When someone asks you a question, of course, they want an answer. Our problem is, that sometimes we don't have an answer for them, and saying "I don't know" is not good enough. Working in an English speaking workplace, there are other, more appropriate phrases we can use. Saying "I don't know" can make you seem unprofessional and it may make you seem uninterested in the question!
Among Christians in English speaking countries, today is known as Pancake Day (or officially Shrove Tuesday), as it is _A_ to eat pancakes. Although the celebration has its _B_ in relgion, you don't have to be a Christian to enjoy the day. Most people celebrate it for the pancakes and nothing more.
Today's cartoon is about the idiom someone's lips are sealed:
When you promise to keep something a secret you say my lips are sealed. It's something you say to let someone know that you will not tell anyone else what they have just told you.
"Don't worry, Joseph. I won't tell anyone what you told me. My lips are sealed."
February 14 is St. Valentine's Day; a day when lovers express their love for each other by giving flowers, gifts, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").
In honour of St. Valentine's Day, here are 5 idioms which use the word heart. These are not examples of romantic idioms. The heart idioms cover a number of situations.
When you learn something by heart, you learn it exactly and from memory.
Definition: Something that will cause an angry or violent reaction.
Taking a English exam like Cambridge ESOL, TOEFL or IELTS is a big challenge and requires you to work hard. Independent study is an important part of the process. Serious English learners are always looking to expand their vocabualry by finding and learning new words.
Today I want to encourage you to be active with your English learning. Here are 10 words which will be unknown to many of you. Your task is to look these words up in the on-line dictionary provided and then type these words into the correct sentences.
Money, like time, is something that we never seem to have enough of.
Here are five phrasal verbs we use to talk about spending money.
To pay for something or to send money on something especially when you don't want to.
"She's just coughed up £40 for a speeding fine."
Take a look at this multiple choice quiz. Practice your knowledge of verbs by choosing the correct one in each sentence.
How many did you get correct? Which ones did you slip up on (make a mistake on)?
This idiom is used at Upper Intermediate level.
When a fact or opinion is neither here nor there, it is not important.
Words that have the same meaning (synonyms) of neither here nor there are unimportant, inconsequential, irrelevant and immaterial.
