2017 September Flashcards
You’re replacing the roof of a home. You found that there was some damage to the roof, so you have to replace the wood. You’re telling the homeowner about this, but you don’t know how much it will cost.
I don’t know exactly how much it’ll be. I’ll call the office and have them crunch the numbers.
crunch the numbers
“Crunching the numbers” means doing a lot of math to figure out the answer to a question.
You can “crunch numbers” to figure out the cost of something complicated, like a business transaction or a home loan. Scientists and engineers also “crunch numbers” to solve problems in their work.
This is a casual phrase that fits in a spoken conversation.
have (someone) (do something)
When you are in charge of someone, like an employee, you can “have them” do things for you. For example:
I’ll have my assistant send you those documents later today.
Why don’t we have the waiter bring us the check now so that we can leave quickly?
You also use this expression to ask someone to pass a message like this:
Can you have her call me?
exactly how much (something) will be
Use this phrase to talk about a specific price:
Can you tell me exactly how much it will be?
the office
When you’re talking about doing something at the office that you work at, you can call it “the office” (not “my office” or “my company’s office”). “The office” refers not only to the location, but also the people who work at your office. For example:
I only go into the office two or three days a week. The rest of the time, I can work from home.
I just got a call from the office. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to cut this meeting short.
In your apartment, you have a tall bookshelf set up near your bed with some heavy boxes on top of it. Earthquakes aren’t common in your area, but you’re worried that the boxes would fall and hurt you if one happened. You communicate this fear to your wife.
I’m a little worried about what would happen if we were to have an earthquake.
what would happen if (something) were to (happen)
This is a way of talking about an imaginary situation.
Another, simpler way to express the same idea is this:
I’m a little worried about what would happen if we had an earthquake.
Adding “were to” makes the sentence sound less realistic. So in this sentence:
What would happen to the kids if we were to die in an accident or something?
…the speaker doesn’t expect to get in an accident; it’s just a hypothetical (imaginary) situation.
we have/had an earthquake
Here is the most common way to talk about a natural disaster like an earthquake:
There was an earthquake.
But this is another common expression:
We had an earthquake
Here are some more examples with other disasters and weather events:
Do you remember the big hurricane we had back in ‘75?.
They had a thunderstorm last night.
You wrote an email for work and sent it to an email group. After you sent it, you realize that you sent it to the wrong group. You send another message to the same group, which says this.
Please disregard my last message. It was mistakenly sent to the wrong group.
Please disregard (something) "Please disregard \_\_\_" means "Please don't pay attention to \_\_\_".
This is a formal phrase that you can use when there’s a mistake or something that you don’t want people to notice:
Please disregard the last section. It’s not really important for what we’re talking about.
We’re conducting a test of the emergency warning system. Please disregard the alarm.
the last (something) The "last \_\_\_" means "the one before now". Here are a few more examples to help you to understand how to use it:
If you sent a message an hour ago, that is your “last” message.
If you sent a message an hour ago and you just sent another one, the message an hour ago is your “last” message.
What if you sent three messages - one two hours ago, one an hour ago, and one just now?
The one you just sent is “this message” or “this last message”.
The one you sent an hour ago is “the last message”.
The one you sent two hours ago is “the previous message”.
(something) was (done)
The person in the example sent the message. So why didn’t he write, “I sent it by mistake”?
When you write that “(someone) did (something)”, it puts praise or blame on the person you’re writing about. For example:
Paul made a mistake in it.
If you don’t put the person’s name as the subject, it sounds much more calm and objective, even though it means the same thing:
There was a mistake in it.
mistakenly (do something)
Doing something “mistakenly” means that you do it by mistake.
The opposite of “mistakenly” is “purposefully”:
You purposefully said that to hurt me, didn’t you?
You’re a fan of monster movies. You and a friend are discussing what kind of imaginary monster would be the most dangerous. You explain why zombies are quite dangerous.
The thing about zombies is that they’re not fast or resourceful, but they’re absolutely relentless.
The thing about (something) is (clause)
Use this expression when you want to complain about something. “The thing about ___ is….” introduces an idea that you want to complain about:
The thing about the current political administration is that they’re all talk and no action.
The one thing about Lacey that annoys me to no end is that she’s never had any hands-on experience, yet she seems to think that she knows everything about it.
You can also use “The thing about ___ is ___” in other situations where you’re not complaining. You can also use it to introduce a positive or interesting point about something. For example:
The thing about my Uncle Frank is that, once you get to know him, he’s really nice and very loyal.
The thing about college is, you don’t really learn very much that you couldn’t learn on your own by reading a few books.
zombies
“Zombies” are a kind of monster that appear in movies and TV shows. They’re dead people who have come back to life. They usually chase living people in order to bite them and eat their brains. But fortunately, zombies are slow and dumb.
(someone) is resourceful
A “resourceful” person has a certain kind of intelligence. They’re able to accomplish a lot with limited resources. Here are some examples of people that you could describe as “resourceful”:
a mother who doesn’t have much money, so she sews her children’s clothes by hand
a teenager who forms her own band and sets up several live shows on her own
an employee in a company’s Marketing department who comes up with a great promotion for the company that doesn’t require much money
an action hero in a movie who fights against the bad guys using only everyday materials that he finds nearby
Companies often want to hire “resourceful” employees because they will get the job done, no matter what.
(someone) is absolutely relentless
A “relentless” person is someone who keeps trying and never gives up.
“Relentless” is not a completely positive word; you can use it to describe someone who keeps doing something annoying as well. For example:
A: He sure does talk a lot, doesn’t he?
B: Yes! Once you get him started, he is absolutely relentless!
You’ll often hear the word “absolutely” before “relentless” to describe a person who’s really, really determined.
absolutely (adjective)
You can use the word “absolutely” to strengthen an adjective that already sounds strong:
I was absolutely exhausted.
It was absolutely disgusting.
Note that if an adjective isn’t already strong, you can’t use “absolutely” with it. So “I’m absolutely tired” would be strange, while “absolutely exhausted” is OK. “It was absolutely big” is strange, but this works:
It was absolutely enormous.
Your mother is very outgoing and talkative. You’re describing her to a friend. You give an example of her outgoing behavior.
She’s always striking up conversations with total strangers.
(someone) is always (doing something)
Say that someone “is always ___ing” when a person does something often, and you think it’s too much.
He’s always texting me and asking me to go out with him. Gross!
They’re always asking me to join the team, but I’ve got absolutely no interest in playing softball.
strike up a conversation
To “strike up” a conversation means to begin talking to someone who you were not talking to before.
We usually use this phrase to describe starting a conversation with a stranger.
“Striking up a conversation” sounds friendly and relaxed.
total strangers
“Total strangers” are people who you do not know at all.
A: Who was that gentleman you were speaking with?
B: I don’t know. He’s a total stranger.
When you were young, you used to want to be a comic book artist and used to practice drawing all the time. But you stopped drawing and haven’t done it for many years. Now you have just seen an old drawing that you did and it makes you nostalgic. You feel a little bit of regret that you stopped drawing. You say this to your husband.
Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I’d stuck with it.
wonder (relative clause)
To “wonder” is to imagine or think about something that you’re not sure about. It’s like asking yourself a question that’s hard to answer.
People often use this phrase when asking themselves questions that they don’t expect anyone to answer:
I wonder what time it is?
I wonder where she put it…
what would have happened if (something) had (happened)
This is a phrase that’s used for imagining how things would be different if an event in the past had been different. You can use this when you wish that something had happened differently, as in the example at the top. You can also use this phrase to express happiness with the way things actually happened. For example:
I can’t imagine what would have happened if I’d kept drinking like that every night.
stick with (something) To "stick with" something means to continue to do it. This phrase is usually used to talk about continuing to work toward a dream or goal you have, like learning a talent.
You can put a noun into this phrase:
She stuck with the piano for a long time.
However, it’s more common to introduce the topic and then just use “it” in the phrase:
She used to be a competitive pianist. She stuck with it for a long time.
You’re having the shingles on your roof replaced. The contractor who’s doing the work tells you that the wood on your roof is rotten and will need to be replaced. He says that he doesn’t know how much it will cost, but you want to have an idea of the cost, even if it’s not accurate.
Can you at least give me a ballpark?
at least (do something) When you want someone to do a something, but they don't want to do it, you state a lower minimum amount that you think they should do using "at least \_\_\_":
You can at least take out the garbage, since I cooked and washed all the dishes for you.
He could at least say “hi” or something.
give (someone) a ballpark
A “ballpark” is a rough estimate. In other words, it’s a guess about an amount that’s close to the correct number, but not exact. You use it like this:
Here’s an estimate of the cost. Keep in mind, it’s just a ballpark.
We’ll call up the electrician and have them give us a ballpark, but I’ll check with you before I have them do any work.
This phrase comes from the sport of baseball. A “ball park” in a place where people watch baseball games. If two locations are within the same ball park, then they’re not exactly close to each other, but they’re not too far away either.
Your daughter is packing for a weekend vacation. She’s packed two large suitcases and a backpack. You think that’s too much. You say this.
I find it hard to believe that you’re really going to need all that luggage just for 3 days.
I find it hard to believe that (clause)
“I find it hard to believe…” actually means that you don’t believe something. The first part, “I find it ___”, means “I think it is ___”:
I find it hard to relate to him sometimes.
I find it really hard to focus on my work in the afternoon.
Use “I find it hard to believe…” to complain about something that you don’t think is true.
Grammatically, you should follow “I find it hard to believe” with a clause connected by “that”. The clause is like a little sentence:
I find it hard to believe that you wrote this paper yourself without any help whatsoever.
luggage
“Luggage” is stuff like suitcases, bags, and cases that you take with you when you travel somewhere.
The word “luggage” is uncountable, so people don’t normally say “luggages.” Other related words, like “suitcase”, are countable:
I find it hard to believe that you’re really going to need that many suitcases for just 3 days.
You’re a salesperson. You’re talking to someone you just met about your job, and why you like it. You say this.
As a salesperson, you have to be able to relate to a wide range of people.
relate to (someone) To "relate to" someone means to feel comfortable with them, and to understand each other. People usually "relate to" each other by sharing information about themselves.
If someone always wanted to talk about sports, but you weren’t interested in sports, you might have trouble relating to them. Here’s another example:
I was glad to finally meet someone who I could relate to.
As (something), (sentence)
This expression is useful for describing who a sentence is about. It’s easiest to understand it with a few examples:
As a parent, I have to think about what’s best for my kids, not just myself.
As the oldest member of the team, I feel like I’m held to a really high standard of performance.
As my friend, tell me the truth: do you think I’m making a huge mistake?
You can see from the examples that “As ___” works for talking about yourself or for talking about other people.
a wide range of (people/things)
A “wide range” means a lot of things that are different from each other.
For example:
You should try to eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
They had a wide range of different lamps, but none of them really appealed to me.
“A wide range…” sounds rather technical or scienticfic. People use it when explaining things.
You have to (do something)
This is a very straightforward way to give someone advice. You use this phrase when you definitely know more about something than the people who are listening:
A: I’ve never eaten that before. Do you eat it raw?
B: No, you have to cook it.
The bottom line is that you have to reduce your calorie intake to lose weight.
You can also use “You have to ___” when you’re excited about something and you want to share it:
You have to try this! It’s delicious!
If you use “You have to ___” to share an opinion, you might come across as rude. For example, don’t use this phrase when giving friends advice about their relationships, job, etc.
Two of your friends have been secretly dating each other. Finally they tell you about it, and you’re really surprised because you didn’t suspect it. You say this.
I was completely oblivious!
completely oblivious
Being “oblivious” to something means that you don’t notice it, or don’t know that it’s happening. It sounds a little negative but not too bad.
The word “oblivious” often appears together with “completely”:
Most people are completely oblivious to all of the ways that they’re being manipulated by advertising and the media.
If you want to include the topic, use “oblivious to __”:
I was completely oblivious to the fact that they were dating.
When you’re high, you become oblivious to everything that’s going on around you.
“Oblivious” is an advanced word, so not everyone uses it. A more basic word is “unaware”.
While walking around your neighborhood, you see your neighbor, who’s playing with her dog. The dog is standing up like a person. You’re delighted to see that, so you say this.
Oh! You trained him to stand on his hind legs?
Oh
This is a sound that people make when they’ve learned something that surprises them, or something that they didn’t know before.
Oh, you’re not coming? I thought you were.
A: Excuse me, miss. We’re closing in five minutes.
B: Oh, OK.
Oh, I guess we’re both going the same way, huh?
train (an animal) to (do something)
You “teach” people, but you “train” an animal.
You can sometimes use the word “train” for a person, but it suggests training for fighting or the military. And it’s also common to joke about women “training” their husbands or boyfriends:
I had to train him not to leave the toilet seat up.
(an animal’s) hind legs
Animals that walk on four legs, like dogs, have “front legs” and “hind legs”.
Your friend’s mother passed away. You’re at the funeral. You want to give your friend some comfort, so you offer to help her.
Please, please, please - let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you through these times.
let (someone) know
“Let me know” means “tell me”. But “let me know” is a more polite and friendly expression. It’s very common to hear in an English-speaking workplace:
If anything comes up between now and then, just let me know.
You can also use it with friends:
Let me know when you’re finished with the computer.
please, please, please
You can emphasize a request by repeating the word “please”. For example:
If you have any money problems, please, please, please come to me.
Please, please, please check with me before signing any legal documents.
This is typically only done in spoken English.
anything I can do to help
If someone is having a problem, but you’re not sure how to help, you can ask:
Is there anything I can do to help?
This shows your support for this person. Another way to phrase this which is more formal but more distant is:
If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know.
This phrase is good to use when a friend or acquaintance has bad news about an illness, a death in the family, money problems, etc. You can also ask “Is there anything I can do to help?” when you see someone working really hard and you don’t have any work of your own to do.
help (someone) through (an emotionally difficult time)
“Helping someone through” an emotionally difficult situation like:
a divorce a death in the family drug addiction being laid off from a job depression ...means listening to them, helping them, and being nice to them until the bad situation is over.
You end this expression with a phrase that describes the time period or names the situation:
He helped me through a really difficult time in my life.
She really helped me through the divorce.
Your husband is on the couch watching TV. You want to sit with him, but he’s sitting in the middle of the couch and there’s not enough room for you. You want him to move so you can sit down. You say this.
Hey, scoot over.
Hey
You say “Hey” at the beginning of a sentence in casual English when you want to get someone’s attention. For example:
Hey, Hitomi, can you hand me that box over there?
It’s common to say “Hey” before you ask someone a question, or when someone has done something that’s wrong or unfair:
Hey, you’re taking up the whole bed!
Use “hey” with people you know or are familiar with. When you’re talking to people you don’t know as well, “Excuse me” is more polite.
scoot over
“Scooting over” means moving your body over, away from someone, by sliding. You can “scoot over” when you’re sitting or laying somewhere, but it doesn’t usually make sense for a standing person to “scoot over”.
You can also “scoot” in any other direction:
Scoot up.
Scoot in.
Scoot back.
When you come home, there are a lot of dry cleaning bags hanging in the closet. You wonder why your husband cleaned so many things. You ask this.
What’s with all the dry cleaning?
What’s with (something)?
“What’s with ___?” is a casual way to ask why something is happening. For example, if one of your coworkers is yawning a lot, and you want to know why, you can ask:
What’s with the yawning?
This means “Why are you yawning so much?”
“What’s with ___” is used in informal spoken English and when chatting online. It doesn’t have any strong positive or negative associations.
dry cleaning
“Dry cleaning” is a type of cleaning process for clothes like suits and sweater. You don’t do this at home; you take your clothes to a “dry cleaner”, which is the name of the business.
The phrase “dry cleaning” can mean the process of cleaning clothes:
Conventional dry cleaning uses a lot of nasty chemicals that are harmful to the environment.
It’s also what you call the clothes that have been cleaned. For example:
Can you pick up my dry cleaning on your way home?
You just got your Ph.D. A friend asks you if you’re proud of yourself. You feel kind of accomplished. But your strongest feeling is happiness that you can stop researching and writing papers for a while. You say this.
Honestly, I feel more relieved than anything.
Honestly, (sentence)
When you start a sentence with “Honestly…” it sounds like you’re telling your listeners a secret that you wouldn’t tell other people. For example:
Honestly, I don’t think I ever want to have kids:
Honestly, I don’t regret quitting at all.
People usually use “Honestly…” to share things that some other people would disagree with. It can help you and your listeners to feel closer to each other.’
Another way to use “Honestly…” is to introduce an idea that you just thought of that has surprised you a little:
Honestly, I don’t think I even need this jacket today.
more (adjective) than anything
In the example above, the speaker feels several emotions about getting her Ph.D. — pride, sadness that she’s leaving the school, nervousness about her future, etc. But she’s saying that the emotion she feels the most is relief.
Here’s another example: if your baby is crying, you try changing her diaper, feeding her, holding her, etc. but she still continues to cry. You say:
I bet she’s more sleepy than anything.
This means that sleepiness is the main thing that’s making her cry.
You pronounce the sentence with the most stress on the adjective:
I feel more relieved than anything.
She’s more sleepy than anything.
Here are a few more examples. Some of them use an adjective, but some use a noun after “more”:We got you a little gift. It’s nothing special. It’s more a gesture than anything.
Don’t worry about him. He’s more hungry than anything. I’m sure his mood will improve once we get some food in his belly.
The political opposition to President Obama is more racism than anything else.
(someone) feels relieved
Feeling “relieved” means feeling good because a difficult problem has passed. In other words, you “feel relieved” when you stop worrying about something. For example:
I felt so relieved when the doctor told us that he was going to be OK.
Don’t you feel relieved now that you have your own company and don’t have to answer to a boss?
