Summary 

Feifei's wearing something that helps Neil demonstrate another piece of authentic English – or does it? How can pulling her woolly hat over her eyes explain deception and trickery? You're about to find out in The English We Speak.

Transcript

Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei…

Neil
And hello, I'm Neil. And I have to say, Feifei, that's a very cool, but warm, woolly hat you're wearing.

Feifei
Oh thanks, Neil. It's unusual to get a compliment from you!

Neil
You're welcome. But why are you wearing it in the studio?

Feifei
Well, it's so cold outside. I had to wear something to keep my head warm. I suppose I should take it off now?

Neil
Actually, no. Can you pull it down a bit more, so it covers your eyes?

Feifei
Well, if you say so. There. How do I look?

Neil
Beautiful! And it demonstrates the English phrase perfectly – to pull the wool over your eyes.

Feifei
Another strange English phrase! Neil, does it mean 'not being able to see' or maybe, 'to have a very warm head'?

Neil
No. To pull the wool over somebody's eyes means 'to trick or deceive someone so it stops them discovering something'.

Feifei
Right. But you don't actually have to wear a woolly hat to do this.

Neil
You don't. But for now, keep the hat where it is while we hear some examples…

Examples
You can't pull the wool over my eyes! I know you've been smoking. I can smell it!

He tried to pull the wool over the eyes of the shareholders and not tell them the company was bankrupt. But they soon found out.

You can't pull the wool over her eyes. She's too smart. She'll find out you've been dating her best friend.

Feifei
You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're finding out about the expression 'to pull the wool over someone's eyes', which means 'to trick or deceive someone to stop them discovering something'. So it's really about hiding something from someone?

Neil
Exactly!

Feifei
So are you pulling the wool over my eyes? Neil? Are you there?

Neil
Ha ha! She'll never know I've taken the biscuits from her handbag. OK, Feifei, you can remove your hat now. Sorry, it was just funny looking at you like that!

Feifei
Pulling the wool over my eyes is no joke! I know you stole my biscuits. You'll pay for this.

Neil
Oh no! Time to go! Bye.

Feifei
Neil, come back!