Lesson 92--Emphasizing

 

 

Emphasizing in English can be fun.  Sometimes the expressions are a little odd, but they are still interesting--as the following examples will illustrate.  The more emphatic meaning is on the right.  Oddly, quite a few of these expressions used dead as the emphatic word.

 

broke:              dead broke/flat broke

poor:                dirt poor

stupid:             incredibly stupid

last                   dead last

tired                 dead tired

cold                 ice cold

gorgeous          drop dead gorgeous

beautiful          stunningly beautiful

Lesson 91--I didn't see that coming.

 

 

This is an expression used a lot on TV and in movies.  It basically means that what just happened was unpredictable, or rather surprising.  When the popular girl falls in love with the nerd, somebody will say that line.

It can also be used ironically; as in, I knew that was going to happen because it was obvious and you're a fool because you didn't realize that was going to happen.

Both usages are funny.  Try using it yourself when something surprising happens.  You should get a good laugh.

Lesson 90--Making a Mistake

 

 

Let's face it, we all make mistakes.  Sometimes they're small, but sometimes they're huge.  Either way, we need to have ways to express it.  Besides using the one with the F word, here are some other ways to say that you have made a mistake.  Some of these expressions can be used for other things, but they can be used when talking about mistakes.

I messed up.

I slipped up.

I tripped up.

I blew it.

I goofed.

I zigged when I should have zagged.

Lesson 89--Phrasal Verbs

 

get in touch with someone

keep in touch with/stay in touch

be in touch

both of these words relate to contacting someone.  To get in touch means to make contact, and keep in touch means that you want to maintain connection to someone.  Sometimes we say that we want to keep in touch, but we are actually lying, and have no intention of maintaining contact with them.

I got in touch with my friends through Skype.

I keep in touch with my friends through Facebook.

Lesson 88--Interesting Food Counters

 

There are lots of interesting ways to count food, and here are some useful ones

scoop--for ice cream cones

Three scoops of chocolate.

slices--good for pizza, pie, cake and bread.

Three slices of pizza filled me up.

bucket--good for popcorn (and chicken from an international franchise)

I can eat a whole bucket of popcorn during a good movie.

Pint--good for beer.  (half-pints exist, but I don't see the point)

A pint of beer after work on a hot day is fantastic.

Lesson 87--Bored

 

Though I do not want my student to use these words when they talk about my classes, they will probably need these expressions at some point in their lives.

These expressions all mean the same thing.

I am bored to tears.

I am bored to death.

I am bored out of my skull.

This bores the heck out of me.*

* There are some more colourful expressions that can be made with this one.  I leave it up to your creativity..... if you've got a good idea, leave a comment.

NOTE:  the noun for bored is boredom.

Lesson 86--To tuck someone in

Phrasal Verbs

 

Tuck someone in.

Tuck someone into bed.

When children go to bed, their parents often tuck them in.  They pull the covers and make sure the children are comfortable before they fall asleep.  Often parents will tell their children to brush their teeth and then they (the parents) will come and tuck them in.

 

example

Every night his mother would read him a story and tuck him.

Lesson 85--mean

Gerunds versus Infinitives:  mean

 

Some verbs are followed by infinitives and some are followed by gerunds.  In some cases verbs are followed by both.  The difficult thing is that in some cases (start, like) there really isn't any difference in meaning.

However, there are some verbs that have very different meanings.

Mean

I mean to buy an iPhone.

This means I intend to buy an iPhone.

Getting a good job means learning English.

This means that a getting a good job equals learning English.

Lesson 84: forget

Gerunds versus Infinitives:  forget

Some verbs are followed by infinitives and some are followed by gerunds.  In some cases verbs are followed by both.  The difficult thing is that in some cases (start, like) there really isn't any difference in meaning.

However, there are some verbs that have very different meanings.

Forget

I forgot to buy milk.  Now I have to drink my coffee black.

I forget buying milk (but there is milk in the fridge).

 

I forgot to mail my sister her birthday card...and now she is mad.

I forget drinking all that beer, but it's gone and my head aches.

Lesson 83--Stop +gerunds/infinitives

Gerunds versus Infinitives

 

Some verbs are followed by infinitives and some are followed by gerunds.  In some cases verbs are followed by both.  The difficult thing is that in some cases (start, like) there really isn't any difference in meaning.

However, there are some verbs that have very different meanings.

Stop

infinitives

He stopped to buy a newspaper.

This means that he was on the way somewhere and stopped with the purpose to buy a newspaper.  He stopped doing something so that he could buy a newspaper.

gerunds--This has two meanings.  Though people often think this means quit, it can also be a short stop.

He stopped buying newspapers.

This means that he no longer buys newspapers.

 

He stopped singing.

He was singing, then he stopped.

The combination of both of them

He stopped singing to answer the phone.

Lesson 82--Useful expressions

Make a fool of oneself

 

 

meaning:  to do something embarrassing, and cause people to lose respect for you.

i.e.       I got drunk and made a fool of myself.

            I don't want to sing in front of the people.  I might make a fool of myself.

            She made a fool of herself on that game show.

            Stop making a fool of yourself!

This is a useful expression that you can use for yourself and others.

Lesson 81--Onomatopoeia (part three)

cha-ching

This is the sound of a cash register drawer opening.  This sound is used to indicate money.  It is a very positive sound.

i.e.       We're going to be rich.  Cha-ching!

            This idea is worth millions.  Cha-ching!

splash

This is the sound of water falling out of a glass onto another surface, or a car racing through a puddle and splashing people.

This can also be used as a verb

i.e.       The truck drove through a large puddle and splashed me.

Lesson 80--onomatopoeia (part two)

 

 

Words representing sounds are different in every language.  Here are some common ones that you will encounter in English.

 

"Bzzzzzzz"

This is the sound of buzzers.  The number of z's determines how long the buzzer lasts.  The longer the buzzer, the more z's you will see.  Compared to a bell, this sound is much less pleasant.

"Boom"

This is the sound of a loud noise, like an explosion.  This is a sound you hear and feel.

"Beep"

This is the sound of a weak car horn, or child's bike horn.  This is not the sound of a truck horn, or big car horn.  This is not an aggressive sound.  This is often used to make cars sound cute.