A Story About Fire

I lit a candle in my apartment, (to light a candle/fire/cigarette)
but I forgot to blow out the candle. (to blow out a candle/flame)
The candle tipped over and started a fire. (to start a fire)
The flames spread very quickly. (flames/fire spread)
Luckily, I put out the fire before it burned down my house. (to put out a fire)
Since then, I have kept a fire extinguisher in my house.
Fire prevention has become a priority for me.

Swearing and Slang

In English, there's a collection of words you can't say on TV.
Example: f*ck, sh*t, son of a b*tch, and so on.

When using these words, many English learners incorrectly refer to it as slang. It is not slang. Slang is an informal idiom. For example, if I say "No sweat", it means "No problem. I can do it." And a "couch potato" is someone who watches a lot of TV.

If you use one of the aggressive or offensive words above it is called swearing or cursing. Swearing is the most common term, so it's best to use that. You may also use the adjective and say, swear words, curse words, or even bad words and dirty words.

Examples: #1) He swore at his boss and he got fired. #2) I said a swear word to my mother and she hit me. #3) My little sister said a bad word, and she got in trouble.

There are also a few ways to refer to someone who swears a lot. Examples:
#1) He has a foul mouth. He is foul-mouthed.
#2) My girlfriend has a dirty mouth.
#3) The little boy had a potty mouth.
#4) My roommate has a filthy mouth.
#5) My mother swears like a sailor.

REVENGE!

If a person does something wrong or hurtful to you, you may feel obliged to do the same to them. This is called revenge, but there are many ways to refer to this satisfying act. They are listed below:

to get revenge - My boss fired me, but I got revenge by burning down his house.

to get someone back - The little boy called me bad names, but I got him back by pushing him in the mud.

to get even - I have to get even with Timmy for slashing my bike tires.

to pay someone back - My brother stole my wife, so I paid him back by poisoning him.



Common Expressions

"It's payback time." - Meaning: It's time to get revenge.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold." - Meaning: Revenge is best when it's cruel.

"Don't get mad. Get even!" - Meaning: It's better to get revenge than be angry.

The Truth

A half truth is a statement that is true, but it neglects an important piece of information. A half truth is, therefore, a misleading truth. For example, Kevin has a wife who doesn't like his smoking. He promised her that he would quit. One night, he went to the bar with his friends. He smoked a few cigarettes outside the bar. When he comes home, his wife smells smoke. She asks, "Were you smoking at the bar with your friends?" He answers, "No, I didn't smoke at the bar." However, he smoked outside of the bar, and he didn't tell his wife. This is a half truth.

To tell you the truth or Truth be told is an expression said before telling an unpleasant or difficult truth. Someone usually asks a question, and what follows is an unpleasant answer.

Example:

#1) Wife: "Do you want me to cook pasta tonight?" Husband: "To tell you the truth, I don't like your pasta."

#2) Ex-boyfriend: "Why did you break up with me?" Ex-girlfriend: "Truth be told, I wasn't sexually interested in you."

To be true to someone means to be loyal or faithful to someone.

Example: Daniel is true to his friends, showing all of them loyalty and respect. That's why his relationships are so strong.

To be untrue to someone means to be disloyal or unfaithful to someone, usually it means cheating on your spouse or lover.

Example: She accused me of being untrue to her, but I found out she was the one that cheated on me.

Prevention

to stop/keep someone from doing something
Example: #1) My wife stopped me from quitting my job by reminding me of the poor job market. #2) I kept my best friend from making a big mistake.


to prevent something
Example: The hero prevented a robbery by tackling the robber.


to hold someone back -- to prevent someone from doing something, positive or negative.
Example: #1) I wanted to punch the guy, but my friends held me back. #2) I dream of world travel, but my family is holding me back.


to be tied down -- to be connected to something/someone that keeps you from doing something, probably related to a relationship or marriage.
Example: He is hesitant to get married because he doesn't want to be tied down.


to be tied up with something-- to be busy with something that prevents you from doing other things.
Example: I would love to help you, but I'm tied up with work at the moment.


"My hands are tied." -- "There's nothing I can do."
Example: Even though I don't like the decision, it came from the boss. My hands are tied.

itch and scratch

Many English learners use the terms itch and scratch incorrectly. The most common error is using the word itch in place of scratch. This is how to use the terms correctly.

to itch (verb) - is a physical sensation.
I have been wearing the same shirt for three days and now my skin itches.
I didn't take a shower this morning, so my scalp itches.

itchy (adj) - describes an object that makes you itch.
While playing in the beach, I got sand in my hair and it was itchy.
I don't like to wear that sweater because it's itchy.

itch (noun) - is a part of your body that itches.
I have an itch on my back. I should clean my sheets.
I have an itch on my toes. I think it's a mosquito bite.

to scratch (verb) - is the action that relieves your itch.
I scratched the mosquito bite too much, and now it's swollen.
There's an itch on my back, but I can't reach it. Would you scratch it for me?


Scratch Alternatives
scratchy (adj) - is usually used just to describe voices.
I was sick last weekend and my voice is still scratchy.

scratched (adj) - can be used to describe some objects.
I will not buy this record. It is scratched.
My friend borrowed my DVD, and now it's scratched.

Hand Actions

There are many things we use are hands for, but oftentimes we can't find the appropriate expression for them. This is a list of those actions:

to hold hands
"The lovers were side-by-side, holding hands, as they walked through the park.
"The mother and son held hands as they walked across the street."

to shake hands
"The businessmen all shook hands before starting the meeting."
"My greatest honor was shaking hands with the president."

to fold one's hands
"The congregation folded their hands and prayed during the church service."
"I was so desperate that I folded my hands and begged my boss not to fire me."

to hold out one's hands
"The begger held out his hands and asked the pedestrians for money."
"The porter held out his hand for a tip."

to wring one's hands
"While the were giving out awards, I was wringing my hands in anticipation."

trembling hands
"I was so nervous during the presentation that my hands were trembling."

Slipping

There are many definitions for the word slip. Here are a few of the most common expressions for the verb from.

#1) My English skills are slipping. = My English skills are getting worse.

Sample Situation: You used to be proud of your English skills, but now you find it hard to communicate.

#2) It slipped my mind. = I knew about it, but I forgot (temporarily).

Sample Situation: You had an appointment with your friends, but you completely forgot about it and didn't go.

#3) I slipped up. = I made a mistake.

Sample Situation: You were at a party and you tried to kiss your girlfriend's sister.

#4) It just slipped out. = I said it on accident.

Sample Situation: When you argued with your girlfriend, you told your girlfriend to shut up, perhaps adding a swear word or two. You quickly regret saying it.

Time Verbs

In English, there are expressions for how to use your time. Sometimes, they are related to productivity and the amount of available time, so pay attention to how you use them.

to spend time - This is a neutral expression, which could be pleasant or not. It can be used to avoid mentioning the specific activity that you did, as in the first example.

Example: I spent time with my family last weekend.

I want to spend more time doing things that interest me.

I don't want to spend much time at dinner because I have a lot of work to do at home.

During the project, we spent a lot of time in the planning stage, so we couldn't spend much time preparing a presentation.

to pass time - If you pass time, or time passes, you are discussing the movement of time.

Example: While I was waiting in the airport, I passed the time by reading a book.

Time passes slowly when you're bored, but it passes quickly when you're having fun.

to waste time / waste of time - Time is being used unproductively, or counter-productively, in this case.

Example: I wasted a lot of time in high school hanging out and watching TV.

We worked really hard on our project, but it was a total waste of time because the professor didn't want to see it.

A friend of mine visited the city, but he said it was a waste of time.

to kill time / time to kill - This means you have time to do something, and you are occupying that time with an activity.

Example: I killed some time this afternoon watching some old movies.

My friends and I have all weekend to hang out, so we'll kill some time at the mall.

Because of the summer holiday, I have a lot of time to kill.

I have an appointment tonight, but I still have a few hours to kill. Do you want to go for coffee?

Traffic Terms Pt. 2 (Accidents)

The car had a mechanical failure.
It swerved across the road and crashed into a brick wall.
The collision was frightening and the impact could be heard for miles.
The driver went through the windshield, suffering a near-fatal injury.
The car was totaled, so they towed it to the junkyard.
They investigated the accident and found that the brakes had malfunctioned.

Vocabulary:
A mechanical failure is when something mechanical stops working.
To swerve means to leave a straight line; turn.
A car crashes into something.
Collision is the noun for collide; when one thing hits another.
Impact is the force of something striking something else.
The windshield is the front window of a car.
Near-fatal means he almost died.
If a car is totaled, it was damaged so badly that it will never drive again.
To tow a car is to carry it to a different location. This is done by a tow truck.
A malfunction is what happens when something doesn't work properly.