Eye Candy

Example 1:

I love to go to Santa Monica on the weekends for many reasons. The first reason is shopping! The Promenade has the best shops. The second reason is food. Santa Monica has some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. Finally, the third reason is the eye candy! There are always such great looking people walking around. Santa Monica is awesome!

Example 2:

I don't really like soccer but I will go to a soccer game any time I have a chance. It might seem strange, but have you ever noticed all the eye candy at soccer games? The players, the fans, it's great!

Meaning:
eye candy is a very informal way to refer to an attractive person or an attractive group of people.

It's a fun expression that can be used in many situations
I go to the beach for the eye candy.
Look at all the eye candy at this party.
Is there a lot of eye candy there?This idiom comes from the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy. LSI teachers use this book to teach Level 5 Speaking/Listening. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com

to talk into

Example 1:

Marcy isn't coming with us to the Grand Canyon. She said that it was more important for her to stay in Los Angeles to work and study. I told her that it was going to be a really great experience and it might be her only chance to see if before she goes back to her country. Although I tried my best, I couldn't talk Marcy into going with us.

Example 2:

Hank: Hey, Frank! What are you going to do this weekend?

Frank: I don't have plans yet. Why? What are you going to do?

Hank: I have to move to my new apartment and I was hoping you could help me....

Frank: Oh.... that doesn't sound like fun.. I think I might be busy, actually. Yes, I have plans!

Hank: Come on, Frank! You are lying! If you help me, I will treat you to pizza and a movie after. And besides, Jena will be helping me, too..

Frank: Jena will be there?! OK, you talked me into it! See you on Saturday.


Meaning:
to talk into is a separable phrasal verb that is similar in meaning to the verb convince.

In the first example, one friend is trying to convince Marcy to join them on the trip, but at last, she couldn't convince her. She couldn't talk Marcy into going.

In the 2nd example, Hank convinces Frank to help him move by offering dinner and a movie, as well as a chance to spend time with Jena. Frank initially says no, but changes his mind after Hank gives him more information.

This idiom comes from the LSI textbook Speaking Transitions. LSI teachers use this book to teach Level 4 Speaking/Listening. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com

to get a chance

Context #1:

Akiko: Guess what! Next week I'm going to go to my first American Baseball game.

Shuhei: Really? That's great!

Akiko: Yeah! I hope I get a chance to see someone hit a homerun!

Context #2:

Shane: Last Saturday I went to my 20-year high school reunion.

Tony: Wow! Did you have a good time?

Shane: I had a great time! I got a chance to hang out with a lot of my old friends.

Meaning: to get a chance is an American idiom that means you have a special opportunity to experience something. This idiom is followed by infinitive verbs, as you can see in the examples above. It is also commonly used with the definite article "the" instead of "a." You can say, "I hope I get the chance to... + verb."

This idiom is taken from the LSI textbook "Speaking Savvy." LSI teachers use this book to teach the Level 5 Speaking class. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com

To Keep One's Cool

Context #1:

Jane: I heard you and your boyfriend got into an argument after class yesterday.

Cindy: Yeah... he was really upset and he started yelling at me.

Jane: Did you yell back at him?

Cindy: No, I just kept my cool. Later he felt bad and apologized to me. I'm glad I didn't lose my temper too.

Context #2:

Tom: In California some people are crazy drivers! People cut me off all the time.

Sam: Yeah, me too! One time I got mad and honked my horn at the guy who cut me off. What do you do when people cut you off?

Tom: I keep my cool. I don't honk my horn or give them a dirty look. I try to remain calm.

Meaning: to keep one's cool is an American idiom that means to remain calm and to not lose your temper or get angry. This idiom comes from the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy. LSI teachers use this book to teach Level 5 Speaking/Listening. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com

To Get Back to Someone

Read the following letter and guess the meaning of the idiom in bold:

Dear Gloria,

I am writing to thank you for the wedding invitation!
I am so happy for you and Paul... I feel honored that you invited me to this special day in your lives, even though we have only known each other for 2 months.
I really want to attend it, but because the wedding will be in Australia I am not sure I can afford it. I will take a look at my finances and get back to you.

Thank you, again!

Samantha

Meaning: To Get Back to Someone means to phone, write, or speak to someone at a later time because you were busy or could not answer a question earlier.

This idiom was taken from our LSI book Speaking Savvy

To Be Crazy About Something or Someone

To Be Crazy About

Read the following e-mail and try to guess the meaning of the idiom in bold:

Dear Susan,

How have you been? I hope all is well.
Ever since we broke up I have been feeling really sad.
I know we had our bad moments and that I cheated on you, but please forgive me!
I am crazy about you. I can't live without you...
Please call me.

Jim
_______________________________________________________________

RE: Dear Susan

Dear Jim The Cheater,

If you were crazy about me, you would not have cheated on me.
Don't ever contact me again.

Susan

Meaning: To be crazy about someone or something means to really, really like someone or something a lot!

This idiom was taken from our LSI book Seaking Savvy. For more information please visit: www.languagesystems.com

Soak up the rays

Idiom:  to Soak up the rays.

This phrase acts like a verb.  What’s the meaning of “soak up”? - It means to “take in”, “absorb”, like a sponge. Rays? Rays are narrow beams of light, usually rays of the sun.

So, “to soak up the rays” means “to tan”!

Example: Our sunny season is over but there's still time to jump on a plane and soak up some rays on one of the beaches in Hawaii.

This idiom is from LSI's book " Speaking Transitions". For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/