Teachers' Library

MAKE DO means to manage to do something as well as possible without all the resources that one would ideally like to have. "I didn't have time to go shopping today so we'll just have to make do." If we say we make do WITH or WITHOUT something we imply that we have to come to terms with the limited, insufficient or inadequate means and use whatever is available, even though this is not really enough. "We'll have to make do with less money next year." Make do can be also followed by ON. "They made do on half a loaf of bread every day." Make do is probably short for 'make something do well enough', where 'do' carries the rare sense to serve a specified purpose. So this 'do' is similar to the one used in sentences such as, "I could use a cup of coffee, but tea will do." "Once upon a time, we made do without computers and smartphones." While it’s tempting to call MAKE DUE a misspelling and leave it at that...

HURRY UP AND WAIT means take some action quickly, only to be halted at the next step in the process. Have you ever been asked to drop everything to complete an urgent task and then found that it wasn't so urgent after all?  "We followed the 'hurry up and wait' philosophy, arriving several hours prior to our flight." The phrase holds quite a bit of accuracy for some circumstances. Rushing to get to the airport two hours before the flight departs only to be delayed two hours on the tarmac waiting for clearance from the tower.  "When we went to the airport for our vacation, we followed the hurry up and wait philosophy, arriving several hours prior to our flight." It also applies to anything that requires you to be on time but does not start for a good while. Being in a rush to make it to the airport in time to pick someone up, only to learn it's delayed 2 hours.  "I did 80 just to get to the doctor's office on time, and he did not even show up ...

A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT is another way to say too little, too late. It means that the action taken was taken late and is completely inadequate to the task of salvaging a situation as being ill-prepared.  "Help arrived a day late and a dollar short." A student who is supposed to submit a 10-page paper in an 11 o'clock class on April 30 but who turns in 9 pages to the professor in his office at 4 p.m. is a day late and a dollar short. "The team was a day late and a dollar short again, coming up on the wrong end of another slugfest." If you try to repair your relationship with your gf after forgetting her birthday, she might view your efforts as a day late and a dollar short. If a guy likes a girl and then another one asks her out before him, she might say to the first guy, "Sorry, day late and a dollar short."  People who are accused of being a day late and a dollar short are seen as disorganized and careless with poor time management skills that i...

DOING CHORES means performing regular in-household tasks around the house or farm, which are often unpleasant but necessary. Washing the dishes is a chore, and so is completing a homework assignment you aren't excited about. "I did all the chores I was supposed to do at the home." Sometimes a thing that you wanted to do can become a chore if it ceases to be fun or interesting. It can be used in the sense of something really tiresome, mundane and repetitive; a time-consuming task; a drag. "Cooking is not a chore. It's something I really enjoy doing."  RUNNING ERRANDS means going places away from home to complete a task e.g. going to the store/library/post office, etc.; getting a key copied, stopping at the bank to deposit checks or pick up prescriptions/dry cleaning/tickets, etc. "She began running errands and doing chores for friends and neighbors, taking care of things they didn’t have time to do themselves." Garbage removal and floor sweeping are...

KEEP AT BAY and HOLD AT BAY are two renditions of an idiom that has been in use since the mid-1700s. "The government hopes to keep inflation at bay." If you keep something or someone unpleasant at bay, you appear to be in control of the situation, maintain a distance, prevent them from approaching, harming, attacking, or affecting you.  "Vitamin C helps to keep colds at bay." If you move to a new city you can keep loneliness at bay by joining a club, playing a group sport or taking a class. A good way to keep your feelings of anxiety at bay is to meditate or do some sort of relaxation technique. "The armed robber held police at bay for about 9 hours."  You can keep illness at bay by eating healthy food and getting enough sleep and exercise. And you can hold your desire for chocolate at bay by not buying it and keeping it in your house. "Some wolves prowled round the camp, but were kept at bay by the fire." The Old French word 'abbay' mean...

TO HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON + with (share similar habits, interests)  - The reason I am leaving you is that we have absolutely nothing in common. Sorry to tell you the bad news, mum and dad! 😨  COMMON SENSE (the basic level of practical knowledge and judgment that we all need to help us live in a reasonable and safe way)  - When crossing the road, use some common sense and look both ways. And run fast if crossing MKAD.😏  COMMON DECENCY/COURTESY (the basic level of politeness that you expect from someone)  - In England, it's common decency/courtesy to ask "how are you?" and not mean it.🙆  COMMON KNOWLEDGE (a fact that everyone knows)  - Oh come on, it's common knowledge that the capital of America is New York!🍻  COMMON GROUND (shared interests, beliefs, or opinions between two people or groups of people who disagree about most other subjects)  - I think Britain and the EU-SSR will never find any common ground during Brexit negotiations. Th...

Morning boys and girls 👍 Well, I am feeling a bit under the weather today... still. I can't say I have the man-flu because I am up early-ish and ready to make posts for you 😎 Here are some useful words/expressions to use when you're ill many of which are unknown to many students: 👉 TO FEEL GROGGY (dazed, weak, unsteady and sickly) - These new Imodium pills make me feel so groggy. I have the shivers and I feel like I am about to be sick! 👉 TO FEEL OUT OF IT (not to feel like your usual self due to being ill) - Sorry, guys. I feel a bit out of it to be honest; maybe it's the flu. I'll sadly have to skip your presentation on how many Menthos is takes to kill a squirrel!  👉 TO LOOK LIKE DEATH WARMED UP (you look really ill) - John, you should really go home! You look like death warmed up. It might be something like Ebola! 👉 TO PULL A SICKIE (to not go to work by pretending to be ill) - All of my friends are going to the cinema and I have to work. I guess I could phone...

Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t find the right words to describe a particular place or city that you visited?  We are here to help you! Have a look at 6 idioms in English that are used to describe cities, places, and events in English that are quite useful in conversational speech.  ● Been through the war  This English idiom is used to describe a place or thing that shows signs of a lot of use or is significantly damaged.  • For example - That house looked as though it had been through the war. ● Hive of activity  A “hive of activity” is a place where a lot is happening, and everyone present is busy doing something.  • For example: When we went to offer help, the kitchen was already a hive of activity. ● In the middle of nowhere  This idiom is used to describe a place that is very remote, far from any city or town.  • For example - The campsite was in the middle of nowhere so I couldn’t phone you. ● Creature comforts  The...

➡ approximately   - What time are we meeting, approximately?  ➡ beforehand -  - The exam starts at 9 am but make sure you arrive beforehand.  ➡ deliberately -  - It wasn’t an accident! You deliberately threw that egg at me!  - I was hit by the driver deliberately.  (or: I was hit by the driver ON PURPOSE)  ➡ frankly -  - Do you like me?  - Frankly speaking, I hate you.  ➡ gradually   - Your English is gradually getting better. But you need to practice more.  (or: your English is getting better bit by bit)  ➡ incredibly   - That game we played in class yesterday was incredibly pointless.  ➡ instantly   - He was shot in the head and died instantly.  ➡ nevertheless   -I know it’s raining but we should cook shashlik nevertheless!  ➡ partly   - The fact that I love spending my time with chickens is only partly true.  ➡ precisely   - We have an ...

Good morning guys) I shall write down some useful expressions for you we natives often use in the morning. Can't get more natural than this 😎 A) Every morning I wake up AT THE CRACK OF DAWN (1) usually while people are still TUCKED UP IN BED (2) and FAST ASLEEP (3). But not me, no! I JUMP OUT OF BED (4). So usually FIRST THING IN THE MORNING is TO PUT SOME COFFEE ON (5) which gives me that push I so need. I'm not A MORNING PERSON and much prefer to LIE IN/SLEEP IN (6) and not feel compelled to get up. 1- Very early in the morning 2- Fully comfy under the cover. Parents tuck their children in at night.  3- Fully asleep / sleeping deeply 4- Get out of bed quickly and energetically  5- To make some coffee (make tea = put the kettle on) 6- You decide to sleep longer B)  It seems every morning I GET OUT OF THE WRONG SIDE OF BED (1) so I start the day IN A REALLY FOUL MOOD!(2) I often OVERSLEEP (3) because I forget TO SET THE ALARM. Being late for work and having no time to JU...

✔ Put together - used for saying that someone or something is better or bigger than the whole of a group of other people or things. - He knows more about computers than the rest of them put together. ✔ You ought to see/hear/meet etc - used for emphasizing how good, impressive, or unusual something or someone is. - You ought to see their new house – it’s enormous! ✔ There’s nothing/no place like something - used for emphasizing that a thing or a place is better than any other. - I tell you, after a long, hard day of work, there's nothing like throwing your feet up onto the couch and sipping a hot mug of tea. ✔ To a fault - used for emphasizing that someone or something has a particular good quality to a very great degree.  - He’s a very kind-hearted man, and generous to a fault. (= very generous) ✔ Beyond/without compare - used for emphasizing the very good qualities of a person or thing.  - Her beauty is beyond compare. ✔ Do justice to someone/something - used to show or empha...

To be in good/bad/poor shape (in good/bad condition, in good/bad health)  ● For an old car, it’s in pretty good shape.  ● The economy is in worse shape now than it was last year.  ● Kaplan seemed to be in better shape than either of us. To be in shape/out of shape (in a good or bad state of health or physical fitness → fit, unfit) ● I was feeling totally out of shape.  ● I’ve got to get into shape before summer. To keep/stay in shape (maintain your health state) ● She’s bought an exercise bike to keep in shape. To be in no shape to do something (to be sick, tired, drunk and not able to do something well) ● Mel was in no shape to drive home after the party. EXTRA - the way something looks, works or is organized ● Computers have completely changed the shape of our industry.  ● This new technique is the shape of things to come (= an example of the way things will develop in the future).

✔ Game changer - something such as a product or event that affects a situation very much.  - Netflix creating original content is a game changer. ✔ Get/keep the ball rolling - start an activity or project, or maintain progress on an activity or project, respectively. - You'll definitely become more comfortable with driving if you keep the ball rolling with your driving lessons. ✔ Hotshot - a conspicuously successful or talented person, or one who believes himself or herself to be especially successful or talented; often used sarcastically or derogatorily. - If you’re such a hotshot, why not straighten out the whole thing? ✔ On the ball - Attentive, knowledgeable, and quick to take action.  - I can't believe Molly got that report done so quickly—she's really on the ball. ✔ Out of bounds - contrary to or in violation of acceptable rules, conventions, or standards.  - I thought Tom's comments were totally out of bounds for a dinner discussion, but I didn't feel it was ...

1. To beat the holiday blues  ● Meaning: to overcome the stress and frustration resulting from holiday preparation or resulting from the need to get back to your usual routine after a holiday.  Example: When I want to beat the holiday blues I always think about the fact that soon it will be over.  2. Christmas came early (this year)  ● Meaning: when someone receives some unexpected good news.  Example: Did you hear that Janice is pregnant? Christmas came early this year for her and Matthew.  3. The more the merrier  ● Meaning: the more people or things there are, the better a given situation will be.  Example:  - Can I bring my grandma to the holiday party?  - Sure, the more the merrier.  4. Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle  ● Meaning: don’t get stressed out trying to make Christmas perfect.  5. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth  ● Meaning: don’t be ungrateful when you receive a present, even if it’s not exactly w...

BOOZE (slang: alcohol)  - Let's pop to the shop and get some booze for tonight's party, mum! PLONK (slang: cheap wine)  - I only have 2 quid but I can buy a bottle of plonk for that at Diksi. SPIRITS (alcohol such as Vodka, Tequila etc)  - I spent 100 pounds on spirits for Christmas which I spent alone. LIQUEUR (sweetened spirits)  - Girls drink liqueur like Amaretto and After Shock... not lads. LIQUOR (Distilled like Brandy or Whiskey)  - I like to show my appreciation for age-old liquor by adding Fanta to it. AN OFF-LICENCE (a shop in the UK which sells alcohol. In the US it's called a liquor store) THE OFFY (slang version of the off-licence)  -I'm popping down the offy. Need anything? THE LOCAL (slang: local pub)  -I'm popping down the local for a pint! THE BOOZER (slang: pub)  -Excuse me, mate. Could you tell me where the nearest boozer is? A 6-PACK (cans of beer often come together in a packet of 6. We also use 6-pack to say that a man has a ...

● Come face to face with (a: to suddenly meet someone by chance. b: to see or experience a problem for the first time)  a) As I was going into the restaurant, I came face to face with my ex-husband who was just leaving.  a) I was walking home and came face to face with a dinosaur, oh no, it was just a babushka! Sorry, my mistake.  b) It was only after I started working for the charity that I came face to face with poverty.  ● Face facts - to be confronted with the truth - We need to face facts; we are in the middle of the Atlantic, no food and no help and lots of sharks around. The future for us is bleak!  ● Face it - to accept a fact - Paul, let's face it! You'll never be a ballerina because you're too fat!  ● Face the consequences - to accept and deal with the results - Pay your debts now or face the consequences!  ● Face the music - to receive punishment; to accept the unpleasant results of one's actions - Shit, I burnt down the house and my parents...

➡ Politeness: ● To offer someone a seat  ● To stand up for someone  ● To give up your seat for someone  ➡Movement: ● To get squashed by the doors  ● To get crushed by the doors (more painful)  ● To push someone  ● To barge someone (out of the way) (this is a lot more aggressive usually using the shoulder)  ● To push through the crowd  ● To let people on/off  ➡Entertainment: ● To hold onto the handrail  ● To fall on someone  ● To step on someone's toes  ● To elbow someone  ● To get elbowed by someone  ● To miss your stop  ● To have the rucksack of a clueless young man who has forgotten he has a rucksack on pressed up agsinst you.  ● To get pushed and shouted at by a babushka ➡Space: ● To move up (to make space for someone to sit down - not so polite)  ● To budge up (same as before but more informal; among friends)  ● To invade one's personal space.  ● To take up too much space (when someone occ...