month9 Flashcards
You’re at your high school reunion. Someone asks about a classmate who didn’t come to the reunion. You’ve heard that she’s a movie producer, so you say this.
She’s a big shot in Hollywood now.
(someone) is a big shot
A “big shot” is an important person.
This phrase sometimes has a little bit of a negative tone. You can call someone a “big shot” if they have a high-paying job but don’t have time to pay attention to their old friends, for example. Or if you want to tease a friend who’s bragging too much, you can say:
All right, Mr. Big Shot!
There are some spelling mistakes on your company’s website. You think that it’s really embarrassing for the company. You complain about it to the person in charge of maintaining the website.
It might seem like no big deal, but it reflects badly on the entire organization.
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It might seem like (something), but (sentence)
When someone is making a bad decision, you can use this phrase to change their mind. It means that their way of thinking is incorrect. For example:
It might seem like a waste of time at first, but as you continue to practice you’ll see better and better results.
It might seem like you can make more money by quitting school and getting a job directly, but in the long run you’ll end up earning a lot more money if you earn a degree.
(something) is no big deal
When you say that something is “no big deal” it means that it’s not a problem. It’s not important for you to worry about it.
A: I’m so, so sorry.
B: Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal.
You can also use “no big deal” to say that something isn’t important. For example, if someone asks you about an award you’ve won, you can humbly say:
Yeah, it’s no big deal.
(something) reflects badly on (a person or organization)
When you do something bad, it makes people lose respect for you. It might also make people lose respect for people who are connected to you, like your parents, your boss, your coworkers, or even your entire country. To describe this, we say that your actions “reflect badly on ___”:
Scandals like these reflect very badly on the current administration.
You’re only thinking about yourself. Did you ever stop to consider that it reflects badly on us as well?
You can also say that an action “reflects well on” something. For example, the principal of a school might say this in a speech to the students:
We’re here to do everything we can to help you achieve, because when you accomplish great things, that also reflects well on us.
You went to a doctor because of pain in your lower back. The doctor is writing a prescription for medication. He says this when he hands you the prescription.
Take one capsule of this two or three times a day; it’ll help ease the pain.
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take (medicine)
In English, we use the word “take” to talk about medicine. You “take” medicine by eating or drinking it. It’s incorrect to use “eat” or “drink” to talk about medicine.
(do something) (#) times a (day/week/month)
Talk about how often something happens this way:
once a day
twice a month
three times a year
five times a day
A common mistake English learners make is “times in a day” / “times in a month”, etc. Try to remember the correct version.
In more formal English, you can use “per” instead of “a”:
twice per year
ease the pain
“Easing” someone’s pain means reducing the amount of pain or making it easier to deal with. You can “ease” someone’s pain with medicine, or with things like emotional support and humor.
Use the word “ease” like this:
If there’s anything I can do to ease your pain, just let me know.
Nothing he did was able to ease the pain.
You coach a high school basketball team. Some of the players don’t want to pass the ball to each other because they want to be the ones to score points. You’re giving a speech to tell them to pass more often, and you say this at the end.
Remember guys: there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’.
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guys
In English, there’s not a really good word for addressing a group of people. In different parts of the country, people use different expressions when talking to a group. The expression I suggest is “guys”. For example, at a restaurant with a large group of friends you can say:
Hey guys, are you ready to order?
“Guys” technically means a group of men, but it’s usually OK to use it for groups of men and women, or even for groups of all women.
Remember: (sentence)
Tell people something that they should remember like this:
Remember: don’t mx it too much, or it’ll lose that nice texture.
You do this when giving people advice. It makes you sound like an expert or an authority. Don’t speak this way to people who are more experienced or higher-status than you.
There’s no “I” in “team”.
This set phrase is often used to remind team members that they have to work together, and not be selfish.
It’s based on a pun: when you spell the word “team”, you don’t use the letter “I’. On the other hand, the word “I” means “me”. So this phrase means:
The team as a whole is important, not the individual members.
You don’t use the letter “I” when you spell “team”.
“There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’” is very well-known. It’s used a lot in team sports like soccer, basketball, etc. Most people are actually tired of hearing it, so don’t be surprised if your teammates ignore you when you say this!
You’re eating at a restaurant. The waiter comes to your table to take your order, but you’re not ready. You tell him to come back again a few minutes later.
Actually, if you could give us a few more minutes…?
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Join PhraseMix Premium or sign in to listen to this lesson! 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.
Actually, (sentence)
Start a sentence with “Actually…” when you need to ask someone to change plans or do something different than they expected. Beginning with “Actually…” is polite and makes it seem like you’re sorry for inconveniencing the listener.
For example, you can start with “Actually…” if you’re planning a party but forgot to get ice for the drinks. You’re too busy to go out to buy it, so you ask one of the early-arriving guests:
Actually, Mark, can you do me a huge, huge favor? Could you run down to the convenience store and pick up a bag of ice?
if you could (do something)…
People ask questions this way sometimes when they’re being polite:
If you could just move over there to the side…
If you could email me the form you were talking about…
Instead of finishing the sentence by giving a conclusion to the “if” clause, the speaker just lets the sentence fade off. The meaning is “Please do this” but it sounds less direct.
Sometimes people do finish the sentence with “that would be great” or “I would appreciate it”:
If you could turn down the volume just a little, I would really appreciate it.
You’re at an art gallery. You find one painting that you really like. It makes you feel great. You say this to a friend who’s standing next to you.
This one really speaks to me.
You can use this phrase to talk about a painting, a movie, a song, or other work of art that gives you strong positive emotions. When art “speaks to you”, it makes you notice new things about life.
You can also use this phrase in the past tense:
Her poetry really spoke to me.
this one
Use “this one” to talk about something that’s close to you right now, or very recently. For example:
A: Which one do you like?
B: I like this one.
Have you seen this one? (Pointing at a video on your computer)
Why do you need “one” with it? “This” and “that” can also be used by themselves:
I like this.
People use “one” when they’re choosing one thing out of a group. It’s like you’re saying “this one, not the others”.
You ran into one of your boyfriend’s coworkers today. You’ve met her a few times before, but you don’t remember her name. You’re trying to tell your boyfriend what happened.
I saw… oh shoot, what’s her name? I’m drawing a blank.
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Oh, shoot!
“Shoot!” is an expression that you use when you’ve made a little mistake or when you notice that something is messed up.
“Oh shoot!” is a more-polite replacement for the phrase “Oh shit!” You can use “Oh shoot” instead of “Oh shit” if:
you’re a polite person who doesn’t want to say “shit”
the problem that you’ve noticed isn’t very bad
What’s her name?
People ask themselves questions like this when they’re trying to remember something.
Ah, what’s the name of that little diner on the corner of69th and Broadway?
Now where did I put those papers?
You sometimes add “again” to the end:
When was that again?
No one is expected to answer questions like this.
I’m drawing a blank.
“I’m drawing a blank” means “I can’t remember right now.” You say this when you’re trying to remember something that you used to know, but you can’t remember it.
This is similar to the phrase “blank on ___”:
Uhh… I’m blanking on her name.
“I’m drawing a blank” is fine to use in spoken English in pretty much any situation, but it’s not often used in formal writing because you always have a chance to look up the information that you’ve forgotten!
You’re eating dinner with your family. You want your son to eat vegetables, so you try to make them seem exciting. You eat a vegetable and say this.
Yummy!
Use “Yummy!” to describe food that tastes good.
“Yummy” has a feminine and somewhat childish sound to it, though. You wouldn’t expect to hear a big, muscular straight man describe his food as “yummy” to his buddies. More often, adults say “yummy” to children or women say “yummy” to other women.
You can use “yummy” in two different ways:
Yummy!
That’s yummy.
Oh, and women use “yummy” in one other way: to describe a man who’s really attractive and sexy:
He is so yummy.
ou and a friend are talking about the recent Olympics. You don’t know where the next Olympics is going to be, so you ask your friend.
Where’s the next one being held?
Where’s (something)?
“Where’s” is a contracted version of “Where is”. Use it in spoken English and casual writing.
(an event) is being held
You can use the verb “hold” to talk about having an event. For example, you can:
hold a party
hold a tournament
hold an art exhibition
You can also talk about where and when the event is happening using the expression “___ is being held…” For example:
The 3rd Annual Bell Lake Boat Show is being held on September 15th from 3 to 8pm at the South Pier.
A: Where’s it being held?
B: At the Rec Center, I believe.
You and your husband are traveling. You got to the airport late and missed your flight. He blames you for missing the flight because you took longer to get ready. You think that it’s his fault that you missed the flight, and you can’t believe that he’s blaming you.
Sure. Blame it on me.
Sure.
English speakers sometimes start a sentence with “Sure” in an argument. They use “Sure” sarcastically. Instead of being a way of agreeing with the other person, it shows that they can’t believe what the person has just said.
For example:
A: Nina, I need to use your car. Let me borrow it, just for a few hours.
B: Sure, I’m supposed to let you borrow my car, when you won’t even pay for my dinner? No way.
In this example, Person B does not want to let Person A borrow the car.
blame (someone) for (something)
“Blaming” someone for a bad situation means saying that they caused it. You can blame someone for a mistake, a bad decision, an accident, etc.
Are you going to keep on blaming your parents for all of your problems and flaws? At some point, you need to take responsibility for your own life.
If someone has caused something good, you don’t “blame” them for it. Instead, you “give ___ credit for ___” or “attribute ___ to ___.”
Mandy gave me credit for being the one who came up with the original idea.
You bought a lottery ticket. You mention it to your roommate. She asks if you think you’re going to win. Of course you don’t think so, but you do have some small hope. You say this.
Well, you never know…
You never know…
This phrase means that there’s a small chance that something could happen.
Use this to talk about something that probably won’t happen, but possibly could.
A common way to use “You never know…” is to say that something might be useful in the future. For example:
A: Do you want to keep this? We don’t use it anymore.
B: Yeah, let’s keep it. You never know…
Well
One of the many ways to use “Well” at the beginning of a sentence is to defend yourself. When someone has attacked your actions or something that you said, you can say “Well” before you explain yourself.
A: You never do the dishes!
B: Well, that’s because I don’t use as many dishes as you.
You’re an accountant. You’re talking to a cousin that you don’t see very often about your job. You’re explaining why your job is stressful sometimes. This is one reason.
We can be fined tens of thousands of dollars if we miss one of the filing deadlines.tens of (thousands/millions/billions) of (something)
Use this phrase to talk about a large number of something.
“Tens of thousands” could mean anything from 20,000 to 100,000, but it seems like it’s on the higher end of that range.
You can also say “tens of millions” like this:
We’ve managed to cut tens of millions of dollars in costs from this year’s budget.
By the way, if you want to talk about a general number that’s between 20 and 100, you don’t say “tens”. Instead, you say “dozens”. A “dozen” means 12:
She tried on dozens of different outfits.
a filing deadline
The day that you have to finish something by is a “deadline”.
A “filing deadline” is the last day to file, or submit, a set of paperwork.
We usually use the phrase “filing deadline” to talk about doing one’s taxes:
I always put off doing my taxes until right before the filing deadline.
One of the walls in your house had a crack in it, but you fixed it this weekend. You told your wife that you fixed the wall, and now you say this as you show it to her.
See here? I patched up that spot where the drywall was starting to crack.
See here / See there?
You say this when you’re pointing to something that you want people to look at. For example, say this if you’re showing someone a dog at a pet store:
See there? That one’s a German Shepherd.
“Here” is for closer things, and “there” is for things that are further away.
patch (something) up
“Patching up” something means fixing it by covering it with something. You usually “patch up” something that has a hole or a crack, like:
a sidewalk
a wall
a spot in your lawn
You can also use “patch up” to talk about fixing a relationship that has broken.
We got in a fight a few days ago, but we’ve patched things up.
drywall
“Drywall” is a material that’s used for building walls. Most new homes use drywall on the inside of the walls. It’s made from a hardened powder which cracks easily. The cracks have to be covered with a kind of paste, then sanded and painted.
You found that your tablet computer was broken when you came home. Your son admitted that he dropped it. You’re angry, but you want to encourage him for telling you the truth.
You did the right thing by telling me.
You did the right thing.
When someone does “the right thing”, it means that they do what is honest or morally right. For example, you can tell someone that they “did the right thing” in situations like:
a student reports some dangerous behavior by another student to their teacher
someone found a missing wallet and returned it to the owner
This is different from telling someone that they were “right”, which means “correct”:
You were right. It’s scheduled for Monday, not Tuesday.
To mention which action was “the right thing”, you can say “by ___ing”:
You did the right thing by coming to me.
Your roommate is wearing sandals. His toenails are really long, and it looks gross. You tease him about it.
How long’s it been since you clipped those suckers
How long has it been since (something happened)?
This is a way to ask about how much time has passed between a past event and now. Here are some examples:
How long has it been since you first started experiencing these symptoms?
How long has it been since you last saw him?
In casual English, you can contract “long has” to “long’s”:
How long’s it been since we last got together?
clip (one’s nails)
We use the verb “clip” to talk about cutting your fingernails or toenails.
that sucker / those suckers
In very casual speech, “sucker” can mean “thing”. Here are some examples of things that you can call a “sucker”:
a fish that you’re trying to catch
a remote control that you’re trying to find
a steak that you’re putting on the grill to cook
your computer which recently broke
You’re walking to lunch with a coworker who you’re friends with. You pass by a woman who works with you. You say hello to each other but your friend and the woman act strangely. You wonder if they’re secretly dating each other. You ask him about it.
Is there anything going on between you two?
there’s something going on between (two people)
When you think that two people are dating each other, flirting with each other, or romantically interested in each other, you can say that “there’s something going on between” them.
Of course, the phrase “there’s something going on” can mean a lot of different things, but when you use it to talk about a possible couple, people know that you mean romance, attraction, or sex.
you two
You can group two people together with the phrase “you two”. For example:
Hey, can you two help me carry these?
I haven’t seen you two in forever! How’ve you been?
You can also say “you three”, “you four”, and so on.
You’re going through the security checkpoint at the airport. Your bag has gone through the scanning machine, but there was something in it that the security officer couldn’t see well. He wants to do it again, so he says this.
Sir, I’m going to have to rescan this.
I’m going to have to (do something)
Use this phrase to talk about something that you need to do, but which might annoy your listener.
I’m going to have to charge you extra for that. Sorry!
A: We’re going out for a bite to eat. Why don’t you join us?
B: No, I’m going to have to take a rain check.
This is similar to “going to need to”. “Going to have to” is friendlier-sounding, though.
There’s also another way to use “going to have to”, which is just to talk about things that you have to do in the future. Here’s an example:
Just a heads up - we’re going to have to meet soon.
re(do something)
The prefix “re-“ means “again”. You can attach it to a lot of different words. For example:
resend
retype
redraw
rewrite
rethink
In all of these examples, adding “re” means to do the action again.
scan (something)
Checking something with a machine is “scanning” it. Here are some examples of “scanning”:
At a store, the cashier may scan the label of an item to find out how much it costs.
An X-ray machine scans your body or the inside of a piece of luggage.
The military uses technologies like radar to scan the air and water.
Sir, (sentence)
Employees who deal with the public, like cashiers, receptionists, security guards, hotel staff, etc. often call male customers “Sir”. It’s supposed to show respect. For example:
Sir, can I get you something to drink while you wait?
In the U.S., you can also call any adult man who you don’t know “Sir”.
On the other hand, it’s a little strange to call someone “sir” who you know well, like a coworker or friend. Unless someone has a clear position of authority over you (like a teacher), don’t call him “sir” if you’ve had friendly conversations with each other.
The equivalent title for women is “Ma’am”.
Categories: topic: luggage | grammar: modals | security | situation: airport
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asuka_tclef
Tell me what we need to do in order to make this go through….
“Tell me what we need to do in order to make this go through.” ·
Aaron @ PhraseMix
Yes. You caught one of my frequent late-night mistakes :)
“Tell me what we need to do in order to make this go through.” ·
Mark
>A related phrase is “go through with (something)”, which means…
“Tell me what we need to do in order to make this go through.” ·
asuka_tclef
Yes, I do. Normally I speak standard language, though. So my…
“Actually, if you could give us a few more minutes…?” ·
You saw a TV show last night. Now you’re talking to a friend who’s interested in that show, but missed last night’s episode. You explain how two characters got in an argument.
Megan was pissed off at Don, but since she couldn’t yell at him directly she took it out on Peggy.
(someone) is pissed off at (someone)
Being “pissed off” means being quite angry. You get pissed off at a person, or pissed off about an idea which makes you angry:
Are you still pissed off at me about what I said this morning?
“Pissed off” is a slightly rough phrase, so avoid it in polite situations with people you don’t know well.
yell at (someone) You "yell at" someone when they've done something wrong and you're angry at them. In most cases, a person in a higher social position yells at the person in a lower position. For example:
Ms. MacGuire used to yell at me all the time for talking during class.
I got yelled at for not calling my parents.
The meaning of “yell at” is similar to the word “scold”, but English speakers almost never use “scold” except in formal written English. “Yell at” is the common way to express this.
(talk to someone) directly
Talking to a person “directly” means that you talk to them, instead of to someone else.
You should tell him directly to stop calling you. I mean, he obviously doesn’t know how to take a hint.
Saying things “directly” is usually a good thing in English. A more negative-sounding expression to describe speaking directly to someone is “to (his or her) face”:
I’ll tell him right to his face that he’s being a complete ass.
take it out on (someone)
“Taking it out on” someone means yelling or getting angry at a person, even though they’re not really what’s made you angry. For example, if you have a bad day at work, and then come home and yell at your aunt, you’re “taking it out on” your aunt.
So what is “it” exactly? “It” refers to your anger or stress:
When you don’t deal with stress properly, you can end up taking your anger out on those around you.
You’re a doctor. A patient tells you about a problem with the skin on his back. You’re going to examine it, so you say this
Let’s take a look at that.
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let’s (do something)
Make a suggestion using “let’s ___” when you’re pretty sure that the people you’re speaking to will accept your suggestion. If you’re not as sure, you can say “why don’t we ___”:
Guys, why don’t we call it a day.
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.
You went hiking to the top of a really beautiful mountain in a foreign country. It was one of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen. You’re showing a photo of it to a friend, but the photo doesn’t match how beautiful it was
This doesn’t do it justice at all. You can’t possibly capture the essence of that experience on film.
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(not) at all
The phrase “not at all” means really, completely none. It’s a very extreme way of saying “not”.
The word “not” can also be replaced by any negative word - “no”, “don’t”, “nothing”, “isn’t”, etc.
There was no one there at all.
I didn’t say anything at all for the entire trip.
(something) doesn’t do (something) justice
When a description, a photograph, or a recording of something isn’t as great as the original, you can say “it doesn’t do it justice”.
You can say “it doesn’t do it justice” about things like:
a joke that was originally very funny, but you re-told it incorrectly
a view was very beautiful, but your photographs of it aren’t as beautiful
You can’t possibly (do something)
This phrase means that something isn’t possible. You use this expression to strongly state an opinion.
You’re on an airplane that’s about to take off. The flight attendant is making safety announcements. He tells what to do if the plane lands on the water.
In the unlikely event of an emergency water landing, you may find a flotation device beneath your seat cushion.
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In the event of (something), (do something)
This is a very formal expression that you mostly hear in instructions. It means “If ___ happens, do this.”
Here are a few examples of how to use “in the event of ___”:
In the event of fire, stay calm.
In the event of emergency, take stairs.
an unlikely (situation) Something that is "unlikely" will probably not happen. These are some things that are "unlikely":
getting a job that you’re not really qualified for
finding an earring that you dropped in a crowded place
winning the lottery
an emergency water landing
“An emergency water landing” is how airline employees describe an airplane crashing in the water or landing on the water. The word “crash” sounds horrible, so they avoid using it. “An emergency water landing” sounds more acceptable to passengers.
a flotation device
A “flotation device” is a formal word for something that helps you float in the water.
A “personal flotation device” can also be called by other names, including “life jacket”. It’s a vest which you wear around the water to help you to float if you fall in.
Another type of “flotation device” is a “lifesaver”, which is a ring with a hole in the middle that you can throw to someone who’s drowning in the water.
beneath (something)
“Beneath” is a more formal way of saying “under”.
For example, if you’re answering a lawyer’s question in a trial, you might use “beneath” instead of “under”:
Yes, that’s correct. The apartment beneath us was vacant.
your seat cushion
A “cushion” is kind of like a pillow, but a little harder. Many seats have cushions on the bottom, where you sit.
There’s a politician that you don’t like at all. This politician says that she is truthful in her campaign commercials, but you think she lies about a lot of things. You saw a new commercial from her, and you comment on it on a social networking site.
She claims to be all about honesty and integrity? What a hypocrite!
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(someone) claims to (do/be something)
Use “claim to ___” when you want to tell what a person said, but you also want to suggest that you don’t believe them, or don’t know if what they said is true. For example:
I once knew a guy who claimed to be able to remember every telephone number he’d ever called.
There are two different patterns that people use “claim” in. One is “claim that ___”, and the other is “claim to ___”:
They claimed to be police officers, so I let them in.
They claimed that they were police officers, so I let them in.
(someone) is a hypocrite
A “hypocrite” is someone who loudly pretends to be good, but secretly does bad things. Or someone who does the same bad things that they criticize others for.
For example, a preacher who teaches his congregation not to chase after money, but actually lives in an expensive house and drives a luxury car himself, is a hypocrite.
Another example is a parent who tells her teenage daughter not to smoke, but is secretly a smoker herself.
Politicians, religious leaders, parents, and teachers are often accused of being hypocrites.
(someone) is all about (something)
You can describe a philosophy that someone often talks about and emphasizes this way:
Mom and Dad were all about me going to college and studying medicine, even when I was just a little girl.
The marines are all about respect and loyalty.
You can also use “all about ___” to talk about something that you’re strongly interested in, or something that you concentrate on:
These days, I’m all about cutting loose and enjoying myself.
honesty and integrity
“Honesty” means telling the truth. “Integrity” is a more general kind of honesty. It means doing the right thing and following a set of moral rules.
These words often appear together in the phrase “honesty and integrity”. This phrase is common in formal speeches, like political speeches or school ceremonies.
You work at an electronics store. A customer wants to buy a camera, but isn’t sure if he should get a cheaper one or a more professional one. You don’t think he needs the professional camera, so you’re trying to convince him to buy the cheaper camera.
If you decide somewhere down the road that you need some of the more advanced features, you can always sell it and upgrade to a more advanced model.
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down the road
The phrase “down the road” means “some time in the future”.
English speakers especially use “down the road” when discussing decisions. Some decisions can be changed “down the road”. Other decisions might have bad consequences “down the road”.
For example:
Yeah, it works for now. I’m worried that it could present some problems down the road, though.
Ten or fifteen years down the road, you may decide that you want to move somewhere bigger.
advanced features
Electronics, appliances, and software programs have “features”. Features are useful things that the product is able to do.
“Advanced features” are abilities that are more difficult to use or not needed by most people. For example, a professional photographer would need a camera with “advanced features”, but a typical family would not.
a model
Products such as electronics and cars usually have new “models” each year or every few years. The new “model” has an updated design and new features.
By the way, some products don’t have new “models”. For example, computer software has new “versions” instead of “models”. Books that are updated have new “editions”.
you can always do (something)
Use this expression to communicate that a decision is not permanent; it can be changed later.
For example, if someone has tried to recruit your friend for a job, you might have a conversation like this:
A: I don’t know if I want to leave my current job…
B: Well, you can always go for the interview and decide later once they’ve made a job offer.
upgrade (something) to (something)
“Upgrading” something means getting a better version. Here are some things that you can “upgrade”:
upgrade your seat on an airplane to first class upgrade your computer to a newer model upgrade to PhraseMix Premium
Your foot hurts after a sports accident, so you went to the hospital. The doctor has taken an X-ray, and now he’s showing it to you and explaining what’s wrong.
You seem to have a hairline fracture in one of the minor bones in your foot.
(something) seems to (do, have, or be something)
You can say that something “seems to be ___” when you notice something but you’re not completely sure that you have identified it correctly. For example, if you’re video chatting and it takes her a few extra seconds to answer your questions, you can say:
There seems to be a bit of a lag.
You can also use “seems to…” to to politely point out a problem.
For example, imagine that you’re paying for a shirt that you buy at a department store, and you give the cashier some cash. But after he counts it, he says to you:
You seem to be a bit short.
That means “You don’t have enough money.” But the cashier just says “You seem to be…” to be polite. “Seems to…” is a way to act like you might be wrong about what you’ve seen or heard, even if you’re actually sure that you’re correct.
(someone) has a fracture in (a body part)
If you “have a fracture”, it means that one of your bones is broken. This is the term that doctors use to describe broken bones.
To explain which bone is broken, you say that the fracture is “in” a part of the body:
She has fractures in two of her ribs.
A few kinds of fractures include:
a hairline fracture, which means that the bone is only broken or cracked a little bit
a compound fracture, which means that the bone is poking out through the skin
a minor (something)
“Minor” sometimes means “not very big”, and sometimes means “not very important”.
You almost got in a car accident. Now you’ve stopped on the side of the road because you were freaked out.
My heart’s still racing.
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(someone’s) heart is racing
When your heart is beating really fast, you can say that it’s “racing”.
Your heart can race when you’re scared, nervous, excited, or when you have some kind of medical problem.
One other thing that can “race” in this way is your mind:
As soon as he said he needed to talk to me, my mind started racing, wondering what it could be about.
This means to think quickly and nervously.
Your son sometimes doesn’t eat vegetables. You want him to eat them because they’re healthy. You’re trying to feed him some broccoli, and you’re convincing him to eat it.
It’s important to eat your veggies so you can grow up to be big and strong.
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It’s important to (do somethng)
When you’re explaining an idea or action that is important, use the phrase “It’s important to ___”. For example:
It’s important to remember that there are no winners and losers here. This is just for fun and practice.
It’s important to get regular excercise.
If your message is important for a specific person or group of people, you can mention them like this:
It’s important for you to get here on time.
eat your veggies
“Veggies” is short for “vegetables”. Parents often call vegetables “veggies” when they’re speaking to children.
“Eat your veggies!” is a common piece of advice that parents give their children. Doctors and nutrition experts also tell people to eat their veggies because vegetables have a lot of vitamins and minerals that people need to stay healthy.
(someone) (can/will) grow up to (be something / do something)
Adults often talk to children about what they will be like as an adult. To talk about what a child will be like in the future, use the phrase “grow up to be ___”:
I want you to grow up to be healthy and happy.
I don’t want him to grow up to be some kind of weird, awkward loner.
Do you remember that time when you said that you wanted to grow up to be a comedian?
Another way to talk about a child’s future is to say “be ___ when you grow up”. You mostly use this to talk about a chid’s future job:
What do you want to be when you grow up?
big and strong
“Big and strong” are words that often appear together to describe a man. Being “big and strong” is something that young boys aspire to, so adults will tell them to eat more so that they can become “big and strong”.
Some women are also very attracted to “big and strong” men, so you might hear a woman speak admiringly of a man like this:
Ooh, you’re so big and strong!
You’re having a party at your house. You’re talking to one of the guests, and you realize that you haven’t had a party in several years. You make a comment about it.
Come to think of it, I can’t even remember when the last time I hosted a party was.
Come to think of it, (sentence)
Introduce something that you’ve just realized or just remembered this way. “Come to think of it” means something like “Here’s something I just thought.”
You use “come to think of it in response to something that someone asked you:
A: If you hear of anyone that’s hiring, let me know.
B: OK, sure… Actually, come to think of it, I have a friend who’s looking for some people.
Or you can use it to add to something that you said yourself:
I haven’t been to Spain in a couple of years. You know, come to think of it, I haven’t gone anywhere in the last few years.
I can’t remember when the last time I (did something) was
Use this expression when you’re talking about something that you haven’t done in a very long time. The suggestion is that you can’t remember when you did it because it was so long ago.
For example:
I can’t remember when the last time I ate a McDonald’s hamburger was. It has to have been 10 years ago at least.
host (a party or event)
“Hosting” a party means that you do the planning or provide the space for it. These are all examples of hosting:
you invite people to your house for a party
your friend organizes a party and you let her use your house for it
you invite people to your office for a networking event
you rent a gallery and organize an art show there
The person who is hosting the party is the “host”.
You’re building a new house. The construction started a few weeks ago. A friend asks about how it’s going, so this is your answer.
It’s starting to come together.
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(something) is coming together
“It’s coming together” means “it’s starting to be successful” or “it’s getting closer to completion”.
Use this phrase to talk about a project. It can be one of many kinds of projects:
a school assignment
a construction project
a website that you’re building
a novel that you’re writing
You can also say “___ is starting to come together” to talk about a project that’s a little further away from being finished.
This is a good general-use phrase; it’s neither very formal nor very casual.
You work in construction remodeling people’s homes. A homeowner wants to remodel his kitchen. To do this, you need to replace a lot of stuff. You tell him what you will have to do.
Before we can install the new counter, we’ll have to rip up all this old linoleum, and possibly replace some of the underlying floor.
install (something)
“Installing” something means putting it together in the right place and setting it up. You can “install” things like:
a dishwasher
a hook or shelf that hangs on the wall
a security system
You can also “install” software on a computer.
“Installing” something is different from “building” it because you “install” things that have already been made, but just need a little work to assemble.
a counter
Most kitchens and bathrooms have “counters”, which are flat spaces that you can use while standing. A counter is like a table, but higher and usually built into the room instead of being a separate piece of furniture.
rip up (something) To remove a covering that's attached to the floor, like a carpet or tiles, you "rip it up":
They’re going to rip up all the old flooring and put in brand new hardwood floors.
We also use “rip up” in a completely different way, to mean completely ripping something like a piece of paper:
I ripped up all my old photos of my high school boyfriend after I broke up with him.
linoleum
Linoleum is a floor covering that’s used mostly to cover kitchen and bathroom floors. It comes in large rolls and is glued to the floor.
(something), and possibly (something)
This expression is useful for listing more than one action. The actions that come after “possibly” are less certain than the ones that come before:
I think I’ll sell the piano, and possibly the bike too.
replace (something)
“Replacing” something means getting rid of an old thing and getting a new one instead. You replace machines and machine parts that are old or broken.
the underlying (something) Something that is covered and hidden by something else can be described as "the underlying \_\_\_".
Physical examples of “underlying” things are:
the wood in a house that’s behind the walls (“the underlying wood”)
an old painting which has been hidden by dust and dirt (“the underlying painting”)
The word “underlying” is also very common for talking about emotions and ideas:
the underlying problem
underlying emotions
the underlying cause of ___
an underlying assumption
