to be into

to be into (something/ someone)

Idiom: to be into; used as a verb

First Example: Eun Hye is into surfing.

Meaning: to be into means to enjoy something a lot. In this example, Eun Hye likes to surf. We often use "be into (something)" to talk about our likes and dislikes.

Here is another example:

Second Example: Brian has been dating his girlfriend for a year. I think he’s really into her.

Meaning: In this case, the meaning of "be into" is slightly different. Here, it means that Brian really likes his girlfriend, and he is serious about the relationship. You can use "be into" to talk about a person you would like to date, or a girlfriend or boyfriend. (Note: We usually don’t use this expression to talk about friendship, only about romantic feelings.)

This idiom is from LSI's book "Speaking Transitions," which is used in the Level 4 listening and speaking classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

to chip in

to chip in

Idiom: to chip in; used as a verb

First Example: Everyone chipped in five dollars to buy a birthday present for Yoko.

Meaning: to chip means to help pay for or do something. In this example, several people gave money to buy a birthday gift for Yoko. Sometimes we chip in money so that we can afford to buy one nice gift, instead of many inexpensive gifts. In a sentence, chip in is sometimes followed by the specific amount of money everyone pays.

Here is another example:

Second Example: All of Lisa’s coworkers chipped in to give her a wedding shower.

Meaning: In this case, Lisa’s coworkers all gave some money to have a party for her before her wedding. In American workplaces, we often chip in for gifts or parties for co-workers.

This idiom is from LSI's book "Reading Transitions," which is used in the Level 4 reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/