To go for it

To Go for It
Example 1:

Jimmy: I would really like to get a job at Disneyland as one of the characters. I can sing and dance really well, and I think it would be a lot of fun!

Shelly: Wow! That sounds great! You should definitely go for it!

Jimmy: Yes, I know, but I’m a little nervous because so many people are applying for the open positions at Disneyland. I think the competition is really tough.

Shelly: Don’t worry! You are talented. Just have a lot of confidence when you go to the audition.

Jimmy: You’re right. I’m going to go for it! I’ll let you know how everything turns out.

Example 2:
Kent really likes Maria, who is in his morning English class. However, he is really shy and is afraid to ask her out on a date. All of Kent’s friends told him to go for it and ask her out, but he still doesn’t know what to do. If she talks to him first, then he might go for it and ask her out for lunch.

Meaning:

Go for it verb
It means to try or attempt something. In the first example, Jimmy is going to go for a job at Disneyland. In the second example, Ken is going to go for it and ask Maria out to lunch.


This idiom was taken from LSI's text book titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Listening and Speaking in our level 5 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

To Ditch

Ditch
Example 1:

Jenny: Oh, I really don’t know what to do. There is a new guy in class and he is so cute and nice! I really want to go out with him?

Shelly: What? I thought you were going out with Bill? You both make such a nice couple!

Jenny: I know, but he is kind of boring now that all the romance is gone. It has been six months and I just don’t have that “feeling” anymore about Bill. I’m thinking about dating other people.

Shelly: So, you’re just going to ditch Bill because your relationship with him is not new and exciting? That’s cold!

Jenny: Well, Bill ditched Brenda to go out with me. Isn’t it better if I ditch him first?

Shelly: I don’t know about that. You should at least talk to him first. I think he really likes you.

Jenny: Well, now I’m not sure what I should do. Maybe I won’t ditch him after all. He is a nice guy.

Example 2:
Kenny loves to go to the movies. He would like to be a movie critic someday, but for now, he works in an office from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM every day. Last Wednesday, Kenny ditched work to see the new Johnny Depp movie and it was not the first time he ditched work for a movie. Today, his best friend is having his 21st birthday party at a nice restaurant and invited Kenny a month ago. However, Kenny wants to ditch his best friend and go see another new action movie. In fact, Kenny ditches his best friend almost every week because he would rather watch movies than spend time talking to people. If Kenny continues to ditch his work and best friend, he’ll lose both of them!

Meaning:

Ditch verb
To leave or get rid of someone or something you have or are responsible for. In the first example, Jenny has a boyfriend already, but she wants to ditch him for a new guy. In the second example, Kenny is responsible for his job, but keeps ditching it for movies. He also has a best friend he ditches a lot.


This idiom was taken from LSI's text book titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Listening and Speaking in our level 5 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

to take one's pick

Take one's pick

Example 1:

Jenny: Wow, the theater is empty! I thought it would be crowded since the movie just came out.

Shelly: Yes, I know. I was afraid we wouldn’t even be able to find a seat.

Jenny: Well, I guess we were wrong.

Shelly: Yes, we can take our pick of any seat in the theater!

Jenny: Great!


Example 2:

All the guys in our class like Sandy and want to take her out on a date. She is so lucky because she can take her pick of any guy in the class.

Meaning:
To be able to choose what you want when there are many of what you want available. For example, if someone brings 2 dozen cookies to class and you are the only one who likes cookies, then you can take your pick of any cookie in the box.

This idiom was taken from LSI's text book titled Reading Horizons. This book is used to teach Reading and Vocabulary in our Level 6 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

Junkie

Junkie
Example 1:

Jenny: Oh, I’m having such a hard time losing weight because I love anything with chocolate in it! I could each chocolate all day long. I just can’t resist when someone offers me chocolate candy or cake.

Shelly: Wow, it sounds to me like you are a real chocolate junkie!

Jenny: Yes, I guess so. It’s really too bad because I have to lose weight before my sister’s wedding.

Shelly: Yes, I know what you mean. By the way, would you like a brownie? I made them last night and they are delicious!

Jenny: (sigh)


Example 2:

Jennifer is a student at UCLA and has to study a lot. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to get a lot of studying done since she opened a Facebook account. Now, all she wants to do is go on Facebook to update her status and see what all her friends are doing. She also takes at least two or three photos a day to add to her album on Facebook. When she is studying, her Facebook friends send her messages, and she just has to answer. She is really a Facebook junkie, and if she’s not careful, she won’t finish school!

Meaning:
Junkie noun
This noun was originally used to describe drug addicts, especially people addicted to heroin. However, it is now commonly used to describe a person who is extremely enthusiastic about something; therefore, someone who can't stop eating fast food would be a fast food junkie or someone who can’t stop watching TV would be a TV junkie.


This idiom was taken from LSI's textbook titled Reading Horizons. This book is used to teach Reading and Vocabulary in our Level 6 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

to turn down

Example 1:

Sandra has been looking for a job for about a month. She had a job interview today with a great company. The company was really impressed with Sandra and offered her a job right away. The only problem is that Sandra is still a student and she takes classes in the morning. The company needs someone who can work the morning shift. Unfortunately, Sandra had to turn down the job offer.

Example 2:

Jared and Susan have 3 classes together this semester. They spend a lot of time together in class and out of class studying. Jared started having special feelings for Susan after late-night study sessions during mid-term exams. He was sure that she felt the same, so he asked her out on a romantic date. Susan was so surprised! She was really excited because she was feeling the same way about Jared. Of course, Susan accepted the date, and Jared was happy that Susan didn't turn him down.

Meaning:

to turn down (phrasal verb) means to say no to someone's proposal/suggestion/request or refuse an offer. In Example 1, Sandra must refuse the job offer because of her schedule. In Example 2, Jared requests a date with Susan and Susan did not refuse.

to turn down is a separable phrasal verb, so be careful when using object pronouns, shorter nouns (2 words or less), and longer nouns (more than 2 words).

turn (object pronoun) down
ex: She turned him down.

turn (short noun) down
ex: Carl will turn the offer down.

turn down (short noun)
ex: Carl will turn down the offer.

turn down (long noun)
ex: Mike had to turn down the job offer in Texas.


This idiom was taken from LSI's textbook titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Speaking and Listening in our Level 5 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

to be crazy about something/someone

Example 1:

Sherman is really crazy about Star Wars. Every year, he attends the Star Wars convention dressed as Darth Vader. He collects all the action figures and toys he can find. Sherman even named his new puppy Princess Leia! I hope he can find a girls who is as crazy about Star Wars as he is!


Example 2:

I am crazy about Martin. He is so handsome, and he tells the best jokes! I can't stop thinking about him. Martin is the perfect guy for me!

Meaning:

to be crazy about something/someone is an expression that many Americans use when they are talking about something/someone that they really, really, really like.

So, if you really, really like chocolate, you can say, "I am crazy about chocolate."
If you like baseball very much, you can say, "I am crazy about baseball."

What are you crazy about?

This idiom was taken from LSI's textbook titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Speaking and Listening in our Level 5 class. For more information, please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

To Look After

Idiom: to look after (something/someone); used as a verb.

First Example: Herb was going on vacation, but he was worried about his cat, so he asked Cindy to take care of it. She agreed, and she looked after his cat while Herb was out of town.

Meaning: "to look after (something)" means to take care of something, often something that isn't yours. In this example, Cindy is taking taking care of Herb's cat while he's out of town. This idiom can apply to any situation where someone takes care of something else, but it's usually used for people and things that can't take care of themselves or are likely to get into trouble (such as an animal, a child or an elderly person). It's used in the simple past tense in this example to explain that she isn't caring for the cat anymore.

Here is another example:

Second Example: Both of Billy's parents work, and they don't get home until after 6:00pm. Billy is old enough to be alone, but his little sister, Melody, isn't, so Billy looks after Melody until his parents get home.

Meaning: In this case, Billy is looking after his little sister, who is too young to take care of herself and might get into trouble if left alone. This idiom can be used for short-term care (such as the first example, which only happened for a few days/weeks) or long-term care (such as this example, which happens every school day). In this example, it's used in the simple present tense to clarify that Billy regularly does this.

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