PRACTICAL ENGLISH

  "You have so much time on your hands." Meaning To have a lot of free time and not know what to do with it. To have extra or spare time in which one has nothing specific to do or accomplish. Example Dialog Two friends have met on the street and are talking ... Friend 1 :  Hey, I thought you had English class right now. Friend 2 :  We were supposed to have class but it was canceled. Friend 1 :  Oh well, since you  have some time on  your  hands , would you like to go for a coffee? Friend 2 :  OK.  I don't really have anything better to do. Example Sentences Children need discipline and planned activities. If they have too much time on their hands , they can get into trouble. I'll have a bit more time on my hands now that we've finished the year-end audit. Our kids had too much time on their hands last summer break, so we decided to enroll them in a few different summer camps to keep them occupied. Now the children have left home, she’s ...

  "Keep on your toes" Meaning To make sure that someone gives all their attention to what they are doing and is ready for anything that might happen or  If you say that someone or something keeps you on your toes , you mean that they cause you to remain alert and and prepared to deal with problems or anything that might happen. If someone or something keeps you on your toes , they stop you being lazy or relaxed and force you to be ready for anything that might happen. Example Sentences Having two kids under age five sure keeps me on my toes! It's always good to have a little bit of change in your job, because it keeps you on your toes , doesn't it? This job really keeps me on my toes. They do random checks to keep workers on their toes. Inflation, which depletes the value of stocks and bonds, also keeps investors on their toes. With a test every Friday, she keeps her students on their toes. I work with people who are half my age, so that keeps me on my toes. The b...

"Don't bite off more than you can chew." Meaning This means to do something that is too difficult or to make a commitment that you can’t keep. Take on more work or a bigger task than you can handle; something that's too difficult for you. Attempt to do something which is hardly achievable. If you say that someone has bitten off more than they can chew, you mean that they are trying to do something which is too difficult for them. Example Dialog Professor:  Hello Bernie.  I'm sorry that I have to see you again. Bernie:  I'm sorry, professor.  I tried as hard as I could. Professor:  What seems to be the problem? Bernie:  Well, sir, I decided to take a full course load and I have a part-time job.  I also play hockey and am on the debate team. Professor:  Do you think that you may have bitten off more than you can chew ? Bernie:   Maybe.  I will see what I can do to adjust my workload. Example Sentences I think he's bitten off more than...

"You've gone too far." "She takes it too far." Meaning To "go too far" means to behave in a way that upsets or annoys people. To " take (something) too far"  means to do something, often some form of misbehavior, to an excessive degree;  To overdo something or to exceed reasonable limits. Example Sentences Well, your little brother is crying now because you took your teasing too far. His jokes are funny, but sometimes he goes too far. This time, you've gone too far and I will never allow you to talk about my personal life anymore. Artificial intelligence has come a long way in the last two decades. Has the development of AI gone too far? What are some school punishments that went too far ? What punishment did you receive from your parents that went too far? She likes to dress strangely, but sometimes she takes it too far . Last week she just wore a garbage bag! I know that my mother and my wife don't get along well but my mother ha...

  "I got carried away." Meaning To get too emotional and then do something silly. To get carried away is defined as to become overly excited or involved in something that you lose control of your feelings or behavior An example of get carried away is when you are really excited about having a first birthday party for your child that you stress and obsess and spend thousands and thousands of dollars. Example Sentences I shouldn't have behaved like that. I just got carried away. They allowed themselves to be carried away by fear. It's easy to get carried away when shopping for a newborn. Buying cat supplies can be so much fun you just might get carried away. It is easy to get carried away when shopping and buying something that is over budget. In the rush to buy a property, it's easy to get carried away with a rising market and lose sight of financial reality. We should not be carried away by our success that we may forget the risk of failure. The better thin...

  "A blessing in disguise" Meaning  An unfortunate event that later leads to an advantageous situation. A misfortune that unexpectedly turns into good fortune. You can say something is a blessing in disguise if it appears to be bad at first, but it results in something very good in the end. Example Sentences Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him as it forced him to start up his own business.  Being caught in that traffic jam was a blessing in disguise. If I hadn't missed the flight, I would have been on that plane when it crashed. His accident was a blessing in disguise because it gave him lots of time to think about his life while he was recovering, and as a result he made some important changes that improved his life. The lockdown in 2020 proved to be a blessing in disguise. It gave me lots of time to spend with my family. When Pete fractured his knee, it was a blessing in disguise , for he got some much-needed rest and a break from his...

  "Take for granted" Meaning Fail to properly appreciate (someone or something), especially as a result of overfamiliarity. to underestimate the value of something or someone when a person is not being paid enough for the job that they do to assume that something is true without having proof to assume that someone will always be available even though they are not appreciated Example Sentences We often take our freedom for granted. I'm tired of being taken for granted. I feel like my boss is taking me for granted. I work harder than anyone else and my salary is still below average. I think that you take your husband for granted. He is always sending you flowers and doing nice things for you, and you never appreciate it.  A comfortable bed to sleep in is a luxury that we take for granted. There are many things I take for granted and don't even realize. Electricity is a modern convenience that many of us take for granted. He doesn’t appreciate how lucky he is to ha...

  "Take it in stride" Meaning The idiom ‘to take something in one’s stride’ basically means to deal with an unpleasant situation calmly and easily. If you encounter a difficult situation and face it without much worry or without letting it affect you, it means you have taken it in your stride. You don’t have any trouble in accepting such a situation and can handle it tactfully. When you take something in your stride , you show a sense of acceptance and the capability of coping with it. You are not hassled or troubled by it and decide to cope with it patiently. In American English, if you  "take a problem or difficulty in stride,"  you deal with it calmly and easily. The British English expression is " take something in your stride." Related words: not be upset or troubled by something, calm down, cope with easily Example Sentences When you become a politician, you soon learn to take criticism in stride. I thought she'd be upset, but she has taken the...

  "Out of nowhere" Meaning very surprisingly and unexpectedly If something happens out of nowhere, this means it happens suddenly and unexpectedly. We couldn't have imagined that it would happen. Similar expression: Out of the blue Example Sentences The car came out of nowhere! She rose to fame out of nowhere. That question came out of nowhere. Before she could take another drink, her father appeared out of nowhere and snatched the bottle from her. Enemies will come out of nowhere and attack you for no reason at all. She gave me a present out of nowhere. Out of nowhere the child started crying. The dog came out of nowhere and attacked the man who was walking along the street. A new client called me out of nowhere and requested consulting services. Out of nowhere , for the first time in his entire career, he was investigated. Jimmy had phoned me a few weeks earlier out of nowhere and asked if I could do him a favor. Out of nowhere, I woke up one morning with really...

  "These kids need discipline, they're getting out of hand." Meaning If a person or a situation gets out of hand, you are no longer able to control them. To become difficult to control. Example Sentences The party got out of hand and they had to call the police. We got too drunk and the party got out of hand. His drinking had got out of hand. My father’s drinking is getting out of hand so we're trying to persuade him to get help. It was the end of term and the children were getting a little out of hand. Unemployment is getting out of hand. Jane and Sarah had a disagreement that suddenly got out of hand and then everyone was shouting. Their kids need some discipline, they are getting completely out of hand.  The farmer was trying to get all the sheep into the barn when it all got out of hand and they ended up in the road. I thought it would be a good idea to bake some buns with my small nephews, but it got out of hand and took me two hours to clean up the mess.  Sh...

  "Make the most of it" Meaning To use or enjoy something as much as possible. If you make the most of something, you get the maximum use or advantage from it. Example Sentences She planned to make the most of her trip to Europe. The class quickly made the most of the teacher's absence. We’re only in Paris for a day, so let’s make the most of it. Happiness is the ability to make the most of what you have. He was eager to make the most of his visit. You might be a lot happier if you made the most of yourself , instead of just sitting here all day playing video games. I know this data entry job isn't what you wanted for a career, but for the time being try and make the most of it. Mary knows how to make the most of her talents.  They designed the advertisements to make the most of the product's features. Take advantage of available space to make the most of the limited storage room.

    "Out of touch" Meaning 1 In a state of not knowing what is happening, how certain people feel, etc. Not informed or not having the same ideas as most people about something, so that you make mistakes To be out of touch (with something) means to no longer knowledgeable about or up to date with something. Example Sentences A few of the older teachers are completely  out of touch  with their students. Some older doctors are  out of touch  with modern medicine. Dividing her professional and personal worlds to become a "good doctor" has left her  out of touch  with who she is. I've been away from the business for several years and feel quite  out of touch. He is  out of touch  with the younger generation Washington politicians are  out of touch  with the American people. Politicians seem to be  out of touch  with the real world. I haven’t taught for a while so I’m a little  out of touch. Husbands can easily g...

"Fight off" Meaning 1 To defend oneself against (someone or something) by fighting or struggling If you fight off someone who has attacked you, you fight with them, and succeed in making them go away or stop attacking you. Example Sentences The woman managed to fight off her attackers. Learn self-defense techniques that can help you fight off an attacker and run away. Do you know any tips on how to fight off an attacker if ever you're caught in a dangerous situation? A man fought off an armed home invader to protect his wife. A man in Florida fought off a bear to protect his dogs. A beach goer in Australia had a close call fighting off a great white shark in the waters. A 60-year-old fisherman found himself fighting off a crocodile that pulled him into a river. Meaning 2 If you  fight off  something, for example an illness or an unpleasant feeling, you succeed in getting rid of it and in not letting it overcome you. Example Sentences He felt drowsy and had to fight o...

  "As far as I can remember" Meaning Used to say that you think that something is true, although it is possible that you do not know all the facts or cannot remember completely Used when talking about memories or opinion. Example Sentences No one has complained, as far as I know. He isn't coming today, as far as I know. As far as I know, he will be away for three months. He was the only one who enjoyed the play, as far as I can remember. There weren’t any buildings there at all, as far as I can remember. As far as I can remember , we need this part of the project done by Wednesday. You were the last person I saw at the office before I left  as far as I can remember. Piper is off today, as far as I can recall. John said he's not coming with us to the party as far as I can recall. As far as I can see , there’s nothing else to discuss. As far as I can see , you've done nothing wrong. As far as I can tell , Jason is basically a nice guy. Stress is causing my headach...

  "As far as I'm concerned" Meaning In the opinion of (someone) ; If you ask me, in my opinion. According to what someone thinks or feels. In regards to (something) / as regards the interests or case of (someone/something) You can say ' as far as I'm concerned ' to indicate that you are giving your opinion about something, especially when this may be different from other people’s opinions. Example Sentences As far as I'm concerned , everything he says is a lie. As far as I am concerned , this meeting is over. She can come whenever she likes, as far as I'm concerned. Smelly feet are definitely a turn off as far as I'm concerned. As far as I'm concerned,  you can do what you like. It's a good deal, as far as I'm concerned. As far as I'm concerned, this is the council's decision, not mine. As far as I'm concerned , when you get married it's for life. I don't think he wants to go anywhere. As far as I'm concerned, h...

  "Money doesn't grow on trees" Meaning It requires effort to earn money and it is limited so you must be careful how you spend it. Said to warn someone to be careful how much money they spend, because there is only a limited amount. The phrase money doesn’t grow on trees is a proverb that stresses the importance and value of hard work and encourages people to make wise spending decisions. Notes   Unfortunately, you can't pick money off trees like fruit. You have to work to earn it or be fortunate to receive it as a gift. Either way, you have to spend it carefully because it is limited in quantity. Parents often use this expression with young children who do not understand the concept of money or its value. Example Dialog Child: "Dad, I'd like a new bike." Dad: "I'll have to think about it - money doesn't grow on trees , you know!" Example Sentences Money doesn’t grow on trees — unless you’re a millionaire who wants to pay it forward....

  "Jump on the bandwagon" Meaning To jump on the bandwagon is to get involved in something or support something that has recently become popular  To do something because it is trending and fashionable;  In terms of business, to do something because it is likely to be profitable owing to its current popularity If someone, especially a politician, jumps or climbs on the bandwagon , they become involved in an activity or movement because it is fashionable or likely to succeed and not because they are really interested in it. Similar Expressions: get on the bandwagon, hop on the bandwagon, jump on the bandwagon Origin The origin of the idiom ' jump on the bandwagon ' began in nineteenth century. In America, a ' bandwagon ' was a horse-drawn wagon with a platform for a group of musicians (a band) that often preceded a circus parade. The phrase was first seen in 1848, when a famous clown named Dan Rice would use his circus bandwagon to transport politicians around ...

  "Live up to expectations" Meaning To be as good as something or to be as good as what was expected or promised. To live in accordance with (expectations or an ideal or standard). If someone or something lives up to what they were expected to be , they are as good as they were expected to be. Related words: To be good enough ; to be good as expected; satisfy, fulfill Example Sentences The concert was brilliant - it lived up to all our expectations. He never managed to live up to his parents' expectations.   David's cooking was brilliant - we'll never live up to that. I feel it's impossible to live up to his mother.  The Niagara falls lived up to all the publicity.  Did the vacation live up to your expectations ? Sales have not lived up to expectations this year. Had he lived up to his promise , he would have made a fortune in sponsorship money. He never lived up to his father's vision of him. The breathtakingly beautiful scenery certainly lived up t...

"In less than no time"/ "In no time" Meaning 'In less than no time' or 'in no time' means very quickly or very soon , This expression is used in casual situations.  In a very little amount of time. Example Dialog A: Where are you now? I'm already here at the park. B: Don't worry. I'm on my way now. I'll be there in less than no time. Example Sentences We called the ambulance, which arrived in less than no time. Don’t worry. This wont take long. It’ll be over with in less than no time. It took her less than no time to get dinner ready. If we get started now, we'll be finished in less than no time. That test was so easy, I was done in less than no time. The repair is  so simple. I should be finished in less than no time. They'll have a boat out here for us in less than no time , now that they've seen us. The children ate their dinner in no time. We'll fix your car in no time at all. The police will come in no tim...

“It Speaks For Itself”  vs  “Speak For Yourself” Today our lesson is about two phrases in English – one is saying “something speaks for itself” and the other is telling someone “speak for yourself.” These are very different and are used in particular situations as provided in the examples below. IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF If something speaks for itself, that means it’s obvious, without needing any additional explanation. So, let’s say you tell your friend something and she gets an angry expression on her face. And later, when talking about that, you can say, “I know she was mad, even though she didn’t say anything, because the expression on her face spoke for itself.” In other words, the angry expression on your friend’s face made it clear and obvious that she was angry, even without words or without explanation. Example Dialog Situation: A hiring committee is looking for candidates to hire for a job, and there’s one candidate who doesn’t have a college degree, but he has a lot o...