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Raising Helen (2004)

Brief Details

Directed by:
Garry Marshall
Writing credits:
Patrick J. Clifton (story) &
Beth Rigazio (story)
Plot Outline:
After her sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident, a young woman becomes the guardian of their three children.

Useful Expressions

1. Not you. Too random.
= happening, done or chosen by chance rather than according to a plan

Eg. The winner in lottery was random. There was no plan to choose him to be a winner.

2. A: Who are you?
    B: Mary. I'm the new intern.
= student, someone who is finishing their training for a skilled job especially by obtaining practical experience of the work involved

Eg. After graduation he is going to work in a law firm as an intern.

3. You see, that's a bloke.
= You see, he is an ordinary guy.

4. Well, I don't know why I bother talking to you two.
= make an effort, to make the effort to do something

[+ to infinitive]
E.g. 1. He hasn't even bothered to write.
       2. You could have phoned us but you just didn't bother.

[+ ing form of verb]
E.g. Don't bother making the bed - I'll do it later.

[+ ing form of verb or + to infinitive]
E.g. 1. You'd have found it if you'd bothered looking/to look.
       2. You won't get any credit for doing it, so why bother?

5. I'm sure they'd (they would) appreciate it if you all came downstairs.

Conditional II (uses the simple past tense)

Conditional II is used to express unreal situations in the present or future. It is also used to express a wish.

Note: We never use would or wouldn't in the If clause.

6. I also wanted to pay my condolences.
= sympathy and sadness for the family or close friends of a person who has recently died, or an expression of this.

7. Are there any contingencies?
= something that might possibly happen in the future, usually causing problems or making further arrangements necessary
Eg. You must be able to deal with all possible contingencies.

8. I made you abandon your vows?
= You forget about the promise you made to God?

To abandon = to stop doing an activity before you have finished it
Vow = a serious promise or decision

9. Kids need boundaries. You know that.
= a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something
E.g. The Ural mountains mark the boundary between Europe and Asia.