Search results for 'tag:Conversations tag:Idioms' matching tags 'Conversations' and 'Idioms'

Re: park along/by/on

CalifJim — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:59:09 GMT

throw out the baby with the bath water

to lose the good parts when you get rid of the bad parts of something. You can't close the airport because one airline has problems â that's just throwing out the baby with the bath water.

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/throw+out+the+baby+with+the+bath+water

In your case, don't discontinue the good practice of reading English just because you want to prevent yourself from reading unusual expressions that are not normally used in conversation.

Re: Best regards, Kind regards, or Yours sincerely, - which is correct

Clive — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:34:19 GMT

Hi,

What about when you end a conversation with something like, "It's been good to see you again, Jack. Please give my best to Doris and the kids. I'm sorry they couldn't come on this trip with you," or "So, you're going to the San Diego office? If you see Sandra Evans out there, give her my best." Is this usage another one of our quaint southern US idioms, grounded in ignorance and bad grammar? Or is it more widespread? Yes, seems pretty common to me. Just 'my best wishes'.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Best regards, Kind regards, or Yours sincerely, - which is correct

Delmobile — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:28:46 GMT

Re: Correct to make it sound better

RayH — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:04:16 GMT

I largely agree with Clive here. I've also never heard the term "standing tickets" I wonder if it is a direct translation of an idiom that either doesn't exist in English or has some other form. The only alternative I can think of is "standing room" so:

P4: Do you want standing room? [note that the alternative "seats" is implied here as it's the only other choice]
P5: ...with standing room you don't know...
P6: ...with standing room you can...

Still this is very awkward. I don't think native speakers would ever have this conversation, at least not in these terms.

colloquialism

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:35:08 GMT

Hello teachers,

well, could you give us some more examples on colloquialism, language street? I mean, things that are said on everyday informal conversation. This is not about slangs or idioms, this is about the act of modifying sentence's structure.

For example:

1. Watcha wanna do = what do you want to do
2.

I've heard people usually don't say 'what do you want to do', it can make one seem like a robot, right? people say: Watcha wanna do.

I really appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance

Re: at loss words

Susankay — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:12:42 GMT

She is never at a loss for words.

Idiom or expression that means never unable to participate in the conversation. So she is always talking!!

confused about 'would'

New2grammar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:10:33 GMT

I know 'would' carries many meanings. My problem is sometimes I find it difficult to tell which meaning the speaker uses. I think I understand its hypothetical usage, and in some contexts, its politeness usage. Below is a post that has several woulds I have trouble interpreting. I also copied a post on would by CalifJim for reference.

Your analysis is good. Context will determine if you're using the expression as an excuse to break off what you're doing. If you're calling the people you expect to meet, then you would (1)tell them the truth. You can say, "I'll be about five minutes late," or "I may be a little late." If you're speaking to someone who is about to make you late for an appointment, the expression would(2) mean, "Hey, I'm gonna be late if I don't split right now!" If you just say, "I'm gonna be late," you probably would(3) have already tipped the person off that you would(4) need to end the conversation soon, and as you suggest, you would(5) still expect to be on time if you left immediately.

1) I don't thing politeness is the intended meaning here. To my ear, it carries the meaning of preference.

2) would here means possible? I have zero confidence in this one.

3) it doesn't look like hypothetical usage to me because the if clause is in present tense

4) and 5) should follow the same reasoning for #3, whatever that is.

Please help! Thanks in advance!

CalifJim's explanation on would
Yes. I thought maybe that's what you were referring to.
would in an if clause is possible when the would or the entire if-clause is part of a formula of politeness. if you would be so kind is a typical example of if with would in a "politeness phrase". This formula is equivalent to please. This sort of if-clause does not even have to be classified as a true conditional even though it contains the word if.

The phrase would like as a polite way of saying want, and it too can appear in an if-clause. Note that the idiom would like counts as a present tense for purposes of tense combinations. That is, it may combine with the imperative or the future. The idiom would rather has the same property.

If you would like to have dinner with us tomorrow, please call and let us know before noon.
I'm sure that if he'd like to go with us, he'll tell us. (If he would like to go, he will tell us.)
If you'd rather wait until tomorrow, [just say so / I'll understand].

if-clauses that are part of an indirect question structure are also exempt from the rule about combining if and would:

I wonder if he would object to this procedure.
I don't know if I would agree.
We had not decided if we would go along with the plan.

With the exception of the indirect question structure, which is quite common, these are just a very, very small number of situations where if and would occur in the same clause. The main rule for 99.99% of cases is 'never' to place if and would together!

Re: Choose the right word, fill the gap, etc.

nona the brit — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:23:59 GMT

1. Fill in with the appropriate word in the gap
A) The English pub remains one of the country's greatest attributes, often the central point of a community and just __ offten visited by foreign tourists who usually fail totally to understand or appreciate it.
Is it a) such, b) very, c) more d) as? I know 'succ' isn't for sure. Could it be b)?

No afraid not, 'as' here. We are comparing the visits of the community to the visits of the foreign tourists. 'as' is used for comparisons.

B) To an Englishman, the pub is a place where people meet on equal terms, from (1) __ their walk of life, to relax, have a drink and (2)__ a conversation. Is it (1) a) wherever, b) whichever, c) whatever d) whenever. I would say whichever... (2) a) like, b) carry, c) participate, d) enjoy. My choice was d) enjoy.

1) is whatever (although I consider the use of 'from' before this space incorrect). Yes, enjoy is correct, well done.

C) Our research will __ the way to future discoveries. (From a text about fossils...)
a) generale, b) fashion, c) pave, b) ground. Pave? yes, pave. not easy as it is an idiom.

D) A few weeks ago I was __ my new sailing gear getting ready for my first long trip around the coast
a) going through, b) settling down, c) checking up, d)passing over. The more I stare, the more it confuses me, though b) is def. out for me.

you are right in that b is wrong. C would also be wrong - although 'checking' on its own would have been ok. d also completely wrong. The answer is a.

2. Do you haul, cart, hand or trail someone out of his sinking ship? um, I suppose haul, from the point of view of being rescued from outside the ship. Hard to say without context. Someone inside the ship might hand someone else out...

3. Fill in with one word that matches both sentences:
a) The doctor said I need to eat three __ meals a day until I am stronger.
b) Your ideas just don't __ woth mine, I don't agree.
I'd say... CLEAR. Is it?

No, afraid not. Probably the easiest way to solve this is to look for the idiom '3 X meals' and there is your answer. Clue: it's also a word for a shape.

a) In class, you must be careful how you __ your intelligence. There is a fine line between showing off and participating responsibly.
b) I kept my mobile phone in the same pocket as my keys and now the __ is all messed up, it's unusable.
I have no clue here, honestly.

try 'display'.

4. Fill in the gap.
As __ result, claims that eating a diet consisting entirely __ organically grown foods prevents or cures disease or provides other benefits to health __ become widely publicised and now form the basis of folklore.
I know the first two, of course..haha: a, of. The third.. I don't know. It's quite a complex sentence. Try thinking about 'these claims X become widely known'.

Are organically grown foods the best food choices? The advantages claimed __ such foods over conventionally grown and marketed food products are now called into __.
1) by

account - I can see why you thought this but it is usually called to account. I think they want 'question'.

5. His __ ( ordinary) talent was already clearly evident as a young man (2)__ (mercy) surviving a somewhat unconvential (3)__ (bring).

1. unordinary, - no - what is the opposite of ordinary, something very very unusual? Not 'un' ordinary. 2. look for forms of mercy, 3 upbringing. yes

That is all she wrote

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:49:41 GMT

Hi

I heard this idiom today: That is all she wrote.
Then a simiar one occured to me: She will be apples.
My question is related to their usages.

Is the first idiom correctly used in this conversation?

A: Did you manage to complete your English course yet?
B: No, that is all she wrote.
A: So sad.

'That she, it does not apply to female individuals, right?
But then, what are the origins of these idioms?

Thanks

Re: Please, correct my review of the film

Mister Micawber — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:29:56 GMT

I have underlined further problems and answered your questions inside your brackets:

I've seen this movie twice and it astonish me a lot. Each person fits into themselves a bit of truth about environment. Although there are a plenty of films with the same scenario but Mikhalkov can get the main purpose into a deep of our souls. .Old jew (No article and Jew should be capitalized) said that he had very many disadvantages except one small quality - becoming thoughtful. Also he said he valued it a lot. Another point was the playing of Garmash.Really position of affairs dawned on him when he heard about in the Nikolay's life. Suddenly his atrocity and aversion (you think that synonym would be better?--Yes) to "*** dirty Chechen cur" was dissipated and he obviously realized his dumb prejudices. And it's really bother me much, because a plenty of young people have so much insensate cruelty. Another person I want to emphasize is Alexei Gorbunov. The perfect actor. And there is no need to say something else.When he told them about his girlfriend I burst out laughing from his words like "It ought to *** her every 30 minutes". His conversation about school and funerals reveals pitiful reality. The school which was erected in a 800 km away from Moscow. But as was said: With good intentions are paved roads to hell .(attempt to make an idiom--'The road to hell is paved with good intentions') I think that it's impossible to do good with doing evil at the same time. The words of Mikhalkov are: "Russian officer cannot be former"(i don't know how to correct it because it was said in the film. i try to say that it's resents people who served in the Army and the notion of the officer cannot be separated from the them during the whole life. "former" a want to use as adjective seems that idea-- It doesn't work; try 'A Russian officer cannot escape his past.) It hurts me a lot when some kind of people who even have no notions about what the russian (what's wrong with it?-- capital R) officer was in the 19 century and what was honour in general.