Lesson 350--A great expression for crazy.

Out to Lunch

 

 

I have already taught you some expressions for crazy, but I think you need another one.  One of my favourites is the phrase "out to lunch".  This is great because the in a different context, this would mean exactly what it says.

example

A:  Where's Mr. Johnson?

B:  Oh!  He's out to lunch.

A: Please let him know I stopped by.

B:  Absolutely.

Mr.  Johnson is out to lunch and after he has eaten he will return.  However, if we use the phrase in a slightly different context, a person or a plan is described as being crazy or sheer lunacy.

examples

I can't believe we are following that person.  She is completely out to lunch.

There is no way that plan will work.  His idea is so far out to lunch I don't know what to say.

Everyone though Gregory was out to lunch when he spent all that money on a car.

Lesson 349--talking about schedules

 

English has lots of ways to say that we are late.  My two favourite are behind schedule and playing catch-up.  Both of these expressions can be used when we are not on schedule.

examples

I was late for work this morning and have been playing catch-up all day.

Greg was two weeks behind schedule and his boss was very unhappy.

The product launch was way behind schedule and there was a lot of tension in the office.

Because Marion was always playing catch-up with her projects, she was fired.

Lesson 348--an expression with lead

 

Monday's lesson (347) was an interesting one.  It got me thinking about related expressions that I should teach you.

one thing led to another

This expression is used when we want to explain that a bunch of things happened to lead to some conclusion, but that we are not going to explain all of them.  We are going to edit the chain of events and just tell you what happened in the end.

*remember lead is an irregular verb
lead-led-led

examples

Johnny met Irene at a party and one thing led to another and now he and Mary have broken up.

We started talking and one thing led to another and now we are seeing each other.

I wasn't planning on going out last night but I met a friend for coffee and one thing led to another....and now I have a massive hangover.

Lesson 347--Chain of Events

The goal of English Chunks is to teach you chunks of English that you can go out and use immediately.  Hopefully, you find these phrases useful.  Today's phrase is no exception.  Today's phrase is:

Chain of events

The meaning of this phrase is that a bunch of events are linked together.  One event causes the next one, and that event causes the next one after that.

examples

I told one lie and that chain of events got me fired from my job.

His actions started a chain of events that led to the start of a war.

If we examine the chain of events, we will find who is responsible.

 

Question

 

What is the chain of events in the following crash?  Feel free to write your answer in the comment section.

Lesson 343--working out the kinks

 

work out the kinks (after running into some kinks)***

 

Another great English phrase is "work out the kinks."

This can mean, straighten something like a chain, or your spine.

examples

The chain was tangled and took Andrew almost an hour to work out all the kinks.

Debbie went to a massage specialist to work out all the kinks in her neck.

This can also mean to fix the problems in a plan or process.

examples

 

While planning their vacation Mary and Scott ran into a few kinks.  Fortunately, they were able to work them out before the departure date.

Everything was set for Jim and Dorothy's second honeymoon when they ran into a few kinks.  Their flight was cancelled unexpectedly and the hotel they had booked went bankrupt.  They couldn't work out the kinks and had to postpone the whole thing.

***I have heard people say iron out the kinks.

Lesson 336

There are two really good expressions to explain that you have gotten yourself into trouble.  This can be done physically or mentally.  Both of these expressions can be used when you want to explain this.

Paint myself into a corner

Dug myself into a hole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

examples:

I really dug myself into a hole when I told my teacher I would do my essay early.

Tim painted himself into a corner when he lied about knowing how to fix televisions.  His girlfriend expects him to come and fix her TV.

Grace told her boss that she spoke French fluently and now they are sending her to Paris to negotiate an important contract.  When she tells them she exaggerated, they might fire her.  She really dug herself into a hole.

Lesson 335--Bicycle Trick Vocabulary

As a kid, we did lots of fun stuff on bikes.  We jumped over small rivers, we raced around the streets and forests.  We  had so much fun.  Today, I want to teach you some cool phrases to describe bicycle actions.

 

pop a wheelie:  to put your front tire up in the air while the bike is still moving.  (this can also be done on a motorcycle)

 

skid:  to brake hard and leave a mark on the pavement from your tire. (this can also be done in a car or on a motorcycle)

 

 

biking with no hands:  this one is pretty easy to understand.

 

 

Lesson 331--An incredibly useful phrase

 

First off, sorry this blog is late.  I was rushing around a bit this week and didn't get it prepared on time.  I wasn't particularly worried because it seems that most people check these lessons on Saturday or Sunday.  Additionally, it gave me a good idea for today's post.

The phrase I want to teach today is "better late than never".  The meaning of this phrase is pretty simple, but it is a good one to know.   This blog is one day late, but better late than never.

examples

Anthony scolded his students for being late.  They replied, "better late than never."

People criticized Blackberry for taking so long to update their design.  The company responded that it was better late than never.

Since I haven't got a cell phone yet, I am pretty late in joining the trend.  However, better late than never--unless cell phones go out of fashion.

Notes

Now, for all my students, please don't start using this phrase with me.  However, you might want to try it at the office once or twice.  Who knows, it might work.

Lesson 330--Another way to use Even

Even Spock cried once.

One similar use of even comes with the same idea of surprised behaviour is when we include someone else in the group.

examples

Even Jimmy likes her and he hates everyone.

All of the students got the answer right--Even Kevin!

Even the weakest person can complete the task.

Even the slowest runner could finish the course in the time allotted.

Lesson 325--go for a stroll

Two celebrities go for a stroll.

Sometimes we need time to think, or at least get away from everyone and take some time to think.  The following expressions include this idea.  Sometimes they are just meant to explain physical exercise, but sometimes they are meant to explain needing time to think.

go for a stroll

take a walk

go get some air

clear my head

examples

I can't think straight.  I am going to go out and get some air.

I have a lot of decisions to make so I am going to take a walk and sort things out.

Whenever I have a lot on my mind, I go for a stroll.  It helps clear my head.

Lesson 324--Leave!

 

 

If you want someone to leave, you could just ask them to leave.  However, English has lots of other more interesting ways to say the same thing.  Some of them are colourful and some of them are just interesting.  For today's lesson, I would like to share a few with you.

                          

Get lost!

Take a hike!

Hit the bricks!

Scram!

Get out of here!

Amscray (this one is not popular anymore, but is "pig Latin" for scram.

Take off! (very Canadian)

Be gone!

Lesson 323--Describing Mistakes

 

 

crossing the line

gone too far

 

These two expressions are really good for describing a situation in which you have

a)      said something you shouldn't have.

b)      done something you shouldn't have.

c)      said or done something that cause a person so much pain that they will never forget it.

examples

Paul crossed the line when he insulted Julia's weight.

Megan was okay when Philip got drunk, but when he kissed her sister he crossed the line.

Theresa didn't think she had crossed the line by disagreeing with her boss, but she got fired anyway.

Everyone stopped laughing when Daniela went too far with her joke.

Lesson 319--Urge

 

To urge someone to do something is to strongly recommend it.  There is a strong emotional part of this word that makes it a little closer to begging.

examples

I urge you to reconsider.

Thomas urged his brother to give up smoking.

Greg's wife constantly urges him to lose weight.

adjective (urgent) = it must be done right away.

Lesson 316--Easy ordering

I like food like pizza and hamburgers because I can have as many toppings as I want on them.  I like toppings and I wanted to teach you two convenient phrases for getting a whole lot of toppings.

This pizza has the works.

The two expressions are quite simple, but you should be able to use them in many places involving food that has a variety of toppings.

The works

Everything

examples

I'd like a hamburger with the works.

Jimmy always orders his pizza with the works.

 

Grace always has her hotdog with everything.

Lesson 315--a tool

 

One of my favourite insults is the phrase: You're such a tool!  This can mean everything from stupid or foolish, to useless and obnoxious.  It is so useful that I recommend you try it some evening when you're out.

In the examples, I have used the exclamation point (!) but feel free to use the simple period (.) if you don't want to sound very angry.

examples

Don't be such a tool!

You are such a tool!

You'd have more friends if you weren't such a tool!

He's a complete tool!

Charles is the biggest tool in the whole box!

Lesson 314--A Labour of Love

Helping someone fix their bicycle can be a labour of love.

 

 

One of my favourite expressions is "to be a labour of love."  I like it because it is quite fitting for my life.  A lot of the things I do are a labour of love.  What that means is, I do it because I love it, not because I will get some reward.  Things that are labours of love are not cost efficient and usually require more work, time and sometimes money than the person will get out of it.

This blog is a labour of love.  I have spend many hours doing it, but financially the advertising has only accumulated to less than 10 dollars.  That's fine, because I am not doing it for the money.  It is a real labour of love.

examples.

Daniel spends a lot of time trying to fix his 1967 Mustang.  It is a real labour of love.

Philip loves baking, but his family doesn't care.  They just eat his food and hardly ever tell him how delicious it is.  He doesn't complain, though.  For him it is a labour of love.

Every Sunday, Maria washes her car.  It takes hours to wash, wax and polish her car but it is a labour of love and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Raising children is a labour of love.

 

Spelling reminder

labour is also spelled labor.  Choose wisely.

Lesson 307: tangled

Having seen the Disney movie, you might wonder why they used the word tangled.  Tangled is a great word to describe things that are long and slender and somehow mixed up.  I think the pictures say it all.  Things that can get tangled include:

hair

phone cords

USB cables

power cables

rope

extension cords

string

thread

shoelaces

However the word also has some other meanings.  (pay attention to the prepositions)

It can mean become involved with.

example

He's tangled up with that crowd.

Maria got tangled up with the wrong people at school.

It can mean mixed up/confused.

example

Jim hated talking on the phone.  He felt his words got tangled up too easily.

It can mean fought.

example

Tim and Paul tangled a few times.  Mostly they fought over Elizabeth.

Tim tangled with Paul a few times.  Mostly they fought over Elizabeth.

Lesson 305--I Feel like I am (just) Spinning my Wheels

 

This expression is kind of like being stuck in snow, and your wheels aren't gripping.  You are pressing the accelerator, but you're not moving.  You are doing things, but nothing is happening and no progress is being made.  You're working but not getting the results.

Jim.  How's the new job?

I feel like I am spinning my wheels.  I go to work every day, but nothing gets done.

We can't keep having this conversation.  I feel like I am spinning my wheels.  Why can't we solve this problem?

Lesson 303--Car vocabulary

Car are one of my passions.  Because of this, I would like to spend the next couple of lessons teaching you some important phrases related to cars.

gun the engine

rev the engine

These phrases mean to speed up.  This can be done when the car is moving, or when it is not moving.  The engine will sound louder and faster.

Vroom!!

 

This is an onomatopoetic word to describe the sound an engine makes.  When we explain the engine working, or when we are playing with toy cars, this is the sound we make.

Lesson 302--Making the most of it

They're making the most of their vacation.

 

An important English phrase is "make the most of it".  This means to take full advantage of a situation.  People often use this when they want to explain why they are doing so much, often in a short time or when they are on vacation.

examples

George rarely takes vacation, but when he does he tries hard to make the most of it.  He does a lot of activities and tours.

We only have a few days left, so we had better make the most of them.

If your vacation is short you have to make the most of it.

Melanie thought summer was too short in Toronto, so she made the most of it.

Make the most of your trip to EC Toronto.