Catch Word
English expressions used in everyday conversation – Trying to make ends meet
06/16/2013
by Culips
in Catch Word
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Some people have a lot of money and some people have only a little bit. This episode focuses on expressions that people use when they are talking about trying not to spend money, often because they don’t have very much. There are people who pinch pennies all the time, and others who only tighten their belts when they have to. Listen to this episode to learn about making ends meet.
| Maura: | This expression is usually used when someone doesn’t have very much money. So if we continue with the example that you gave, Harp, if someone makes $500 a week, and it’s just enough money for them to be able to survive, to be able to pay their bills, like their rent of their food. |
| Harp: | Yeah. They’re not buying a lot of fancy clothes or going on any trips. They’re just making enough money to meet their basic needs. |
| Maura: | That’s right. So, the expression itself isn’t actually negative, but it’s often used in a situation where someone doesn’t have very much money or they’re trying to make ends meet. They’re trying to find a way to make enough money that they’re able to pay their bills. |
| Harp: | Yeah. It’s used when people are having trouble making ends meet, usually. |
| Maura: | That’s right. This expression, too, has a few interesting origins. And if you’re interested in those, we’ll tell you about them in our Learning Materials, which comes when you become a member. |
Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:
| To feel down | To make ends meet |
| Instant noodles | A shower |
| To start someone off | To get by |
| As long as | Minimum wage |
| To get back on your feet | To pinch pennies |
| To tighten your belt | Broke |
| To cut costs |
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Rap Genius
To dot your i’s and cross your t’s
06/2/2013
by Culips
in Catch Word
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
At Culips, we always try to focus on the details and get everything right for you! The expressions in this episode are used to talk about analyzing and examining things, checking for information, or making sure that everything is perfect. Of course, at Culips, we like to dot our i’s and cross our t’s! Listen to this episode to learn about this expression and others that mean to look very carefully at something. If you’re a member, you can also go over this episode with a fine-tooth comb by reviewing the transcript!
| Maura: | The first thing that’s worth mentioning about this expression is that when we say i’s, we’re not talking about the word that’s spelled E-Y-E-S, like the two eyes in your head. It’s the plural of the letter i. And when we talk about t’s, we’re not talking about that great drink, a cup of tea. We’re actually talking about the letter t, and that is also plural, when we say t’s. |
| Harp: | Yes, so to dot your i’s and cross your t’s; we’re talking about the letters i and t. |
| Maura: | This expression means to review something carefully, to go over something in a very detailed way in order to make sure that you don’t have any mistakes. So with this expression, you’re checking something carefully to make sure that there isn’t an error and to make sure that you finished it well. |
| Harp: | Yes. So when you say to dot your i’s and cross your t’s, you’re carefully going over your work to make sure that there are no mistakes, there are no errors, everything is perfect. |
Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:
| Sugar cream pie | Original and unique |
| You can’t complain | To dot your i’s and cross your t’s |
| Handwriting | To double-check |
| A CEO | To go over something with a fine-tooth comb |
| Comb | Lice |
| To bring something home | To dissect something |
| Dissections in biology class | Metaphors and stanzas |
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips
The numbers are skyrocketing
05/19/2013
by Culips
in Catch Word
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
What goes up must come down! Things are always changing in today’s world, and that’s why we decided to make an episode about things going up and going down. Especially in the news, we often hear about increases and decreases, and they use lots of different expressions to talk about this. This time, we’re talking about numbers, such as prices, statistics, and other amounts. Listen to this episode and we’ll see if our numbers start to soar!
| Maura: | These expressions are often used in business, especially talking about money or amounts of things. To be honest, when I got the idea for this episode, Harp, I was listening to the news. I heard a bunch of these expressions used on the news, and that’s what inspired this episode. |
| Harp: | Oh, I like it. Yeah, you’re right. They use these expression a lot in the news to talk about things like the price of stocks going up or going down. |
| Maura: | Right. They might use these expression to talk about statistics, too, like “35% of people believe this.” So that’s the kind of stuff that you hear on the news. |
| Harp: | Yeah. These expressions are always about an amount. |
| Maura: | All right. Let’s get to the first expression. The first expression is to skyrocket. |
Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:
| A cottage | The great outdoors |
| To skyrocket | To soar |
| A homonym | To be liking – Is this correct? |
| What does up must come down | To nosedive |
| Back to the subject | At any rate |
| To hold off | To jump at the chance |
| To sink | A start-up |
| Other expressions to talk about decreasing and increasing |
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips
Like water off a duck’s back
05/5/2013
by Culips
in Catch Word
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
When someone says something negative or critical about you, sometimes it can bother or upset you. But it’s important not to take things like this too personally, just like this week’s expression: like water off a duck’s back. In this episode, we look at idioms that mean that you don’t let someone’s negative comments affect you. We think that’s good advice. Check out this episode to hear about brushing things off and constructive criticism.
| Maura: | In this example, someone was really upset about getting in trouble with her boss, about not meeting deadlines, and she talked about another colleague, Sheila, who didn’t get upset. Sheila treated the boss’s comments like water off a duck’s back. They didn’t bother her and she didn’t get upset. |
| Harp: | Yeah. Sheila didn’t let the boss get to her. She didn’t let his negative comments and his yelling at her get her upset. |
| Maura: | And that is important. Sometimes you should listen to criticism. This is actually called constructive criticism, when someone is just trying to give you advice so you can improve yourself and be better. That’s important, but it’s also important that if someone is saying something negative to you, you don’t take it too personally, either. |
| Harp: | Yeah. It’s important to not be too sensitive when people are trying to give you constructive criticism, or even when they’re just criticizing. It’s important to just not let it affect you too much. |
Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:
| To get the hang of something | To let something get to you |
| Like water off a duck’s back | Constructive criticism |
| To nag | To brush something off |
| Right off the bat | To suck |
| To put your nose to the grindstone | To laugh something off |
| To get under your skin | Cool |
| Not to sweat something |
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips
Let’s put it on the shelf for now
04/14/2013
by Culips
in Catch Word
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Sometimes we don’t want to discuss something right now. We want to discuss it later instead, because it is not immediately important. In this case, we can put something on the shelf and talk about it again in the future. This week’s episode is about putting those kinds of things on the shelf. You don’t want to forget about something completely, but it just doesn’t have priority. Don’t put listening to this episode on the shelf! Listen and start using the expressions right away.
| Maura: | The beginning of this expression sounds just like the first expression, but it’s different at the end. To put something on the back burner. |
| Harp: | Yes. To put something on the back burner. |
| Maura: | And this means just the same as to put something on the shelf. When you put something on the back burner, you are not going to deal with it right now, you’re going to temporarily put it on hold. And at some time in the future, you will deal with it. |
| Harp: | Yeah. You’re not gonna give it immediate action or thought, you’re gonna let it go for a little bit and not think about, and later you’re gonna deal with it. |
| Maura: | Right. It’s something that doesn’t need to be discussed right now. Now, a back burner is actually part of a stove. And when you put something on the back burner, it’s not something that needs your immediate attention while cooking. You can kind of put it on the back and just let it simmer on its own; you don’t need to pay close attention to it. The same goes for whatever you’re dealing with. If you’re not going to give it full attention right now, you can say you put it on the back burner. |
Expressions from this episode included in the Learning Materials:
| To do your own thing | To put something on the shelf |
| A secretary | To deal with something |
| Funny story | To find common ground |
| Extra hands | To put something on the back burner |
| A lemon | To put something on ice |
| A city councillor | A time frame |
Podcast/Learning Materials: Culips English Podcast, Photo Culips
