'How come' is used a lot in conversation and friendlier styles of writing: - "I decided not to take that job." - "Really? How come?" - "How come you aren't going out tonight?" - "I won't be able to come tomorrow, sorry." - "Oh no, how come?" - "So how come he got the job and not me?" As you might be able to guess, how come is used to ask why or how something … [Read more...] about “So How Come You Have Two Cars?” – English Expression
English Phrases In Conversation
“Give It A Rest!” – And Other “Give It” Phrases
Bill kept his eyes focused on the screen, ignoring his sister's voice in the background. - "Bill. BILL! You've been playing that game all night! When are you going to do your assignment?" - "Oh, give it a rest! It's not due for another week." … [Read more...] about “Give It A Rest!” – And Other “Give It” Phrases
How To Say “Sorry”..?
How and when to apologise is not just something that learners of English might have to grapple with, but also English speakers. First up, there are some questions and issues to think about before you say 'sorry': Do you genuinely believe you made a mistake? Should you say sorry if in fact you didn't do anything wrong..? Do you feel sincerely sorry? Is saying 'sorry' … [Read more...] about How To Say “Sorry”..?
“So What Do We Do Now?” – Spoken English Phrase
Paul and Angela leapt out of bed. "Oh, no! We're going to be late!" shouted Angela, "It's already 12 o'clock, and the wedding starts at 1. I told you to set the alarm an hour earlier!" They raced to the car, and Angela hit the gas. Unfortunately as they turned into Brunswick Street, all they could see were hundreds of cars and trams lining up behind each other, as far … [Read more...] about “So What Do We Do Now?” – Spoken English Phrase
“Let’s Go Into Town Tonight” – Ways Of Recommending Where To Go
Sasha was at home wondering whether to stay in or go out. His girlfriend looked over to him and suggested that they head out somewhere: - "Let's go into town and catch that new film, Insurgent. I've been dying to see it! Ohh, Four.." - "Ok, that sounds like a plan. But I hope it's not one of those rom-coms, I've had enough of those!" He sighed. … [Read more...] about “Let’s Go Into Town Tonight” – Ways Of Recommending Where To Go
“The” – Phrases & Patterns That Go With The Definite Article
Articles are a common problem for many learners, especially from Slavic countries such as the Czech Republic. I'm sometimes surprised that even students in proficiency-level (C2) classes commonly miss out on 'a' or 'an' as well as 'the', 'some' and 'any' when they speak. … [Read more...] about “The” – Phrases & Patterns That Go With The Definite Article
“Were You After A Coffee..?” – Phrases For Your Next Cafe Visit
I was at a cafe just yesterday and the waitress asked me: "Were you after a coffee?" Then her colleague came a few minutes later and asked me: "Were you after some food as well?" … [Read more...] about “Were You After A Coffee..?” – Phrases For Your Next Cafe Visit
“Let’s Make A Day Of It” – And Other ‘Day’ Idioms
This Saturday the big football final is on in Melbourne. It's damn hard to get tickets to the game, so a mate and I decided on the next best thing - going to a pub and watching the match live. … [Read more...] about “Let’s Make A Day Of It” – And Other ‘Day’ Idioms
“It’ll Be Good To Catch Up With You” – Meeting Up With A Friend
Pavel looked at his phone and smiled. Julia, a beautiful Spanish woman he'd met several months earlier on his travels, was calling him: "Hi Pavel! This might seem out of the blue, but I'm in town for 2 days - how about a drink tomorrow at the Bike Cafe? It's been ages since we last met." "Julia, great to hear from you! How are you doing? Yes, let's do that. At … [Read more...] about “It’ll Be Good To Catch Up With You” – Meeting Up With A Friend
