month10 Flashcards
It’s been raining a lot for the last few days. You look outside and it’s still raining hard today. You comment on it to your roommate.
When’s this rain gonna let up?
Will (something) let up?
When there’s weather that’s annoying or uncomfortable, you want it to stop. In this case, you can use the phrase “let up”:
When will this heat let up? My God, it’s scorching!
When a person is nagging or criticizing you, you can ask them to “let up”:
A: How many times do I have to ask you to throw away your empty bottles after you’re done with them?
B: Will you let up? I’m doing something important here!
gonna
“Gonna” is a way of pronouncing “going to”. You use it like this:
What’re you gonna do?
Native English speakers sometimes mash these two words together. It actually sounds more like “gunna”, but “gonna” has become the accepted way of spelling this when you want to capture the sound of someone’s ungrammatical speech.
Your cousin and her boyfriend fight a lot. You’ve heard that they’ve broken up for the fourth time. You can’t believe that their relationship is so difficult, so you think this.
There’s always drama with those two.
there’s always drama with (someone)
It’s hard to have a simple relationship with some people. You have problems with them like:
arguments
jealousy
suspicion
To describe a relationship like this, you can say “there’s always drama with (someone)”. That’s because these are the kinds of problems that characters in plays and TV shows have.
You can say “there’s always drama with ___” about a single person who causes problems, or about a group of people who always have problems with each other:
There’s always drama with you.
Jeez! There’s always drama with these guys.
those two
Use the phrase “those two” to talk about two people who have some kind of relationship with each other. It can be a romantic relationship, an argument, a friendship, or any other kind of relationship.
You use the phrase this way:
What are those two talking about over there?
This phrase is similar to “you two”:
Is there anything going on between you two?
You and your roommates are planning what to do this weekend. Someone suggests going fishing, but you watched the news this morning and heard that the weather is going to be bad this weekend.
The forecast calls for rain.
the (weather) forecast
A “forecast” is a prediction of what’s going to happen in the future.
The most common example of a forecast is a weather forecast. Weather reporters give predictions of what the weather is going to be like for the next few days.
Another common type of forecast is a “financial forecast”, which is a prediction of how much money a company is going to make and spend for the next quarter, year, etc.
(a forecast) calls for (something)
When you’re recounting what you heard or read in a weather forecast, use the phrase “calls for ___”:
The weather forecast calls for snow.
The forecast calls for thunderstorms.
The news calls for rain.
It means “the forecast says that there will be ___.”
This phrase is slightly formal.
You’re giving a talk at a conference. You’ve finished your presentation, and now you want the people in the audience to ask you questions.
We have a few more minutes, so I’d be happy to take some questions from the audience.
a few (of something) "A few" is a number that's not specific, but it usually means somewhere between 3-10. It's a little less formal than "several" and also sounds like a slightly lower number. Here are some examples:
You may want to consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions.
That’s a very generous offer. Um, let me think it over for a few days and get back to you.
(someone) has (some time)
“We have some time” means that there’s more time to do something. For example:
We should get going soon, don’t you think? We don’t want to be late.
No, it’s OK. We have some time.
I’d be happy to (do something)
Use this phrase to politely offer to do something.
For example, you can say this to someone who’s visiting your company from another country:
I’d be happy to show you around, if you’d like.
This phrase is polite, so you can use it with people you don’t know very well.
take questions (from an audience)
When someone gives a speech or presentation, they often “take questions from the audience”. This means that they allow people in the audience to ask questions.
You can use this phrase like this:
I’ll take questions at the end.
Each talk is about 20 minutes long, after which the presenters will be able to take questions from the audience.
You went to the beach with your friends. One of your friends got a sunburn. She says that she put on sunscreen. You think she got burned because she stayed in the sun for too long and should have put on more sunscreen.
You’re supposed to reapply it every couple of hours.
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(someone) is supposed to (do something)
When there is a rule, a custom, or has been an agreement for someone to do something, you say that they “are supposed to” do it:
I think we’re supposed to shower before going in the pool.
You’re supposed to take your shoes off when you go into someone’s house in Japan.
I’m supposed to pick Janelle up from school this afternoon.
Note that “supposed to” can also be used in other situations, like when you’re reporting information that you heard from other people.
re-(do something)
“Re-“ is a prefix that means to do something again. You can use this prefix to make a lot of English words like:
resend
rearrange
rethink
remake
rewrite
apply sunscreen
To “apply” sunscreen means to put it on someone (yourself or someone else).
The word “apply” sounds technical, so you would use it in situations like when you’re giving someone instructions. The sunscreen bottle will probably use the word “apply” in the instructions, for example.
In more casual speech, you can use “put on” instead of “apply”:
Don’t forget to put on sunscreen!
You can also “apply” things other than makeup:
Apply makeup.
Apply a cream or ointment to a cut on your skin.
Apply glue to something that you’re trying to stick together.
Apply a wood-sealing liquid to the wood on your porch.
every few / every couple of (minutes/hours/days/etc.)
Use this expression to talk about something that happens again and again after a certain length of time. For example:
I try to call them every few days, just to make sure everyone’s OK.
This sentnence means that the speaker calls again and again, with 3-20 days of not calling in between each time.
Categories: situation: beach | grammar: modals
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A baseball player on your favorite team was caught using drugs to improve his performance. You just saw the news about it on TV. You’re disappointed. You think this to yourself.
That’s a real letdown.
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(something) is a real (something)
You use “very” and “really” with adjectives like this:
That’s very dangerous. You shouldn’t be doing that.
He’s a really nice guy.
But you can’t use “very” to modify nouns. Instead, you can use “a real ___”:
You’re a real pain in the neck, you know?
Angelo is a real pleasure to work with.
That’s a letdown.
When you had high expectations for something, but it disappointed you, you can say “That’s a letdown.”
A “letdown” is something that’s disappointing. for example:
Is it just me, or was that a bit of a letdown?
The phrase “That’s a letdown” is pretty specific, though. You say it when something has just disappointed you, and you’re feeling a little sad.
For example, you might say this if you read in the newspaper that your favorite bookstore is shutting down, or if your daughter tells you that she didn’t get into the college that she applied for.
You think that it’s important for your country to develop “green” energy sources like solar power and wind power. You have a few different reasons for thinking so. You’re discussing this issue with a friend at dinner.
(something) is beneficial
“Beneficial” means “good” or “helpful”. It sounds academic, so you use it in sentences like this:
The omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oil are beneficial to early cognitive development and cardiovascular health.
Research on the beneficial effects of low-carbohydrate diets is increasing.
Some common collocations for “beneficial” are:
beneficial effects
mutually beneficial
a beneficial relationship
not only (something), but also (something) Use this phrase to talk about two different things that are both true. The first one is obvious or expected, and the second one is more unexpected. For example:
She’s not only beautiful, but also strong and intelligent.
The second part of the sentence includes “but also” or “but __ as well”:
Kids that age not only pick up everything they see, but they often like to stick objects in their mouths as well.
You don’t always have to include “but also” or “but ___ as well”:
I not only warned him; I absolutely forbade him to go.
from a (something) standpoint A "standpoint" is a certain way of seeing things or a way of thinking about the world.
For example, you can explain why you can’t take someone’s suggestion for a proposed construction project for your company:
It would be nice to have, I agree. But it just doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint.
The “business standpoint” means thinking about the project as a businessperson.
Other common “standpoints” include:
a political standpoint
a legal standpoint
a practical standpoint
a technical standpoint
(doing something) in terms of (something)
The phrase “in terms of” explains what standard you’re measuring something on. In this example:
Whether they’re growing in terms of revenue, I’m not so sure.
…the speaker wonders whether the competitor is “growing in terms of revenue”. A company can grow in several ways, including revenue, profits, number of employees, number of stores, and in other ways. The phrase “in terms of revenue” explains how you’re measuring the growth.
Other examples include:
A woman wants a guy who she can click with in terms of her interests & hobbies.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years in terms of your career?
environmental (something)
An “environmental” thing is one of the following:
something connected to the Earth, polution, climate, nature, and so on
something connected to the situation that people live in
Here’s an example of each:
The amount of environmental damage that was caused is absolutely enormous.
Exposure to secondhand smoke is one of the primary environmental causes of lung cancer.
reduce (a country’s) dependence on foreign oil
“Dependence” on something means that you need it. “Reducing” something means making the number or amount lower.
In the U.S., one of the main reasons that people discuss for wanting to develop green energy sources like solar energy and wind energy is to “reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil”. This means that the country won’t need to buy oil from other countries.
Reducing the country’s dependence on foreign oil makes the country more independent because other countries won’t be able to control the amount or cost of energy.
(something is) you know, (something)
Use “you know” in the middle of a sentence like this to form a stronger connection to your listeners.
The feeling that you convey when you say “you know” in the middle of a sentence is something like “I know that you know what I’m talking about.”
Your friend posted some photos from a party on Facebook. In some of the photos, there was a really attractive girl who you’ve never seen before. Now you’re talking to your friend about the party and you ask who the girl is.
Who’s that smokin’ hot chick you were hanging out with?
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(someone) is hot
When you call someone “hot”, it means that they’re attractive in a sexual way. You can describe a man or woman with a nice body as “hot”.
This expression is casual. It’s not rude, but there are certainly situations in which it’s not appropriate to call someone “hot”. For example, in an office environment it’s usually not appropriate to call your coworkers “hot”.
(a woman) is smokin’ hot
Calling someone “hot” means that they’re attractive. Calling a woman “smokin’ hot” means that she is very, very attractive.
Being “smokin’ hot” is a little different from being, for example “gorgeous”. A “smokin’ hot” woman is attractive in a sexual way. A “gorgeous” woman has a beautiful face and might be very well-dressed.
It is possible to describe a man as “smokin’ hot”, but much less common.
hang out with (someone)
“Hanging out with” someone means spending time together for fun. When you “hang out” with someone, you talk, eat, drink, laugh, watch movies, play games, etc.
This expression is slightly casual.
a chick
“Chick” is a slang term for a woman. You use it like this:
Chicks dig guys with money.
This means that women like men who have money.
This usage of the word “chick” is actually pretty old. It’s the kind of thing that young men would say in the ’50s. These days, “chick” seems a little old-fashioned, but it’s still used sometimes.
You’re getting a hair cut. The stylist asks how you like to wear your hair. You describe it.
I usually wear it parted on the side.
(someone) wears (his or her) hair (in a certain style)
You can describe a person’s hairstyle with this phrase:
She wears her hair long.
He wears his hair parted on the left side.
People use this expression for talking about someone’s hair length, the way that they style it, the direction that it’s pointing in, and so on. They don’t usually talk about hair color this way, even if a person dyes their hair.
You can also just describe hair like this:
His hair is slicked back.
She has long hair.
The phrase “wear (one’s) hair ___” is used more for describing people who the listener doesn’t know.
parted (hair)
A lot of people have a kind of “line” in their hair. All the hair on one side of this line goes in one direction, and all the hair on the other side of the line goes in another direction. You can call hair that looks like this “parted”.
Hair can be parted:
“on the left” / “on the right” / “on the side”
“down the middle”
Your son was doing a puzzle. He figured out the puzzle by himself. You want to praise him.
Wow. What a big boy!
Wow!
“Wow!” expresses excitement. You say it when someone tells you something or shows you something. You can use “wow” to express a variety of emotions about the thing you’re being told or shown:
it’s interesting and exciting
you want to encourage the person, especially a child
you can’t think of anything else to say
what a (something)
What a ___” communicates the idea “That’s really ___” or “You’re really ___.” Here are some examples:
If you have to throw away food that’s still good, you can say:
What a waste, huh?
Here’s something a woman can say when a man opens a door for her:
What a gentleman! Thank you very much.
If a lot of people show up to your event or party:
What a great turnout!
a big boy / a big girl
You can encourage young children by calling them a “big boy” or “big girl” when they do something impressive for their age like:
sitting upright without help for the first time
using the toilet correctly
cleaning up their toys
You can use this phrase with a child until about age 4. After that, most children feel like they’re already a “big boy” or “big girl”, so they don’t want to be called that.
Calling an adult a “big boy” or “big girl” has a completely different meaning. It means that they’re fat.
You’re shopping for clothes with your girlfriend. She suggests that you buy a shirt, but you don’t like it because of the pattern. You explain why you don’t like it.
I’m not really a fan of horizontal stripes.
I’m not really a fan of (something)
This is one way to say that you don’t like something very much. For example:
I’m not really a fan of eating out all the time.
You can use it to talk about something that you dislike a little bit, or you can say this about something that you really dislike strongly. In the second case, this would be an example of understatement.
This expression has gained popularity in the last 15 years or so.
horizontal stripes
Horizontal stripes are stripes which go side-to-side.
Stripes that go up-and-down are “vertical” stripes.
You and your partner are moving to a new apartment, and you’ve just decided where you’re going to move. Now you’re chatting on the phone with a friend, and you share the news with her.
We’re meeting up to sign the lease later this afternoon.
meet up
The word “meet” has two basic meanings:
To see and speak with someone for the first time.
To get together with someone who you already know or have met before.
The phrase “meet up” is useful because it only means the second definition of “meet”. So it’s better to say that you’re “meeting up” with someone who you already know:
Let’s meet up next weekend.
If you say that you’re “meeting” someone, it may sound like you don’t know them yet.
To identify the person that you’re meeting, use “meet up with ___”:
I met up with Jerry for drinks the other day, and he told me that you were engaged. Congratulations!
later this (week/month/year/etc.) You can explain when something is going to happen this way:
She’s coming by later today.
I’m moving to Miami later this year.
If today is Monday, “later this week” might be Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. If today is Friday or Saturday, you probably won’t use this expression.
sign the lease
A “lease” is a legal document for renting a house, apartment, business space, car, etc. It’s an agreement between the owner and the renter.
To show that you accept a legal agreement like a lease, you “sign” your name. This means that you write your name in a way that is specific to you.
So when you’re going to rent some property, you have to “sign the lease
You’re speaking to someone at a party and you tell him how long you’ve been studying English. He says that you speak it really well considering the amount of time you’ve studied. You want to thank him for the compliment while seeming modest.
Thanks! I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, but it’s nice of you to say.
PhraseMix Examples November 1, 2012
“Thanks! I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, but it’s nice of you to say.”
You’re speaking to someone at a party and you tell him how long you’ve been studying English. He says that you speak it really well considering the amount of time you’ve studied. You want to thank him for the compliment while seeming modest.
Thanks! I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, but it’s nice of you to say.
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I don’t know if that’s necessarily true.
“I don’t know if that’s necessarily true” means “That might not be true.”
You can use this phrase to politely disagree with a statement that someone has made. For example:
A: You definitely need to have a degree in Computer Science to get a job as a computer programmer, right?
B: I don’t know if that’s necessarily true.
This phrase is more polite than “That’s not true” or “That’s wrong” because it leaves open the possibility that what the person has said might be true. “I don’t know if…” and “necessarily” soften the phrase.
(It’s/That’s) nice of you to say.
When someone praises or compliments you, sometimes you accept the praise. You think that you deserve the compliment.
Other times, you don’t think that the person’s compliment is really deserved. You think that they’re just saying nice things to you to be polite, or that their opinion of you is higher than it should be. In these situations, you can respond to the praise or compliment with “That’s nice of you to say.”
A: You have a great singing voice!
B: What? That’s very nice of you to say, but I don’t think so at all!
Sometimes people respond to compliments this way, even when they completely agree with the compliment, in order to seem polite and modest.
This phrase can stand on its own:
That’s nice of you to say.
Or “say” can have an object:
It’s nice of you to say that.
Or it can be in this form:
That’s not true, but it’s nice of you to say.
You have a tattoo on your arm. You didn’t think very carefully about it when you got it. You’re on a date, and your date asks about your tattoo.
I got it on a whim one day a few years ago
a few (of something) "A few" is a number that's not specific, but it usually means somewhere between 3-10. It's a little less formal than "several" and also sounds like a slightly lower number. Here are some examples:
You may want to consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions.
That’s a very generous offer. Um, let me think it over for a few days and get back to you.
get a tattoo
A “tattoo” is a drawing that’s permanently drawn on your skin with a needle.
Use the word “get” with “tattoo”. “Getting a tattoo” means that you pay someone (or ask a friend) to tattoo you.
(do something) on a whim
When you have a small, temporary feeling of wanting to do something, it’s called a “whim”.
Doing something “on a whim” means doing it wihout planning it carefully or thinking about it seriously. You do it just for fun.
“On a whim” is a neutral phrase: not positive or negative, and neither very formal nor very casual.
You’re taking a tour of a zoo. You’re visiting the gorillas. The tour guide talks about why the number of gorillas in the world is decreasing.
Their natural habitat is being destroyed, little by little.
(do something) little by little
Use the phrase “little by little” to describe something that happens slowly. Another way to say this is “gradually”, but “gradually” is more formal. “Little by little” can be used for both positive and negative things:
We’re starting to get the hang of it little by little.
She’s losing her memory little by little. Soon we’re going to have to move her into a nursing home.
There are actually a lot of phrases like this that express doing something slowly and steadily. Here are a few:
bit by bit
inch by inch
day by day
one by one
(an animal’s) natural habitat is being destroyed
An animal species’ “natural habitat” is the area and environment that the animal usually lives in. For example, some animals live in rainforests, others live in grassy plains, others live in deep ocean waters, and so on.
These days, a lot of animal species are in danger because humans are destroying the animals’ natural habitats. This happens when people build homes and farms, release pollution, and so on.
You’re planning a trip to an amusement park with some of your coworkers. You ask one coworker if she likes roller coasters, and she says she doesn’t know. You realize that she’s never been on one, and you’re surprised.
Don’t tell me you’ve never ridden a roller coaster before!
Don’t tell me (clause)
Use this phrase to check your guess about something and show your surprise at the same time.
For example, imagine that your old friend from college who you haven’t seen in 10 years has a son, Nathan. The last time you saw Nathan, he was 4 years old. Now you run into your friend on the street and she’s with a young man who looks a little bit like your friend. You can say:
Don’t tell me this is Nathan!
This means “This is Nathan, isn’t it?” as well as “I can’t believe this is Nathan!”
Here are some more examples:
Don’t tell me you’re tired already!
Don’t tell me you’ve never seen “Titanic”!
Don’t tell me there’s no peanut butter left!
We use this expression in spoken English, not in writing.
ride a roller coaster
A “roller coaster” is like a little train that goes up and down hills quickly and sometimes turns upside down. Roller coasters are an example of a “ride” at an amusement park, fair, carnival, etc. Other examples of “rides” include:
ferris wheels
tilt-o-whirls
water rides
You took a week-long vacation at a tropical resort. You didn’t enjoy it as much as you thought you would. Now you’re back at work. A coworker asks how your vacation was, and you answer.
It’s nice and all, but by the second or third day I started to get restless.
get (adjective)
The word “get” can sometimes mean “become”:
Don’t get angry at me!
Oh no, it got wet!
It’s nice and all, but…
Sometimes you want to complain about something that wasn’t bad, but didn’t match your tastes or interests. To do this, use the phrase “It’s nice and all, but…”
For example, you can say this to talk about going to the opera:
It’s nice and all, but I’m not sure that I would go again. It’s just really expensive.
Or you can complain about a restaurant that was highly recommended to you:
It was nice and all, but it didn’t quite live up to the hype.
Adding “…and all” makes this expression sound a little more negative than just saying “It’s nice, but…”
You can use this expression in spoken English, but probably not in writing.
by the (second or third/third or fourth/etc.) day When you experience something new, your emotions and abilities change after a few days. Use this expression to talk about these changes:
I was super slow when I first started. But by the third or fourth day, I had gotten the hang of it and was almost as fast as Melinda.
It’s common to include “started to ___” with this expression:
By the second or third day, I started to get tired of eating Thai food and just wanted to have something familiar.
(someone) is restless
Being “restless” means that you can’t relax. You feel like you want to get up, go out, and do something.
People who like to work a lot get “restless” when they don’t have work to do. People who like to go out and socialize a lot get “restless” when they’re at home by themselves.
You’re waiting for an elevator to leave a building. There’s a sign on the wall that says this.
In case of fire, use stairs unless otherwise instructed.
In case of (something), (do something)
Use this phrase to describe what to do if a certain situation happens. This formal phrase is often written on signs and instructions to explain what to do in emergency situations. For example, some buses have this sign on one of their windows:
In case of emergency, pull lever and push out.
You can also use “in case of ___” at the end of a sentence like this:
I like to keep around a few days’ supply of bottled water and canned food in case of emergencies.
And there’s also a less formal version, “in case (somebody) (does something)” that you use for talking about things that aren’t emergencies:
Why don’t you take some snacks with you in case you get hungry?
use stairs
Signs are often written in a special shortened form of English that doesn’t use articles. The normal way to express this idea waould be:
use the stairs
(do something) unless otherwise instructed
This is a phrase to use when giving instructions. “Unless otherwise instructed” means “unless someone gives you different instructions”. For example:
When you hear an alarm, stay in your office unless otherwise instructed.
This means that the basic instruction is to stay in your office. But if someone gives you different instructions, you should follow them.
This is a formal-sounding expression
Your company is using a new software program for managing information about customers. There might be some problems with it, and you want to find the problems so that they can be fixed. You write this in an email to all of the employees who are going to use the program.
Please alert the development team if you receive any error messages.
receive (something)
To “receive” something basically means to get it from someone.
The word “receive” is pretty formal. It’s used in official documents or in business communication. In normal conversation, “get” is more common:
We got over a hundred submissions.
“Receive” is often used in a pair with the word “give” - there’s a famous saying “It’s better to give than to receive.”
Please alert (someone) of (a problem) If you want people to tell you about something, you can use this expression in formal English:
Please alert Management of any issues with the equipment.
“Please alert (someone)” means “Please tell (someone).” You “alert” people like:
the police
tech support staff
building owners
of things like:
crimes
suspicious activity in your neighborhood
problems with machines
“Alert” is more formal than “tell” and it sounds more serious and urgent.
the development team
Groups in a company who create new products are often called the “development team”. A “development team” might make things like software programs or new packaged food products.
error messages
When a computer program has a problem, it might show you an “error message”. This is a little window or section of text that describes a problem that the program has had.
Some other kinds of computer messages are:
confirmation messages
alert messages
warning messages
You live in a city in a foreign country. You’ve found a few markets that sell food from your home country, but they’re not very good. You’re explaining what’s wrong with them to a friend who doesn’t know about these stores.
There’s a few in the area, but they don’t have that wide of a selection.
not that (adjective) of a (something) This is an expression that you use when you want to say that something (like a "person") doesn't have very much of a quality or characteristic (like "niceness"):
not that nice of a person
The meaning of this is similar to:
not a very nice person
But “not that ___ of a ___” is more casual.
in the area
English speakers use the phrase “in the area” to talk about things that are in their city, town, or region:
Do you know of any good masseuses in the area?
“In the area” usually means somewhere that’s less than an hour away. To talk about places that are further away, use the phrase “in the region” instead:
It’s one of the oldest historical sites in the region.
a wide selection
When you have “a wide selection”, it means that there are a lot of different things to choose from. English speakers mostly use this phrase to talk about stores or restaurants. For example:
Come on down to Burlington Coat Factory! We have the widest selection of coats in the entire state!
The opposite of a “wide selection” is a “limited selection”.
There’s a few
Technically, this phrase should be “there are a few” or “there’re a few”. However, this is a common mistake that English speakers make in spoken English.
Some people make this mistake because they don’t know whether a verb is supposed to agree with “a few” or with the noun that follows it:
There’s a few people here already.
There are a few people here already.
Other people know the rule but forget while putting sentences together in spoken English.
You were eating lunch with your son. He seems to be finished eating. You want to ask if he’s finished so you can clean up.
All done?
All done?
This question means “Are you finished?” It sounds very gentle, so you can use it in situations like when you’re:
seeing if your young child is finished eating
a waiter serving customers at a restaurant
clearing out dishes for guests at a dinner party that you’re hosting
“All ___” often means “completely ___”. That’s what it means in this case.
You’re driving somewhere with your son riding in the back seat. He’s misbehaving, and you want him to stop. You threaten to punish him like this.
Don’t make me pull this car over!
pull over
When you’re driving, to “pull over” means to stop your car on the side of the road. You might have to “pull over” when a police car stops you, when you have engine trouble, or when you need to look at a map. Here’s an example:
When there’s an ambulance or fire truck approaching, you’re supposed to pull over to the side of the road and let them pass.
You can use “pull over” by itself like in this example. Or you can use it with an object like this:
You’re supposed to pull your vehicle over to the side of the road.
Don’t make me (do something)!
This is a phrase that’s most often used by parents or teachers talking to misbehaving children. You say “Don’t make me (do something)!” to threaten some kind of punishment. For example:
Don’t make me come up there!
Don’t make me call your mother!
As you can see, the parent doesn’t directly state what the punishment is going to be; it’s just a vague threat of something bad that’s going to happen if the child continues to behave badly.
You have an antique gun that used to belong to your grandfather. You have visitors from your church over at your house, and someone is looking at the gun. You explain where it came from.
That was passed down to me by my grandfather.
(something) was passed down to (someone) by (someone)
When people give meaningful items to their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and so on, it’s called “passing ___ down”. People “pass down” things like:
jewelry
furniture
photographs
For things that are valuable but don’t have much emotional meaning, we don’t use the phrase “pass down”. Instead, you say that the relative “gave” or “left” someone these things:
My parents left me a little bit of money when they passed away.
To explain who gets the item, use “to”. Use “by” to explain who is giving the item:
It was passed down to me by my mother.
You’re giving a talk at a conference. You’ve finished your presentation. You can’t think of anything else to say, so you end the presentation this way.
So, yeah.
Use this casual expression when you’re at the end of a conversation and you don’t have anything else to say. For example, if you’re introducing yourself to a group of people in a meeting at a conference, people often end in this way:
So, yeah. That’s about it.
It means that you don’t have anything else to say about yourself.
“So, yeah.” makes it sound like you’ve tried to think of other things to say about a topic, but you can’t. So when you’re trying to sound confident and intelligent, it’s probably better not to use “So, yeah.”
pretty much
“Pretty much” means “basically”. You use when you’re not speaking very precisely, but instead giving an estimate or a general idea. For example:
I’m pretty much done.
You can say this when you’re almost finished with a project, even if you’re not completely finished.
“Pretty much” is casual.
that wraps it up
You say “that wraps it up” when you’ve finished doing or explaining something. For example, you can use this phrase to end meetings.
The phrasal verb “wrap up” means to finish.
You’re putting on a pair of shoes. You notice that there’s now a hole in the bottom of one of them. You say this to yourself.
It looks like I’ve worn through the soles.
it looks like (clause)
When you’ve noticed something and want to point it out to people, you say “it looks like ___”. For example, if you’re waiting for some people to meet you but they’re 15 minutes late, you can say:
It looks like they’re not coming.
If you look outside on a rainy day and it’s not raining anymore, you can say:
It looks like the rain has stopped.
In casual speech, you can leave the word “it” out at the beginning of the sentence.
wear through the sole (of a shoe)
When something gets “worn through”, it gets thinner and thinner through use, until there’s a hole in it.
You can use “wear through” in these ways:
(someone) wears through (something)
I wear through shoes quickly.
(something) wears through (something)
The heel of my boot wore through my sock.
(somthing) is/gets worn through
It’s already worn through.
Use “wear through” mostly to talk about clothes or the soles of a person’s shoes. The “sole” is the bottom of the shoe, which touches the ground when you walk.
You’re chatting with a friend. She tells you about some problems she’s been having with her neighbor. You have similar problems with one of the people who lives in your apartment building, so you share your story.
‘ve got this neighbor who plays this god-awful techno music until one in the morning.
this (person/thing)
In the example above, the speaker uses “this” instead of “a”. There’s a small difference between the two. When you say “this ___” it sounds like you’re talking about one specific thing. “A ___” is more general.
You use “this ___” instead of “a” or “the” when you’re introducing something specific that you’re going to talk about. It’s usually used at the beginning of a story or explanation. For example:
Amy and I were sitting there talking and this guy I know walked by.
I’ve had this song stuck in my head for two days!
Today I was talking with this girl at work who just got back from maternity leave.
In all of these examples, the speaker will continue by telling a story about that topic.
People only use “this ___” in this way in casual spoken English.
god-awful (something)
“God-awful” means really ugly, annoying, badly done, or unattractive. You use “god-awful” to talk about things that you don’t like such as:
bad music
bad art
bad writing
a bad city
Although the word “god-awful” includes the word “god”, most English speakers don’t get offended by people using it.
techno music
To the average person who doesn’t know a lot about it, “techno music” describes any kind of electronic music.
Among people who are interested in it, “techno music” has a more specific meaning.
I’ve got (something)
“I’ve got ___” means “I have ___”. For example:
I’ve got three left. What about you?
In American English, “I’ve got” sounds more casual than “I have”.
Categories: function: complaining | topic: neighbor | word: this
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You’re chatting with someone that you just met at a party. She knows that you’re from another country, so she asks about why and how you moved here. This was actually the first foreign country you went to, so you say this.
Believe it or not, I had never even traveled abroad when I moved here.
Believe it or not
The phrase “Believe it or not,…” introduces something that the listener might be surprised to hear. For example, an out-of-shape older man might tell his niece:
Believe it or not, I used to be a championship swimmer back in high school.
In the following example, a person who is living abroad in a foreign country tells her friend in the new country:
Believe it or not, I had never even travelled abroad when I moved here.
People mostly use “believe it or not” to talk about something that’s surprising to the listener. But sometimes people also use it sarcastically. For example, if your spouse tries to give you advice while you’re driving, you might say:
Believe it or not, I do know how to drive, you know.
Your spouse isn’t surprised to hear that you know how to drive, but since they’re giving you instructions, it’s almost like they think you can’t drive. So this sentence is a kind of joke.
I had (done something) When you're telling a story, you describe the setting at a certain time in the past. If you then want to describe something that happened before the setting of the story, you use "I had \_\_\_". Here's an example:
I was almost at the train station when I realized that I had left my wallet in my other purse.
You can also talk about things that didn’t happen before the setting of the story. In this sentence:
Believe it or not, I had never even traveled abroad when I moved here.
…the basic setting of the story is “when I moved here”. The speaker didn’t have any travel experience then, although she might have some now.
(someone) travels abroad
“Traveling abroad” means traveling to places outside of your home country.
“Abroad” is not a place. A common mistake that English learners make is saying “to abroad”. You don’t travel “to” abroad; you just “travel abroad”.
Aside from traveling, you can also:
study abroad
go abroad
live abroad
You’re driving somewhere with your family. You put your son in his car seat and strap him in, then say this.
There you go.
You say “There you go” when you’re giving or handing a person something. More generally, you use it when you’re doing something for another person. For example, say “There you go” when:
you stand up to let someone sit down
you’ve finished tying someone’s necktie for them
you clear a space on the kitchen counter for someone to set a hot dish on
You can also say “here you go” in the same way. While there are no absolute rules for when to use one or the other, I would use “here you go” if I brought something to them from far away, and “there you go” if I’m sitting in place and handing them the object.
all (adjective)
Use “all” in front of positive adjective to mean “very” or “completely”. Parents do this a lot when speaking to children, so it sounds comforting. Here are some examples:
It’s all warm and snuggly in here, isn’t it?
Now you’re all clean and fresh!
(someone) is buckled in
A “buckle” is the part of a belt where you attach the two ends to each other. The belts people wear on their pants have buckles. So do some shoes, straps for handbags and luggage, and seatbelts.
When an adult wears a seatbelt, you say that they’re “buckled up”. But when you put a child in a car seat, you buckle them in. The difference is that a person who’s “buckled in” has straps not only across the waist, but over both shoulders as well. Jet plane pilots also get “buckled in”.
You’re having a political debate with a friend. He thinks that the government should provide money to people who can’t find jobs. You disagree because it’s not fair to people who work. You explain your idea this way.
Why should I, as a taxpayer, have to bear the burden of supporting these people with my hard-earned money?
Why should (someone) have to (do something)? Use this expression to talk about something that's unfair. It means "I shouldn't have to \_\_\_".
For example:
Why should we have to work late when they get to go home early?
Why should I have to pay for it? You’re the one who broke it.
as a taxpayer
A “taxpayer” is just someone who pays taxes.`
People mostly use “as a taxpayer” when discussing what the government should spend money on or what they should be allowed to do.
For example:
As a taxpayer, I find it offensive that teachers are protesting against a law that’s intended to hold them accountable for their results.
bear a burden
When you have to do hard work to support other people, you are “bearing a burden”.
The word “bear” means “carry” in this instance. A “burden” is a heavy weight. You can use “bear a burden” to talk literally about carrying heavy objects, but it’s mostly used metaphorically.
It’s common to use the phrase “bear the burden” to talk about someone paying for something that supports other people. Here are some examples of things that you might describe as “bearing a burden”:
paying for your elderly parents’s care
taxpayers paying for students’ education
“Bearing a burden” is a negative-sounding phrase.
support (someone)
“Supporting” someone means giving them help that they need. Often, that means money. You might “support” somone like a family member:
My aunt supported me through college.
How long did they support you for?
You can also “support” someone emotionally, by listening to their problems and offering advice.
(one’s) hard-earned money
Use this phrase to complain about losing money through spending, taxes, or other ways:
All you want to do is spend ny hard-earned money!
The government wants to come in and take all of my hard-earned money!
“Hard-earned money” is money that you had to work hard to make.
You’re telling a story about a funny mistake that your friend made. You’ve just described the mistake, so now you describe your reaction.
(someone) busted out laughing
The phrase “bust out laughing” describes someone suddenly laughing really hard. You “bust out laughing” when something funny and unexpected happens.
This is a casual and slangy spoken English phrase. The more correct expression is “burst out laughing”:
They all burst out laughing at the sight of Emmett in his gorilla costume.
Use “burst out laughing” in more formal and written English.
