a textbook. In this episode, Nick teaches…
[upbeat music] And now let's start with reactions for showing surprise.
When somebody tells you surprising news, English speakers often react very quickly with short expressions like these: No way, seriously, you're kidding, and really? For example, "I got upgraded to first class on my last train journey." "No way!" Notice how the voice goes up at the end there.
English speakers often exaggerate words like way when they react with surprise, and if you want to sound really surprised, seriously also works really well.
For example, "I met Ed Sheeran in a cafe yesterday." "Seriously?" Again, the voice rises at the end to sound genuinely surprised.
And if you really can't believe what you're hearing, try this one.
"I won 5,000 pounds in the lottery today." "You're kidding." Here you'll often hear people stress the word kidding to make the reaction stronger, and to kid someone is the same as to joke or pretend something is true when it clearly isn't.
And one more that depends on the right intonation.
"My grandmother still goes swimming every morning." "Really?" See how really goes up at the end? And this shows surprise, but it can easily sound like you're annoyed, too, and this goes for seriously and you're kidding, too.
Listen to the difference.
"Oh, no, it's going to rain all weekend." "Really?" "Seriously?" "You're kidding." Hear that difference? Now we seem almost angry.
[upbeat music] And now let's start with reactions for showing surprise.
When somebody tells you surprising news, English speakers often react very quickly with short expressions like these: No way, seriously, you're kidding, and really? For example, "I got upgraded to first class on my last train journey." "No way!" Notice how the voice goes up at the end there.
English speakers often exaggerate words like way when they react with surprise, and if you want to sound really surprised, seriously also works really well.
For example, "I met Ed Sheeran in a cafe yesterday." "Seriously?" Again, the voice rises at the end to sound genuinely surprised.
And if you really can't believe what you're hearing, try this one.
"I won 5,000 pounds in the lottery today." "You're kidding." Here you'll often hear people stress the word kidding to make the reaction stronger, and to kid someone is the same as to joke or pretend something is true when it clearly isn't.
And one more that depends on the right intonation.
"My grandmother still goes swimming every morning." "Really?" See how really goes up at the end? And this shows surprise, but it can easily sound like you're annoyed, too, and this goes for seriously and you're kidding, too.
Listen to the difference.
"Oh, no, it's going to rain all weekend." "Really?" "Seriously?" "You're kidding." Hear that difference? Now we seem almost angry.
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3 of 5
Kind Words, Sarcastic Tone
Same phrases can sound kind or sarcastic.
Understanding Without Agreement
One phrase can show understanding without agreement.
How Sympathy Sounds Genuine
Sympathy depends on stressing the emotional words.
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