Feifei Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, with me Feifei...
Rob ...and me, Rob. Hello!
Feifei Rob, I've been meaning to ask... you've got a car haven't you?
Rob Yes, Feifei, I have.
Feifei Is it a quite special car? You know, a valuable, expensive one?
Rob No no, it's just an old car - but it gets me around. Why are you asking?
Feifei Oh no reason... you don't use it much do you?
Rob No... Feifei there's no need to go around the houses - just say what you want to say.
Feifei OK... can I borrow your car please? But don't worry, I won't take it around the houses - I just want to go to the supermarket.
Rob Ha! Feifei when I said there's no need 'to go around the houses'; I wasn't referring to where you drive my car. I mean, you don't have to waste time saying lots of unimportant things before you actually say what you want to say.
Feifei I see! So I should just say what I want to say - I should get to the point?
Rob Yes, that's another way of putting it. Basically it means you take a long time to say or do something, when in reality it can be done or said a lot quicker. Let's hear some examples of the phrase 'to go around the houses' in action...
Examples
Don't go around the houses; just tell me straight, what have you done?
He went all around the houses talking about the match but all I wanted to know was who won?
I didn't know how to tell him he'd failed his exams so I went all around the houses before I let him know.
Feifei So, to go around the houses means you go a long way round before asking what you want to ask. Rob, you haven't answered my question yet.
Rob Oh yes, what was the question?
Feifei Can I borrow your car... please?
Rob Oh well, erm, I need to fill it up with petrol...
Feifei Oh right...
Rob And I need to drive to work...
Feifei But that's not until Monday!
Rob It's not very tidy inside...
Feifei Rob - don't go around the houses - your answer is 'no' isn't it?
Rob Yes Feifei. You can't borrow it. I crashed it last week - nobody can drive it!
Feifei You certainly won't be going around any houses then Rob!