Tuesday 2 November 2010

Conversational Responses

A Year In the Life of an ESL (English Second Language) Student: Idioms and Vocabulary You Can't Live Without   McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs   Idioms and Idiomatic Phrases, Correlatives, and Collocations (Volume 1)

A. Some idioms we use to express Emphasis
If someone says :
You can borrow my car tonight
Then you say : Thanks a million !
You mean : Thank you very much indeed

If someone says :
Did you get the job you wanted ?
Then you say : No such luck !
You mean : You're dissapointed and you were not able to do something

If someone says :
Can I go skiing with you and your friends this weekend?
Then you say : The more the merrier
You mean : You're happy for others to join your group or activity

If someone says :
She is a great teacher
Then you say : You can say that again!
You mean : You totally agree with what she/he says

If someone says :
Come on the roller coaster with me !
Then you say : No way !
You mean : You don't want to do something

If someone says :
I don't know how you can drive a car in London traffic
Then you say : There's nothing to it!
You mean :  You think something is easy

If someone says :
You could become a model
Then you say : Don't make me laugh!
You mean : You think something is unlikely

If someone says :
It's nearly the end of the holiday already
Then you say : How time flies !
You mean :You are surprised at how quickly time has passed

If someone says :
We bump into Ted's teacher in Spain
Then you say : It's a small world 
You mean : You are surprised at a coincidence
                   e.g. meeting someone unexpectedly

B. Some idioms we use when we talk about Indifferent
If someone says : What do you think caused the problem?
Then you say : It's neither here nor there what I think
You mean : It is not very important

If someone says : Who do you think is to blame - the boss or the workers?
Then you say : It's six of one and half a dozen of the other
You mean : Two people or groups are equally responsible for a bad situation

If someone says :  
What do you think of Tom Cruise's acting ?
Then you say : I can take it or leave it
You mean : You don't hate something but you don't particularly like it either

If someone says :
Luke's got so many computer games
Then you say : I know. You name it. He's got it
You  mean : Anything you say or choose, e.g. You name it, he's done it

Still need more resources to learn?
Click here to find more lessons from English Idioms 

Essential Idioms in English: Phrasal Verbs and Collocations   Punching the Clock: Funny Action Idioms   101 American English Idioms w/Audio CD: Learn to speak Like an American Straight from the Horse's Mouth

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