month13 Flashcards
You’re an adult man, but you’re a fan of a TV show that’s mostly watched by teenage girls. You’re explaining to a friend that you started watching it because of your daughter.
I started watching over her shoulder and… what can I say? I got sucked into it
What can I say?
“What can I say” is something you say when you don’t have any other good response to what someone says. Some situations where you can give this answer include:
When someone says something really good about you, and you agree but you don’t want to brag.
When someone is really angry about something, but you aren’t able to fix their problem.
When someone criticizes you, and you agree that it’s true.
(someone) gets sucked in (to something)
When something completely takes all of a person’s attention, you can say that that person has been “sucked into” it. For example, you might get sucked into:
a really addictive crime novel
a long and complicated video game
an exciting but very competitive industry, like the entertainment industry
news about a famous murder trial
Another meaning of “sucked in” is to be fooled by someone’s lies and false promises:
Don’t get sucked in by credit cards offering free airline miles or other perks.
Being “sucked into” something is usually negative, whether it’s used with the first or second meaning.
(read/watch)(something) over (someone’s) shoulder
Imagine that someone is reading a book in a chair. You stand behind the chair and start to read the book that this person is reading. In this situation, you’re “reading over their shoulder”.
You can use the phrase “reading over (someone’s) shoulder” to talk about reading someone else’s book, newspaper, magazine, etc. It doesn’t matter where the reader is standing or sitting.
It’s also possible to watch TV over someone’s shoulder. If one person is watching a TV show alone, and you start to watch it while pretending to do something else, you’re “watching over their shoulder”.
You’re playing with a football on the beach with your girlfriend. You’re surprised at how well she throws, so you compliment her.
You throw pretty well for a girl.
pretty (adverb)
You use “pretty” before an adverb to show how much of that quality something has. For example:
I drive pretty slowly.
“Pretty ___” means “a little more than expected”. It’s halfway between “a little” and “very”.
pretty good / pretty well for (a category)
This expression is hard to explain, so let’s begin with some examples:
You speak English pretty well for a non-native.
This is pretty good… for an American beer.
You use phrases like this to compare something to the category that it belongs to. It expresses the idea that something is better than other things in that category, but not better than things outside of that category.
So in the example “You speak English pretty well for a non-native,” the category is “non-natives”. The sentence means “You speak English better than most non-natives. However, you don’t speak as well as native English speakers.”
In the second example, the speaker is talking about an American beer. He or she is saying that the beer is better than most American beers, but not better than beers from some other places (like German beers, for example).
The most typical example of this expression is “You’re pretty good for a girl.” Men say this to compliment a woman who’s able to do things that men usually do, like playing certain sports.
You’re at a wedding. The ceremony is almost finished. The minister says this to officially announce that the couple is married.
I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.
I now pronounce you man and wife.
At a wedding ceremony, the minister or wedding officiant says this to officially announce that the couple is married.
This phrase is very formal-sounding.
“I now pronounce you…” means “I officially say that you are…” This expression is not often used outside of wedding ceremonies. If someone does say “I now pronounce you…” in another situation, it’s probably a joke.
You may kiss the bride.
The minister or wedding officiant in a wedding says this at the end of a ceremony. It means that the couple may kiss each other.
Traditionally, the minister says “You may kiss the bride” to the groom. These days, some couples request that the minister say something like “You may now kiss” to avoid sexism.
You may (do something). This is a very formal way to give someone permission to do something.
A judge in a courtroom might use the phrase “You may…” to give people permission to do things during a trial. For example, when the judge enters the court, everyone is supposed to stand. After the judge enters, he or she might say:
You may be seated.
You can also hear this expression when you take a formal, standardized test. The person who’s administering the test (usually a teacher) will read the instructions. At the end of the instructions, when everyone is ready to take the test, he or she will say:
You may begin.
You’re talking with someone about the government of North Korea. This person doesn’t know much about North Korea, so you explain who the country’s leader is.
He inherited the position from his father
inherit a position from (someone)
When an older person dies, their things often go to their children or younger relatives. You can describe this by saying that the younger people “inherit” the things from their older relatives. For example, some things that a person can inherit from an older family member include:
money
a house
furniture
jewelry
In addition to money and physical things, a person can also “inherit a position”. For example, the CEO of a privately-owned company might make one of her children the CEO when she retires. In this case, you can say:
She inherited the position of CEO from her mother.
You’re a young man. You’re waiting in a really long line at an amusement park. After waiting for several minutes without moving, you get really frustrated and say this to your friend.
Can you believe this shit?
Can you believe (something)?
The phrase “Can you believe ___?” is used to criticize something that you don’t like. For example:
Can you believe he didn’t even call me back?
Can you believe this shit?
Use this when you think people are doing something that’s totally unacceptable, and you’re surprised that they’re doing it. You usually say this to someone who you think agrees with your opinion.
“Just (did something)” is often used along with this phrase:
Can you believe she just took it without asking? How rude!
this shit
Use “this shit” to refer to something that you don’t like:
Ew. What is this shit?
I don’t have time for this shit!
“Shit” is a curse word, so there are many situations in which it’s not polite to say it. You shouldn’t say “shit”:
around young children
around strangers who you want to impress
to people who you are trying to impress, like your boyfriend or girlfriend’s family
in church
When you do use the phrase “this shit”, it sounds angry and tough.
You’re talking with a friend who has allergies. Your cousin has allergies and told you about a medicine that she takes which helps. You tell your friend about this medicine. You don’t think she needs a prescription to get it.
I believe it’s sold over the counter
I believe (something) This is a very light way to use "I believe". Usually people say "I believe..." when describing their important and strongly-held opinions. For example:
I believe that everything happens for a reason.
But you can also use “I believe…” to talk about something that you’re not completely sure of. Here are some examples of “I believe” used this way:
There’s a keyboard shortcut for that… I believe it’s “Control” plus “E”.
A: When is the company picnic?
B: I believe it’s on the fifteenth.
When you use “believe” this way, emphasize the word “believe”, rather than “I”.
(a medicine) is sold over the counter
Medicine is sold in two ways:
“Prescription drugs” require a prescription from a doctor. You can’t buy them unless you have this. They’re only sold at drug stores.
“Over-the-counter drugs” don’t require a prescription. You can buy them at a drug store or sometimes even at grocery stores, convenience stores, etc.
For over-the-counter drugs, you can say that they are “sold over the counter”:
A: Is it sold over the counter?
B: No, it’s a prescription drug.
Your boss has asked you and a coworker to do a project that will take a few weeks to complete. You’re talking with your coworker about it. You think it’s a good idea to get started soon, so you suggest that to your coworker.
We should get started on that sooner rather than later, don’t you think
don’t you think?
Use this question to ask for agreement from a listener. People use this expression when:
they’re making a suggestion:
You should ask the professor for help, don’t you think?
they want to state their opinion, but they don’t feel confident enough to just directly say it
they want the listeners to feel included in the statement
Wow. I love this place. It’s great, don’t you think?
they want the listener to admit that something is true:
You’re too old for that, don’t you think?
get started on (something)
The phrase “get started” simply means “start”.
You use “get started on ___” to talk about work that needs to be done:
Do you want me to get started on the salad?
A: Can you pull together a list of all of our clients in that region for the past two years?
B: Of course. I’ll get started on that right away!
Just use “start” to talk about ongoing actions:
I need to start exercising.
(do something) sooner rather than later
This phrase means to do something soon, and not wait. You use it like this:
I think we should talk to an accountant sooner rather than later.
If you’re going to break it off with him, you ought to do it sooner rather than later
Your nephew has just graduated from college and started his first job. You’re talking to him at a family get-together. You give him some money advice.
A good rule of thumb is to put 10% of your pay into savings.
a rule of thumb
A “rule of thumb” is an easy-to-remember rule that you can use to make a decision.
Some useful rules of thumb include:
Don’t date someone that you work with.
Try to get 8 hours of sleep each night.
Put at least 10% of your pay into savings.
“Rules of thumb” aren’t always true, but they’re true most of the time, so you can follow them unless you have some better information to use instead.
The phrase “rule of thumb” is most often used in sentences in two ways:
I don’t date people I work with, as a rule of thumb.
A good rule of thumb is to put 10% of your pay into savings.
put (money) in savings
Putting money “in savings” means putting the money in a savings account at a bank. You can use it like this:
I try to put a few hundred dollars in savings each month.
(someone’s) pay
A person’s “pay” is the money that they get for doing their job.
The government takes out a third of your pay for taxes.
A more formal way to talk about pay is with the word “salary”:
Nearly 40% of my salary goes to taxes.
You have tickets to a big music festival. You’re talking with a friend who’s going with you, and you want to express how excited you are.
I am so psyched!
(someone) is psyched
“Psyched” is a slang expression that means “very excited”. You can describe yourself as “psyched” about something fun that you have planned with your friends.
The combinations “totally psyched” and “so psyched” are common.
This phrase has been growing in popularity since the 1960s.
You’re a biology teacher. You’re teaching your students about genetics. You ask them to look at an illustration in their textbooks.
Everybody take a look at the picture on page 46. This is a model of what a strand of DNA looks like
this
Use “this” when pointing at an object that’s close to you. How close? When you’re standing up, it’s usually used for things that are 4-5 steps away. When you’re sitting down, it’s usually for things that are within arm’s reach.
You use “that” for things that are further away, or for something that’s closer to the listener than it is to you:
Do you have that sofa in green?
If you and your listeners are all looking at copies of the same thing, you can say “this”. For example, if you’re giving a presentation with a slide show, you can talk about what’s on screen:
This is a projection of our revenue for Q2.
take a look
The word “look” is very general. It can mean to look for a long time, a short time, carefully, absent-mindedly, or in many other ways. “Take a look” is more specific. It means to look at something for a short period, usually for a specific purpose.
You can ask someone to take a look at something that needs to be fixed, or for something that’s important for them to see. Here’s another example from a science classroom. The teacher tells the class to look at something in the textbook:
Everybody take a look at the picture on page 46. This is a model of what a strand of DNA looks like.
Everybody (do something).
When you’re giving instructions to a group of people, you can tell them “Everybody ___.” Teachers say this a lot in a classroom.
Everbody stop what you’re doing and focus your attention on me for a moment.
A tour guide might say this:
Everybody follow me.
(something) is a model of (something)
A “model” is something that represents something complicated and helps people to understand it.
Models can be “3-D models”, which are objects that you can touch. For example, some people put together model cars or model trains.
There are also “2-D models”, which are illustrations or drawings of something. Texbooks often have models of things, like:
a model of a cell in a biology textbook
a model of the inside of a star in an astronomy textbook
a strand of DNA
“DNA” is a kind of complex molecule inside of cells which controlls the cell.
DNA is made of a long chain of atoms which are connected to each other. The word “DNA” is uncountable, but because of the long, thin shape, you can count it by talking about individual “strands”:
How long is a strand of DNA?
The word “strand” is also used to count other long, thin things:
a strand of hair
a strand of pearls
a strand of spaghetti
what (something) (looks/sounds/etc.) like
Talk about the way that something looks with the phrase “what ___ looks like”. This phrase functions as a noun:
I don’t know what he looks like.
You can talk about how something sounds, smells, tastes, etc. in the same way:
What it smells like is not as important as what it tastes like.
This expression is a bit casual. A more formal way to express the same idea is “how ___ looks”, “how ___ sounds”, etc.
You got in an argument with a stranger at a bar. You almost got into a fight with him. Now you’re leaving the bar and talking about what happened with your friends. You express how angry you were.
I swear, I came this close to just slamming him right in his face!
I came this close to (doing something)
This is an expression that people say while holding their thumb and index finger close together (like they’re holding a pea between them). It means “I almost (did something)”:
I swear, I came this close to just punching him right in his face!
I came this close to getting killed by a bear!
People use this expression in spoken English, but almost never in writing.
I swear (clause)! If you're saying something that's a little hard to believe or sounds like an exaggeration, you can put "I swear..." in front of it. It means "I promise that this is true". For example:
I caught a fish yesterday, and I swear it was as long as my arm!
That aerobics class was brutal! I swear, I’ve never sweated so much in my life.
One confusing point is that people sometimes say “I swear” even though they really are exaggerating:
I swear, the line at the coffee shop this morning was like an hour long!
English speakers are also likely say “I swear…” when they’re angry, to show that they’re serious about a threat that they’re making:
I swear, if you don’t be quiet, I’m going to slap you!
just (do something)
One interesting way that English speakers use “just” is to talk about doing things which you’re not supposed to do.
You can talk about hitting someone this way:
Arrrr! He made me so angry, I wanted to just smack him!
Or about other things that are forbidden, like yelling at your boss:
I thought about just standing up and telling Janice what I really think of her.
hit (someone) in the face
To talk about hitting someone’s face, use the preposition “in”:
I hit him right in his ugly face!
Use this for objects too:
The ball bounced up and hit me in the face.
You can either use “the face” or “my/his/her/etc. face”.
One common variation on this phrase is “right in the face”, which means hitting someone hard and directly in the face.
slam (someone)
“Slamming” someone means hitting them hard.
You can “slam” someone with your fist, or by running into them with your body. A car can also “slam” into another car.
This is a very energetic, expressive word. You’re likely to use it while telling a story.
When you were younger, you were in good shape. Now you don’t exercise much, so you’re out of shape. You’re talking to a friend about how hard it is for you to exercise now.
I used to be able to run five miles without breaking a sweat. Now I get winded after the first five minutes
(someone) used to be able to (do something)
To describe an ability that someone had in the past, use the phrase “___ used to be able to ___”.
Didn’t you use to be able to do a back handspring?
In native-sounding English, it’s much more common to use “used to be able to” than “could”. We use “could” mostly to talk about something that a person was able to do one time in the past, like this:
I could see them, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying.
miles
A mile is a measurement of distance that’s used in the United States. It’s equal to about 1.61 kilometers.
(do something) without breaking a sweat
Doing something “without breaking a sweat” means doing it easily.
You can use this phrase to talk about physical activities like running, moving heaving boxes, etc.
You can also say that someone cooked a meal, hosted a wedding party, etc. “without breaking a sweat”.
“Without breaking a sweat” is colloquial and casual-sounding.
(someone) gets winded
“Getting winded” means not having enough air because you’ve exercised too hard. You might get winded after running faster than usual.
People can also get winded when something big hits them in the chest or back.
Your son is behaving badly during dinner. You threaten to punish him this way.
If you don’t behave yourself, you’re going straight to sleep after dinner. Do you understand me?
go straight (to somewhere) To "go straight to" somewhere means going there directly, without going anywere else on the way. Notice that you use "to" with most destinations:
went straight to work
go straight to the police station
go straight to my house
However, “home” has its own special rules. You shouldn’t use “to” with “home”:
go straight home
go to sleep
When you’re talking about sleeping, there are several stages:
When you’re awake and then start sleeping, it’s called “going to sleep”.
After you have gone to sleep, we say that you “are asleep”.
Then you “wake up”.
Once you wake up, you “are awake”.
There are other actions that have similar stages. For example, you “put on” clothes, then “wear” them, then “take them off”.
If you don’t (do something), (consequence)
This is an expression that English speakers use when they need to threaten someone.
For example,
If you don’t pay me by the end of the month, I’m kicking you out.
If you don’t stop making that noise, I’m going to scream!
Of course, threatening people is often a bad idea and can lead to arguments.
behave yourself
“Behaving yourself” means acting in the way that you’re supposed to.
We often tell children to behave themselves. This means that they should not:
make loud, annoying noises
move or run around too much
say rude things
Do you understand me?
When someone like a parent, teacher, or boss is angry, they may tell their children, student, or employee what to do, and then ask “Do you understand me?” They expect a response like this:
A: You are not allowed to go out with him again. Do you understand me?
B: (Looks angry.)
A: I said, “Do you understand me?”
B: Yes, I get it.
When English speakers ask “Do you understand?” or “Do you understand me?” it often sounds angry and impatient. If you want to know whether someone understands you, but want to ask politely, ask:
Does that make sense?
Or maybe:
Got it?
Your roommate is going out on a first date. You’re helping her decide what to wear and how to style her hair. You suggest a hair style that will make her look mature.
What if you put it up in a bun?
What if (we / you) (did something)? The question "What if we \_\_\_?" is used to suggest doing something. When you say it in this way, it sounds like you're suggesting a new idea that you had. It also sounds like you're only suggesting one possible way of doing something, but you haven't decided that it's the best way yet. Some examples:
What if we offered a two-for-one deal?
You can also say “What if you…”:
What if you tried applying for a job at a nursing home?
put (one’s) hair up
“Putting your hair up” means styling your long hair in some way so that it’s not just hanging down on its own. Some different hair stlyes that are considered “putting your hair up” include:
putting it in a ponytail
putting it in a bun
braiding it
The opposite action from “putting your hair up” is “letting your hair down”.
You can also “wear your hair up” or “wear it down”.
a (hair) bun
A “bun” is a kind of hair style in which you tie your long hair into a kind of ball shape on the back of your head, usually near the top.
Your friend told you he was going to shave his head. You told him it was a bad idea, but he did it anyway. Now his girlfriend is angry that he did it. You want to tell her what you said so that she doesn’t get angry at you.
I tried to talk him out of it.
talk (someone) out of (something)
When someone is making a bad decision, you might try to “talk them out of” it. This means that you try to convince them not to do it.
For example:
I’m quitting, and there’s no way you can talk me out of it!
This phrase is not too formal or too casual; you can use it in most situations.
You’re having a political discussion with a group of friends. Someone complains about the government spending too much money to stop illegal drugs. You strongly agree, so you say this.
Absolutely. The war on drugs is a waste of our tax dollars, plain and simple.
Absolutely.
Say “Absolutely” to express that you completely agree with what someone has said.
You can agree with someone’s opinion this way.
A: I’ve always said that you shouldn’t hire anyone who you don’t feel 100% certain about.
B: Absolutely. I totally agree.
You can also agree to a request:
A: Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?
B: Absolutely.
“Absolutely” sounds even more definite than “yes”. You answer “Absolutely” when you’re really sure that the answer is “yes”.
the war on drugs
The expression “the War on Drugs” became popular in the U.S. in the 1980s, when the president told the country that the government was “declaring war on drugs”. It meant that the government would work hard to stop illegal drugs from being sold or used.
Since then, any campaigns by the government or police to stop drugs has been called part of the “war on drugs”.
(something) is a waste of (something)
When something valuable becomes lost or ruined, it’s “a waste of ___”.
Here are some words that you can end the expression with:
Those meetings are a waste of my time.
That sounds like a silly waste of money.
I think that kind of work is a waste of your talent and intelligence.
tax dollars
The phrase “tax dollars” means money that the people of a country paid through their taxes.
People usually use the phrase “tax dollars” when they’re complaining about how the government spends this money:
The government is still using our tax dollars to fight a losing war that most of us don’t even want to be in.
They need to put more of our tax dollars toward education.
(sentence), plain and simple.
When you have a strong opinion that you’re really sure about, you can end your sentence with “plain and simple.”
For example:
To succeed in this world, you have to be a good networker, plain and simple.
Politicians are all liars, plain and simple.
This expression makes you seem very opinionated and aggressive.
You’re working with a coworker on a sales proposal in her office. You need some information that’s in a document which you emailed to her. You ask her to open it.
Can you pull up the pricing estimate I sent out last week?
Can you (do something)? This is a way to ask someone to do something. It's appropriate for:
a boss to use with the people who work for him or her
a customer to use with a store employee
a parent to use with his or her children
“Can you ___” is more direct than asking “Could you…”
Sometimes a person will include “maybe” in this question:
Can you maybe call him and tell him to meet us there?
Can you maybe turn the volume down just a little?
send (something) out
When you add “out” to the verb “send”, it suggests that you are sending it to more than one person:
We sent out our wedding invitations 6 months before the wedding.
This phrase can be used in casual or business settings. In a very formal setting, you can use the phrase “distribute (something)” instead:
Did you receive the revised schedule that I distributed on March 7th?
pull up (a file on a computer) When you're using a computer or mobile phone, "pulling up" a file means opening it.
You can pull up:
a photo
a web page
a spreadsheet
a document
an email
However, “pull up” is probably not correct for talking about opening a music file or a game.
Use this phrase in casual or more formal situations.
an estimate
An “estimate” is a formal guess about how much something is going to cost. You can make an estimate for things like:
a construction project
a software product that your company is building
Estimates are often documents which show in detail the expected costs for something. However, if someone tells you the expected price in a meeting or over the phone, that can also be called a “pricing estimate”.
You live far away from your workplace, so you have to ride a train for over an hour to get to work. You’re chatting with coworkers during lunch, and one of them can’t believe that you travel so far every day. You explain why you don’t mind it.
I can tolerate a long commute as long as I’m able to get a seat on the train.
(one’s) commute
Your “commute” is the experience that you have traveling to work every day. You can describe a commute as short or long, easy or difficult.
I like it a lot. The commute is easy, the people there are nice, and I’m doing something that I really care about.
You can commute by car, by train, or by bus.
If you walk to work, you usually wouldn’t use the word “commute” to describe how you get to work.
seat
What’s the difference between a “seat” and a “chair”? A chair is one specific kind of seat. The chair sitting at your desk is a “chair” and a “seat”. However, a bench is also a “seat” but is not a “chair”.
We usually use the word “seat”, not “chair”, for seats in cars, on planes, bicycles, trains, motorcycles, and so on.
I can tolerate (something)
To “tolerate” something that you don’t like means that you put up with it. You let it happen, even though you don’t like it.
If there’s something that you don’t like, but you’re able to accept it reluctantly, say “I can tolerate ___”:
A: Do you eat shrimp?
B: I can tolerate it, but I don’t love it.
I can tolerate a long commute as long as I’m able to get a seat on the train.
When you use the word “tolerate in a negative sense, though, it has a stronger meaning. You use “can’t tolerate ___” to talk about things that you not only dislike, but also make you angry:
I can not tolerate laziness.
I can’t tolerate people who brag.
As in these examples, “can’t tolerate ___” often describes people’s behavior.
as long as (clause)
Use “as long as…” to say that something is OK, but only under certain conditions. For example:
A: Can you come out with us?
B: OK, I’ll go, as long as you promise not to make me dance.
This means that Person B will go out with Person A, only if Person A does not make Person B dance.
“As long as” can often be replaced with “if”:
I don’t really mind dating a smoker, as long as they don’t smoke indoors.
I don’t really mind dating a smoker if they don’t smoke indoors.
But there are a lot of cases where “if” is OK but “as long as” isn’t:
If you want something to drink, go get it yourself!
I’m not paying him if he doesn’t do a good job.
on (a train / subway / bus)
When you’re talking about riding public transportation (trains, subways, buses, airplanes), use “on”, not “in”. For example, you can say this to someone who calls you on your mobile phone:
I can’t talk right now. I’m on the train.
You’re in a big argument with your boyfriend. He called you a bad word. You can’t believe he said that to you, so you’re extremely angry. This is your response.
Don’t you dare talk to me like that!
Don’t you dare!
“Don’t you dare!” is an expression that communicates a warning to someone. It’s a way of saying “If you do that I will be extremely angry!” Say it in situations like these:
Your children try to disobey you.
You’re in an angry argument with someone who’s trying to blame you for something that’s not your fault.
You can also include the action that you don’t want someone to do:
Don’t you dare talk to me like that!
Don’t you dare leave without cleaning up this mess, young man.
“Don’t you dare” is usually said very angrily or strictly, so be careful about when you use “Don’t you dare!” However, there are some situations where people use it without any sense of anger. In TV commercials, you might hear something like:
Don’t you dare miss this sale!
talk to (someone) like that Talking to someone "like that" usually means speaking:
rudely
very directly
angrily
For example:
I’m her mother! What makes her think that she can talk to me like that?
Don’t talk to me like that.
It’s very rare to describe someone speaking politely and pleasantly as “like that”.
A friend who you used to work with calls you. You were thinking about this friend earlier today, so you mention this when you answer the phone.
What a coincidence! I was just about to call you.
What a coincidence!
A “coincidence” is when something that seems unlikely happens. Here are some examples of coincidences:
You’re vacationing in another country, and you run into one of your friends from college who’s on a vacation there as well.
You check your account balance at an ATM, and the amount of money in your account is exactly equal to the year that you were born.
Three movies come out in the same season which are all based on the same children’s story.
When something coincidental happens, you can say:
What a coinclidence!
I was just about to (do something).
Use this expression to talk about something that you were planning to do next. For example, at work:
A: Hey, are you busy?
B: Actually, I was just about to leave. What do you need?
This expression is useful in situations where you’re a little bit late doing something:
A: Hey, can you send me those sales projections?
B: Yes, sorry. I was just about to do that.
This makes it seem like you were already planning to send them soon, even if this person didn’t remind you.
Your coworker lost one of her earrings and is looking for it. You haven’t seen it and you’re not going to search for it, but you want to say something supportive to your coworker anyway.
I’ll keep an eye out for it.
keep an eye out for (something)
To “keep an eye out for” something means to look for it. But “keeping an eye out” doesn’t mean that you’re actively searching for something. It means that you’re looking for it while you do something else. For example, if you lost something you can ask a family member:
Hey, I can’t find my ring. I’ve looked everywhere but I can’t find it. Can you just keep an eye out for it?
I’ll (do something)
Use “will” to offer to do something, or when you’ve just decided to do something like in these situations:
OK. Well, I’ll take it.
I’ll keep an eye out for it.
(“I’ll” is short for “I will”, of course.)
When you’ve been planning to do something for a while, don’t use “will”. Say “I’m ___” or “I’m going to ___”.
We’re going to keep it to just close friends and family.
You bought a house a few years ago because you thought that it would be a smart financial decision, but now the house is worth less than you bought it for. You’re complaining about it with your brother-in-law, who’s visiting you.
It was supposed to be an investment, but it turns out it actually depreciated in value.
it turns out that (clause)
You use “it turns out that ___” when you got some information wrong, and you’re telling what the correct information actually is. You first have to say what you thought was true (or the listener might already know this from other conversations you’ve had). Then you say something like:
It turns out that it’s on Wednesday, not tomorrow.
So it turns out that I had been waiting on the wrong side of the train station.
(something) actually (is / does something)
“Actually” is a word that you use when you’re saying something that you think will be surprising or new information to the listeners. For example:
Wow, this is actually pretty good.
I actually did it myself.
You can use “actually” in several places in a sentence. One place is before a verb, like this:
We’ve actually had to turn away business.
(something) was supposed to (be / do something)
If you planned for something to happen one way, but in reality it happened another way, you can use “___ was supposed to ___.”
For example, imagine that you arranged a study group with some students at your university. One person didn’t show up, so you write a text message to him:
You were supposed to meet us in front of the library at four.
(something) is an investment
An “investment” is something that you spend your money on, hoping that you will get more money back in return. Stocks and bonds are common investments. Real estate (houses, buildings, and land) can also be investments.
Tools that you buy in order to do your business can also be called “an investment”.
English speakers also sometimes call something that they buy “an investment” when they think that it’s going to last a long time and bring a lot of value. For example:
A: How much did that cost?
B: About six hundred dollars.
A: Wow. That’s pretty expensive, no?
B: Yeah, but it’s an investment. A high-quality jacket like this will last forever.
This use of “investment” is technically incorrect, but it’s common.
(something) depreciates in value
When something “depreciates in value”, it means that its value decreases. For example, most cars depreciate in value over time. A new car costs a lot more than an older car, and the older the car is, the less it’s worth.
This is a slightly technical-sounding term. A simpler way to describe this is “goes down in value”:
Cars go down in value the longer you own them, so it makes more sense to buy a used one.
The opposite of “depreciate” is “appreciate”.
You asked your friend if he wanted to go out to a dance club with you. He just laughed. He doesn’t usually go to clubs, so you think that his laughing means that he doesn’t want to go.
I’ll take that as a “no”?
I’ll take that as a ‘(yes/no)’.
When someone’s response to a question isn’t clear, you might have to guess what their answer is. You can announce what you think their answer is with the phrase “I’ll take that as a ___”
I’ll take that as a “yes”, then.
This means “It seems like you meant yes, so I’ll act as if you’ve said “yes” to my question.”
You can also use this phrase as a joke when someone has been very, very clear about their answer:
A: Hey, do you want to go camping with me one of these days?
B: Camping? Hell no! Absolutely, positively not. Never in a million years.
A: OK… well, I’ll take that as a “no”.
You’re talking to someone at a party. He tells you that he grew up in a small town. You know one person from that town, so you ask whether this person knows him.
Do you happen to know a guy by the name of Fred Breedlove?
a guy
A “guy” is a man. It’s a casual word.
You use this word instead of “man” when you’re talking to your friends or in a casual situation like at a party. The person you’re talking about can either be someone that you know, or someone who you don’t know but don’t have high respect for.
For a stranger who seems older and more respectable, “man” or even “gentleman” are more polite.
Note that you can use the plural form, “guys”, when you’re talking to a group of men or women:
Great job today, guys. Keep up the good work.
But “guy” (singular) always refers to a man.
happen to (do something) Use the phrase "happen to \_\_\_" to talk about something that doesn't seem very likely. One way this is useful is for asking questions, even though you don't think the listener will know the answer:
Do you happen to know a guy by the name of Fred Breedlove?
In this example, you ask “Do you happen to…” because you think that the listener probably doesn’t know this person. You would ask this question if this person was from the same town as Fred, or went to the same large university as Fred, or worked at the same large company.
You can also use “happen to ___” to ask questions politely, even when you do think the listener’s answer will be “yes”:
Excuse me, would you happen to have a pen I could borrow?
“Have”, “see”, and “know” are the most common verbs that follow “happen to”.
(someone) by the name of (a name)
Talk about a person this way when you think that your listener probably doesn’t know who the person is:
There’s a man by the name of Tom Johnson who owns a harware store in that neighborhood. Have you ever met him?
It was founded in the late ’30s by a woman by the name of Eloise LaPointe.
This is casual spoken English. Don’t use it in writing.
You and a friend get into a conversation about outer space. You start to talk about the size of the universe and how many stars are in it, and you feel amazed by it. You comment on your feeling.
Just thinking about how enormous it all is… it blows my mind!
(something) is enormous
“Enormous” means “very, very, big”. Here are some things that you can describe as “enormous”:
an enormous amount of money
an enormous explosion
enormous potential
an enormous responsibility
it blows (one's) mind When something is amazing and unbelievable, you can say that "it blows your mind":
Whenever I think about how many people live there, it blows my mind.
It blows my mind how talented Katie is at such a young age.
Sometimes people use this phrase to talk about something that’s surprising in a negative way:
It blows my mind how some people can just lie right to your face.
You can also use this expression in the past tense:
A: How was the exhibit?
B: Oh, it absolutely blew my mind!
A James Bond movie has recently come out. A friend asks you if you’ve seen it. You don’t like this kind of action movie because it has too much violence and sex. You explain why you don’t like them.
I don’t go for those kind of movies. It’s just a bunch of adolescent male wish fulfillment.
a bunch of (something)
“A bunch” means “a lot” or “many”.
It’s a casual expression and can sound kind of childlike.
(someone) doesn’t go for (something)
“I don’t go for ___” means “I don’t enjoy ___.” For example:
I don’t go for all that fancy stuff. I like a good, old-fashioned meal.
You can also use this phrase to explain that someone doesn’t accept something. For example:
You’d better be prepared when you go in to talk to Marjorie; she doesn’t go for excuses.
those kind of movies
Technically, this should be either “that kind of movie” or “those kinds of movies”. However, in spoken English people often say “those kind of” because it’s easier to pronounce.
It’s
In this example, “It’s” should technically be “They’re”. English speakers sometimes switch between “it” (meaning one single thing or an entire situation) and “they” (meaning more than one thing).
adolescent male (something) "Adolescent" is an adjective to describe teenagers. "Male" is an adjective to describe men.
The combined phrase “adolescent male ___” describes something associated with men which seems stupid and immature. For example, if you think that a grown man is being stupid by getting into fights with other men, you can say:
All of this adolescent male posturing… it’s so immature!
Here are some other popular combinations with “adolescent male”:
adolescent male fantasies
adolescent male behavior
adolescent male wish fulfillment
This phrase sounds kind of scientific, like you’re describing the behavior of an animal.
wish fulfillment
“Wish fulfillment” means doing all of the things that someone wishes they could do. It’s mostly used to talk about things like movies, games, books, TV shows, and so on.
For example, if there’s a TV show about rich people wearing expensive clothes and driving around in expensive cars, that can be described as “wish fulfillment”.
“Wish fulfillment” is actually negative. When you describe something as “wish fulfillment”, it usually suggests showing someone getting a wish which is selfish, harmful, or silly.
You and a friend are talking about your tastes in fashion. You don’t like wearing bright colors, so you describe your taste this way.
I mostly wear neutral colors and earth tones
mostly (do something)
“Mostly” is a good word for conversation and casual English. A good alternative in more formal English is “primarily”:
It has primarily spread through word of mouth.
neutral colors
“Neutral colors” are white, black, and gray. Sometimes colors like brown are considered “neutral” as well if they’re not bright.
You talk about “neutral colors” when choosing things like clothes, accessories, curtains, furniture, and so on.
earth tones
“Earth tones” are colors that can be found in dirt, rocks, and trees. Earth tones include shades of brown, orange, green, dark red, and some shades of yellow.
People use the phrase “earth tones” to talk about clothes, makeup, paint, and home decorations.
You’re talking with a friend about your boss and her husband. You tell her that the boss goes on a lot of international vacations. Your friend asks if your boss and her husband are rich, and you explain that they are.
Oh yeah, they’re loaded
(someone) is loaded
A person who is “loaded” has a lot of money.
The term “loaded” can be rather rude if you use it with the wrong person and in the wrong way. You can describe someone as “loaded” when:
You’re gossipping with a friend who you trust about someone else.
You jokingly say this to a close friend who has a lot of money.
You say it about someone who you and your listeners don’t know personally, like a celebrity.
You can say this about yourself as a joke if you’re actually poor.
If you call someone “loaded” when you’re speaking to a person you don’t know well, it might seem rude. It might also seem like you’re obsessed with how much money other people have.
Oh yeah.
“Oh yeah” means “definitely yes”, and it also suggests that the answer is very obvious.
For example, if you are an emergency room doctor and someone asks if you have to work long hours, you can answer:
Oh yeah.
Your friend recently quit his job and started his own business. You’re envious because you wish that you didn’t have a boss. You comment on it to your friend.
It must be great not having to answer to a boss.
It must be (adjective) (doing something)
Guess how other people feel using the phrase “It must be ___”. For example:
It must be fun going on business trips all around the world like you do.
If you’re talking about the past, you can say “It must have been ___”:
It must have been hard raising three children on your own.
This expression is usually polite.
answer to (someone) You "answer to" someone who's in charge of you, like your boss. This means that, if you make a mistake or do something you weren't supposed to, you will have to explain your mistake to this person.
Even if you own your own business, you still have to answer to investors and customers.
The idea of “answering to” someone is a little negative, so it’s not the usual way to explain who your boss is. A more common phrase is “report to”:
A: Who does Doug report to?
B: To Hyun Jung, I think.
If you think that you’re completely independent and don’t have to take orders from anyone, you can say this:
I answer to no one!
You went on vacation. Now you’re back at work. There’s a lot of work for you to do. A coworker invites you to eat lunch with him, but you can’t because you’re too busy. You refuse.
Thanks, but I can’t. I have a lot to catch up on
thanks
“Thanks” is a friendlier way to say “Thank you”. Use it with people you know pretty well, like family members, friends, and coworkers who you’ve spoken with in the past.
catch up on (something)
To “catch up on” something means to do something that you missed, or that you’re late on. For example, you can:
catch up on some episodes of a TV show that you missed
catch up on work that you couldn’t do because you were on vacation for a few days
catch up on homework that you missed because you were sick
There’s a related phrase, “catch up with (someone)”, which means to talk to someone who you haven’t seen in a long time and share news about your lives.
have a lot of work
When there’s a lot of work that you need to do, you can say that you “have a lot of work”.
