Expressions to Improve Your Daily Conversation

Learning a language takes time and effort, especially if it is not your first language. Even if it is your mother tongue, you still need time and effort to master it because almost every language has its own slang and colloquial expressions, and the English language is no exception.

Language is forever changing. What is currently acceptable or popular may be replaced by something else in years to come, and the use of slang is a strong testament to that. Slang is just an alternative way of saying something. It is sometimes hard to identify what is slang and what is not. Slang and colloquial expressions are often acceptable in informal writing because they are used in communication in movies, newspapers, radio, television, and other mass media The more you learn, the more you will know when to use or not to use them in your formal writing. No matter what, knowing these common everyday expressions is a plus for all ESL learners.

e.g. Come on, make it snappy (i.e. be quick)

e.g. The performance is only so-so. (i.e. okay, but not too good)

e.g. Well, one day you'll tumble to that theory. (i.e. understand suddenly)

e.g. Now is the zero hour. (i.e. time to begin)

e.g. I say, you look poorly today. What's up? (i.e. look unwell)

e.g. Don't give me the small beer. Just tell me what happened. (i.e. unimportant details)

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

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Correct Use of Pronouns

Incorrect Pronouns

According to a Stanford University Study, using the wrong words is common in English writing, particularly in ESL learners.

So, be careful with your choice of words. Let’s take a look at the use of pronouns.

Possessive pronouns are: mine, yours, ours, his, hers.

This book is mine. = This is my book.

This pen is yours. = This is your pen.

This chair is ours. = This is our chair.

This car is his. = This is his car.

This hat is hers. = This is her hat.

This is its origin. = This is the origin of it.

APOSTROPHES are added to nouns to show possession.

e.g. The manager’s assistant (singular); the managers’ assistant (plural).

APOSTROPHES are added to pronouns to show contraction.

e.g. It’s = it is; they’re = they are; we’re = we are; he’s = he is; she’s = she is.

Pay attention to the difference between the subject pronoun and the object pronoun.

e.g. He and I took part in the competition. (not me)

e.g. It was I who won the medal. (not me)

e.g. Please discuss this between him and me. (not between he and I)

e.g. You will have to ride with him and me. (not with he and I)

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Paragraph Writing

Any piece of writing -- whether it is exposition (defining or explaining), description, narration (telling a story), or persuasion (arguing) -- is composed of paragraphs. To write well, you must have relevant ideas that are well presented in your paragraphs. 

How do you write an effective paragraph if you have all the ideas?

You begin your paragraph by identifying the topic. You can achieve this objective using several different approaches: 

• Direct approach -- saying directly what the paragraph is all about -- e.g. "Racial discrimination is a social problem in the United States." 

• Indirect approach -- "Iron is essential for life. It is required to transport oxygen in the blood, as well as to burn food and body fat. Iron deficiency has long been a health concern in the medical field. But, recently, scientists discovered that too much iron could cause cancer and heat diseases."

• Limiting-the-subject approach -- limiting and specifying the topic -- e.g. "Fasting is the most effective way to permanent weight loss," 

• Catching-attention approach -- arousing the curiosity of the reader -- e.g. "Do you want to lose weight without losing your mind?"

Do not make the opening too long or too short. If it too long, the reader seems to know what you are going to say and may not want to continue reading; if it is too short, the reader may not be able to digest what is about to be discussed.

An effective paragraph should be adequately developed. That means you need to give your point of view, and this can be expressed as:a personal tone: e.g. the use of I, me, and my, or as an impersonal tone, that is, keeping your own views well below the surface. Wherever possible, give examples or facts to support your point of view, followed by a logical deduction or conclusion.

Vary the length of your paragraphs. Make some paragraphs longer, and some shorter, but never too long.

To write an effective paragraph, you must practice writing as much as possible. The more you write, the more you know how to write, and the better you will write.

Stephen Lau

Read my book Effective Writing Made Simple. Click here for more. 

Misuse of the Semi-Colon

Misuse of the Semi-Colon

The Semicolon is one of the punctuation marks frequently misused in writing.

A semicolon is used between a dependent clause and an independent clause.

e.g. Although he was very tired; he did not want to go to bed. (incorrect)

e.g. Although he was very tired, he did not want to got to bed. (a comma should be used instead)

A semicolon is used to introduce a list.

e.g. The box was filled with everything but books; clothing, snacks, hammers and tools. (incorrect)

e.g. The box was filled with everything but books: clothing, snacks, hammers and tools. (a colon should be used instead)

A semicolon is not used between an introductory phrase and the rest of the sentence.

e.g. Her hands trembling; she managed to pour the toxic liquid into the tube. (incorrect)

e.g. Her hands trembling, she managed to pour the toxic liquid into the tube (a comma should be used instead)

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Learn Some American Idioms

Act one’s age: behave maturely

e.g. Stop behaving like a teenager! Act your age.

Call someone on the carpet: scold or reprimand

e.g. If you late for work one more time, the manager will call you on the carpet.

Full of crap: talking nonsense all the time

e.g. I don’t like your friend; he’s full of crap.

Lead someone astray: cause someone to do something wrong or illegal

e.g. If you are always in the company of lawbreakers, you  may be easily be led astray.

Pass the hat: collect money for

e.g. He is always passing the hat for something.

No can do: impossible

e.g. He asked me for more money. I told him no can do.

Bag your face: shut up!

e.g. You and your loud mouth! Go and bag your face!

One’s days are numbered: about to die or to be dismissed

e.g. The manager doesn’t like her.  I would say her days are numbered.

Occur to someone: come to mind

e.g. It never occurred to me that I would fail my driving test.

Live beyond one’s means: spend more than one can earn

e.g. You are in debt because you are living beyond your means.

Pain in the neck: annoyance

e.g. You are pain in the neck, always complaining about this and that.

Over the hump: overcome the most difficult part

e.g. We are now over the hump; the rest may not be that difficult.

Pay the piper: receive the punishment due

e.g. You just can’t keep on spending without paying the piper.

Ball of fire: an energetic and enthusiastic person

e.g. We all want his presence; he is a ball of fire.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Better English for You

Prepositional Words and Phrases

Touch up: repair.

e.g. Can you touch up the scratches on the car?

e.g. This chair needs some touch-up.

Make up: invent; apply cosmetics; become reconciled.

e.g. He had to make up an excuse explaining why he was so late.

e.g. She made up beautifully before she put on the fancy dress.

e.g. After the heated argument, the man and his wife made up.

Run against: compete

e.g. I am going to run against him in the coming mayor election.

Die away: disappear.

e.g. The noise died away and it was silent.

Hand over: yield control of.

e.g. The manager has handed over the human resources section to the assistant manager.

Call off: cancel

e.g. Due to the bad weather, the meeting was called off.

Check out: leave; pay bills.

e.g. We are going to check out the hotel at noon.

Check up on: investigate.

e.g. The account will check up on the sum of money unaccounted for

Walk over: go to where someone is.

e.g.  I have something to give to you. Can you walk over?

Back down: retreat from a position in an argument.

e.g. Knowing that he did not have a valid point, he backed down.

e.g. We cannot back out of the contract; we are legally obligated to do what we are supposed to do.

Back up: support

e.g. Are you going to back me up if I decide to go ahead with the project?

Dally over something: waste time doing something.

e.g. Don't dally over your food. Just eat it!

Dally with: flirt with someone.

e.g. Don't dally with that girl; she has no interest in you.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Learn Some Slang

Learn some English slang. Slang is highly ephemeral: it changes from one generation to another. Slang terms come into existence for various reasons, some obvious, some inexplicable, but most of them are delightfully direct and to the point. The use of slang adds spice to speech and writing.

in low water: short of money
e.g. In this economic time, many people are living in low water.

stunner: an attractive person or object
e.g. This necklace is a stunner on you.

flap one's mouth: talk too much
e.g. Shut up and don't flap your mouth!

off the nail: drunk
e.g. Every time I come home, I find him off the nail with a bottle in his hand.

ditch: abandon
e.g. He's not a trustworthy person: he's going to ditch you before long.

flattened out: broke; having no money
e.g. I tell you what: I'm flattened out!

something out of a bottle: an impracticable idea
e.g. Is your suggestion something out of a bottle?

stuffed shirt: an arrogant person
e.g. He's nothing but a stuffed shirt; nobody likes him.

do oneself proud: indulge in unusual and satisfying extravagance
e.g. Now that he has inherited the family fortune, he's going do himself proud.

fat lot: extremely little
Did you win a lot at the casino? Fat lot!


LEARN SLANG AND COLLOQUIAL EXPRESSIONS

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The Correct Use of Pronouns

According to a Stanford University Study, using the wrong words is common in English writing, particularly in ESL learners.

So, be careful with your choice of words. Let’s take a look at the use of pronouns.

Possessive pronouns are: mine, yours, ours, his, hers.

This book is mine. = This is my book.

This pen is yours. = This is your pen.

This chair is ours. = This is our chair.

This car is his. = This is his car.

This hat is hers. = This is her hat.

This is its origin. = This is the origin of it.

APOSTROPHES are added to nouns to show possession.

e.g. The manager’s assistant (singular); the managers’ assistant (plural).

APOSTROPHES are added to pronouns to show contraction.

e.g. It’s = it is; they’re = they are; we’re = we are; he’s = he is; she’s = she is.

Notice the difference between subject pronoun and object pronoun.

e.g. He and I took part in the competition. (not me)

e.g. It was I who won the medal. (not me)

e.g. Please discuss this between him and me. (not between he and I)

e.g. You will have to ride with him and me. (not with he and I)

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

English and American Slang

Language is forever changing. What is currently acceptable or popular may be replaced by something else in years to come, and the use of slang is a strong testament to that. Slang is just an alternative way of saying something. It is sometimes hard to identify what is slang and what is not. Slang and colloquial expressions are often acceptable in informal writing because they are used in communication in movies, newspapers, radio, television, and the media.

Easy on the eye: good looking.

e.g. I say, your girlfriend is easy on the eye.

Beefcake: a muscular man.

e.g. She has been dating a beefcake.

e.g. He goes to the gym regularly because he wants to be a beefcake.

Caught short: caught at a disadvantage.

e.g. The market plunged, and we were caught short just as thought we were on the road to recovery..

Killer: a very funny joke.

e.g. That last one was really a killer;  everybody laughed.

Kick back: relax and enjoy.

e.g I really want to kick back and enjoy the music.

Daylight robbery: too costly.

e.g. That’s daylight robbery; to pay $300 just to fix this!

Not in the same street: of a different quality (usually inferior).

e.g. These two dresses may look similar, but they are not in the same street. This one looks much more elegant than that one.

Alive and kicking: in good health.

e.g. "How is your grandmother doing?" "Very much alive and kicking."

Bad shot: wrong guess.

e.g. “He came with his wife, didn’t he?” “Bad shot: he came all by himself.”

In a jiffy: soon.

e.g. The manager will see you in a jiffy.

Next to nothing: hardly anything.

e.g. “Did she leave you anything at all?” “Well, next to nothing.”

Not so dusty: quite good.

e.g. Well the performance was not so dusty; much better than I expected.

Whistle for: wish in vain.

e.g. The stock market has fallen sharply. You can whistle for your money invested.

Head above water: out of debt.

e.g. Nowadays, it is not easy to keep your head above water.

Mean-green: money.

e.g. Can I borrow a little mean-green from you?

Break a leg: good luck!

e.g. "I'll have my first piano competition tomorrow." "Break a leg!"

English Slang and Colloquial Expressions

Stephen Lau

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