To Chew Out
Example 1:
Kaly: You are not going to believe what Jenny just told me!
Sanae: What?
Kaly: Well, you know that it was Jenny's 21st birthday last Saturday. Of course it was a big deal and she was really looking forward to an exciting party. She thought that her boyfriend had something really big planned out, but when he came to take her out, they ended up just going to a movie and to dinner at Burger King. It turns out that her boyfriend completely forgot it was her birthday! Can you believe it?
Sanae: No! How terrible for Jenny!
Kaly: Yes, I know. She was so angry by the end of the night that she really chewed him out when he dropped her off at her house after dinner. She almost broke up with him!
Sanae: I don't blame her. Actually, I forgot my boyfriend's 24th birthday last year and he really chewed me out for it. He wouldn't talk to me for a week!
Example: 2
Jimmy: I really don't know what to do. My boss is so mean.
Tammy: Why? What happened?
Jimmy: Well, I've been running into a lot of traffic lately on the way to work, so I was late a couple of days in a row. Today, when I was only 2 minutes late, my boss just chewed me out. I was so shocked.
Tammy: You really shouldn't be late to work. You know how important it is to be on time.
Jimmy: Yes, I know. But I don't like being chewed out in front of everyone else at work. He could have at least taken me into his office and chewed me out privately.
Tammy: You're right about that.
Jimmy: Well, I guess I won't be late anymore!
Meaning:
To chew someone out means to angrily tell someone that their actions are unacceptable. In the first example, Jenny was really mad at her boyfriend because he forgot her birthday. So, she chewed him out. A lot of times, "to chew out" is used when the subject is the superior (boss, parent, teacher, etc.). In example 2, Jimmy's boss chewed him out for being late.
This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Transitions. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 4 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
To Tune Up
To Tune Up
Example 1:
Paul: I can't wait to go to Las Vegas next weekend! I really need to get out of town.
George: Are you going to fly or drive to Las Vegas?
Paul: Oh, I'm going to drive because it's too expensive to fly.
George: Well, that's a long drive and you have an old car. Are you sure you'll be OK?
Paul: Yes, I'm sure. I'm going to have my cousin, who is a mechanic, tune it up before I go.
George: That's good to know.
Example 2:
Cheryl: Wow! I can't believe that Michelle is playing in the King City Symphony Orchestra! I had no idea she was so advanced in playing the flute.
Tim: I know. I'm so excited to see this concert. I can hear the orchestra tuning up behind the curtain!
Cheryl: Michelle was really worried about getting here on time so that she could tune up before the concert.
Tim: Well, she was here an hour early so I think she is OK. Oh, listen! They are about to start!
Meaning:
To tune up means to make small adjustments in order to improve performance. In the first example, Paul has to tune up his car before he drives to Las Vegas. This means that he needs to
adjust the engine to run more efficiently. In the second example, the orchestra needs to tune up before performing a concert. This means that the musicians in the orchestra are bringing their instruments into tune or top condition for the concert. This idiom can be found in the LSI text Speaking Transitions. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 4 Listening/Speaking
classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.co
Example 1:
Paul: I can't wait to go to Las Vegas next weekend! I really need to get out of town.
George: Are you going to fly or drive to Las Vegas?
Paul: Oh, I'm going to drive because it's too expensive to fly.
George: Well, that's a long drive and you have an old car. Are you sure you'll be OK?
Paul: Yes, I'm sure. I'm going to have my cousin, who is a mechanic, tune it up before I go.
George: That's good to know.
Example 2:
Cheryl: Wow! I can't believe that Michelle is playing in the King City Symphony Orchestra! I had no idea she was so advanced in playing the flute.
Tim: I know. I'm so excited to see this concert. I can hear the orchestra tuning up behind the curtain!
Cheryl: Michelle was really worried about getting here on time so that she could tune up before the concert.
Tim: Well, she was here an hour early so I think she is OK. Oh, listen! They are about to start!
Meaning:
To tune up means to make small adjustments in order to improve performance. In the first example, Paul has to tune up his car before he drives to Las Vegas. This means that he needs to
adjust the engine to run more efficiently. In the second example, the orchestra needs to tune up before performing a concert. This means that the musicians in the orchestra are bringing their instruments into tune or top condition for the concert. This idiom can be found in the LSI text Speaking Transitions. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 4 Listening/Speaking
classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.co
Thursday, March 22, 2012
to put someone on
Example 1:
Jack: I feel so stupid!
Travis: Why?
Jack: Bill and Mark kept telling me that Jennifer, a girl in my English class, really liked me and wanted to go out with me.
Travis: OK. So what's wrong with that?
Jack: Wait...let me finish. So I decided to ask her out to a concert this coming Saturday.
Travis: Yeah, so what happened?
Jack: She started laughing! Then she asked me how I ever got the idea that she would actually date me. It was so embarrassing! I finally realized that Bill and Mark were just putting me on. They thought it would be funny to see me ask Jennifer out when they knew she would never date me.
Travis: Dude, that's bad. You shouldn't believe anything they say from now on!
Example 2:
Trisha: You are never going to believe this, but I just won a trip for two to Hawaii!
Jeff: You are putting me on.
Trisha: No, I'm not putting you on. It's true. And I would like you to come with me.
Jeff: Wow! I'd love to go! We are going to have so much fun!
Meaning:
To put someone on means to joke about something or to tell someone something untrue as a joke. In the first example, Bill and Mark told Jack that a girl liked him when she really did not like him. They were putting him on. In the second example, Trisha was so lucky to win a trip to Hawaii that Jeff thought she was joking or putting him on.
This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 5 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
Jack: I feel so stupid!
Travis: Why?
Jack: Bill and Mark kept telling me that Jennifer, a girl in my English class, really liked me and wanted to go out with me.
Travis: OK. So what's wrong with that?
Jack: Wait...let me finish. So I decided to ask her out to a concert this coming Saturday.
Travis: Yeah, so what happened?
Jack: She started laughing! Then she asked me how I ever got the idea that she would actually date me. It was so embarrassing! I finally realized that Bill and Mark were just putting me on. They thought it would be funny to see me ask Jennifer out when they knew she would never date me.
Travis: Dude, that's bad. You shouldn't believe anything they say from now on!
Example 2:
Trisha: You are never going to believe this, but I just won a trip for two to Hawaii!
Jeff: You are putting me on.
Trisha: No, I'm not putting you on. It's true. And I would like you to come with me.
Jeff: Wow! I'd love to go! We are going to have so much fun!
Meaning:
To put someone on means to joke about something or to tell someone something untrue as a joke. In the first example, Bill and Mark told Jack that a girl liked him when she really did not like him. They were putting him on. In the second example, Trisha was so lucky to win a trip to Hawaii that Jeff thought she was joking or putting him on.
This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Savvy. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 5 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Don't Go There
Example 1:
Tammy is asking her roommate, who is very messy, to clean up after herself.
Tammy: Could you please clean up after yourself in the bathroom? Your clothes are all over the floor! Every morning when I go in to take a shower, I have to step around your clothes. It's so annoying!
Cheryl: Oh really? I don't remember leaving my clothes on the floor every day, only a few times a week. Besides, didn't you leave your dirty dishes in the sink one time last month?
Tammy: Don't go there, Cheryl! You know that you are so much messier than me. How could you compare a ONE time mess to an everyday mess?
Cheryl: Fine. You don't have to get so upset about it. I'll try to be better from now on.
Example 2:
Terri is advising Bob to be healthier in his life.
Terri: You know, Bob, I think you really should start exercising every day. It's so good for you and it will make you feel a lot better.
Bob: What are you trying to say, Terri? I never said that I need to feel better. In fact, I feel just fine most of the time.
Terri: Well, Bob, you have put on a few pounds and I really don't think you should be eating donuts for breakfast every day. They aren't good for you.
Bob: What? Don't even go there, Terri! I see you eating cake every single day for breakfast and you are not exactly the perfect weight yourself.
Terri: Well, I was just trying to be helpful. Excuse me for caring!
Meaning: Don't go there means to not want to discuss or even think about something. In the first example, Tammy doesn't want to discuss the fact that she was messy one time compared to Cheryl, who is messy every day. In the second example, Bob, who may be a little overweight, does not want to even think about the topic of weight because he feels fine and the advice is coming from Terri, who is really not that healthy. The use of "even" makes his statement much stronger and puts an end to that line of discussion.
This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Transitions. This book is used in the level 4 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
Tammy is asking her roommate, who is very messy, to clean up after herself.
Tammy: Could you please clean up after yourself in the bathroom? Your clothes are all over the floor! Every morning when I go in to take a shower, I have to step around your clothes. It's so annoying!
Cheryl: Oh really? I don't remember leaving my clothes on the floor every day, only a few times a week. Besides, didn't you leave your dirty dishes in the sink one time last month?
Tammy: Don't go there, Cheryl! You know that you are so much messier than me. How could you compare a ONE time mess to an everyday mess?
Cheryl: Fine. You don't have to get so upset about it. I'll try to be better from now on.
Example 2:
Terri is advising Bob to be healthier in his life.
Terri: You know, Bob, I think you really should start exercising every day. It's so good for you and it will make you feel a lot better.
Bob: What are you trying to say, Terri? I never said that I need to feel better. In fact, I feel just fine most of the time.
Terri: Well, Bob, you have put on a few pounds and I really don't think you should be eating donuts for breakfast every day. They aren't good for you.
Bob: What? Don't even go there, Terri! I see you eating cake every single day for breakfast and you are not exactly the perfect weight yourself.
Terri: Well, I was just trying to be helpful. Excuse me for caring!
Meaning: Don't go there means to not want to discuss or even think about something. In the first example, Tammy doesn't want to discuss the fact that she was messy one time compared to Cheryl, who is messy every day. In the second example, Bob, who may be a little overweight, does not want to even think about the topic of weight because he feels fine and the advice is coming from Terri, who is really not that healthy. The use of "even" makes his statement much stronger and puts an end to that line of discussion.
This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Transitions. This book is used in the level 4 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
"to blow off steam"
Example 1:
Diana: This week was so stressful! I need to blow off some steam this weekend...!
Anna: I hear you~! How 'bout we get together with some friends tonight?
Diana: Yes!! I'm ready to go dancing!!
Anna: Okay, let's all meet at that new club downtown.
Example 2:
Mom on phone to friend: When is the rain going to stop? My kids are driving me crazy!!
Friend: Sounds like they need to blow off some steam! Don't worry, it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow.
Mom: Thank goodness. They've been inside for 3 days straight. They're pent-up with energy and need to get out and run around.
Meaning: to release one's extra energy or emotions.
This idiom probably comes from the fact that boiling water produces steam which creates high pressure that will cause an explosion if it isn't released somehow.
Note: "to blow off steam" and "to let off steam" have the same meaning.
In Example 1, Diana wants to go dancing to let go of her stress.
In Example 2, the children have too much energy because they haven't been able to go outside and play. They need to go outside and release their energy.
The idiom "to blow off steam" was taken from Unit 2 (It's Janet's Birthday!) in LSI's textbook Speaking Transitions for Level 4 Speaking/Listening classes.
Diana: This week was so stressful! I need to blow off some steam this weekend...!
Anna: I hear you~! How 'bout we get together with some friends tonight?
Diana: Yes!! I'm ready to go dancing!!
Anna: Okay, let's all meet at that new club downtown.
Example 2:
Mom on phone to friend: When is the rain going to stop? My kids are driving me crazy!!
Friend: Sounds like they need to blow off some steam! Don't worry, it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow.
Mom: Thank goodness. They've been inside for 3 days straight. They're pent-up with energy and need to get out and run around.
Meaning: to release one's extra energy or emotions.
This idiom probably comes from the fact that boiling water produces steam which creates high pressure that will cause an explosion if it isn't released somehow.
Note: "to blow off steam" and "to let off steam" have the same meaning.
In Example 1, Diana wants to go dancing to let go of her stress.
In Example 2, the children have too much energy because they haven't been able to go outside and play. They need to go outside and release their energy.
The idiom "to blow off steam" was taken from Unit 2 (It's Janet's Birthday!) in LSI's textbook Speaking Transitions for Level 4 Speaking/Listening classes.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
to slip something into something else
Example 1:
Example 2:
Johnny and I went for coffee last night after class. He tried to pay for my drink, but I insisted on treating him. When I got home, I found $10 in my jacket pocket! Johnny had slipped money into my pocket! He paid for the coffee after all!
Example 2:
There was a special news report on TV. The reported was talking about something dangerous that could happen in bars and nightclubs. When you go to a bar or a nightclub and a stranger wants to buy you a drink, be careful! They could slip a drug into your drink without you knowing! You could get sick or worse! The report advised to use your best judgement before accepting drinks from people you don't know.Meaning:
slip something into something else means to secretly put something into something else. They are usually trying to hide the action in order to surprise someone or to be sneaky.
For example :
He slipped the money into my pocket.
He secretly put the money into my pocket. I didn't know he did it.
This idiom was taken from the LSI textbook "Reading Transitions" which is used at LSI schools to teach Level 4 Reading/Vocabulary. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
to be coming up
Example 1:
Meaning:
Ron: My birthday is coming up! Are you free this weekend? I'm having a party.Example 2:
Scott: Really? When is your birthday?
Ron: It's tomorrow!
I'm really nervous! The BIG test is coming up and I don't think I'm ready. It's about 1 week away, so I have some time to study. Hopefully it's enough time to learn everything!
Meaning:
to be coming up is an expression used when an event will happen in the near future.This idiom was taken from the LSI textbook "Reading Connections" which is used at LSI schools to teach Level 3 Reading/Vocabulary. For more information, please visit www.languagesystems.com
In example 1, Ron's birthday is coming up. Ron's birthday is tomorrow. Tomorrow is in the near future.
In example 2, the big test is coming up. The big test is next week. Next week is in the near future.
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