Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (122 page)

It isn't worth the trouble
.
AND
It's not worth the trouble
.
Don't bother. It isn't worth it.
T
OM
: Shall I wrap all this stuff back up? M
ARY
: No. It's not worth the trouble. Just stuff it in a paper bag
.
J
ANE
: Do you want me to try to save this little bit of cake? J
OHN
: Oh, no! It's not worth the trouble. I'll just eat it.

(It) just goes to show (you)
(something). That incident or story has an important moral or message.
T
OM
: The tax people finally caught up with Henry. S
ALLY
: See! It just goes to show
.
Indignant over the treatment she received at the grocery store and angry at the youthful clerk, Sally muttered, “Young people. They expect too much. It just goes to show you how society has broken down.
”

(It) makes me no difference
.
Go to (It) makes no difference to me.

(It) makes no difference to me
.
AND
(It) makes me no difference.; (It) makes me no nevermind.; (It) don't bother me none.; (It) don't make me no nevermind
.
I really do not care, one way or the other. (The first one is standard, the others are colloquial.)
B
ILL
: Mind if I sit here? T
OM
: Makes no difference to
me.
B
ILL
: What would you say if I ate the last piece of cake? B
OB
: Don't make me no nevermind.

(It) never hurts to ask
.
Go to (It) doesn't hurt to ask.

(It) (really) doesn't matter to me
.
I do not care.
A
NDREW
: What shall I do? What shall I do? A
LICE
: Do whatever you like. Jump off a bridge. Go live in the jungle. It really doesn't matter to me
.
T
OM
: I'm leaving you. Mary and I have decided that we're in love. S
UE
: So, go ahead. It doesn't matter to me. I don't care what you do.

(It) sounds like a plan
.
What you say sounds promising and is a good plan.
D
ON
: Let's meet tomorrow and settle the matter. A
NDREW
: Sounds like a plan
.
A: We'll sell the sofa and buy some comfortable chairs. B: Great! It sounds like a plan.

It strikes me that
it seems to me that.
H
ENRY
: It strikes me that you are losing a little weight. M
ARY
: Oh, I love you!
“It strikes me that all this money we are spending is accomplishing very little,” said Bill.