CAE Speaking Phrases

Likes/dislikes Opinion
I’m into… As far as I’m concerned,
I’m a keen/avid (surfer) As I see it,
I’m keen on/fond of (surfing) From my point of view,
I (go surfing) to unwind, to escape the stresses In my humble opinion,
and strains of my day to day life. I’d say that…
I like nothing more than (to go surfing)
I’m itching to try/go…. (I really want to)
Comparing/contrasting Describing pictures
Both pictures show… The first thing that strikes me about this picture
In this picture they look as though they are…. is…
Whereas/while in this picture… The thing that really jumps out of this picture is…
In contrast In this picture it looks as if/though they are…
On the other hand They could/might/may be…
They could/might/may have just…
I’m pretty sure that they’re feeling…
I’d guess that they are…
Agreeing Disagreeing
We see eye to eye. We don’t see eye to eye.
Yeah, I’d go along with that. I take your point but…
Absolutely! I tend to disagree with you there.
You took the words right out of my mouth. That’s not always the case
I couldn’t agree more. I beg to differ
You have a point there. Isn’t it more a case of…
I’m with you 100% on this one.
Starting to make a conclusion Asking for opinion
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. What’s your take on….?
The bottom line is we have to choose one… Where do you stand on….?
It’s a tough one, I’m torn between … and …. In my opinion…., would you go along with that?
Shall we go with ….? What are your thoughts on this?
Personalising Impressive structures
Speaking from personal experience,… Another point I’d like to add about … is…
For me personally,.. It’s also worth bearing in mind that…
This is a topic that is particularly close to my Coming back to what (Javi) was saying about ….
heart… I’d also like to point out that…
It’s funny I was just thinking about this the other I think it’s important not to forget that…
day. The vast majority of people tend to think that…
My gut/initial reaction is… At the end of the day…
If I were to choose one of these situations (part 2 When all’s said and done…
pictures), I’d go with… because…
Tips Asking for repetition
Eye-contact I beg your pardon, I didn’t catch that.
Active listening Sorry would you mind repeating that?
Open body language Could you repeat the question please?
Speak up
Don’t dominate
Awesome Color Idioms That Will Improve Your English Fluency
fluentu.com/blog/english/english-color-idioms-improve-english/

victoriazurakowski September 30, 2014

Like any language learner, you’re probably wishing you could sound more like a native speaker.

Textbook English vocabulary will paint your language in black and white.

Learn to express yourself with a whole rainbow of rich English vocabulary!

You’ll sound more natural than ever before.

Right now, you might feel like something is missing from your English. You’d love to go and study or work abroad, speaking fluent English every day, but
there is something stopping you. You’re concerned that you don’t sound natural enough to fit in, make friends and learn about your new country.

Well, you’re not alone. There are many English language learners who feel exactly the same as you, and there are many native English speakers who are
learning a second language who can also understand how you feel.

Why You Need to Know these Colorful Idioms

The key to speaking more like a native English speaker is to use and understand everyday English expressions. There’sslang, which you’ve already been
introduced to, and then there are idioms. Both are very fun ways to boost your English vocabulary and cultural knowledge. Idioms are expressions that
cannot be taken literally (exactly). They are metaphorical. For example, if a person is “green with envy,” their bodies aren’t the color of a lizard – it’s just a
phrase. It means that they’re jealous. The English language is full of idioms just like this.

English is an extremely colorful language. It has many ways of expressing the same ideas, so having a diverse vocabulary is important. This diversity is
the same for idioms. One of the most popular themes for idioms is color. Color is used everywhere in the world to convey (give) meaning, and symbolizes
different things in different countries. For example, in the US the color of death and mourning is black whereas in China it’s white. Quite often a color
symbolizes a feeling or state of mind. Other times, we simply use color in expressions to brighten up our language and make it more interesting.

Colorful Idioms That Will Improve Your English

Here are a few of the most popular color idioms in US English to help you sound more like a native speaker. As you go through these idioms, ask
yourself: how many different colors I know how to say in English? Go along and see how many idioms can you connect to the colors you know.

White Idioms

“To wave a white flag”

Meaning: To show that you’ve lost (a game, challenge or war) and you give up. Interesting fact: waving a white flag dates back to war time. When one
army was losing and they were afraid of losing more men, they waved a white piece of material in the air to show they wanted to stop fighting.

Usage: While I was arguing with my mom about the party I waved a white flag. There was no point in arguing. She wasn’t going to change her mind.

1/9
“As white as a ghost”

Meaning: To describe a person’s face being very pale (white) because of their shock or fear.

Usage: My friend turned as white as a ghost when she realized there was a stranger standing at her bedroom window.

“To tell a white lie”

Meaning: To tell a small lie that doesn’t hurt another person.

Usage: We had to tell our mom a white lie about the money. We couldn’t let her know we’d spent it all on chocolate.

Black Idioms

“As black as coal”

Meaning: To be very black. Coal is a small piece of carbon used to burn on fires.

Usage: There were many clouds last night and the sky was as black as coal.

2/9
“Black and blue”

Meaning: Very beaten up and bruised. Bruised is when you have dark blue/black marks on your body from hitting an object hard or being hit by another
person.

Usage: After John lost the wrestling match he was black and blue. The other guy was very strong.

“Black eye”

Meaning: When the area around your eye looks very black because it has been hit.

Usage: When Mel fell down and hit her face on her brother’s toy truck she got a black eye.

“Black market”

Meaning: The area where illegal things such as drugs and guns are bought and sold.

Usage: People who can’t buy a gun legally with a permit usually can buy one on the black market.

3/9
“Black sheep of the family”

Meaning: A person who is different (usually in a negative way) to the rest of the other family members.

Usage: Al is the only one in his family who hasn’t gone to college. He’s the only one who doesn’t have a proper job. He’s considered to be the black
sheep of the family.

“Black tie event”

Meaning: A formal event or party that men are expected to wear a black suit with a tie. Women are expected to wear long formal dresses.

Usage: The Oscars is one of the world’s most famous black tie events.

4/9
Blue Idioms
“Feel blue”

Meaning: To feel sad or depressed about something.

Usage: Can you call Sally and try and make her laugh? She’s feeling blue after Mike left.

“Blue blood”

Meaning: If a person has blue blood they come from a wealthy or royal family.

5/9
Usage: It’s no surprise he likes to go to the opera. He’s got blue blood.

“Out of the blue”

Meaning: Something happens unexpectedly (by surprise or without warning).

Usage: Mary just showed up at the house out of the blue yesterday. We thought she was still in Europe.

Red Idioms

“Catch someone red-handed”

Meaning: To catch a person doing something they were not supposed to be doing.

Usage: We caught Jake and Julia red-handed. They were hugging and kissing even though they deny it (say it’s not true).

“To paint the town red”

Meaning: To go out and have a good time partying.

Usage: Our exams are finished. Now it’s time to go out, celebrate and paint the town red.

6/9
“A red flag”

Meaning: A sign that something that is not right. A warning sign.

Usage: Even though there were red flags in the relationship, Alice ignored them. Now she’s getting a divorce.

“Red hot”

Meaning: To be in high demand, something that everybody wants.

Usage: When the iPhone first entered the market it was red hot. Shops sold them all quickly and people had to wait to buy their new phones.

“Red tape”

Meaning: Too much formal paperwork to do something.

Usage: When people apply for a visa for another country there’s usually a lot of red tape.

7/9
“Roll out the red carpet”

Meaning: To greet and welcome a person with a lot of respect and celebration. Interesting fact: the idiom “to roll out the red carpet” comes from
Hollywood. When actors and actresses turn up to a special event they’re given special treatment and walk down the red carpet.

Usage: Simon is the favorite child. Every time he returns home to Australia his parents roll out the red carpet for him.

Green Idioms

“Get the green light”

Meaning: To get the sign that it’s now okay to do something. To be given permission.

Usage: After two years of waiting, the Smith family was given the green light to build a house on their land. (Cultural note! In many countries in the West
you have to get special building permission to build on your land. It can take a very long time sometimes).

“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”

Meaning: The idea that things are always better in another place. Everything is better than a person’s current situation.

Usage: Many people still see America as the land of dreams. But what they don’t realize is that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

8/9
“Green thumb”

Meaning: Talent for gardening and working with plants.

Usage: My grandmother has a real green thumb. Every sunny day she’s outside planting more flowers in her garden.

These are just a few examples of our colorful language. When you begin to understand everyday expressions and idioms, you’re one step closer to
sounding like a native speaker.

Now you’ve been given the green light to learn more idioms. You’ll sound more natural when you speak and, of course, you’ll understand even more.
You’ll be able to make friends easier and people will be rolling out the red carpet for you.

Can you think of any other color idioms? Write them in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.

Experience English immersion online!

9/9
Speak English Naturally with 37 Common English Idioms
fluentu.com/blog/english/english-idioms-2/

quynhnguyen March 8, 2017

Have you been dreaming of speaking English so well that it’s second nature to you?

“Second nature” means that it comes easily or naturally, so much that it feels like an instinct—something you can do without thinking.

This doesn’t have to be a castle in the sky. (If you don’t know what “castle in the sky” means, you should definitely keep reading because it’s number 21
on our list of idioms below.)

With idioms, speaking English like it’s second nature can become reality for you.

If extraordinary fluency is what you want, you need to reach beyond literal meanings of English words and phrases. Literal meanings come from the
exact meaning of each word. English idioms are words and phrases that also have figurative meanings, which are different from the exact meanings of
the words. Usually idioms use colorful descriptions to express ideas or feelings.

The English language has many layers of subtlety, nuances and cultural references, which come in the form of slang words and idioms.

Although conversations jam-packed (filled) with many slang words and cliche expressions aren’t always the best ones, the correct use of idioms makes
you sound like a native and a sophisticated one at that.

Why Should You Learn English Idioms?

Idioms Are Weird Yet Fun to Learn

As noted earlier, an idiom is an expression whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words. Some idioms contain a string of words
that make no sense together, like “raining cats and dogs” or the “castle in the sky” one I mentioned above.

There never are cats and dogs coming out of clouds like raindrops, and there aren’t any castles built up in the clouds. With this element of oddity and
fantasy, idioms are like exciting puzzles. Satisfying your curiosity makes it fun to learn idioms, and we all agree that when we have fun, we learn better.

Idioms Give Insights into Cultural Knowledge

An idiom’s popularity is often due to its ties with a common practice, a cultural phenomenon or a famous story. For this reason, idioms provide interesting
cultural knowledge that explains the way of we think and do things within our societies.

For example, a popular idiom is “Catch-22,” which comes from the famous Joseph Heller novel called “Catch-22,” written in 1953 and published in 1961.
The novel itself might be before your time, but you’ll probably hear the phrase a lot from English speakers. By learning this idiom, you get to know about a
thought-provoking “catch.”

Using Idioms Makes You Sound Like a Native

Because native speakers are so used to throwing idioms into their conversations, be they business meetings or everyday chit-chat, they might not be
aware that those expressions don’t make sense to you when translated directly into your own native language.

If you don’t understand idioms, it might affect the flow of your conversation with a native English speaker. If you do understand the meanings and, better
yet, you know how to use the idioms yourself, you’ll impress the person you’re speaking with and sound like a native. Do as they do, right?

1/12
The Best 37 English Idioms for ESL Students to Learn

1. a storm is brewing

Meaning: There will be trouble or emotional upset in the near future.

Example: “She decided to go ahead with their wedding, even though all they’ve been doing lately is arguing. I can sense a storm is brewing.”

2. calm before the storm

2/12
Meaning: An unusually quiet period before a period of upheaval (problems, chaos).

Example: “The strange quietness in town made her feel peaceful. Little did she know, it was just the calm before the storm.”

3. weather a storm

Meaning: To survive a dangerous event or effectively deal with a difficult situation.

Example: “Last year, they had some financial difficulties when her husband was fired. Together, they weathered the storm and figured out how to keep
going.”

4. when it rains, it pours

Meaning: Bad things occur in large numbers; many big things happen all at once.

Example: “First he was made redundant, then his wife got into a car accident. When it rains, it pours.”

5. chasing rainbows

Meaning: Following dreams, trying to do something that can’t be achieved.

Example: “His paintings have neither style nor imagination, but he insists on being a professional painter. He’s always chasing rainbows.”
3/12
6. rain or shine

Meaning: No matter what happens.

Example: “I’ll see you at the airport, rain or shine.”

7. under the sun

Meaning: In existence.

Example: “Gili Trawangan must be one of the most beautiful islands under the sun.”

8. once in a blue moon

Meaning: Very rarely.

Example: “He used to call his grandma once in a blue moon. Now that she has passed away, he regrets not making more of an effort to keep in touch.”

9. every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning: There’s a good aspect to every bad situation.

4/12
Example: “Don’t worry about losing your job. It will be okay. Every cloud has a silver lining!”

10. a rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning: When an economy is performing well, all of the people involved will benefit from it.

Example: “When the economy showed the first signs of recovering, everyone started investing and spending more. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

11. get into deep water

Meaning: To be in trouble.

Example: “He got into deep water when he borrowed a lot of money from a loan shark.”

12. pour oil on troubled waters

Meaning: To try to make people feel better and become friendly again after an argument.

Example: “She hated seeing her two best friends arguing, so she got them together and poured oil on troubled waters.”

This expression comes from the calming effect that oil has on waves as it spreads over the surface of the sea. With the ecological disasters following big
oil spillage in recent years, some people might now think of this phrase rather differently compared to its original meaning—but it’s still interesting to know
about.

13. make waves

5/12
Meaning: To cause trouble, to change things in a dramatic way.

Example: “She likes to make waves with her creative marketing campaigns. They get a lot of attention from customers.”

14. go with the flow

Meaning: To relax and go along with whatever is happening.

Example: “Quite often in life, good things happen when you don’t make plans. Just go with the flow and see what happens!”

15. lost at sea

Meaning: To be confused about something, to feel unsure about what to do.

Example: “I am lost at sea with this new system at work. I just can’t understand it.”

16. sail close to the wind

Meaning: To act just within the limits of what’s legal or socially acceptable, to push boundaries.

Example: “They fired their accountant because he sailed too close to the wind.”
6/12
17. make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning: To exaggerate the severity of a situation.

Example: “She shouted at him angrily for being five minutes late, but it really didn’t matter that much. She really made a mountain out of a molehill.”

18. gain ground

Meaning: To become popular, to make progress, to advance.

Example: “As Airbnb gains ground in many cities all over the world, many locals complain that they can no longer find a place to live. Landlords would
rather rent their places out to tourists and earn more money.”

19. walking on air

Meaning: Very excited or happy.

“Over the moon,” “on cloud nine,” “in seventh heaven” and “in good spirits” are a few more advanced English phrases you can use to talk about
happiness.

Example: “She’s been walking on air since she found out that she’s pregnant.”

20. many moons ago

7/12
Meaning: A long time ago.

Example: “Many moons ago, we used to be two very close friends. Now we’ve gone separate ways and lost contact.”

21. castle in the sky

Meaning: A daydream, a hope, especially for one’s life, that’s unlikely to come true.

Example: “World traveling used to be a castle in the sky for most people a few decades ago, but with cheap flight tickets and the global use of English,
many youngsters are living that dream.”

22. down to earth

Meaning: To be practical and sensible.

Example: “It’s a stereotype, but Dutch people are known for being down to earth.”

23. salt of the earth

Meaning: Being honest and good.

Example: “My father is the salt of the earth. He works hard and always helps people who are in need.”

24. the tip of the iceberg

8/12
Meaning: Just a small part of something much bigger.

Example: “Exceptionally long drought periods are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the global impact of climate change.”

25. break the ice

Meaning: To attempt to become friends with someone.

Example: “He made a weather joke to break the ice.”

26. sell ice to Eskimos

Meaning: To be able to sell anything to anyone; to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or
preposterous.

Eskimos are indigenous people who live in very cold, snowy regions—they don’t need any ice! If you can sell ice to them, you can sell anything to anyone.

Example: “He’s a gifted salesman, he could sell ice to Eskimos.”

27. bury your head in the sand

Meaning: To (try to) avoid a particular situation by pretending that it doesn’t exist.

Example: “Stop burying your head in the sand. You haven’t been happy with him for years, why are you staying together?”
9/12
28. let the dust settle

Meaning: To allow a situation to become calm or normal again after something exciting or unusual has happened.

Example: “You just had big news yesterday, let the dust settle and don’t make any decisions yet.”

29. clear as mud

Meaning: Not clear at all, not easy to understand.

Example: “He’s a great scientist, but I find his explanation of bacteria and microbes as clear as mud.”

30. as cold as stone

Meaning: Being very cold and unemotional.

Example: “In the Victorian times, many women were told to suppress their feelings and, thus, appeared as cold as stone.”

31. between a rock and a hard place

Meaning: In difficulty, faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options.

10/12
Other phrases with a similar meaning are “the lesser of two evils,” “between the devil and the deep blue sea,” “between Scylla and Charybdis,” “Hobson’s
choice” and “Catch-22.”

Example: “I can understand why she couldn’t make up her mind about what to do, she’s really between a rock and a hard place.”

32. nip something in the bud

Meaning: To stop a bad situation from becoming worse by taking action at an early stage of its development.

Example: “When the kid shows the first signs of misbehaving, you should nip that bad behavior in the bud.”

33. barking up the wrong tree

Meaning: Doing something that won’t give you the results you want.

Example: “If you think she’s going to lend you money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. She never lends anyone anything.”

34. out of the woods

Meaning: The situation is still difficult but it has improved or gotten easier, the hardest part of something is over.

Example: “The surgery went very well and he just needs to recover now, so he’s officially out of the woods.”

35. can’t see the forest for the trees

11/12
Meaning: To be unable to see the whole situation clearly because you’re looking too closely at small details.

Example: “He’s worried because the flowers haven’t all arrived, but everyone says the wedding has been perfect and beautiful. He just can’t see the
forest for the trees.”

36. to hold out an olive branch

Meaning: To offer to make peace (with a rival or enemy).

Example: “After years of rivalry with her cousin, she decided to hold out an olive branch and go have fun together.”

37. beat around the bush

Meaning: To spend a long time getting to the main point of what you’re saying, especially because it’s embarrassing.

Example: “I don’t have much time, so stop beating around the bush and tell me what actually happened.”

I hope these 37 idioms will inspire you to keep learning and using English more poetically and more naturally.

There are a few ways to find more English idioms, learn what they mean and understand how they’re used. When you use a good dictionary like
MacMillan or Merriam-Webster, don’t just read over the different meanings of words—check if these definitions mention any phrases and idioms that
contain the word. You could even get yourself an English dictionary that’s all about idioms!

There are also websites like English Club, My English Pages and The Phrase Finder, which list many English idioms in either alphabetical order or under
different topics like Nature or Colors.

So go ahead, make good use of these idiom resources online and start expressing yourself in English like a native.

Soon, you’ll feel like English truly is second nature to you!

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with real-world videos.

Experience English immersion online!

12/12
The English Idiom Mega-Post: 100 Essential Idioms (Organized by Theme)
fluentu.com/blog/english/essential-english-idioms

January 28, 2014

So you’re in an American bar.

It’s loud, but you can make out what people are saying.

You hear a fellow drinker talking about hitting books…

…another is talking about twisting someone’s arm…

…and it sounds like someone’s been stabbed in the back.

What the heck is going on?

You scratch your head and wonder why you’re still lost even though you can translate the words.

Well, you’ve just had your first introduction to English idioms.

What Are English Idioms?

English idioms are a group of words whose meaning isn’t obvious from looking at the individual words.

1/27
They have developed over time and so they might seem random to you. English idioms often rely on analogies and metaphors.

Because they’re used so often in everyday English, if you don’t know them, it’s almost impossible to understand the context.

Why Learn English Idioms?

Does this sound familiar?

You took traditional classes.

You learned the grammar, the rules and hundreds of exceptions.

You have a vocabulary that could rival an American student’s.

You even have a couple of certificates hanging proudly on your wall stating that you are indeed proficient in English….

…so why is it you just can’t get it sometimes?

Well, what you learn from textbooks and what you learn from the real world are two totally different things when it comes to language learning.

What you really need is a stronger mastery of English idioms and expressions.

Learning common everyday English idioms will help you fit in with most situations, whether it’s at a basketball game, over a beer, studying or going out
on a hot date.

The key to understanding English idioms is never to look at them or read them in a literal sense—the words just won’t make sense together. Instead,
you need to learn them in context so you can understand their true meaning.

FluentU is a fun but effective tool for learning English idioms and phrases this way. FluentU offers authentic English videos, like movie trailers,
YouTube clips, inspiring talks and more, that’ve been transformed into a language learning experience.

FluentU’s interactive captions give you instant definitions for any words or expressions in the video. FluentU will also show you other videos that have the
word or phrase so you can learn how to use them naturally in any context.

Then, multimedia flashcards and exercises help you remember them. That means you get toabsorb natural, real English, without worrying that
you’re missing something.

The videos are organized by genre and level, so it’s super easy to find the ones that work for you.Check out the free trial to see how quickly your
conversational English skills grow.

As we indicated above, the words in English idioms often seem totally random or strange when translated literally. That means it’s difficult to create
connections between the idioms and their meanings, which makes them super difficult to remember.

So for this mega-post of 100 English idioms,we’ve organized the idioms into common themes. This is called “grouping” or “chunking,” an effective
memorization technique that uses associations between words to solidify them in your mind.

We’ll start with idioms that have some common verbs and then common prepositions you might already recognize. Then we’ll move onto idioms for
money, body parts, food and nature.

Idioms with Common English Verbs

1. Hit the books

Literally, hit the books means to physically hit, punch or slap your reading books. However, this is a common English idiom among students, especially
American college students who have a lot of studying to do. It simply means “to study,” and is a way of telling your friends that you’re going to study.

It could be for a final exam, a midterm test or even an English exam.

“Sorry but I can’t watch the game with you tonight, I have to hit the books. I have a huge exam next week!”

2. Hit the sack

2/27
Just like the first idiom, the literal meaning of this would be physically hitting or beating a sack (a large bag usually used for carrying things in bulk such
as flour, rice or even soil). But actually to hit the sack means to go to bed, and you’d use this to tell your friends or family that you’re really tired, so
you’re going to sleep.

Instead of saying hit the sack you can also say hit the hay.

“It’s time for me to hit the sack, I’m so tired.”

3. Twist someone’s arm

To twist someone’s arm literally means to take a person’s arm and turn it around, which could be really painful if you take it exactly word for word. If
your arm has been twisted it means that someone has done a great job of convincing you to do something you might not have wanted to to do.

And if you manage to twist someone else’s arm it means that you’re great at convincing them, and they’ve finally agreed to do something after you’ve
been begging them.

“Jake, you should really come to the party tonight!”

“You know I can’t, I have to hit the books (study).”

“C’mon, you have to come! It’s going to be so much fun and there are going to be lots of girls there. Please come?”

“Pretty girls? Oh all right, you’ve twisted my arm, I’ll come!”

4. Stab someone in the back

If we take this idiom literally, we could find ourselves in a whole lot of trouble with the police, as it would mean taking a knife or another sharp object and
putting it into a person’s back.

However, as an idiom, to stab someone in the back means to hurt someone who was close to us and trusted us by betraying them secretly and
breaking their trust. We call the person who does this a back stabber.

“Did you hear that Sarah stabbed Kate in the back last week?”

“No! I thought they were best friends, what did she do?”

“She told their boss that Kate wasn’t interested in a promotion at work and Sarah got it instead.”

“Wow, that’s the ultimate betrayal! No wonder they’re not friends anymore.”

5. Lose your touch

3/27
Literally, this means to no longer have the ability to touch or feel with your fingers or hands. But tolose your touch actually means that you lose an
ability or talent you once had when dealing with things, people or situations.

We use this when you’re usually good at a certain skill or talent, but then things start to go wrong.

“I don’t understand why none of the girls here want to speak to me.”

“It looks like you’ve lost your touch with the ladies.”

“Oh no, they used to love me, what happened?”

6. Sit tight

Sit tight is a strange English idiom and it literally means that you sit down squeezing your body in a tight way, which if you did would be very
uncomfortable, not to mention you’d look really strange.

But if a person tells you to sit tight they want you to wait patiently and take no action until you hear otherwise.

“Mrs. Carter, do you have any idea when the exam results are going to come out?”

“Who knows Johnny, sometimes they come out quickly but it could take some time. You’re just going to have tosit tight and wait.”

7. Pitch in

This English idiom actually makes no sense if you try to take it literally. However, figuratively speaking, it means to contribute (give) to something or
someone or to join in.

So if your dad tells the family that he wants everyone to pitch in this weekend and help clear the backyard, it means he wants everyone to join in on the
efforts to clear the yard and get things done quicker.

“What are you going to buy Sally for her birthday?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have much money.”

“Maybe we can all pitch in and buy her something great.”

The above conversation suggests that every one of Sally’s friends should contribute a little bit of money so they can afford to buy her a bigger and better
present together.

4/27
8. Go cold turkey

Sound weird? Well, you’re right, it does. How can anyone literally go cold turkey? A person can’t transform into the bird we all love to eat for celebrations
such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.

The origins of this English idiom are strange and to go cold turkey means to suddenly quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or
drinking alcohol.

This English idiom is said to have originated in the early 20th century and suggests that a person who suddenly quits something addictive—such as
drugs or alcohol—suffers from side effects that make them look and feel like a cold, uncooked turkey. This includes pale (very white) skin and
goosebumps (little small bumps on the skin when we’re cold or sick).

“Shall I get your mom a glass of wine?”

“No, she’s stopped drinking?”

“Really, why?”

“I don’t know. A few months ago, she just announced one day she’s quitting drinking.”

“She just quit cold turkey?”

“Yes, just like that!”

9. Face the music

In literal terms, facing the music means turning your body to the direction of the music and standing in front of it. But if your friend or your parents tell
you to face the music, there’s a much harsher meaning.

It means to “face reality” or to deal with the reality of the situation and accept all the consequences, good or bad (but mostly bad). Perhaps you’ve been
avoiding something because you feel unsure or scared of the outcome. Maybe you lied to your teacher and she discovered the truth and now you have
to face the music and accept the punishment.

“I can’t understand why I failed math.”

“You know you didn’t study hard, so you’re going to have to face the music and take the class again next semester if you really want to graduate when
you do.”

10. Ring a bell

If we look at the literal meaning of ring a bell, it’s just that: You could be ringing the school bell to tell students it’s time to go to class or ringing
someone’s doorbell.

5/27
But the idiom means that somebody has mentioned something that sounds familiar to you, perhaps you’ve heard it before. In other words, when
someone says something that you believe you’ve heard in the past, alarm bells start ringing and you try to remember how or why that name or place
sounds familiar.

“You’ve met my friend Amy Adams, right?”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure, but that name rings a bell. Was she the one who went to Paris last year?”

11. Blow off steam

In reality a person cannot blow off steam (the hot rising air from boiling water)—only electrical equipment can, such as the electric jug (appliance for
boiling water for coffee). So what does it mean when a person blows off steam?

If you’re feeling angry, stressed or are experiencing some strong feelings and you want to get rid of them so you feel better again, you will blow off
steam by doing something such as exercising to get rid of the stress.

“Why is Nick so angry and where did he go?”

“He had a fight with his brother, so he went for a run to blow off steam.”

12. Cut to the chase

When somebody tells you to cut to the chase it means that you’ve been talking too long and haven’t gotten to the point. When a person uses this idiom,
they’re telling you to hurry up and get to the important part, without all the details. Be careful how you use this idiom, because if used while talking to
someone like a college professor or your boss, it’s rude and disrespectful.

If you’re speaking to a group of people, like your employees, and sayI’m going to cut to the chase, it means that there are a few things that need to be
said but there’s very little time, so you’ll skip to the important parts so everyone understands.

“Hi guys, as we don’t have much time here, so I’m going to cut to the chase. We’ve been having some major problems in the office lately.”

Idioms with Common English Prepositions

Prepositions are words that indicate where one thing is in relation to another. These include the words up, on and over as you’ll see in the idioms below.

13. Up in the air

When we literally think about something being up in the air, we have the idea that something’s floating or flying in the sky, perhaps an airplane or a
balloon. But really if someone tells you that things are up in the air it means that these things are uncertain or unsure. Definite plans have not been
made yet.

6/27
“Jen, have you set a date for the wedding yet?”

“Not exactly, things are up in the air and we’re not sure if our families can make it on the day we wanted. Hopefully we’ll know soon and we’ll let you
know as soon as possible.”

14. On the ball

If you look at this English idiom literally, it means to be either standing or sitting on a ball—but who would do that?

If you’re on the ball it means that you’re very quick to understand certain things, very prepared for something or react quickly (and correctly) to a
situation.

For example, if you’re planning your wedding that’s still one year away from now and you’ve almost finished with all the planning already, you’re definitely
on the ball because not many people are that prepared!

“Wow, you’ve already finished your assignments? They aren’t due until next week, you’re really on the ball. I wish I could be more organized.”

15. Get over something

If you think about it, it’s possible to literally get over something, for example get over a fence—but this is not how the phrase is generally used in the
English language.

Imagine having a really difficult time, like breaking up with your girlfriend or boyfriend—it’s hard. But eventually once time passes and you no longer think
about your ex, it means that you’ve gotten over him/her, you no longer worry about it and it no longer affects you in a negative way. It’s also possible to
get over an illness, which would mean that you’ve fully recovered.

“How’s Paula? Has she gotten over the death of her dog yet?”

“I think so. She’s already talking about getting a new one.”

Cash and Money Idioms

16. Look like a million dollars/bucks

Wouldn’t it be great if we really could look like a million dollars?We’d be rich, but that’s not the case. If someone tells you that you look like a million
bucks, you should take it as a huge compliment because it means you look absolutely fabulous and really attractive.

While sometimes we use this English idiom for guys, it’s more commonly used to compliment females. And while some of your female friends may look
beautiful every day, you should save this English idiom for when they’ve really made an effort and it’s a special occasion, like prom or a wedding.
7/27
“Wow, Mary, you look like a million dollars/bucks this evening. I love your dress!”

17. Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

Someone who comes from a wealthy and successful family.

“John was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His parents bought him everything he wanted and sent him to the best private schools.”

18. To go from rags to riches

To go from being poor to having a lot of money.

“Actor Jim Carrey went from rags to riches. At one time, he was living in a van, but he continued to work hard and eventually became one of the
highest-paid comedians in the world.”

19. Pay an arm and a leg for something

To pay a lot of money for something. You can also say that something “costs an arm and a leg.”

“The price of chocolate has doubled.I nearly paid an arm and a leg for a small candy bar.”

“Chocolate costs an arm and a leg now.”

20. To have sticky fingers

To be a thief.

“The manager fired the cashier because he had sticky fingers. He stole more than $200 in a month.”

21. To give a run for one’s money

To compete with someone at their level and make them really work for their win.
8/27
“Joe really gave me a run for my money in the chess tournament. He almost beat me!”

22. To pony up

To pay for something or settle a debt.

“Pony up and give me the $5 you owe me.”

“I told my roommate Jane to pony up her portion of the rent money.”

23. To ante up
To pay someone (similar to “pony up”).

The expression ante up comes from the game of poker, where players bet their money before the cards are dealt. If this expression looks familiar, it’s
because ante is also Latin for “before.”

Over time, the idiom has come to refer to any type of payment someone owes—not just in poker.

“You’d better ante up and give me that $10 I loaned you last week.”

It can also be used to refer to other services besides money that someone’s owed.

Joe: “I’m tired of doing the housework by myself. You need to ante up or find a new roommate.”

Thomas: “I’m sorry. I’ll help more around the house.”

In this sentence, Joe uses ante up to mean that Thomas needs to start helping with the housework.

A similar idiom is to up the ante, which means “to raise the stakes/to raise the bet.” In poker, when people up the ante, they bet more money than the
person before them. This is used similarly in everyday conversation, when someone raises a bet or agrees to do more.

“Susan agreed to type up the group report, but Billy upped the ante when he said he’d type, print and deliver the report to Professor Stephens.”

“I wanted to place a $10 bet on the soccer match, but Daniel upped the ante and raised the bet to $50.”

24. Break even

To neither gain nor lose money.

“The trip to the beach cost me $100, but I almost broke even after winning $90 in a contest.”

25. Break the bank

To be very expensive.

“Taking a week-long vacation would break the bank. There’s no way I could afford to do it.”

26. To be closefisted

9/27
Someone who doesn’t want to spend money. Similar to being stingy.

“Carl is so closefisted, he won’t even buy snacks for the Christmas party.”

27. To go Dutch
Everyone pays for their own meal at a restaurant.

“We had a date last night and we went Dutch. I paid for my coffee and she paid for her salad.”

28. Shell out money/to fork over money

To pay for something (usually expensive).

“I wish I didn’t buy that new car now that I’m shelling out $1,000 a month in payments.”

“She had to fork over a lot of money for traffic fines last month.”

29. Midas touch

To be able to make money easily. This idiom comes from the story of King Midas, who turned everything he touched into gold.

“Jane really has the Midas touch. Every business she starts becomes very successful.”

30. In the red/In the black

To lose more money than you make.

“I’m in the red this month after paying that speeding ticket. I’ll need to find some work over the weekend for extra money.”

The opposite of being in the red is being in the black, which means that you’ve made more money than you spent.

“After working a couple of small jobs over the weekend, I earned an extra $500 and am back in the black.”

31. Receive a kickback

To receive money illegally/to receive bribes.

“The police chief was arrested after the news reported he was receiving kickbacks from criminals to ignore certain crimes.”

“The traffic cop receives kickbacks for not writing tickets to politicians.”

10/27
32. Living hand to mouth
To live without a lot of money.

“The family has been living hand to mouth ever since their father lost his job.”

33. To be loaded

To have a lot of money.

“Billy paid his Harvard Law School tuition with cash. His family is loaded.”

34. Make ends meet

To make the money needed to pay for food and bills.

“I don’t make much from my job as a cashier, but I’m able to make ends meet. I always have enough money for rent and groceries.”

35. As genuine as a three-dollar bill

An American idiom used sarcastically to mean that something’s fake.

When something’s genuine, that means it’s real. But the U.S. never made three-dollar bills, which means that there’s no such thing as a genuine three-
dollar bill.

For example, the Louvre Museum in Paris has the genuine Mona Lisa. If your school has a picture of the Mona Lisa hanging in the art room, it’s not
genuine. It’s a copy. That means your school’s copy of the Mona Lisa is as genuine as a three-dollar bill.

“That man tried to sell me a Lamborghini from 1953. He said it was the first Lamborghini model ever made but the company didn’t exist until 10 years
later. His car was as genuine as a three-dollar bill.”

Body Part Idioms

36. Rule of thumb

Can thumbs rule or can you literally rule a thumb? If you think about it logically, it means absolutely nothing and makes no sense. However, if you hear
someone say as a rule of thumb, they mean that it’s a general unwritten rule for whatever they’re talking about.

These rules of thumb are not based on science or research, and are instead just general principles. For example, there’s no written scientific rule that
you must add oil to boiling water when cooking pasta, but it’s a rule of thumb and is practiced by most people so the pasta won’t stick to the bottom of
the pan.

“As a rule of thumb you should always pay for your date’s dinner.”

“Why? There’s no rule stating that!”

“Yes, but it’s what all gentlemen do.”

37. Keep your chin up

11/27
Did you just have a massive fight with your friend? Did you fail your English finals? Did your team lose the final match? Did you lose your job?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions, then you’re probably feeling sad and a little depressed, right?

In this situation, a supportive friend might tell you to keep your chin up. When they tell you this, they’re showing their support for you, and it’s a way of
saying, “Stay strong, you’ll get through this. Don’t let these things affect you too badly.”

“Hey, Keiren, have you had any luck finding work yet?”

“No, nothing, it’s really depressing, there’s nothing out there!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll find something soon, keep your chin up buddy and don’t stress.”

38. Find your feet

Is it possible to lose your feet? No way, they’re attached to your body! So what does it mean when somebody says they’re trying tofind their feet?

If you find yourself in a new situation, for example living in a new country and having to get used to a new college, you could sayI’m still finding my
feet.It means that you’re still adjusting and getting used to the new environment.

“Lee, how’s your son doing in America?”

“He’s doing okay. He’s learned where the college is but is still finding his feet with everything else. I guess it’ll take time for him to get used to it all.”

Food Idioms

39. Spice things up

To spice things up means to make them more interesting or exciting.

“Instead of just buying Sam a birthday gift, let’s spice things up by taking him out for dinner.”

40. A piece of cake

A piece of cake refers to a task or job that’s easy to complete or accomplish.

“I expected the English test to be difficult but it was a piece of cake.”

41. Cool as a cucumber

12/27
Cucumbers have a refreshing taste and leave you with a cool, calm feeling. So if you’re cool as a cucumber, you’re someone who’s very calm and
relaxed.

“My friend is nervous about taking his driving test but I’m cool as a cucumber.”

42.

A couch potato refers to someone who spends a lot of time sitting on the couch watching TV.

“After my uncle retired from his job, he became a couch potato.”

43. Bring home the bacon

To bring home the bacon means to make an income or earn a living to support your family.

“Ever since her father was injured, she’s been working two jobs to bring home the bacon.”

44. In hot water

When someone is in hot water, they’re in a bad situation or serious trouble.

“My brother is in hot water for failing all his college classes.”

45. Compare apples and oranges

Apples are very different from oranges both in looks and taste. It’s hard to compare two things that are so unlike each other. So then, tocompare apples
and oranges is to compare two very different things.

“I’m not sure which I enjoy more—pottery or dancing. It’s like comparing apples and oranges.”

46. Not one’s cup of tea

13/27
If something is not your cup of tea, it’s an activity you have no interest in, don’t enjoy or don’t do well in.

“Camping is really not my cup of tea so I’m going to visit my friend in New York instead.”

47. Eat like a bird

How much does a bird eat? Not very much, right? So to eat like a bird is to eat very little.

“Don’t trouble yourself cooking such a big meal. I eat like a bird.”

48. Eat like a horse

Now, a horse is much bigger than a bird. So how much do you think a horse eats? That’s right, toeat like a horse is to eat a large amount of food.

“My mother has to cook a lot of food when my brother comes to visit. Heeats like a horse.”

49. Butter [someone] up

To butter someone up is to please or flatter someone in order to win his or her favor. This separable phrase may be used in the formatbutter
[someone] up or butter up [someone].

“Everyone seems to be trying to butter up the new boss hoping to become her favorite.”

50. Food for thought

Food for thought refers to something that’s worth thinking carefully about.

“Moving to another state is food for thought for many of those affected by the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida.”

51. A smart cookie

14/27
Here’s an easy one. A smart cookie is an intelligent person.

“It shouldn’t be hard too hard for a smart cookie like you to learn Spanish.”

52. Packed like sardines

What do you see when you open up a can of sardines? Yes, the fish crammed inside the can. Sopacked like sardines describes a place or situation
that’s very crowded with people (or animals)—for example, a concert hall or sports event.

“Were you at the football game last night? The stadium was packed like sardines.”

53. Spill the beans

You accidentally knock over a bowl of beans and they all spill out. Think of this image and you’ll remember thatspill the beans means to accidentally or
prematurely give out information that’s supposed to be kept secret.

“We were planning a surprise birthday party for Joyce this weekend. But this morning, Owenspilled the beans and now it’s no longer a surprise.”

54. A bad apple

Imagine a basket of apples with one rotten apple inside. This picture will help you remember thata bad apple is someone who creates problems or
trouble, or is a bad influence on the other people in a group.

“Instead of focusing on college, he spends his time hanging out with bad apples.”

55. Bread and butter

Bread and butter is a basic food that many of us eat. So the idiom bread and butter refers to a job that makes the money you need to live and afford basic
necessities like food, housing, etc.

“Fishing is the bread and butter of the friendly people I met on the island last summer.”

56. Buy a lemon

To buy a lemon means to buy something (usually a motor vehicle) that doesn’t work well and is therefore worthless.

“The car looked so new and shiny I had no way of knowing I was buying a lemon.”

57. A hard nut to crack

Is it easy to crack open a nut? Not always. Well, a hard nut to crack refers to a person who’s difficult to deal with or to get to know.

“I tried to be friendly with her but I was told she’s a hard nut to crack.”

15/27
58. Have a sweet tooth

Do you like eating cakes, candy and other sweet-tasting food? If you do, then you can say youhave a sweet tooth.

“Yes, I definitely have a sweet tooth. I can never walk past a bakery and not stop to buy myself a slice of chocolate cake.”

Nature Idioms

59. Under the weather

Can you be under the weather literally? Probably yes, if you think about standing under the clouds, rain and sun, but it makes no sense.

If you’re feeling under the weather, you’re not your usual self and could be feeling a little sick. The sick feeling is nothing serious—perhaps it’s just
extreme tiredness from studying too much, or having a bad headache because you’re starting to get the flu.

“What’s wrong with Katy, mom?”

“She’s feeling a little under the weather so be quiet and let her rest.”

60. A storm is brewing

There will be trouble or emotional upset in the near future.

“She decided to go ahead with their wedding, even though all they’ve been doing lately is arguing. I can sense a storm is brewing.”

61. Calm before the storm

An unusually quiet period before a period of upheaval (problems, chaos).

“The strange quietness in town made her feel peaceful. Little did she know, it was just the calm before the storm.”

62. Weather a storm

16/27
To survive a dangerous event or effectively deal with a difficult situation.

“Last year, they had some financial difficulties when her husband was fired. Together, they weathered the storm and figured out how to keep going.”

63. When it rains, it pours

Bad things occur in large numbers, but many big things happen all at once.

“First he was laid off, then his wife got into a car accident. When it rains, it pours.“

64. Chasing rainbows

Following dreams, trying to do something that can’t be achieved.

“His paintings have neither style nor imagination, but he insists on being a professional painter. He’s always chasing rainbows.”

65. Rain or shine

Used to indicate that something will happen no matter what. This is one of the rare English idioms that’s also often used literally, for outdoor events that’ll
take place whether it rains or not.

“I’ll see you at the airport, rain or shine.”

66. Under the sun

17/27
Refers to everything on Earth, usually used as part of a superlative.

“Gili Trawangan must be one of the most beautiful islands under the sun.”

67. Once in a blue moon

Very rarely.

“He used to call his grandma once in a blue moon. Now that she has passed away, he regrets not making more of an effort to keep in touch.”

68. Every cloud has a silver lining

There’s a good aspect to every bad situation.

“Don’t worry about losing your job. It’ll be okay. Every cloud has a silver lining!“

69. A rising tide lifts all boats

When an economy is performing well, all of the people involved will benefit from it.

“When the economy showed the first signs of recovering, everyone started investing and spending more. A rising tide lifts all boats.“

70. Get into deep water

18/27
To be in trouble. Very similar to the idiom in hot water that we discussed above.

“He got into deep water when he borrowed a lot of money from a loan shark.”

71. Pour oil on troubled waters

To try to make people feel better and become friendly again after an argument. This expression comes from the calming effect that oil has on waves as it
spreads over the surface of the sea.

With the ecological disasters following big oil spillage in recent years, some people might now think of this phrase rather differently compared to its
original meaning—but it’s still interesting to know about.

“She hated seeing her two best friends arguing, so she got them together and poured oil on troubled waters.”

72. Make waves

To cause trouble, to change things in a dramatic way.

“She likes to make waves with her creative marketing campaigns. They get a lot of attention from customers.”

73. Go with the flow

To relax and go along with whatever’s happening.

“Quite often in life, good things happen when you don’t make plans. Just go with the flow and see what happens!”

74. Lost at sea

To be confused about something or to feel unsure about what to do.

“I am lost at sea with this new system at work. I just can’t understand it.”

75. Sail close to the wind

19/27
To act just within the limits of what’s legal or socially acceptable, to push boundaries.

“They fired their accountant because he sailed too close to the wind.”

76. Make a mountain out of a molehill

To exaggerate the severity of a situation.

“She shouted at him angrily for being five minutes late, but it really didn’t matter that much. She reallymade a mountain out of a molehill.”

77. Gain ground

To become popular, to make progress, to advance.

“As Airbnb gains ground in many cities all over the world, many locals complain that they can no longer find a place to live. Landlords would rather rent
their places out to tourists and earn more money.”

78. Walking on air

Very excited or happy. “Over the moon,” “on cloud nine,” “in seventh heaven” and “in good spirits” are a few moreadvanced English phrases you can use
to talk about happiness.

“She’s been walking on air since she found out that she’s pregnant.”

79. Many moons ago

20/27
A long time ago.

“Many moons ago, we used to be two very close friends. Now we’ve gone separate ways and lost contact.”

80. Castle in the sky

A daydream, a hope, especially for one’s life, that’s unlikely to come true.

“World traveling used to be a castle in the sky for most people a few decades ago, but with cheap flight tickets and the global use of English, many
youngsters are living that dream.”

81. Down to earth

To be practical and sensible.

“It’s a stereotype, but Dutch people are known for being down to earth.”

82. Salt of the earth

Being honest and good.

“My father is the salt of the earth. He works hard and always helps people who are in need.”

83. The tip of the iceberg

Just a small part of something much bigger.

21/27
“Exceptionally long drought periods are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the global impact of climate change.”

84. Break the ice

To attempt to become friends with someone.

“He made a weather joke to break the ice.”

85. Sell ice to Eskimos

To be able to sell anything to anyone; to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

The word Eskimo refers to indigenous people who live in very cold, snowy regions—they don’t need any ice! If you can sell ice to them, you can sell
anything to anyone.

While it’s important to recognize this common idiom, be aware that the word Eskimo is considered derogatory (rude; prejudiced) by many people.

“He’s a gifted salesman, he could sell ice to Eskimos.”

86. Bury your head in the sand

To (try to) avoid a particular situation by pretending that it doesn’t exist.

“Stop burying your head in the sand. You haven’t been happy with him for years, why are you staying together?”

87. Let the dust settle

To allow a situation to become calm or normal again after something exciting or unusual has happened.

“You just had big news yesterday, let the dust settle and don’t make any decisions yet.”

88. Clear as mud

22/27
Not clear at all, not easy to understand.

“He’s a great scientist, but I find his explanation of bacteria and microbes as clear as mud.”

89. As cold as stone

Being very cold and unemotional.

“In the Victorian times, many women were told to suppress their feelings and, thus, appearedas cold as stone.”

90. Between a rock and a hard place

In difficulty, faced with a choice between two unsatisfactory options.

Other phrases with a similar meaning are the lesser of two evils, between the devil and the deep blue sea, between Scylla and Charybdis, Hobson’s
choice and Catch-22.

“I can understand why she couldn’t make up her mind about what to do. She’s really between a rock and a hard place.”

91. Nip something in the bud

To stop a bad situation from becoming worse by taking action at an early stage of its development.

“When the kid shows the first signs of misbehaving, you should nip that bad behavior in the bud.”

92. Barking up the wrong tree

23/27
Doing something that won’t give you the results you want.

“If you think she’s going to lend you money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. She never lends anyone anything.”

93. Out of the woods

The situation is still difficult but it’s improved or gotten easier. The hardest part of something is over.

“The surgery went very well and he just needs to recover now, so he’s officially out of the woods.”

94. Can’t see the forest for the trees

To be unable to see the whole situation clearly because you’re looking too closely at small details.

“He’s worried because the flowers haven’t all arrived, but everyone says the wedding has been perfect and beautiful. He just can’t see the forest for the
trees.”

95. To hold out an olive branch

To offer to make peace (with a rival or enemy).

“After years of rivalry with her cousin, she decided to hold out an olive branch and go have fun together.”

96. Beat around the bush

24/27
To spend a long time getting to the main point of what you’re saying, especially because it’s embarrassing.

“I don’t have much time, so stop beating around the bush and tell me what actually happened.”

The next time you watch an English movie or television show, bring a notepad and write down any strange and funny expressions that you hear so you
can look them up later. Chances are, they’re idioms.

And the more comfortable you get using English idioms, the closer you get to reaching full English fluency.

And One More Thing…

If you like learning English idioms, then you’ll love FluentU.FluentU uses popular talk shows, catchy music videos, and funny commercials to teach you
English:

FluentU makes it really easy to watch English videos. How? There are interactive captions. In other
words, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word “brought,” then you see this:

You can learn any video’s vocabulary with FluentU. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the
word you’re learning.

The coolest part? FluentU knows the vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses your vocabulary to
recommend you examples and videos. You have a truly personalized experience.

Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the
FluentU app from the iTunes store.

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn English with
real-world videos.

Experience English immersion online!

If you want to watch it, FluentU’s probably got it.

25/27
FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

26/27
FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

27/27
 Modal verbs of obligation

Today let's talk about modal verbs of obligation.

Obligation is when someone tells you to do something or gives you an order to do something. We can
also tell ourselves to do something. We can use 'must / must not' for very strong obligations, like a
law and also for weaker obligations like telling someone to do something.

• You mustn’t use your phone when you’re driving. (It’s the law.)
• You must stop smoking. (=I’m telling you to stop smoking.)
• I must go home and study. (I’m giving myself an instruction or order here.)

We can also use ‘have to’ or ‘have got to’, with almost the same meaning.

• You’ve got to stop smoking.

• I have to go home and study.

Prohibition = it’s not allowed

Can (permission) and must (obligation) have very different meanings in the affirmative ('you can do
it' is very different from 'you must do it'). But they are quite similar in the negative, when they tell
someone not to do something. In fact, US English often uses ‘can’t’ in the same situation that UK
English uses ‘mustn’t’.

• You mustn’t smoke here.

• You can’t smoke here.
• You mustn’t go into the kitchen.
• You can’t go into the kitchen.
Sometimes we also use ‘may not’ or ‘be not allowed to’ in the same situation.

Let's review!

1. Obligation is when someone ___________ you to do something.

2. We can use ______________ and _____________ for strong and weak obligations.
3. Can (permission) and ___________ (obligation) have very different meanings in the
affirmative.
4. We can use both __________ and 'must not' to tell someone not to do something.
Answers

1. tells
2. must / must not and have to
3. must
4. can't