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The English we speak.

From BBC Learning English.

Welcome to the English we speak. I'm Neil and I'm Faye Actually Faye Faye can you help me with something?

Go on. There's this girl I like. I want to ask her for coffee, but I don't want to seem too serious or creepy or anything. Just friendly.

And you're writing her a message? Okay? I just can't find the words. Easy, stick a couple of

emojies on there, much less formal. Oh, you mean like a smiley face?

Yeah, but those are so last year.

Maybe a love heart?

Seriously, that's a bit too much.

You need to up your emoji game.

My emoji game? Like an emoji of a video game or a football?

No, the phrase to raise your game or to up your game means to improve?

Ah yes it's a good phrase.

Faye fey you're not working hard enough you need to up your game.

That's not true but good use of up your game.

The phrase has now developed a bit. We often add what we're trying to

improve before the reading game.

I badly need to work on my interview game before my big interview next week.

You could do with a bit more exercise, mate.

You should raise your running game.

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