Lesson 346--Important Expressions

 

There are times when you aren't paying attention.  Usually, like my students, you are paying attention to your phone or your computer.  Other times you aren't really paying attention to anything in particular.  We have some great expressions in English to explain that.  They include:

staring into space

daydreaming

zoning out

Examples using the phrases

Daren's parents yelled to get his attention when he started daydreaming.

"I'm sorry.  I zoned out for a moment.  What did you say?"

Mellissa thought her boyfriend was listening to her but actually he was just staring into space.

"Stop daydreaming and focus!" the teacher yelled.

Lesson 339--Burst into something emotional

English has some great ways to describe things.  Today we are going to look at spontaneous emotional things.  When we want to describe this we often use the following phrases:

burst out

break out into

burst into

examples

Jonathan burst into tears when he saw the scene of the car accident.

Daniel burst into laughter when he saw his sister's bridesmaid's dress.

 

The whole stadium broke out into a huge cheer when the goal was scored.

The audience burst out shouting for an encore.

Lesson 332--expressions used for guests

 

Today, thanks to the fact that I had guests over, I used two important phrases you can use when dealing with guests.  These phrases are used to make the guests feel welcome, and to make them feel at home.  Both of them give permission for them to treat your house/apartment like they're home.

Be my guest

Help yourself

examples

If you want something to drink, just help yourself.

Can I have some of that?  Be my guest.

If you need something, be my guest.

Treat this like your home and help yourself to whatever you want.

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 311--Insulting someone in English

An interesting choice

 

In English there a lots of ways to say someone is not smart or unintelligent.  While I don't want you to insult people, you should know them because they are often used on television and I want you to understand what you are watching.  This list is just a small sample of the words we use.  Please use them carefully.

nit wit

dimwit

half wit

moron

dunce

dolt

numbskull

The light is on, but nobody is home.

Lesson 297--Insist on

 

 

A good verb and preposition collocation is insist on.  Insist means strongly recommend, or strongly need or want.

examples

I insist on having fruit for breakfast.

James insists on being present for all interviews.

The school insists on taking attendance at 9:00.

When I was young, the teacher insisted on regular attendance.

Lesson 294--Useful Passives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One interesting way of expressing popular opinions in English involves a very useful passive sentence:  Something is believed/said/thought to be.

 

Instead of saying:  Everyone (mostly everyone) thinks he died.

We say:                 He is thought/believed to have died.       

This is particularly good, especially if we don't believe these ideas.

The New York Yankees are thought to be the best baseball team, but I think it is the Toronto Blue Jays.

Other examples:

Subway is thought to be Healthier than McDonalds.

Flying is believed to be safer than driving.

Exercise is thought to be as important as dieting.

Anne Hathaway is said to be the most beautiful actress in Hollywood.  I like Winona Ryder more.

Lesson 292--Talking About Winter

 

For many of my students, experiencing winter in Canada was one interesting experience that they will probably never forget.  I would just like to give them some phrases they can use when talking about the cold weather and winter in general.

When you enter a house or apartment and you want to explain it was snowing outside,  use this phrase.

It's really coming down out here/there!

If you want to make friends at the bus stop, use this phrase.

It's so cold I can see my breath.

My feet are freezing!

I can't wait for summer.

I wish I were on a beach somewhere.....anywhere but here.

I can't feel my toes.

Lesson 291--two expressions using speak

Are they speaking ill or highly of someone?

I hope everyone did well on the quiz from Monday's lesson.  Don't be shy about posting your scores.  Remember to check your answers (The stats show that nobody did) because there were some tricks.

Today's lesson involves the word speak and two useful, though very different uses of the word.

1.  Speak ill of = talk badly about someone.

examples

Even though it was quite rude, John spoke ill of his former roommate.

It is impolite to speak ill of the dead.

Whenever she had the chance Margaret spoke ill of her ex-boyfriend.

 

2. Speak highly of = to speak positively about someone/something.

                               = to praise someone/something.

examples

Dennis was hired because his ex-boss spoke so highly of him.

The hotel was very popular and all the guests spoke very highly of it.

If her father hadn't spoken so highly of the doctor, Maria wouldn't have made an appointment to see her.

Lesson 289--Dealing with salesclerks

 

One experience everyone has in English is dealing with a salesclerk.  They always appear in front of you (or behind you) and ask "Can I help you?" or "May I help you?"  Sometimes they modify that with, "Can I help you find something?" I would like to give you some expressions to deal with them.  I have put them in two categories:  expressions for when you don't want any help and expressions for when you would like some help.

When you don't want help.

No thanks.  I'm just looking.

I'm good right now, thanks.

Not right now, thank you.

I'm okay right now.  I'll call you if I need anything.

Not at this moment, thank you.

I'm okay for now.

When you want help.

Yes, I'm looking for a PS4.

Do you have the iPhone6S?

Have you got an electronic dictionary?

I was wondering if you have the Galaxy Note?

Could you show me some digital cameras?

I want a nice outfit for a party.

I'm interested in a new car.

Lesson 288--to conk out

She conked out while eating

Learning useful idioms is an important thing for all of my students.  Today we will look at the idiom to conk out.  It is special because it has a different meaning for people and machines.

The car conked out...obviously

for machines: to stop working

for people: to fall asleep

examples

The car seemed to be working well, but conked out while Peter was driving.

Mary hated her motorcycle because it conked out whenever it rained.

The city had to send a repair crew when all the traffic lights downtown conked out.

Jim was so tired that he conked out while watching TV.

Alana wanted to stay awake, but she conked out anyway.

Philip drank seven cups of coffee so he wouldn't conk out while working the night shift.

Lesson 287--Pull Your Socks Up

The English language is full of interesting idioms.  This is one of my favourites.  I think it is because my parents and teachers often used this phrase when urging me to study more or do more homework.

meaning

To put more effort into doing something.  Usually this meant studying or doing your work.  If you are a teacher or a boss (or a parent) you should be able to use this one a lot.

examples

Jim's grades were slipping.  His teacher told him to pull up his socks.

If he pulls his socks up, maybe they can win.

If she wanted to graduate early, Martina would really need to pull up her socks.

With the deadline approaching, Theresa and her team pulled their socks up and got the job done.

Lesson 279--a house of cards

 

 

This idioms describes something or a situation that is very delicate.  A false move or miscalculation and everything will be destroyed.

examples

The company finances were a house of cards.  One false move and the company would be finished.

They didn't know their relationship was a house of cards, but Bobby's return proved that.

Maria wept because her marriage was a house of cards and Diana had already started knocking it down.

Lesson 273-- Regroup

 

Everyday English uses a lot of expressions that were probably originally used in the military.  Today's word is one of those.

Regroup

Meaning:  to step back, to reassess a plan, the make a new strategy

Examples

After missing the bus, Marvin had to regroup.  He decided to take a taxi.

Things weren't going well for the team, so they decided to regroup at halftime.

Once they regrouped, things went better.

John took a few minutes to regroup before going back to the project.

Lesson 266--taking the fun out of something.

taking the fun out of something

meaning:  when someone or something turns a fun thing into something boring or terrible. 

examples

James took the fun out of the game when he insisted that everyone follow his rules.

The bad news about the car accident took the fun out of the party.

Maria felt that keeping score took the fun out of playing golf.

Teenagers think their parents take the fun out of everything.

Email has taken the fun out of writing and receiving letters.

The bill took the fun out of eating dinner at the restaurant.

Lesson 264--Cut Your Losses

 

 

Idiom:  to cut one's losses

When things aren't going well, you might have to quit something and take a loss.   That loss might be in the form of money, reputation, territory or property.  You are going to lose something, but maybe if you wait, you will lose more.  Cutting your losses means limiting how much you will lose.

examples

 

The new product wasn't selling well, so the company decided to cut their losses and stop production.

Daniel was having trouble and decided to cut his losses and sell his house for less than he paid.

Lesson 263--Expressions with Have

 

There are many key vocabulary expressions with have and in today's lesson, we will explore some more useful examples.  Today's examples all focus on talking to other people.  Hopefully you will find these examples useful.

Have a meeting.

Have a conference.

Have a conversation.

Have a discussion.

Have a talk.

examples.

Jane had a meeting at 9:00 am with her team.  She was going to have a frank discussion with them about their disappointing performance.

It was hard for Michael to have a discussion with his parents.  They just didn't see eye to eye.

Lesson 262--Pushing Buttons

 

In this high tech world, there are lots of buttons.  I think we need a short lesson on how to deal with them.

The verbs we use are:

push/press the button

hit the buttons

examples

After dialling, hit the green button.

Whenever he had to change the channel, he had to push/press at least ten buttons.

idioms

to push someone's buttons = to provoke a mood in people (good or bad)

examples

The boss hated Jeremy and knew how to push his buttons.

His wife's sexy lingerie really pushed his buttons.

In an argument, Maria could really push her boyfriend's buttons.

Lesson 254: Run it by Someone

 

 

Today's lesson is a very useful phrasal verb

to run something by someone

meanings:       

1. to give someone some information so they can offer positive or negative feedback.
2. to propose something to someone so they might accept or refuse it.

examples:

1. Dennis wanted to run his proposal by his boss.
2. Before making a decision, Selena wanted to run her ideas by her whole family.
3. Dan liked the trip plans, so he decided to run them by everyone for final approval.

Lesson 253--Using the incredible word kid

 

 

Yes, the word kid means child, but it has so many other uses.

When people make a joke, to explain that they have been joking, they often use this expression.

You're ugly.  I'm just kidding.  You're beautiful.

Did you think I was serious?  I was just kidding.

 

When we ask if something is serious, we can also use this word.  It is also used when we don't believe something.  We don't believe it is true, or we don't believe that could really happen.

Are you kidding?

Are you kidding me?

You're kidding, right?

You're kidding me, right?

 

We also use the phrase when we are lying to ourselves, or not being honest with ourselves.

David was only kidding himself when he thought Michelle liked him.  He knew it wasn't true, but he didn't want to admit it.

Everyone thought Eva was kidding herself when she said she could quit smoking easily.  They thought it would be quite hard, if not impossible, for her.

 

When we tease someone, we also explain our behaviour by using this word

Stop crying, I am only kidding you.

I'm just kidding around.

Jonathan loved to kid his little sister, but she hated it.