Idioms

Idioms · 23 April 2021

I have written this post to draw your attention to when phrasal verbs can be written as one word. Now, let’s just look at why you’d sometimes find what is normally written as two separate words as a compound, either with or without a hyphen. The choice between the two is far from random.

Idioms · 29 August 2019

Although at times it may seem like you can calculate the meaning of a phrasal verb by adding the sense of the words together, do not forget that you may have to also consider its metaphorical meaning. In other words, the sense is not always so transparent, so do not take the sum of the words so literally.

Idioms · 13 June 2019

The six-hexagon image shows examples of the difference between two types of phrasal verbs: separable and inseparable. The separable ones here have a more literal meaning. They are also transitive, meaning that you must use them with a direct object. Let’s take ‘zip up’ for example:

Idioms · 06 June 2019

Idiomatic expressions with names of colours are not always transferable to another language. This means that if you use an expression in your native language that involves a colour, this may not make sense in another language. The above image is an example. In English you can be green with envy; whereas in another language envy may be associated with another colour or something entirely different. Likewise, green may have other connotations.

Idioms · 16 May 2019

This is something I do based on past experience because I calculate the outcome from other simliar situations is what is meant by 'as a rule of thumb'. You can think of your thumb as a measuring tool.

Idioms · 15 February 2019

So, you are a non-native English speaker. You text a friend, and you write, ‘I’m free from work tonight. Do you want to get together for dinner?’ Text messages lacking facial expressions and intonation which aid in reaping the intended meaning of whatever the speaker says can be obscure. So, text messages with no emojis don’t help the receiver understand correctly. Plus a text is by its nature written, so the receiver can’t hear joy, sadness, anxiety, excitement, sincerity, nor sarcasm.