Phrase of the Week: By The Way

“The concert was great. By the way, I saw your cousin at the store. I didn’t know she was in town.” “This author is very famous. I’ve read all his books, by the way.” “By the way” is a phrase we use to introduce a new...

Phrase of the Week: Stand Back

“Stand back! I’m about to light the fireworks.” We use this phrase to warn people not to get too close to something. This could be to keep them at a safe distance from something dangerous, or sometimes to keep something or someone safe from a crowd gathering around....

Phrase of the Week: On a Monthly Basis

“Your progress will be reviewed on a monthly basis so we can be sure you’re proceeding in the right direction.” If something happens on a monthly basis, it happens once a month. You can also do something on a daily, weekly or yearly basis, if you do...

Phrase of the Week: Put it on my tab

Sometimes bars have a system in which you can put drinks on your tab and then pay for them all later. That’s why you might hear someone say, “Put it on my tab,” and receive a drink without appearing to pay for it. When someone pays for something,...

Phrase of the Week: Don’t You Dare

“Can I draw on the wall?” “Don’t you dare!” This is a strong way to tell someone not to do something. If someone “dares” to do something, it means they do something that requires bravery. In this phrase, perhaps if they ignore...