Episode 197
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Hi, everyone! I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently with no grammar and no textbooks.
Today, let's learn some popular idioms in English.
And with a point of view lesson, you will learn grammar in context without memorizing any boring rules. I'll tell you the same story from different grammar points. I can change the tense or the person. And like that, you will learn grammar in context.
Ok. Let’s get started!
1. NO-BRAINER: this is basically an easy decision. It's something that requires little or no mental effort.
Example:
"Do you think I should propose to my girlfriend?
That's a no-brainer. She is such a fantastic woman!"
2. SIT ON THE FENCE: staying neutral and not taking sides.
For example, if you have two friends and they have a fight, you will try not to take sides. You'll sit on the fence.
Example:
"Don't you think I'm right? He hasn't been nice to me lately, has he?
I'm sitting on the fence with this one; you're both my good friends."
3. FREAK OUT: to become very angry, scared, or excited.
Example:
"Mum, don't freak out! But I have to tell you something that I did last weekend. Tom and I got married!
"Last week, my sister won the lottery, and she freaked out about it."
4. BE A CATCH: Telling someone that others would be lucky to have them around, or even marry them.
Example:
"Dad, I'm taking Jessica out tonight. She is such a catch!"
5. COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG: when something is very expensive. Examples:
"My son wants a new computer for his birthday, but it'll cost an arm and a leg!"
"This new smartphone cost me an arm and a leg."
6. YOU ROCK: it means that you are great.
Example:
"I can't believe you got the tickets for today's game. You rock!"
That's all for now; let's practice these expressions in the next section.
Now, let’s practice.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
GRAMMAR MADE EASY
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story in two different points of view and notice how the grammar changes naturally.
First-Person View
On our way to the supermarket, my husband and I stopped in front of a lottery booth. I love playing the lottery. It's a "no-brainer" for me to buy one ticket a week: someone has to win! Besides, it doesn't "cost an arm and a leg". It's only a few dollars.
My husband, however, is indifferent to it. Let's just say he "sits on the fence" for this sort of thing. He doesn't care. I take the opportunity to buy a ticket, even though my husband tells me that "we're throwing money away." Then we head to the supermarket, do the shopping and go home.
During dinner, I turn on the television. They are reporting on the lottery. They call out the winning number, I pull out my ticket and it's the same number! We both jump for joy and "freak out.” In a burst of emotion, my husband says, "I love you! You rock!". And I tell him, while winking at him, "I'm a real catch, huh".
Husband's Point of View
On our way to the supermarket, my wife and I stop in front of a lottery booth. She loves to play the lottery. For her it's a "no-brainer" to buy one ticket a week: someone has to win! Besides, it doesn't "cost an arm and a leg". It's only a few dollars.
However, I'm indifferent. Let's just say I "sit on the fence" for this sort of thing. I don't care. So my wife takes the opportunity to buy a ticket, even though I tell her "we're throwing money away." Then we head to the supermarket, do the shopping and go home.
During dinner, I turn on the TV. They are reporting on the lottery. They call out the winning number, so my wife pulls out the ticket, and it's the same number! We both jump for joy and we are "freaking out". In a burst of emotion, I tell my wife, "I love you! You rock! And she replies, winking at me: "I'm a real catch, huh".
Friend's Point of View
On the way to the supermarket, my friend and her husband stopped in front of a lottery booth. She loves to play the lottery. For her, it's a "no-brainer" to buy one ticket a week: someone has to win! Besides, it doesn't "cost an arm and a leg". It's only a few dollars.
Her husband, however, is indifferent. Let's just say he "sits on the fence" for this sort of thing. He doesn't care. So my friend takes the opportunity to buy a ticket, even though her husband tells her that “they are throwing money away." Then they head to the supermarket, do the shopping and go home.
During dinner, they turn on the television. They are reporting on the lottery. They call out the winning number, so my friend pulls out the ticket, and it's the same number! They both jump for joy and "freak out." Her husband says to my friend, "I love you! You rock!" in a burst of emotion. And she replies, winking at him, "I'm a real catch, huh."
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
no-brainer
a very easy decision.
sit on the fence
avoid choosing between two sides.
freak out
become extremely excited, angry, or frightened.
be a catch
be an attractive or desirable partner.
cost an arm and a leg
be extremely expensive.
throw money away
waste money.
lottery booth
a place where lottery tickets are sold.
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told.
Want more speaking practice? Continue with a complete audio course.
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