Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stevenukd]

Dear Teachers,

1. A: My salary at the restaurant is pretty good.
B: What are you doing? Are you waiting tables?
- �Are you waiting tables?� means �Are you a waiter?�? Is this common?

2. � How�s everything? � How are things with you? - How are things?
- These means �How are you doing?�, right? But they�re not the same meaning as �How are you?�, right?

Thanks a bunch to Teachers,

Stevenukd

[asterix]

1. Yes, it's quite common.
2."How are you?", is a standard greeting, which is really an enquiry as to your health. How are things, etc., are also standard greetings, but enquire about your life in general.
In my grandfather's day they used to say, "How do you do?"
Now you will hear things like, How's it going?, How's it hanging, Wassup?(What's up?) or even, Yo!