2018 April (Written) Flashcards
Your child is getting ready for bed. You usually read to her before she goes to sleep. But first you need to send a quick email for work. You tell her to get in bed band wait for you.
I’ll come tuck you in and read you a story in a minute.
come (do something)
Use this phrase when you’re offering to help someone:
│ Do you want me to come help you?
│ I’ll come bring you something to drink in just a minute.
Use “come (do something)” with people you’re close to, like family members and friends. It sounds kind and helpful.
tuck (someone) in
“Tucking someone in” means sitting or standing next to their bed and helping them to get comfortable just before they go to sleep. Parents do this for their children.
In this phrase, the word “tuck” means to straighten out the sheets and blanket on the bed. You can also “tuck in” a shirt, which means to put the bottom end of the shirt inside your pants or skirt:
│ Hey, you forgot to tuck in your shirt.
read (someone) a story
Parents often read stories from books out loud to their children. This is called “reading them a story”:
│ Want me to read you a story?
in a minute
“In a minute” means “soon”. We use it like this:
│ I’ll be there in a minute.
│ I’ll be finished in just a minute.
If you tell someone that you’ll do something “in a minute”, they will probably expect you to do in within 5 or 10 minutes, not one minute exactly.
Your wife is angry because she woke up late to go to work. She gets angry at you because you didn’t wake her up.
How is that my responsibility?
How is that my (something)?
│ How is that my fault?
This means “I don’t think it’s my fault.” You say this when someone else blames you for something. Some other similar phrases are:
│ How is that my responsibility?
│ How is that my problem?
People usually sound angry when they use “How is that my ___?”
(something) is (someone’s) responsibility
“Being responsible for” something means that you will be rewarded if it’s successful, and blamed if it fails.
If something is your responsibility, it means that it’s your job to make sure that it’s OK. It’s your fault if something goes wrong.
We talk about responsibility:
│ Raising a child is the parents’ responsibility, not the school’s.
│ When I was growing up on the farm, it was my responsibility to feed the chickens.
You and a friend are talking about the topic of dreams. There’s a certain dream that you often have. You tell your friend this about it.
I have this recurring dream where I’m on a boat that’s sinking.
this (person/thing)
In the example above, the speaker uses “this” instead of “a”. There’s a small difference between the two. When you say “this ___” it sounds like you’re talking about one specific thing. “A ___” is more general.
You use “this ___” instead of “a” or “the” when you’re introducing something specific that you’re going to talk about. It’s usually used at the beginning of a story or explanation. For example:
│ Amy and I were sitting there talking and this guy I know walked by.
│ I’ve had this song stuck in my head for two years!
│ Today I was talking with this girl at work who just got back from maternity leave.
In all of these examples, the speaker will continue by telling a story about that topic.
People only use “this ___” in this way in casual spoken English.
have a dream
English speakers use the phrase “have a dream” to describe dreaming. Other languages may use words like “see” or “imagine”, but in English it’s always “have”.
a recurring dream
A “recurring dream” is one that you have over and over again. It’s usually one particular situation that you’ve dreamed about several times. Some unlucky people have a “recurring nightmare”, which is a frightening dream that they have again and again.
The word “recurring” means “happening again and again in the same way”. It’s also used in these phrases:
· A recurring theme in a novel is an idea which keeps appearing throughout the book.
· When an actor has a recurring role on a TV show, it means that they keep coming back on the show to play the same character.
a sinking boat
To “sink” means to fall downwards in the water.
What’s the difference between “sinking” and “drowning”? First, only people can drown, while both objects and people can “sink”. Second, “drowning” means to get caught under the water so that you can’t breathe until it becomes dangerous.
When a boat or a ship sinks, it starts to get water inside and gets lower and lower in the water.
The phrase “a sinking ship” is sometimes used as a metaphor to talk about a company, a team, or other organization that is getting worse and worse. The speaker in the example at top sad “a boat that’s sinking” instead of “a ship that’s sinking”. One reason for this is that the listener might think that he was speaking about a company or team instead of a real boat if he said “a ship that’s sinking”.
Your 14-year-old son took your car and drove it around. He was caught by the police. When you go to pick him up at the police station, you’re angry and scared because it was such a dangerous thing for him to do. You bark this at him in anger.
You could have killed someone!
(something) could have (done something)
This phrase expresses something that maybe would have happened in the past if the situation had been a little bit different. It’s a way to imagine something different happening in the past.
In the example:
│ You could have killed someone!
The meaning is that, although you didn’t kill anyone, there was a high chance of accidentally killing someone.
One common use of “could have ___” is to express how dangerous something was that happening. Here are some common phrases:
│ Watch out! You could have poked somebody’s eye out.
│ Oh my god, that was so close. We could have died!
Notice that “could have” is very different from “might have”. In American English, we use “might have” to talk about something that maybe did happen:
│ A: Where’s Paul?
│ B: I don’t know. He might have forgotten that we were meeting.
You’re chitchatting with some friends. One friend says that she only cleans her house once every two weeks. You’re very clean. You say this.
See, I can’t do that. I’m a total neat freak.
a total (something) "Total" means "complete" or "100%". Use it to talk about a characteristic that a person has a lot of. Some examples of using "total" to talk about people include: │ We were total strangers at that point. │ You'd be a total fool to turn this down.
See, (sentence)
You can use the word “see” at the beginning of a sentence for several different reasons. One is to contrast what you’re going to say with what the last speaker said:
│ A: I’m not worried about saving for retirement. I figure it will work out somehow.
│ B: See, that’s the difference between you and me. I can’t just leave my future up to chance like that.
│ A: We should definitely go with the first option because it’s cheaper.
│ B: See, I’m not so sure. It might be cheaper right now, but in the long run it’s going to cost more to maintain.
(someone) is a neat freak
A “neat freak” is someone who keeps their home really clean and organized.
“Neat freak” sounds a bit negative, so you should avoid calling someone else a neat freak if you’re not close to them. A more positive way to talk about someone like this is to call them “neat”:
│ You’re so neat.
Some other phrases using “freak” are:
│ a control freak
│ a fitness freak
│ a baseball freak
All of these mean that the person does something much more than other people.
You’re talking about your driver’s license with your office assistant because you need to rent a car on your next business trip. It’s old, so you’ll have to get a new one soon. This is what you tell your assistant.
I have to renew it soon. It expires in June.
renew (a license)
A license like a driver’s license only lasts for a certain length of time. After that time, you have to “renew” it. Renewing a license means continuing it for more time. It’s usually easier to renew a license or other document than to get a completely new one.
People also renew things like: · magazine and newspaper subscriptions · employment contracts · an apartment rental lease · wedding vows
(something) expires (sometime)
Many contracts, licenses, memberships, and subscriptions have an “end date”. This end date is called the “expiration date”. We say that the contract, etc. “expires” on that date. After that date, we say that it “has expired” or “is expired”.
For example:
│ When does your passport expire?
│ I forgot to pay the bill, so our renter’s insurance expired.
(something happens) in (a month)
Use “in” to talk about things that happen during a month:
│ We’re going on a trip in June.
You also use “in” for a year:
│ I met him back in 1993.
On the other hand, you should use “on” for days”
│ Let’s have lunch on Wednesday.
You’re playing softball with a group of friends. You tried to hit the ball, but missed 3 times so you got struck out. Now you’re explaining to your teammates why you missed.
I couldn’t see because of the glare.
a glare
A “glare” is light that’s brighter than other lights around it. A “glare” makes it difficult to see things. A glare can come from places like:
· the sun
· a reflection of the sun on a screen or window
· a TV or computer in a dark room
· a street light at night
An example of “glare” used in a sentence is:
│ I couldn’t see because of the glare.
You own a small pet store. Someone has offered to buy it from you. The price they’re offering is high, but you’re still not sure. You say this.
That’s a very generous offer. Um, let me think it over for a few days and get back to you.
Um
English speakers use the sound “um” when they don’t know what to say next. Here’s an example from a TV talk show:
│ Well, my daughter in this show is very strongly liberal, and she’s a very - she’s a - she went to, uh, um, Stanford Law School, and she graduated from Stanford with honors.
But people also use “um” when they’re talking about a topic that is uncomfortable. Using “um” shows the listener that you’re being careful about a topic that is very sensitive. So you might use “um” when you’re talking seriously about:
· money
· sex
· a death in someone’s family
· a decision at work that you disagree with
For example,
│ Listen, um, I know that you’re having a hard time financially right now, but I really need your rent check.
By the way, you might hear or read somewhere that you shouldn’t use “um”. That’s a rule that English speakers are taught in school, because some people think that using “um” too much makes you sound unprofessional. But almost everyone uses it from time to time. As an English learner, it actually makes your English sound more natural when you use hesitation sounds like “um”.
get back to (someone)
To “get back to” someone means to respond to their question later. For example, if you ask me a question and I don’t know the answer, I can say:
│ I don’t know off the top of my head, but I’ll get back to you this afternoon.
think (something) over
When you “think ___ over”, you think about it carefully and consider all of the possible good and bad points of it.
You use the phrase “think ___ over” when you’re talking about an offer or a decision that you have to make. For example:
│ Take a few days to think it over.
│ That’s a very generous offer. Um, let me think it over for a few days and get back to you.
a few (of something)
“A few” is a number that’s not specific, but it usually means somewhere between 3-10. It’s a little less formal than “several” and also sounds like a slightly lower number. Here are some examples:
│ You may want to consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions.
│ That’s a very generous offer. Um, let me think it over for a few days and get back to you.
That’s a generous offer.
A “generous offer” is when someone offers to give you something really good. For example, if someone wants to give you a job or pay a lot for something that you’re selling, that’s “a generous offer”.
You should say “That’s a generous offer” when someone offers to give you something good, but you’re not sure if you want to take it. For example:
│ A: How would you like to come work for me?
│ B: Oh, really? Wow. That’s a very generous offer, but actually I’m pretty happy at my current job.
You were invited to a cousin’s wedding. Your sister asks you if you’re going. You don’t remember when the wedding is, so you ask like this.
When is it again?
When is it?
“When is it” is a normal way to ask when something is going to happen.
│ A: Do you think you can make it out to my art show?
│ B: Um, when is it?
│ A: It’s next Saturday, in the afternoon,
If someone told you when something was going to happen, but you forgot, you could also ask:
│ When was it?
You can ask this way, even if the event hasn’t happened yet.
(Question) again? Use this phrase when you can't remember something that you're supposed to remember. For example: │ I'm sorry. What was your name again? │ How old is your daughter again? │ What was the password again?
We use this expression mostly in spoken English. It’s not common in formal writing, prepared speeches, and so on.
You’re explaining what your charity organization does at a street fair.
We provide the assistance to disabled veterans.
provide assistance to (someone)
“Assistance” means “help”. “Provide” means “give”. So “providing assistance” to someone means helping them.
One way that we use “provide assistance” is to talk about organizations that give money to groups to help people like disaster victims, people with disabilities, and so on:
│ Donations will go to provide assistance to families displaced by the recent earthquake.
You can also use “provide assistance” to describe helping someone in very formal speech. For example, if you are a witness in court, you might describe helping someone to the judge like this:
│ I saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road with its warning lights on, so I stopped to provide assistance.
a disabled (person) A "disability" is some kind of problem with a person's body such as: · blindness · deafness · a missing arm or leg · a mental disability
A person who has one of these problems is called “disabled”.
If you want to be very careful not to offend someone with one of these problems, you might use the term “differently abled” instead of “disabled”. However, not everyone accepts this term because some people think that it’s silly to be so careful about what we call people in this group.
a veteran
A “veteran” is someone who has been in the military or fought in a war.
Veterans are sometime identified by the war that they fought in:
│ a World War II veteran
You need to hire an office assistant. You want someone who will do a good job without being told what to do. Yo write this on the job description.
We’re looking for a highly motivated, super-organized self-starter.
We’re looking for (an employee)
Advertisements for open job positions are often written with “We’re looking for…”. For example:
│ We’re looking for someone with at least six years of experience in digital publishing.
│ We’re looking for a hard-working, experienced 6th grade Math teacher.
This phrase is rather casual. A more formal way to write about a job candidate is “We are seeking…”.
a highly motivated (person)
A “motivated” person works hard because they really want to succeed.
When someone works hard at their job or at practicing something, you can say:
│ She’s always been really motivated.
A more formal way to say “really motivated” is “highly motivated”.
│ He’s smart, helpful, and highly motivated.
a super-organized (person)
An “organized” person keeps things in order. They know where to find information, don’t forget things, and don’t miss deadlines.
“Super-organized” means “very, very organized”.
Some other adjectives that fit well with "super-" are: │ super cool │ super easy │ super expensive │ super friendly │ super excited
Use a hyphen (“highly-motivated”) when you use this phrase before a noun in written English:
│ a super-organized person
Don’t use a hyphen when the phrase stands on its own:
│ He’s super organized.
(someone) is a self-starter
A “self-starter” is someone who finds work that needs to be done and does it. They don’t need their boss or coworkers to tell them what to do.
Companies often write that they’re looking for “a self-starter” in job postings.
Your car often has engine problems. Now you’re trying to start your car, but it won’t work. This is what you say to yourself.
This thing is such a piece of junk!
this/that thing
People use the phrase “this thing” or “that thing” when talking about an object that they don’t like very much:
│ Take that thing off your head. You know good and well you’re not supposed to wear hats in the building.
│ But seriously, it’s time you got rid of that thing.
a piece of junk
“Junk” is old machines or pieces of metal that have been thrown away.
When you call something “a piece of junk”, it either means that:
· it’s been thrown away, or
· you think that it’s not good and should be thrown away
Things that people often call “piece of junk” are:
· old cars
· old computers
· old cell phones
A friend asks if he can borrow some money for a few days until his next paycheck. You don’t have much money either, so you say no.
I’m pretty strapped for cash myself.
(someone) is strapped for cash
“Strapped for cash” is a casual way to describe someone who doesn’t have much money.
People often use this phrase to explain why they can’t do something like go out to a bar or lend a friend money:
│ I don’t think I can go this time. I’m kind of strapped for cash.
I (am something/do something) myself.
Use this expression to say that something is true for you too. For example:
│ A: I’m not sure why they charged so much.
│ B: I’m confused myself.
│ A: Chili is one of my specialties.
│ B: Oh yeah? I make a pretty good chili myself.
One of your friends is complaining about a girl that you both know. He doesn’t like her. You didn’t like her when you first met her, but now you do. You say this.
She can come across as stuck up at first.
come across as (something)
The way that you “come across” to people is how they see you and think about you. This phrase is a way to explain what people think of you, which can be different from how you think of yourself. So although you may think of yourself as cool and sophisticated, you might come across as unfriendly instead.
You can follow “come across as” with a noun phrase that describes a person:
│ He came across as a really friendly and sweet guy at first.
Or you can follow it with an adjective phrase that describes someone’s personality, like in the example above. Here’s another example:
│ Do you think I come across to people as kind of boring?
But it sounds strange to just have a single-word adjective after “come across as”, like “come across as boring” or “come across as needy”.
(someone) is stuck up
A “stuck up” person is someone who:
· thinks that they are better than other people
· thinks that other people are less important than them
· dislikes people who are poorer, less popular, or less powerful than themselves
Here are some example sentences:
│ I can’t stand her. She acts like a stuck up little princess.
│ I guess I should go out drinking with them sometime. I don’t want to be seen as rude or stuck u p, you know?
One of your friends’ friends (James) is into sports and likes to watch soccer really seriously. You’re talking about James with another mutual friend. You say this.
James is, like, a hard core soccer fan.
like
The word “like” is controversial in English. Some young people use it a lot while speaking, while other people think it makes those people sound stupid.
In the example above, the speaker uses “like” in the middle of the sentence to emphasize the word “hard core”. Here are some more example of that:
│ That’s, like, the biggest one I’ve ever seen!
│ Our flight back was, like, 18 hours long!
a hard core fan
Something that is “hard core” is really strong and concentrated. For example:
│ I did this really hard core aerobics class last night, and today I’m just dying!
│ Don’t you think parents should have the right to protect their children from violent images and hard core pornography?
A “hard core fan” is someone who supports something really actively and with a lot of enthusiasm. If you never miss a game for your favorite sports team and have the names of all the players memorized, you’re a hard core fan.
