month14 Flashcards
There was a major flood nearby. You’ve been watching news reports about it. You and a coworker are talking about how bad it is for the people that live there.
It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy
a terrible tragedy
When something very bad happens to other people, you can call the situation “a terrible tragedy”. These are some examples of terrible tragedies:
an earthquake
a bombing
a school shooting
The adjective “terrible” is an ungradable adjective, which means that you can’t use words like “very” in front of it. The word “terrible” itself is already extreme on its own.
You’re having lunch with a friend. He’s complaining about how the government hasn’t done enough to prevent global warming. He’s expressing his opinions really strongly, like he’s trying to convince you, but you already agree with his opinions.
Hey man, you’re preaching to the choir
Hey man.
Use the expression “Hey man” at the beginning of a sentence for a few different purposes:
to greet someone:
A: Hey man.
B: Hey man. What’s up?
to get someone’s attention:
Hey man, are you finished with that?
to correct someone’s understanding of what you’re thinking:
Hey man, I didn’t mean to offend you. I apologize for saying that.
“Hey man” is mostly used by men when talking to other men.
(someone) is preaching to the choir
“Preaching to the choir” is an idiom which means sharing your ideas with people who already agree with those ideas. It is considered to be a bit of a waste of time.
You can imagine that this phrase comes from the idea of a minister preaching to a church choir (which is a group of singers). Since the people in the church choir are already involved in the church, they probably already agree with what the preacher is saying.
When someone tries hard to convince you of something that you already believe, you can tell them that you already agree by saying “You’re preaching to the choir.”
You’re not in very good shape. Your friend is giving you some advice. She says that you should exercise every day, but you’re very busy so it’s not easy to find time to exercise. You think in response to your friend’s suggestion.
Easier said than done
(something is) easier said than done
Use this expression when someone talks about something and makes it sound easy, but you think it’s difficult.
For example, if your business is losing money and a friend says:
Why don’t you do some advertising and get some more customers?
You know that getting new customers is really difficult, so you might say or think:
Ha! That’s easier said than done.
You can use this phrase in a variety of situations, from casual to formal.
You’ve been watching a comedy TV show. A friend asks what you think of it. Some episodes are good and others are bad, so you describe it this way.
It’s kind of hit-or-miss
kind of (adjective) "Kind of" means "a little" or "somewhat". It's often used in spoken English:
I’m kind of shy when it comes to the opposite sex.
It kind of took me by surprise.
The pronunciation of “kind of” sounds like “kinda”.
Another phrase with a similar meaning is “somewhat”, but “somewhat” is more formal. Use “kind of” for most situations and “somewhat” when discussing academic topics or in writing.
(something) is hit-or-miss
When something is good sometimes, but not-so-good other times, you can describe it as “hit-or-miss”.
Some things that you can describe as “hit-or-miss” include:
restaurants
bands
TV shows
a class of investment
“Hit or miss” is not too formal or too casual; you can use it in most situations.”
You’d like to leave work earlier than usual today. Your boss doesn’t care, but you tell him about it so that he knows where you are.
Hey, I think I’m going to cut out a bit early today
I think I’m going to (do something)
This is how to tell someone what you want to do, if you don’t think they will mind.
In a lot of American workplaces, you can use this to ask your boss for permission to take vacation days or sick days. You might expect that it would be more polite to ask in this way:
Can I take the day off?
This isn’t wrong, but it does sound a bit like a child asking for something from his parents. If you are allowed to take days off of work and it doesn’t cause extra problems for other people, it’s better to act a little more confident and tell your boss your plan, rather than asking.
a bit (adjective) "A bit" is similar to "a little", "kind of" or "somewhat". It's used when you want to lessen the degree of a description:
He’s a bit shorter than me.
He has a video of me from when we were in college that’s a bit embarrassing.
“A bit” is used for adjectives that are negative. So you wouldn’t say that an event was “a bit fun” or that a person is “a bit nice”. But you can say that the event was “a bit boring” and the person is “a bit rude”.
“A bit” is slightly formal. It’s more formal than “kind of” or “a little”, but more casual than “somewhat”:
kind of > a little > a bit > somewhat
cut out (of work) early "Cutting out early" means leaving work earlier than usual. For example:
Do you mind if I cut out early?
This is a casual-sounding expression, but it’s OK to use with coworkers or even your boss.
You bought your neice a shirt for her birthday. You were’nt sure what size she wore, so you say this when you give her the shirt.
If it doesn’t fit you, let me know and I’ll give you the receipt to exchange it.
If it doesn’t fit you, let me know and I’ll give you the receipt to exchange it.
exchange (an item from a store) for (another item)
To “exchange” two things means to switch them:
We exchanged business cards, but that was the last I ever heard from her.
At a store, “exchanging” an item means returning it to the store, and getting something else from them instead.
If it doesn’t fit you, let me know and I’ll give you the receipt to exchange it.
This is different from “returning” an item, which is when you give the item back to the store and they give you back your money.
In the U.S., most clothing stores will allow you to exchange clothes that you buy for something else. Other stores like electronics stores will also let you exchange something if it’s broken. A lot of stores will also allow you to return items, though some places only let customers exchange their items for store credit. This is money that can only be used in that store.
a receipt
A “receipt” is a piece of paper (or maybe an electronic document) which shows how much someone has paid for something. You get one of these when you buy something.
A common practice at stores in the United States is to allow customers to return items to the store that they don’t want, if they bring the receipt to prove that they bought the items at that store.
(clothes) fit (someone)
Say this about clothes:
Does it fit you?
You can also just say:
Does it fit?
let me know
The phrase “Let me know ___” means “Tell me ___”. It’s extremely common in everyday English, because “Tell me ___” can sound too demanding or angry.
Here are some examples:
Let me know when you’re free and we’ll set up a meeting.
Let me know when you hear from them.
If you encounter any problems, please let me know immediately.
Your elderly mother lives with you and your family. You’re explaining to a friend why you decided to invite her to live with you.
I didn’t want to put her in a nursing home.
put (someone) in a (home/institution/etc.)
When people can’t properly care for a family member, they sometimes “put them in” some kind of special home or institution, like:
a nursing home
a retirement home
a mental hospital
a rehab facility
a group home
an orphanage
a nursing home
A “nursing home” is a special place where people who can’t take care of themselves live. In a nursing home, there are employees who may do some of these services:
give you medicine
help you stand up or get into a wheelchair to move around
bring you meals
help you if you fall down and hurt yourself
help to dress or bathe you
Most commonly, very old people live in nursing homes. Sometimes people with extreme disabilities also need to live in a nursing home.
You’re talking about politics and social issues with someone who you’ve recently become friends with. A recent topic in the news is whether there should be laws to make it harder to buy a gun. You want to know what he thinks about this.
Where do you stand on gun control?
Where does (someone) stand on (an issue or debate) English speakers often compare opinions to positions or locations in an imaginary space. For example, you can call a person's official opinion their "position":
What’s your position on health care reform?
Debates and disagreements have “sides”, which you can imagine as people standing on opposite sides of a room to show which idea they agree with:
Why are you taking her side?
A. Whose side are you on?
B. I’m not on either side. I’m staying out of it.
And when you ask someone “Where do you stand?” it means “What’s your opinion?” or “What side of this debate are you on?” You identify the question or the topic with “on”:
Where do you stand on gun control?
It’s hard to tell where she stands on this topic.
There’s also a noun for talking about where someone stands on a topic. It’s “stance”:
What’s her stance on the topic of immigration?
We use “stance” and “Where do you stand?” in business discussions, political discussions, academic debates, and other formal situations.
gun control
“Gun control” is a political and social issue that people debate about often in the United States.
U.S. citizens have had the freedom to own guns since the country began. However, since the 1960s, some people have started to believe that this is dangerous. They believe that citizens should not be allowed to own guns, or that the government should have stricter laws on who can get guns, or what kinds of guns people can own.
Other people feel very strongly that the right to own guns should not be taken away.
This issue or debate is called “gun control”. If you are “in favor of” gun control, it means that you think that guns should be controlled more by the government. If you’re against gun control, it means that you think that citizens should remain free to own guns.
You take kickboxing classes. You saw an advertisement for a competition and thought that you’d like to try it. You mention it to your teacher to see what she thinks.
There’s a tournament being held in April that I was thinking about signing up for…
sign up for (something)
When you “sign up for” an event or activity, it means that you fill out a form that shows that you want to join. For example:
I signed up for an aerobics class at the gym.
We decided to sign up this year for the Walk Against Cancer.
You can also “sign up” someone else (usually a child) for an activity:
Maybe we should sign Gavin up for violin classes.
there’s (something)(doing something)
Use “there’s ___” when you’re describing a situation that’s happening now:
There’s someone at the door.
There’s some food in the kitchen, if you’re hungry.
Or something that’s planned for the near future:
There’s a game coming on at four.
It’s also common to describe what something is doing using “there’s”:
There’s a woman staring at you over there.
There’s a humming noise coming from the refrigerator.
There’s some cake sitting on the counter.
a tournament is held (at a certain place and time)
A “tournament” is a competition between lots of people or teams. Usually one person or team is named as the champion at the end of the tournament.
To talk about a tournament happening, use the phrase “be held”, followed by the time of the tournament, the location, or both:
It’s held between late March to early April each year.
Where is next year’s tournament being held?
Aside from tournaments, other events that are “held” include:
conferences
concerts
meetings
a hearing
I was thinking about (doing something)
Talk about a plan that you’ve considered with this phrase:
I’ve been thinking about signing up for an English writing course.
I’ve been thinking about dyeing my hair again.
Your cousin sent you a birthday present. It was a book, but you’re actually not interested in reading that book at all. Even though you don’t like the gift, you’re happy that your cousin sent you something. You think this to yourself.
Well, it’s the thought that counts.
Well
One reason for saying “well” at the beginning of a sentence is to show that you’re unsure about something.
This can happen when someone asks you a question that you don’t immediately know the answer to:
A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: Well, let’s see… Oh! I’m having lunch with Gavin on Saturday.
It can also happen when you’re trying to say something nice, even though you’re thinking things that aren’t nice.
A: What do you think of Lana?
B: Well… she’s… always very punctual.
You shouldn’t use “well” in this way in written English.
It’s the thought that counts.
This is a set phrase that English speakers use to talk about gifts. It means that it’s OK if a gift isn’t perfect; the purpose of giving someone a gift is just to show that you care about that person.
People say this when someone gets a gift which doesn’t match what they wanted.
I wish (something) would (happen) This phrase is used when you want something to happen, but you don't think it's very likely.
People often mix up “I wish…” and “I hope…” The difference is in how realistic your wish is. For something that’s not very likely, or is impossible, use “I wish…”
I wish I’d studied something a little more practical.
For something that hasn’t happened yet, but might still happen, use “I hope…” For example, in the case of rain, you can say this before the rain starts:
I hope it doesn’t rain.
This is OK because it’s still possible that the rain won’t start. After the rain starts, you can say:
I hope it stops raining soon.
For more about the difference between “I hope” and “I wish”, read this article: How should I use “I hope” and “I wish”?
the new (guy/girl) A new employee or new member of a team is often called "the new guy" or "the new girl".
This phrase sounds slightly negative, but not too bad.
(someone) is eager to please
Sometimes a person really wants other people to like him or her. When people seem this way, you can call them “eager to please”. “Eager to please” people do things like:
smile constantly
do whatever someone asks them to do
agree with other people’s opinions
Calling someone “eager to please” is positive in a way, but slightly insulting at the same time. It makes the person seem a little weak. A more positive description for someone who acts this way is “friendly” or “helpful”.
tone it down
“Toning it down” means doing less of something, or making something less extreme.
You can “tone down” a lot of different things. Here are some examples:
If your children are playing really loudly, you can ask them to “tone it down”, meaning to play more quietly.
If someone is playing a sport really aggressively even though it’s not a serious game, you can comment that this person should “tone it down”, meaning to play less aggressively.
If your boyfriend usually likes to talk a lot about politics, you can ask him to “tone it down” when you bring him to have dinner with your parents.
That new guy is so eager to please. I wish he’d tone it down a little.
I wish (something) would (happen) This phrase is used when you want something to happen, but you don't think it's very likely.
People often mix up “I wish…” and “I hope…” The difference is in how realistic your wish is. For something that’s not very likely, or is impossible, use “I wish…”
I wish I’d studied something a little more practical.
For something that hasn’t happened yet, but might still happen, use “I hope…” For example, in the case of rain, you can say this before the rain starts:
I hope it doesn’t rain.
This is OK because it’s still possible that the rain won’t start. After the rain starts, you can say:
I hope it stops raining soon.
For more about the difference between “I hope” and “I wish”, read this article: How should I use “I hope” and “I wish”?
the new (guy/girl) A new employee or new member of a team is often called "the new guy" or "the new girl".
This phrase sounds slightly negative, but not too bad.
(someone) is eager to please
Sometimes a person really wants other people to like him or her. When people seem this way, you can call them “eager to please”. “Eager to please” people do things like:
smile constantly
do whatever someone asks them to do
agree with other people’s opinions
Calling someone “eager to please” is positive in a way, but slightly insulting at the same time. It makes the person seem a little weak. A more positive description for someone who acts this way is “friendly” or “helpful”.
tone it down
“Toning it down” means doing less of something, or making something less extreme.
You can “tone down” a lot of different things. Here are some examples:
If your children are playing really loudly, you can ask them to “tone it down”, meaning to play more quietly.
If someone is playing a sport really aggressively even though it’s not a serious game, you can comment that this person should “tone it down”, meaning to play less aggressively.
If your boyfriend usually likes to talk a lot about politics, you can ask him to “tone it down” when you bring him to have dinner with your parents.
You’ve been hired to direct a commercial for a local business. You’re going to hire some actors, but you want to know if the client cares about what the actors look like. You write an email and include this question.
Do you have any preferences as to the ages, genders, ethnicities, etc. of the actors?
Do you have (a preference / any preferences)?
This question means “Do you care which one?” or “Do you care whether…?”
Here are some examples:
We can either fly or take a train. Do you have a preference?
A: Let’s put on some music.
B: Sure!
A: Do you have any preferences?
This phrase is a little more formal than something like “What do you prefer?” or “What do you want?”
a preference as to (clause)
“As to” is a preposition like “on”, “of”, “about”, etc.
In the expression “a preference as to ___”, it means something similar to “about”. It introduces the topic of the preference. Note that “about” does not fit with the word “preference”.
Here are some examples:
Let me know if you have any preferences as to where to meet up.
Did Margaret express any preferences as to how we should get started?
Sentences that use “as to ___” are usually pretty formal.
Some other words or phrases that use “as to” as a preposition include:
I’m puzzled as to ___
I’m curious as to ___
Do you have any ideas as to ___
gender
“Gender” means the quality of being a male or female. For example:
They split us up by gender.
Everyone, regardless of gender, should have an equal opportunity to get an education.
Another word for “gender” is “sex”. For example, you can ask a pregnant woman:
A: Do you know the sex of the child?
B: It’s a boy.
In recent years in the U.S., there has started to be a small difference between “sex” and “gender”. You can read about the difference here: http://www.med.monash.edu.au/gendermed/sexandgender.html
(someone’s) ethnicity
A person’s “ethnicity” refers to their ethnic background, which means which group of people their ancestors belonged to.
Here are some examples of different ethnicities:
Irish
Korean
Native American
Jewish
French Canadian
Persian
“Ethnicity” is a little different from “nationality”, which is just the country that a person is from:
American
Russian
Indian
…and “race”, which describes a few major groups of people based mostly on skin color:
white
black
Asian
The word “ethnicity” sounds kind of formal and scientific. It’s usually more polite to talk about people’s “ethnicity” than their “race”.
et cetera
“Et cetera” means “…and so on”. It indicates that there are more items in a list. It’s usually written “etc.”
We print magazines, catalogs, posters, etc.
You’ve got to think about memory, cpu speed, hard drive space, etc.
You’re a construction contractor. A couple has asked for an estimate of how much it will cost to renovate their kitchen. You’ve looked at the room and figured out approximately how much it will cost. You say this while showing them the cost.
Here’s an estimate of the cost. Keep in mind, it’s just a ballpark
Keep in mind that (clause)
“Keep in mind” means to remember. But the word “remember” can be used in a lot of different kinds of situations. “Keep in mind” is more specific. It means to remember a fact and continue to think about it while you’re making decisions.
For example, if you’re planning an event for a club you belong to, you can tell the people that are helping you:
Keep in mind, our budget is pretty small.
In this case, everyone knows what the budget is, but you want them to remember that when they make suggestions for the event.
You can include “that” in this phrase or leave it out in more casual speech:
Keep in mind that you’ll need to submit your application no later than Monday the 31st.
Keep in mind it’s due on Monday.
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.
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”.
cost
The words “price” and “cost” are very close in meaning, but there are slight differences. “Price” emphasizes how much the seller has decided to charge for something. “Cost”, on the other hand, emphasizes how much you paid for something. So you can say something like this:
The original price was $120, but it only cost me $90 because I had an employee discount.
When a professional like a lawyer, contractor, etc. offers a service, they usually talk about the “cost” rather than the “price”. This makes it seem a little more like the amount was not chosen by them personally, but is just a necessary fact.
You bought a new tablet computer today. You’re excited about it, so you say this to your partner as you’re leaving the store.
I can’t wait to get it home and try it out!
get (something) home
When you buy something new, you take it back home with you. To describe this action, use the phrase “get it home”:
I can’t wait to get it home and try it out!
This phrase is only used for new things that you buy, get as a gift, or are given at work.
I can’t wait to (do something)!
You say this when you’re excited about something:
I can’t wait to see you!
I can’t wait to finally be finished with school.
You can also just say “I can’t wait!”
A: So I’ll see you next weekend.
B: Great! I can’t wait!
try (something) out
The phrase “try ___ out” means to use something for the first time.
The phrase “try ___” is good for actions:
I’d like to try skiing.
You’re looking at your Facebook account. Some people who you don’t know have asked to add you as a friend. You ask your roommate if this happens to her.
I’ve been getting all these random friend requests lately. Do you get those?
(someone) has been (doing something)
Use “has been ___ing” to describe an ongoing or continuous situation that’s still going on now:
Akane’s been cooking all day.
Or it can be a situation that you’re not sure whether it’s finished or it’s going to continue:
It’s been cloudy all morning, but it looks like the sun might come out soon.
(something) has been (doing something) lately
Use this phrase to talk about events that started a few weeks or months ago, and have continued or repeated until now. For example:
I’ve been eating a lot of junk food lately.
What have you been doing lately?
There’s a little confusion about the difference between “recently” and “lately”. “Lately” is more appropriate for continuing situations, while “recently” is better for events that happened just once, a couple of times, or that have continued but are finished now:
Have you been going to the gym a lot lately? You look great!
I ran into Stacy recently at the Food Emporium.
random (things)
“Random” things are things that:
you don’t expect
you can’t predict
you can’t explain
“Random” is used a lot in mathematics, science, computer programming, etc. to talk about events or numbers which can’t be predicted.
These days, young people use the word “random” quite a lot. For example:
A: Hey, guess who called me? Jake from high school.
B: Really? That’s so random!
friend requests
This is a new phrase that has recently become popular through social media websites. A “friend request” is a message which someone sends when they want to connect with you on a social media site.
If you “accept” a friend request, you and the person who sent the request will be marked as “friends” on that site.
The idea of “friend requests” became popular mostly through Facebook.
Some other social media sites connect people differently, through “following”. Twitter works this way. When someone “follows” you, you don’t have to accept the request or “follow” them back.
You’re dealing with a big problem at work. You’ve shared your opinion on how to deal with the problem. One of your coworkers looks annoyed or angry, so you don’t think she agrees with your solution. You ask her about it.
I take it you disagree…
I take it (clause)
“I take it…” is a slightly formal phrase which means “It seems…”
For example, if you came home late in the evening, and there’s no dinner, you might say to your family:
I take it you ate already?
If you’re at a sports bar, and someone sitting next to you is watching a baseball game on the TV and cheering whenever the New York Yankees score a run, you can start a conversation by saying:
I take it you’re a Yankees fan.
This expression comes across as kind of cool and understated.
You’re on an airplane. The plane is shaking a little bit. The captain makes this announcement to all of the passengers.
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re experiencing some turbulence. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts.
Please (do something).
Writing “please ___” is a very formal way to ask a question. You can use this for very important requests, or when you don’t know the person you’re writing to. You can also use it when you are upset with someone at work and don’t want to be too friendly with them.
For a friendlier, but still very polite, way to make a request, you can write:
If you could get back to me by the end of the day, that would be appreciated.
Ladies and gentlemen
Use this phrase to address a group of people (with both men and women) in a formal way. You do this in situations like when you’re giving a formal speech, when you’re introducing a stage performance, when you’re making an announcement over an intercom, etc.
(an airplane) is experiencing turbulence
“Turbulent” air or water is not smooth. It’s unpredictable and chaotic. When an airplane flies through turbulent wind, it shakes. To describe this situation, you can say that the airplane “is experiencing turbulence”.
“Experience ___” means to go through an unusual situation. This word is also used in the expression “experience outages”.
You can also use “experience turbulence” in the past tense like this:
A: How was your flight?
B: We experienced a little turbulence. It freaked me out!
return to your seat
“Return” is a more formal way to say “go back”. When you want a stranger to sit back down, say “Please return to your seat.”
An example of when you might say this is if you’re a teacher, and one of your students is walking around the classroom and distracting other students.
fasten your seatbelt
“Fasten” is a slightly formal word which means to connect something or put something on. Some things that you can “fasten” include:
fasten your belt
fasten a screw
fasten your bra
fasten a harness
“Fastening your seatbelt” means putting your seatbelt on and specifically, connecting the buckle.
You smell a bad smell. You realize that the smell is coming from your shoe, so you look at it. It has some brown stuff stuck to the bottom of it.
Ew! I stepped in dog poop!
Ew!
Make this sound when you see, smell, or hear about something disgusting.
Another similar interjection is “Yuck!”
(someone) stepped in (something)
When you’re walking and you step on an area which has some kind of liquid or sticky thing, you have “stepped in” that substance.
For example, you can “step in”:
a puddle
dog poop
a spilled drink
some used chewing gum
In contrast, you “step on” solid things:
I stepped on a piece of broken glass.
dog poop
“Dog poop” is a dog’s solid waste.
The phrase “dog poop” doesn’t sound too disgusting or rude. It’s kind of cute-sounding, actually. A more negative phrase is “dog shit”.
Your sister and her boyfriend got into a bad car accident. They’re in the hospital. You write an announcement on Facebook about it, and this is how you finish your post.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers
Keep (someone) in your (prayers/thoughts).
When someone you know is going through a difficult situation, you can ask other people to pray for them or think about them. The kinds of situations that you might ask people to “keep (someone) in their thoughts and prayers” for include:
Someone at your church had a family member pass away.
One of your cousins is having surgery.
Your good friend’s house burned down.
You can write or say any of the following:
Keep them in your prayers.
Keep them in your thoughts.
Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
“Thoughts” is a good choice if you’re not religious, or if you’re writing to others who aren’t religious.
This is formal expression. People usually ask this in written English or when speaking to large groups of people.
You’re single. You’ve been on a few dates with different men recently, but they all went badly. Now you’re frustrated that you can’t meet someone normal. You complain to your friend.
All I want is to meet a guy with a stable job and a good sense of humor. Is that too much to ask?
(someone) has (some kind of) sense of humor
Someone’s “sense of humor” is their style of joking, and also the way that they react to other people’s jokes. You can say that someone:
has a good sense of humor (They don’t mind people joking, and maybe they do funny things themselves.)
doesn’t have a sense of humor (They don’t laugh at people’s jokes. They’re too serious.)
has a witty sense of humor (They come up with intelligent jokes quickly.)
has a sick sense of humor (They think that disgusting or harmful things are funny.)
a guy
When women are discussing men’s attractiveness with each other, it’s usual for them to call the men “guys”:
What kind of guys are you into?
I met a really cute guy in my Spanish class.
All I want is (something).
Say this to explain something that you want, which you think should be easy to have.
For example:
All I want is a job where I can make a decent living.
All I want is a little time to myself.
All I want is to go home, play with my kids for a few minutes, watch some TV, and go to bed.
People usually use this phrase when they’re a little frustrated.
meet a (man/woman) When someone is single, they might talk about "meeting" a man or woman. For example:
I wish I could meet a woman who was into the same kind of stuff I’m into.
When someone says they want to “meet” someone, it means “meet for the first time, and then start a relationship”.
a stable job
A “stable job” is a job which pays a regular amount of money, requires normal working hours, and which a person can keep for a long time.
The opposite of “stable” is “unstable”. Unstable jobs include freelance work, part time jobs, owning one’s own company, and working for a business which is failing.
When you describe a job as “stable”, it seems good but maybe a little boring.
Is that too much to ask?
People say this phrase when they’re frustrated: they want something which seems simple and easy, but they can’t get it. For example:
I just want to have one evening when we don’t get in a big argument. Is that too much to ask?
I told you to take out the trash. Come on! Is that too much to ask?
When I call a meeting, I expect you all to show up on time. Is that too much to ask?
A person who asks this question sounds frustrated.
You work in the accounting department of a company. Your company has hired someone new (Jared) who will be doing some of the work that you used to do. You write an announcement to all of the other employees and explain which questions they should ask Jared.
Please refer any payroll-related questions to Jared going forward.
Please (do something).
Writing “please ___” is a very formal way to ask a question. You can use this for very important requests, or when you don’t know the person you’re writing to. You can also use it when you are upset with someone at work and don’t want to be too friendly with them.
For a friendlier, but still very polite, way to make a request, you can write:
If you could get back to me by the end of the day, that would be appreciated.
refer (a question) to (someone)
This formal phrase is used in business communication. “Referring” a question to someone means asking that person the question.
For example:
Please refer any questions you may have to J. Martin Forrester, Public Relations Director.
(something)-related questions
The phrase “___-related questions” means “questions about ___”. This is a formal phrase.
(do something) going forward
“Going forward” means “from now on” or “starting now and continuing permanently”.
This phrase is used mostly in business settings.
It’s useful because the phrase “from now on” sounds critical and aggressive. People say “from now on” when they’re angry like this:
From now on, check with me before you do that.
“Going forward”, on the other hand, sounds more formal but also doesn’t sound angry.
payroll
“Payroll” means:
the process of paying employees at a business
a list of the employees at a company
the money that the business has to spend on its employees:
For example:
I leave all of the payroll stuff up to our Financial officer.
We have over 3,000 employees on our payroll.
All employers are required to contribute 2 percent of their total payroll to unemployment insurance.
This word comes up in some phrases like:
payroll taxes
cut (a company’s) payroll
payroll records
a payroll check
You’re watching a documentary about tigers. There’s a shot of a tiger that looks really scary. You imagine how dangerous it would be to be close to a tiger like that. You comment on it to your nephew, who’s watching the show with you.
Look at the size of those teeth! Man, I wouldn’t want to come across one of those out in the wild.
come across (something) This phrase means to find something without really trying to look for it:
But sometimes you’ll be flipping through the channels and come across something really interesting.
Aren’t these great? I came across them at a thrift shop a couple weeks ago.
Man!
The expression “Man!” shows strong emotions, like shock, fear, admiration, envy, surprise, annoyance, etc..
For example:
Man, I am so exhausted.
Man! This computer is taking forever to start up!
Man! What a gorgeous sunset!
You can use “Man!” when speaking to both men and women, because you’re not saying it to anyone. You just say it to show an emotion.
“Man” is casual, but it’s completely polite. It’s a lot more polite than other words with similar meaning, like “Shit!”
Look at the size of that (thing)!
Say this when you see something really big:
Look at the size of those teeth! Man, I wouldn’t want to come across one of those out in the wild.
Look at the size of that guy’s shoulder muscles! He looks like the Incredible Hulk!
This phrase expresses feelings of surprise and admiration.
(out) in the wild
The phrase “in the wild” means “in nature”. Use this phrase to talk about animals and plants that are living in nature, rather than being kept “in captivity” by humans in a zoo, a garden, someone’s home, etc.
In the wild, they can grow to be over 4 meters long.
Interestingly, we sometimes use this expression now to talk about things that people make like products or computer programs:
Everything seems to work, but we won’t know for sure until we see how people are using it in the wild.
You’re going to play golf tomorrow with a group of friends. You’re texting a friend to tell him the time that you’re going to start.
We tee off at 9am sharp. See you there!
tee off
Starting a game of golf is called “teeing off”.
This expression comes from the name of the tool which golfers use to raise the golf ball above the ground when they start at a new hole, which is called a “tee”.
(some time) sharp
When you’re making plans for a specific time, and don’t want people to be late, you can use the word “sharp” after the time:
Be there at 8 o’clock sharp.
We start at 9:30 sharp. Don’t be late!
Adding “sharp” to the time makes you seem strict, but not rude or unfriendly.
See you (there/then)! After you've made plans to meet someone, you can use this phrase to end the conversation (whether in person, on the telephone, or through email or text message):
See you then!
Or:
See you there!
You’re riding in a car with your friend. Your friend is driving but she’s never been to the store that you’re going to. You tell her where to turn.
Make a right at the next light.
make a (left/right) When you're giving someone driving instructions, you can tell them where to turn using the phrases "make a right" or "make a left". This is a little more casual than telling someone to "turn right" or "turn left".
the light
When you’re talking about driving on a street, the phrase “the light” usually refers to a traffic signal. For example:
I think we were supposed to turn at the last light.
You can let me out right after the light.
There’s a small, cheap pizza shop across the street from your apartment. A friend is visiting you and asks if their food is good. The food is not fancy, but it tastes OK. You answer like this.
It’s not bad… for what it is.
(something) is not bad
There are a couple of reasons to say that something is “not bad”.
First, you can say that something is “not bad” if it’s kind of OK, but not great. For example, if you watched a movie which was kind of fun, but didn’t have great acting or story, you can say:
It wasn’t bad.
THe other reason to say that something is “not bad” is when you’re surprised by how good something is, like this:
That’s not half bad!
“Not bad” used in this way is an example of understatement.
for what (something) (is/are) Use this expression to talk about the limits of something, and compare it to other things that have the same limits.
For example, if a city is small and not very exciting, but is more fun than other cities of the same size, you can say:
It’s a fun town for what it is.
We usually use “for what it is” in these expressions:
accept (something) for what it is
enjoy (something) for what it is
appreciate (something) for what it is
Or you can use it when evaluating something:
It’s pretty good, for what it is.
There’s also a separate meaning of “for what it is”. It can mean “the true quality of something”. That’s the meaning of phrases like:
recognize (something) for what it is
see (something) for what it is
For all meanings of this expression, there are also the forms “for what he is”, “for what they are”, “for what I am”, etc.:
I wish they could just accept me for what I am, instead of always trying to change me.
You’ve recently lost quite a bit of weight. Someone at work asks you how you lost so much weight. You tell him about your diet.
I’ve been on one of those low-carb diets for the last few months.
(someone) has been (adjective) for (some time)
This is used to describe a continued situation that started some time in the past and is still happening now:
She’s been depressed for a few weeks.
The word that follows “been” should be an adjective or some longer phrase that works like an adjective. “Out of work” is a phrase that can be used like an adjective:
A lot of out-of-work actresses applied for the waitress job.
(someone) is on a diet
Being “on a diet” means that you’re following a strict set of rules about what to eat and not eat. People mostly go on diets to lose weight or to improve their health.
“Going on a diet” is different from “having” a diet. Everyone “has” a diet, which is simply the foods that you usually eat. For example:
I’m the first to admit that I have a pretty unhealthy diet.
This means that the speaker usually eats unhealthy food.
one of those (things)
When you use this phrase, it sounds like you’re talking about something which you and your listeners might have heard of, but don’t know much about.
For example, if you’ve never driven or ridden in an electric-powered car, but have seen them on TV and on the Internet, you can say:
I saw one of those electric cars today.
You can also say “one of these ___”.
low-carb (food)
Food that is “low-carb” does not have a lot of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are a component of food. They include starches, which are found in foods like bread, rice, and potatoes; sugar; and fiber, which is found ln food like beans and apples.
Some people eat food that is low in carbohydrates in order to lose weight.
You can also say that food is:
low-fat
low-calorie
low-sugar
low-sodium
You’re in a meeting at work. Someone complains that there’s a problem with the software system that they use. You’re one of the people who’s repsonsible for this software, so you let everyone know that you will fix this problem.
I’m on it.
I’m on it.
The phrase “I’m on it” means “I will deal with this” or “I will handle the problem.” You can use it in work situations.
“I’m on it” sounds helpful and positive. When you say this, it makes it seem like you’ve already started to work on the problem.
You’re riding the subway. There’s a sign which warns riders to watch for strange packages which might contain bombs. The sign says this.
If you notice anything suspicious, please alert the authorities immediately.
If (something happens), (do something)
You can use “if” to talk about what to do in a certain situation:
If you see Jacob, tell him I said “Hi”.
If I get sleepy, I’ll pull over and take a nap on the side of the road.
This type of “if” sentence is known as a “first conditional”.
notice something suspicious
A “suspicious” thing makes you feel distrustful. Some examples of “suspicious” things include:
A friend tells you that he stayed at home last night, but seems like he might be lying.
There’s a suitcase laying on the floor in the middle of a crowded airport, with no one standing next to it.
So an object is “suspicious” if you think it might be dangerous. When you see something and start to think that it’s suspicious, your “noticing something suspicious”.
please (do something) immediately
This is a way of giving instructions which is very formal and strict.
You most often see this phrase written on warning signs. For example:
If you hear an alarm, please exit the building immediately.
alert the authorities
“Alerting the authorities” means telling police or security staff about something dangerous or illegal. For example:
As a teacher, I’m required to alert the authorities if I hear about any kind of child abuse.
The phrase “alert the authorities” is formal. In everyday conversation, the expressions “call the police” or “call the cops” are more common.
You’re riding the subway. There’s a sign which warns riders to watch for strange packages which might contain bombs. The sign says this.
If you notice anything suspicious, please alert the authorities immediately.
If (something happens), (do something)
You can use “if” to talk about what to do in a certain situation:
If you see Jacob, tell him I said “Hi”.
If I get sleepy, I’ll pull over and take a nap on the side of the road.
This type of “if” sentence is known as a “first conditional”.
notice something suspicious
A “suspicious” thing makes you feel distrustful. Some examples of “suspicious” things include:
A friend tells you that he stayed at home last night, but seems like he might be lying.
There’s a suitcase laying on the floor in the middle of a crowded airport, with no one standing next to it.
So an object is “suspicious” if you think it might be dangerous. When you see something and start to think that it’s suspicious, your “noticing something suspicious”.
please (do something) immediately
This is a way of giving instructions which is very formal and strict.
You most often see this phrase written on warning signs. For example:
If you hear an alarm, please exit the building immediately.
alert the authorities
“Alerting the authorities” means telling police or security staff about something dangerous or illegal. For example:
As a teacher, I’m required to alert the authorities if I hear about any kind of child abuse.
The phrase “alert the authorities” is formal. In everyday conversation, the expressions “call the police” or “call the cops” are more common.
