Ohas an interjection
Weuseohas an interjection to express surprise or disappointment:
A:We’re almost out of petrol.
B:Oh! We’d better find a station.
A:Amanda is very good on the violin. She used to play in an orchestra.
B:Oh! I never knew that.
A:It’s going to cost quite a lot of money to fix the car.
B:Oh.What’s wrong with it?
Ohas a discourse marker
We useohas a discourse marker to respond to new information or to show that we have just discovered something surprising. We often use it with other discourse markers:
I can’t find the switch.Oh right, here it is.
A:I need to talk to you urgently.
B:Oh okay.Do sit down.
Oh, that’s …
We often useohin responses with statements beginning withthat’s:
A:I tried to book a table at The Quays but they are booked out for Friday night.
B:Oh, that’s a pity.We could try that new place, The Corn Market. I’ve heard it’s good.
A:Some great news. I got the job in Manchester.
B:Oh, that’s wonderful.Congratulations.
Oh yesandoh no
We often makeohmore positive by addingyes, and more negative by addingno:
A:The council has agreed to give us some money for the town festival.
B:Oh yes!That’s great news.
A:The weather forecast says it’s going to rain tomorrow.
B:Oh no!What a pity.
Oh right
We useoh rightwhen we want to acknowledge what has been said and to politelyintroduce a contradiction:
A:I’ve been trying to phone Joe this morning to get an update. He doesn’t seem to be in his office.
B:Oh right.Well, I did see his car in the car park.
Oh yeah
We useoh yeahwith a rising intonation as a response token when we are listening to and responding to a story. It shows that we are very interested and want the story to continue:
A:So then she decided to tell him what had happened.
B:Oh ye↗ah.
A:He wasn’t very pleased and then …
Oh well
We useoh wellto acknowledge that what has been said is disappointing. We often add a suggestion afteroh well:
A:Liz can’t come so one of us will have to drive.
B:Oh well.Let’s just get a taxi between us.
Oh dear
We useoh dearto respond to bad news:
A:Veronica’s been in an accident. She’s in hospital.
B:Oh dear.What happened?
See also:
Discourse markers (so, right, okay)