執筆者 Modern English | 2016年09月10日 | Phrases
“Are you busy?” “Not at the moment.” “What are you doing?” “At the moment, I’m washing the dishes.” “At the moment” means “right now”. I’m not busy at the moment: I can talk right now but I might be busy with something else soon. I’m washing dishes at the moment: I’m...
執筆者 Modern English | 2016年09月03日 | Phrases
“Guess what! We got a new cat!” “Guess what! I brought cookies!” “Guess what! I got 100% on my math test!” “Guess what” tells the listener that you have some exciting news to share. It’s usually good news, but not always: “Guess what happened this morning! I almost...
執筆者 Modern English | 2016年08月27日 | Phrases
“Nice to see you. It’s been a while!” “Wow, it’s been a while. I used to come here all the time!” You can use this phrase when it’s been a long time since you saw a certain person, went to a certain place, ate a certain food, etc. It’s slightly less informal than...
執筆者 Modern English | 2016年08月20日 | Phrases
“You know, I think I have a copy of that book you need for your class.” “I can’t wait around all day, you know.” At the beginning of a sentence, “you know” can be a thoughtful introduction. At the end of a sentence, it is often used to remind the listener that they...
執筆者 Modern English | 2016年07月30日 | Phrases
“Stop shivering.” “I can’t help it. I’m cold!” We use this phrase when we have no choice. It’s impossible not to do something. Here are some more variations: “He couldn’t help but smile when his daughter showed him the picture she’d drawn.” “When I hear this song, I...
執筆者 Modern English | 2016年07月23日 | Phrases
“I’d like to stay up and watch the end of this movie. On the other hand, I do have a big test tomorrow. I should get plenty of sleep.” “On the one hand, I really like coffee. But on the other hand, I don’t want to drink caffeine so late at night.” You can compare the...
