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Select a line to hear it again. Tap any word to see what it means. Underlined words are the key words of this video.

1. 0:00
   Theo Theo: No! Everything is... honest? Open? What's the word?
2. 0:05
   Nadia Nadia: Can the boss's sister win our prize draw?
3. 0:08
   Theo Theo: No! Everything is... honest? Open? What's the word?
4. 0:12
   Nadia Nadia: People will ask. Say it clearly, Theo.
5. 0:16
   Theo Theo: I know it! It's... an honest... thing? Help.
6. 0:22
   Narrator Theo knows his draw is fair.
7. 0:25
   Narrator He just can't find the phrase.
8. 0:28
   Narrator Above board has five parts to learn.
9. 0:32
   Narrator If something is above board, it is honest and open.
10. 0:37
    Narrator Nobody is cheating, and nobody is hiding anything.
11. 0:41
    Narrator Use it for a contest, a payment, or an agreement.
12. 0:47
    Narrator Picture a draw with public rules and an outside judge.
13. 0:52
    Narrator It describes how something is done, not what a person is like.
14. 0:58
    Narrator For character, say: She's an honest person.
15. 1:03
    Narrator For a fair vote or deal, say: The vote was above board.
16. 1:11
    Narrator And you'll undertake to keep everything above board.
17. 1:15
    Narrator The official asks the young man to promise that everything he does will be honest and
18. 1:22
    Narrator open, with nothing hidden.
19. 1:25
    Narrator That is what "above board" means.
20. 1:28
    Narrator Hear how above runs into board.
21. 1:31
    Narrator There's just a weak uh, then the stress.
22. 1:37
    Theo Theo: The draw is above board. Nobody hides anything.
23. 1:41
    Nadia Nadia: Good. But how will people know?
24. 1:45
    Narrator Theo wants people to see the proof.
25. 1:48
    Narrator So he shares the rules.
26. 1:51
    Narrator Most often, above board comes right after the verb be.
27. 1:56
    Narrator The whole selection was above board.
28. 2:01
    Narrator To ask a question, put is first.
29. 2:05
    Narrator Is the selection process above board?
30. 2:09
    Narrator To warn someone, add not.
31. 2:12
    Narrator That payment isn't above board.
32. 2:17
    Narrator To show ongoing effort, use keep, then an object.
33. 2:22
    Narrator Clear rules help us keep everything above board.
34. 2:28
    Narrator Add completely for emphasis.
35. 2:31
    Narrator We keep our books completely above board.
36. 2:36
    Narrator Keep needs an object before above board.
37. 2:42
    Narrator Say: We keep the sale above board.
38. 2:47
    Narrator Keep it above board, love.
39. 2:50
    Narrator He tells the boy to keep it above board: "it" is the deal, and he wants it honest and legal.
40. 2:59
    Narrator Notice the object between keep and above board.
41. 3:05
    Theo Theo: I'll post the rules, so we keep everything above board.
42. 3:08
    Nadia Nadia: Smart. Put the winners online too.
43. 3:12
    Nadia Nadia: A stranger offered cash. No receipt, no questions.
44. 3:17
    Theo Theo: That isn't above board. We'll say no.
45. 3:20
    Narrator Learners often add the before board.
46. 3:24
    Narrator Leave it out.
47. 3:27
    Narrator With the, board becomes a real object.
48. 3:32
    Narrator The poster is above the notice board.
49. 3:37
    Narrator The idiom never takes an article.
50. 3:41
    Narrator It's a fixed phrase.
51. 3:43
    Narrator You may also see aboveboard as one word.
52. 3:47
    Narrator It's common in American writing, even before a noun.
53. 3:53
    Narrator Your turn.
54. 3:55
    Narrator Listen, then say it out loud.
55. 3:58
    Narrator The ticket sales were above board.
56. 4:07
    Narrator We keep every payment above board.
57. 4:18
    Nadia Nadia: Good call. Every payment needs a receipt.
58. 4:21
    Theo Theo: Yes. No receipt, no ticket.
59. 4:25
    Narrator Both phrases have board, and learners sometimes mix them up.
60. 4:31
    Narrator Above board asks if something is honest.
61. 4:34
    Narrator The overtime plan was above board.
62. 4:39
    Narrator Across the board asks who is affected.
63. 4:43
    Narrator It means everyone in the group.
64. 4:46
    Narrator The agency cut travel budgets across the board.
65. 4:52
    Narrator That says nothing about honesty.
66. 4:54
    Narrator The cuts could be fair or unfair.
67. 4:58
    Narrator It doesn't mean equal amounts.
68. 5:00
    Narrator It means the policy covers the whole group.
69. 5:05
    Narrator We're making some significant cuts across the board.
70. 5:10
    Narrator He says the cuts hit everyone, so "across the board" means every person or area in the group
71. 5:17
    Narrator gets the same cut.
72. 5:19
    Narrator So across the board talks about who, and above board talks about honesty.
73. 5:29
    Narrator Choose the best answer.
74. 5:31
    Narrator Every worker gets the new bonus.
75. 5:39
    Narrator B.
76. 5:41
    Narrator The bonus covers every worker, so use across the board.
77. 5:47
    Narrator Above board is about honesty.
78. 5:51
    Narrator Choose the best answer.
79. 5:52
    Narrator You describe a neighbor's lasting character.
80. 6:02
    Narrator A.
81. 6:03
    Narrator Honest describes a person's character.
82. 6:07
    Narrator Above board describes how a deal or an event is done.
83. 6:12
    Narrator In fast speech, the word above starts with a very weak first sound.
84. 6:18
    Narrator The stress lands on the second part of the word above.
85. 6:22
    Narrator Then the v moves straight into the b of board.
86. 6:29
    Narrator There's no extra vowel between them.
87. 6:32
    Narrator Board also sounds exactly like bored.
88. 6:35
    Narrator The sentence tells you which one.
89. 6:39
    Narrator American speakers say the r in board.
90. 6:43
    Narrator British speakers usually don't, before a pause.
91. 6:48
    Narrator Listen for this in the film clips and in real conversations.
92. 6:54
    Nadia Nadia: Can the boss's sister win?
93. 6:56
    Theo Theo: No. The rules are public. It's completely above board.
94. 7:02
    Nadia Nadia: Perfect. Who counts the tickets?
95. 7:04
    Theo Theo: Two neighbors, in front of everyone. We keep it above board.
96. 7:09
    Narrator One more.
97. 7:11
    Narrator A shop hides the real prices from its buyers.
98. 7:21
    Narrator B. Hiding prices is not honest or open, so use the negative form, isn't above board.
99. 7:30
    Narrator Now a dictation.
100. 7:33
     Narrator Listen and write the sentence.
101. 8:00
     Narrator Check your sentence.
102. 8:02
     Narrator Did you write kept, with no the before board?
103. 8:08
     Narrator Above board means honest and open.
104. 8:12
     Narrator Use be, or use keep with an object.
105. 8:17
     Narrator Never add the before board.
106. 8:20
     Narrator For everyone in a group, say across the board.
107. 8:26
     Narrator In fast speech, listen for the word above running into the word board.
108. 8:33
     Narrator Next, practice above board with the exercises for this lesson.
109. 8:39
     Narrator Like and subscribe for more.

Choose an answer for each question, then check it.

1. Question 1

   A community group sells lottery tickets and displays the ticket registry for anyone to inspect. Which statement correctly describes this situation?

   A The ticket sales are above board because the process is transparent and fair. B The ticket sales are above board because the group collected a large amount of money. C The ticket sales are above board because the tickets rest physically on a wooden board.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor
2. Question 2

   Why does Elena point to the published rules when a neighbor asks about family members entering the draw?

   A She wants to prove that ticket prices will increase next season. B She provides concrete evidence that the draw is above board and free from favoritism. C She attempts to show that the contest was organized quickly without outside help.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor
3. Question 3

   Which sentence correctly uses keep with an object to describe maintaining honest practices?

   A Our team keeps above board every month without checking receipts. B Our team is kept above board because our finances remain completely. C Our team keeps our finances completely above board by auditing every expense.
   Check my answer Chat with the tutor