Idioms and expressions β
Native-like fluency requires understanding common idioms.
Business idioms β
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| πβball is in your court | it's your decision/turn | πβ"I've made my offer; the ball is in your court." |
| πβback to square one | start over | πβ"The client rejected it; we're back to square one." |
| πβbehind the scenes | not publicly visible | πβ"A lot happens behind the scenes." |
| πβthe bottom line | the essential point | πβ"The bottom line is we need more revenue." |
| πβget the ball rolling | start something | πβ"Let's get the ball rolling on this project." |
| πβin the loop | informed | πβ"Keep me in the loop." |
| πβmove the needle | make noticeable progress | πβ"This will really move the needle." |
| πβon the same page | in agreement | πβ"Let's make sure we're on the same page." |
| πβthink outside the box | think creatively | πβ"We need to think outside the box." |
| πβtouch base | make brief contact | πβ"Let's touch base next week." |
Everyday idioms β
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| πβbreak the ice | start a conversation |
| πβcosts an arm and a leg | very expensive |
| πβhit the nail on the head | exactly right |
| πβpiece of cake | very easy |
| πβunder the weather | feeling sick |
| πβbite off more than you can chew | take on too much |
| πβkill two birds with one stone | accomplish two things at once |
| πβlet the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret |
| πβonce in a blue moon | very rarely |
| πβwhen pigs fly | never |
Phrasal verbs β
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| πβbreak down | stop functioning / analyze |
| πβcarry out | perform/execute |
| πβcome across | find by chance / seem |
| πβfigure out | understand/solve |
| πβlook into | investigate |
| πβput up with | tolerate |
| πβrun into | meet by chance |
| πβset up | establish/arrange |
| πβtake off | become successful / remove |
| πβwork out | exercise / solve / succeed |
Filler phrases β
Native speakers use these to sound natural:
| Phrase | Use |
|---|---|
| πβ"You know..." | Adding emphasis |
| πβ"I mean..." | Clarifying |
| πβ"To be honest..." | Being direct |
| πβ"The thing is..." | Explaining |
| πβ"At the end of the day..." | Summarizing |
| πβ"Having said that..." | Contrasting |
Expressions of agreement/disagreement β
| Agreeing | Disagreeing |
|---|---|
| πβAbsolutely. | πβI see your point, but... |
| πβExactly. | πβI'm not so sure about that. |
| πβThat's a great point. | πβI see it differently. |
| πβI couldn't agree more. | πβWith respect, I disagree. |