British English · C1 · Unit 21
Wit and wordplay
Wit and wordplay
By the end you can
- Use wordplay and banter naturally
- Make a joke that fits the moment
- Understand jokes that depend on culture
Words and phrases
| British English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| banter | friendly teasing and jokes (British) | It's just banter, mate. |
| pun | a joke using a word with two meanings | That's a terrible pun. |
| comeback | a quick, clever reply | That was a great comeback. |
| you walked right into that one | you gave me an easy chance to joke | Ha! You walked right into that one. |
| deadpan | funny with a completely serious face | His deadpan delivery is brilliant. |
| wind you up | tease you to annoy you (British) | Relax, I'm only trying to wind you up. |
| keep a straight face | not laugh | I couldn't keep a straight face. |
| a running joke | a joke that people repeat over time | It's become a running joke in our team. |
| self-deprecating | making fun of yourself | British humour is very self-deprecating. |
| quick-witted | able to think of clever replies fast | You have to be quick-witted to win at a pub quiz. |
| a dad joke | a simple, silly joke, often a pun | That's such a dad joke. |
| an in-joke | a joke that only one group understands | Sorry, it's an in-joke. |
Then talk it through
Friendly banter between teams at a pub quiz. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.