Summary
If your head is full of things to think about, it can be easy to forget some of them. Rob is in the kitchen cooking up an English expression that describes a forgetful memory that you’ll always remember!
Transcript
Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei…
Rob
…and me, Rob. Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today, Feifei, for the unveiling of my new cake.
Feifei
It’s just a cake, Rob, but if it’s good, I’m happy to try a slice.
Rob
Well, let's get it out of the oven now… There we go... Ta da!
Feifei
Err… looks great, Rob, but let’s try it... It’s a bit stodgy, heavy… even lumpy.
Rob
Right. So you don’t actually like it! I followed the recipe exactly, although perhaps I forgot to do something to the flour. I seem to... Oh I seem to have a memory like a...
Feifei
A sieve.
Rob
That’s it! I didn’t sieve the flour – that explains the lumps.
Feifei
No, Rob, I meant you have a memory like a sieve. When we say someone has a memory like a sieve, we mean they have a very bad memory and forget things easily! Your memory is bad, Rob – you can’t forget things when you’re cooking.
Rob
Well, I’m not the only one. Listen to these examples.
Examples
I’ve been making my own lunch to take to work, but I’ve got a memory like a sieve and I keep leaving it at home!
My husband’s got a memory like a sieve – he keeps going out and leaving the iron switched on.
I’ve got a memory like a sieve – I left the house without my keys this morning and now I’m locked out!
Feifei
You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we’re talking about the phrase ‘to have a memory like a sieve’. It basically means bits of information fall through your memory and get forgotten, just like flour falling through the sieve that Rob should have used when baking a cake! So are you going to try again, Rob?
Rob
No, I think my baking days are over, but luckily I bought one from the shop just in case.
Feifei
That’s OK. A shop-bought cake will do – so get it out and I’ll put the kettle on.
Rob
Great… err… Now where did I put it? I know it’s around here somewhere?
Feifei
Memory like a sieve again, Rob?
Rob
Looks like it. I’ve got a lot on my mind, Feifei.
Feifei
Don’t worry, I’ve found it – it’s here in the fridge with the milk!
Rob
Honestly, I’d forget my own name sometimes!
Feifei
Bye, Rob.
Rob
Ah that’s it! Bye!