plot out全盤規劃出來

把愧疚說成一句帶著愛稱的坦白，恨與愛同時壓在一句話裡。

I hate that we weren't around when ...

向至親道歉、解釋當年缺席時用，對家人可以說，正式場合或對陌生人別用。

I'm sorry we weren't there when you needed us ／ I regret not being around when it mattered

口語

重讀 hate 和 most，sweetheart 放軟收尾。

I hate that I wasn't around when you needed me most. 我最恨的是，你最需要我的時候我沒在你身邊。

用並列對照把嫉妒和遺憾一起說出來，平靜卻扎心。

I can't believe that she got to ..., and I didn't.

表達別人得到機會而自己錯過的酸楚時用，跟熟人傾訴可以，正式場合少用。

She got to do it, and I never did ／ It kills me that she got to and I didn't

口語

重讀 she 和 I，got to 連讀成 got-ə。

I can't believe she got to meet him and I didn't. 真不敢信她見到了他，而我沒有。

三個動詞層層遞進，把家庭裡那種又愛又恨的角色演了出來。

They fought and bickered and pretended that ...

描述一家人表面吵鬧、實則相愛時用，朋友間閒聊可以，寫正式文章要改語氣。

They argued and sulked and pretended to hate each other ／ They bickered and acted like enemies

中性

fought、bickered、pretended 三個重音依次落下。

My brothers fought and bickered and pretended they hated each other. 我幾個哥哥爭吵、拌嘴，還假裝互相看不順眼。

用 would've 說一個永遠沒機會實現的假設，一句懺悔裡全是被迫放棄的母愛。

I like to think I would've done something

懷念或寬慰自己沒能做成的事時用；對剛失去親人的人別輕易說，容易像替自己開脫。

I'd like to believe I would have improved. ／ I hope I would've got the hang of it.

中性

would've 讀成 woulda，in time 輕微頓開。

I like to think I would've mastered it with more practice. 我願意相信，多練練我本來能學會的。