She met him in France Lisa is from Canterbury, England. Sam is from Paris, France. While vacationing in Paris, Lisa met Sam at the Opéra Garnier. They had both gone alone, but their seats were next to each other. He loved the music. She loved the drama. And, at the end of the last scene,… Continue reading Miss the boat, a story
Category: Advanced
Meaning of “on the fence”
The idiom “on the fence” means that someone is undecided or neutral about a decision. Imagine a fence dividing two sides. If you’re sitting on that fence, you haven’t chosen one side or the other. You’re in the middle, unsure of which way to go. Now imagine that your friends are deciding where to go… Continue reading Meaning of “on the fence”
Lie vs Lay
Don’t trust native English speakers with this one! One of the best ways to learn a new word is to listen closely to how native speakers use it. However, I do NOT recommend this approach for the words “lie” and “lay”. Why, you ask? Because native English speakers often confuse these two words. Let’s take… Continue reading Lie vs Lay
Get Ready for your Job Interview
Tell me about yourself If you have a job interview coming up, there are a few things you can expect – and prepare for. You are likely to be asked to tell the interviewer a bit about yourself. It can be challenging to respond to such a general prompt. Here is a structure that can… Continue reading Get Ready for your Job Interview
It’s “a long shot”, but I’ll ask!
What’s the meaning of “a long shot”? What do you imagine when you hear the words; “a long shot”? It’s another English expression that might not be easy to understand on its own. If you’ve never heard this idiom before, I suggest you do the following: Were you right? How did you do? Were you… Continue reading It’s “a long shot”, but I’ll ask!
What’s going on “under the table”?
“Under the Table” Before you read on, please watch the 45-second video above – and take the multiple-choice quiz. Are you able to correctly guess the meaning of “under the table”? Were you right? As revealed in the video, the idiom “under the table” refers to something that is hidden, dishonest, or unlawful. Typically it… Continue reading What’s going on “under the table”?
Where do you put your eggs?
“Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket” Here’s another strange but common English expression. Have you ever heard it? If not, you’re bound to hear it sooner or later. To “put all your eggs in one basket” is generally viewed as a risky thing to do. For that reason, you will often hear the… Continue reading Where do you put your eggs?
Do you cut corners?
The Story of Nadège, who cut corners at work Nadège, eager to impress her boss with a quick turnaround, cut corners while preparing the financial report. Rushing through calculations and overlooking details, she submitted it ahead of schedule. However, her haste led to errors. When the discrepancies were discovered during a crucial meeting, her credibility… Continue reading Do you cut corners?
Do you do things “by the book”?
Are you someone who likes to do things by the book? Or are you more of a rebel, occasionally breaking the rules and doing things your own way? If you haven’t already guessed, doing something “by the book” is an English idiom that means doing it exactly as the rules or instructions tell you to.… Continue reading Do you do things “by the book”?
In a nutshell, it’s a useful idiom
Have you ever heard the idiom “in a nutshell”? Can you guess what it means? Here are three sentences in which its used appropriately: In a nutshell, William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is about unrequited love. I won’t tell you the whole story, but in a nutshell, I ended up getting fired. His master’s thesis, in… Continue reading In a nutshell, it’s a useful idiom