EverydayExpressions

Spokenlanguageisfulloffixedexpressionsthatarenotnecessarilydifficulttounderstandbuthaveafixedform thatdoesnotchange.Thesehavetobelearnedaswholeexpressions.Theseexpressionsaresometimesdifficult tofindindictionaries,soitisimportanttobeonthelookoutforthem. A. Conversationbuildingexpressions Herearesomecommonexpressionsthathelptomodifyororganizewhatwesay. Expressionisunderlined;function/meaningoftheexpressionisitalicized 1. AsIwassaying,IhaventbeenbacktoLondon,Ontarioforyears. Takestheconversationbacktoanearlierpoint 2. Speakingofgoodtennisplayers,doyoueverseeJudyDuffield? Startinganewtopicbutlinkingittothecurrentone 3. Ifyouaskme,hesgoingtogethimselfintotrouble. Ifyouwantmyopinion(evenifnoonehasaskedforit) 4. Thatremindsme,Ineedtostartlookingforabirthdaygiftformybrother. Somethingintheconversationbringssomethingelsetomind 5. Cometothinkofit,IdontthinkthatIpaidmycreditcardbillthismonth. Yourealizetheremaybeaproblem/questionaboutsomething B. Commonexpressionsformodifyingstatements Ifworstcomestoworst,wellhavetocancelthetrip.[ifthesituationgetsreallybad] Ifallelsefails,wecouldfaxthem.[ifnothingelsesucceeds] Whatwithonethingandanother,Ihaventhadtimetoreplytoherletter. [becauseofalotofdifferentcircumstances] Whenitcomestorestaurants,thistownsnotthatgood.[whenconsideringsomething] AsfarasImconcerned,wecaneatatanytime.[asfarasitaffectsmeorfrommypointofview] Asluckwouldhaveit,shewashomewhenIcalled.[anunexpectedgoodthing]

Exercise1:Completethefixedexpressionsinthesesentences.Trynottolookatthepreviousexamples: 1. Come____________,Idontremembergivingherthekey.Idbettercallherandcheck,justincase. 2. Ifyou_______________________,theeconomysgoingtogetmuchworsebeforeitgetsanybetter. 3. ____________________________ofvacations,whatareyouplanningtodoonyours? 4. That____________________,IhaveamessageforyoufromMaria. 5. As_____________beforethetelephoneinterruptedus,weplantotakealongvacationnextsummer.

Exercise2:Fillintheblankswithoneoftheexpressionsfromtheboxbelow. WordBank: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) Nevermind=forgetaboutit,dontworryaboutit Postpone=putoffsomethingtemporarily Passaway=die Ringabell=toberemindedofsomething Beenthere,donethat=alreadydidsomethinglikethat Putupwith=todealwithsomeoneorsomethingthatisunpleasant Lameexcuse=badorillegitimateanswerfornotdoingsomething Pissedoff=veryangry Goonstrike=tostopworking Nowonder=whensomethingdoesnotcomeasasurprise,obvious

Fromhttp://esl.about.com/b/2005/08/30/everydayexpressionsii.htm 1. Emily was telling me about how much money she had spent on her childrens backtoschool supplies. Since I also have two young kids attending the same school, I said to her: "__________________!",becauseIhadboughtmaterialsformykidsjustthedaybefore! 2. Iget__________________whenIseesomeonedisrespectinganelderlyperson! 3. Whensomeone__________________,it'spolitetoextendyoursympathiestothegrievingfamily. 4. SallycalledmetoaskwhetherIwantedtospendtheweekendataspiritualretreatwithher.I'mnot into such things, so I told her I couldn't go because I had already planned to visit my great grandmotherathernursinghomeduringtheweekend.AfterIhungup,Ithoughttomyself:"Whata ________________!ButitwasthefirstthingIthoughtof,becauseSallycaughtmebysurprisewiththis invitation!" 5. IwashavingdinneratMonica'syesterdaywhensheaskedmeifIhadrememberedtobringherthe CDIhadpromisedtolendher.Isaid:Oh,no.Iforgotitontopofmydesk,attheoffice!Lucyreplied: ______________________!Youcanbringittomorrow. 7. Jenniferhasareallydemandingboss,andalthoughshehasto_________________________alotatwork, shereallylikeswhatshedoesandenjoysherjob. 8. Marydidn'teatanythingtoday.Lateratthegym_________________shefeltdizzywhenshewaswalking onthetreadmill! 9. DoesthenameProfessorHall______________________?Hewasourbiologyprofessorinfirstyear. 10. Dissatisfiedemployees____________________todemandhigherwages. 6. MydentistappointmentwasonTuesdaybutIhadto________________ittillnextWednesday.

Answers: Exercise1:1.Cometothinkofit;2.Ifyouaskme;3.Speakingof;4.Thatremindsme;5.AsIwassaying. Exercise2:1.e 2.h 3.c 4.g 5.a 6.b 7.f 8.j 9.d 10.i
ThishandoutwascompiledbyEmilyJin,ELSStudentFacilitator(April2009) Source:VocabularyinUse:UpperIntermediate(2000.).CambridgeUniversityPress