In this post, you will learn five idioms that Americans use to praise someone for a job well done. Idioms are a type of figurative language where the words put together lose their literal meaning. The problem is that when we study English at school, we learn the literal meaning of words. And when we […]
English expressions to agree with others
“When the rubber meets the road” and other idioms
I’ve heard from some nonnative speakers that they are reluctant to use idioms at work as they think that such phrases are unprofessional. But the truth is that Americans use them everywhere, so don’t be afraid. Of course, if you are not sure if the situation is appropriate, you can always stay more on the formal […]
“To run out of steam” and other idioms
10 commonly confusing English phrasal verbs
Prepositions give many nonnative speakers of English a very hard time. And when they are used to form phrasal verbs, they seem even harder. Oftentimes it is challenging to remember what preposition follows a certain verb in order to communicate a particular meaning. According to the Oxford dictionary, a phrasal verb is a verb that […]
“You nailed it” and other idioms
A while ago I heard a nonnative speaker complaining that he had totally misunderstood his boss because of a phrase the latter had used. The situation was the following: the nonnative speaker presented something at work and after the presentation he asked his boss for feedback. “You killed it,” his boss said. The presenter was […]