Phrase of the Week: We Can Always Do It Later

“I want to check out the new café, but there’s a music festival this weekend and I don’t think I have time to do both.” “Let’s go to the music festival. We can always go to the café later.” “Can always” is a phrase we use when considering our options. We often use it...

Phrase of the Week: Tell Apart

“I’m not Sarah, I’m Sally!” “Oh! Sorry, I can’t tell you twins apart when you wear the same clothes.” When two things are similar, it’s hard to tell them apart. We also say “tell the difference”. Can you tell the difference between margarine and butter?...

Phrase of the Week: No Wonder

“You walked ten miles? No wonder you’re tired!” We say something is “no wonder” when it’s not strange or amazing at all. If you walked ten miles, of course you’re tired. If you ate three tubs of ice cream, it is not surprising that your stomach hurts. If you didn’t...

Phrase of the Week: Keep it Up

“Good job! Keep it up!” “Keep” is a word that has to do with things staying the same. “I kept all the postcards you sent.” I have saved and protected the postcards. We can also use it with a verb: “Keep running! You’re almost there!” Here it means “don’t stop” or...

Phrase of the Week: A Big Deal

“Sorry I lost the book you lent me.” “Don’t worry; it’s not a big deal.” A big deal is something very important or meaningful. When we use this phrase, we usually say things are not a big deal. For example, when someone apologizes for a small mistake, we say it’s not...

Phrase of the Week: Hang Out

“Every day after school I hang out at the mall with my friends until my dad comes to pick me up.” “Hanging out” is spending time somewhere or with someone without doing anything important. You can hang out and watch a movie, or hang out and play video games, or hang...