Category: English Expressions

Miss the boat, a story

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

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”

Once in a blue moon

Once in a blue moon I… look through old photo albums that are sitting on my bedroom bookshelf. Are you old enough to have real, physical photos? When I was growing up, digital cameras didn’t exist. We used film cameras – with 35mm film on which we could take 24 or 36 photos. I have… Continue reading Once in a blue moon

My advice? Learn a new phrasal verb every week

What are Phrasal Verbs? A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or more particles (such as prepositions or adverbs) that together create a new meaning that is different from the original verb. Example:“give” (verb) means to provide, to supply, to let someone have“give up” (phrasal verb) means to quit Why study Phrasal Verbs?… Continue reading My advice? Learn a new phrasal verb every week

The deal breaker that made me quit my job

I love to dance I’ve always loved dancing. Growing up, I took all kinds of lessons; ballet, folk dance, modern dance, jazz ballet, African dance and Middle Eastern dance. However, once I discovered partner dancing (ballroom, swing, salsa, etc.), I was *hooked! I was so passionate about these dances, I would go out dancing several… Continue reading The deal breaker that made me quit my job

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?