Phrasal verbs and idioms for challenging times (and positive thinking… because we need it!)

By Isabel Solano.

Ah! 2020. What a year, right? Let’s be honest, we all wanted this year to be much different from what it has been some far. When we rang* in the New Year back on January 1st, we had hopes and dreams we wanted to achieve. We had listed our New Year’s resolutions and we had gotten our new gym membership, yoga mat or flight tickets! We were ready.

But this year had other plans in store* *for us and even though it hasn’t been easy, hope is never lost. In every situation there’s always a positive side, even if it seems impossible to see from where we stand. So today, I want to give you some vocabulary that can help you express your feelings during these challenging times and idioms you can use to motivate yourself and others. 

Let's get started...

1. Cope with something (phrasal verb): to face and deal with responsibilities, problems, or difficulties, especially successfully or in a way that is calm and adequate. 

Example: Because of our ability to cope with the stress of life changes, we have been able to stay positive during these times.

2. Hang in there (idiom): This expression is used to advice someone to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances. It’s another way to say “Don’t give up”.

Example: I’m sorry to hear that you lost your job but hang in there. Keep looking! I’m sure we will find a new one soon.

3. To embrace something: Literally, to embrace is to hug. However, it can also mean to welcome something with open arms whether it be physical or not. We can embrace good things but we can also embrace change or challenges. To embrace a challenge is the willingness to welcome obstacles.

Example: Teachers around the world were nervous to start teaching online during the pandemic but they embraced the challenge, learned the new technology and now they are doing a great job! 

4. To ride something out (phrasal verb): Originally, this expression referred to a ship surviving a storm. Now, it can be used to express getting through a dangerous or difficult situation without being harmed or affected. 

Example: The country was able to ride out the economic crisis. 

5. Every cloud has a silver lining (idiom/proverb):  This idea comes from the understanding that behind dark clouds the sun is always shining even if we cannot see it. This idiom can be used to express that every difficult or sad situation has a comforting or more hopeful aspect, even though this may not be immediately apparent.

So, no matter how difficult things might seem, just remember, every cloud has a silver lining.

Until next time! 

Isabel.

*to ring the new year:To mark the end of the previous year and usher in the start of a new one, typically with a party or other celebration.

**in store (for someone/something) planned or likely to happen: We have a big surprise in store for you.

It's a piece of cake! ... & other idioms

Fill in the blanks with the words below to complete the idioms with food vocabulary in them. After trying this exercise, scroll down to check your answers. No cheating!

CAKE                BACON               BEANS           CUCUMBER

TEA                  BUNS                 JOE                  BREAD

1. Alicia's husband is a stay-at-home dad, so she's the one who brings home the ________.
2. In the morning, he gets the kids ready for school and makes Alicia a cup of ________.
3. They just started a small company together, but right now, Alicia's job is their main ________ and butter.
4. Everyone around her loves to go bowling. However, Alicia goes bowling only if her friends drag her to the bowling alley. It's just not her cup of ________.
5. When she does go bowling, she always hits a strike. She thinks it's a piece of ________ and not so challenging.
6. Her job is so stressful, and her colleagues admire her ability to stay as cool as a ________ all day every day. 
7. She has a short commute to work, but she has to catch the bus. She hates freezing her ________ off in the winter.
8. Alicia rarely gets upset, but she became so furious one day when she learned her husband found out about the surprise birthday party she was arranging for him. Someone spilled the ________! 

GOOD LUCK!

Scroll down or click "READ MORE" to check your answers and practice these food idioms with the following questions.

It takes two to tango! ... & other idioms

The following sentences have idioms that are related to music and sound. Try filling in the blanks with the correct word on the list to complete each idiom. The answers and explanations are below so  you can check your work. No cheating! 

FIDDLE             WHISTLE             EARS             UP             RECORD        

EAR              HORN             BELL           TANGO          DRUM        

1. Stop complaining about the same thing over and over. You sound like a broken _____.
2. He’s not the most modest person in the world. He tends to toot his own _____.
3. She’s not the only one to blame. He played a part in the whole situation. You know, it takes two to _____.
4. He runs 5 miles a day. He’s fit as a _____.
5. The latest news from City Hall was like music to our _____. The metrocard is going to be a dollar cheaper next month!
6. I don’t think I know that person. The name doesn’t ring a _____.
7. He’s always been a bit odd. He’s always marched to the beat of his own _____ since he was a child.
8. I’m not really sure what I want to do tomorrow, so let’s just play it by _____.
9. Wow! This place is as clean as a _____! They must have worked all day! This place was so filthy just this morning.
10. I like it, but it’s a bit too plain. Add some color, and jazz it _____ a little.

GOOK LUCK!

Making it somewhere

New York Language Center students MAKE IT to class on time, so they don't miss anything important.

 
MAKING IT somewhere is an idiomatic expression that means arriving somewhere (to a place or event). In this usage, the phrase "MAKING IT" has nothing to do with creating anything; it only has to do with movement. If your friend asks you, "Did you MAKE IT to your meeting on time?", you can say, "Yes, I thought I was going to be late, but I MADE IT on time."

Here are some more examples.

1. I didn't MAKE IT to the gym yesterday. I had to finish a project at work.
2. I'm sorry I can't MAKE IT to your party this weekend. I'm going out of town.
3. Peter didn't think he'd MAKE IT to the interview on time. Luckily, traffic was light on the way there, and he did!
4. He needs to MAKE IT to work extra early tomorrow; it's going to be a busy day.
5. We wanted to MAKE IT to the museum before it closed, and we did!

Idioms tied to nature & the environment

The theme for this Friday's LAB is Nature & the Environment. Here are some #idioms to get you in the mood to talk about these topics!

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON  (rarely)

• She always eats out and only cooks once in a blue moon.

 

FEELING UNDER THE WEATHER  (not feeling well)

• Maria decided to stay home today as she's feeling under the weather.

 

EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING  (every problem has a solution)

TAKE HEART  (don't worry)

• Take heart, Tom, every cloud has a silver lining. 

 

Idioms on labor for Labor Day!

A lot of New Yorkers spend Labor Day outdoors. How are you spending your day off? Are you staying in town or going out of town?

This Monday is Labor Day, when we take a day off from work to celebrate the work that we all do to keep the country moving.

Labor Day is also the unofficial end of summer, so most Americans spend this holiday outdoors, enjoying a barbecue or a get-together at a friend's backyard or at the park. In addition, public pools and beaches in New York City will be closed after this weekend, so a lot of people will be taking a dip and getting some sun for the last time before the cold weather comes.

• TAKE A DIP - get into the water  

As Labor Day celebrates work and the country's workforce, we thought we'd teach you English expressions that are commonly used at work. So, check out these idioms and vocabulary that you can say and hear on the job.

• WORKFORCE - citizens who work

 

What's UP YOUR ALLEY?

An alley in the Beacon Hill area of Boston, Masachusetts

You might say, "There's a garbage can up my alley," or "There's a bunch of trash up my alley." Alleys or alleyways are tiny, narrow paths or passages between buildings. They're usually dark and dirty although once in a while you'll run into a clean one like this alley in the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts.

• ONCE IN A WHILE - sometimes
• RUN INTO - find; meet; come across

The idiomatic expression "UP YOUR ALLEY," however, has nothing to do with a physical alleyway; it has more to do with someone's interest or expertise. For example, if you're a web designer, then designing web pages is UP YOUR ALLEY. If you're a car mechanic, fixing cars is UP YOUR ALLEY. If you're studying film, then perhaps acting or directing or film editing is UP YOUR ALLEY. You get the picture.

• YOU GET THE PICTURE - You get the idea; you understand

Writing a Love Letter for that Special Someone

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It): Here's Ryan's latest video lesson perfect for today's special occasion. Watch, learn some English idioms, and enjoy!

Here's to not DROPPING THE BALL this year!

Former NYLC students working together on a project. I don't think anyone in this group DROPPED THE BALL. Nice job, guys!

 

It's now a week and a half into 2015, and we hope your new year is going really well. If you made new year's resolutions, we hope that you are making them happen and that they will last a very, very long time--at least to the end of the year. :-)

On New Year's Eve, as you know, they dropped a huge, heavy, expensive ball made of crystals at the top of a building in Time Square to welcome the new year. It's a New York tradition that's called the New Year's Eve Ball-drop. Did you see the event? The ball wasn't actually dropped though, but was made to slide slowly down a pole. It would be a disaster if a 12-foot-wide crystal ball were dropped on top of a building, wouldn't it?

In any workplace or school setting when you're doing a project with others, it can also be a disaster if you DROP THE BALL. This happens when you make a mistake or forget to do something that has negative consequences on the company or on the group you are working together with. The analogy comes from sports. When you are playing with friends and you are supposed to catch the ball but you don't, you let the team down. You DROPPED THE BALL! 

Vocabulary exercise with "SHAPE" & "WEIGHT"

A: Combine the words on the left with either SHAPE or WEIGHT and fill in the blanks. The answers are below, under section B. 

• In                            SHAPE
• Out of                      WEIGHT
• Lose
• Over
• Under

1. Tom looks good, but he's actually ______ because he doesn't work out.
2. The doctor told Mindy to eat more at each meal because she is a little ______.
3. Mindy's health is fine. She just needs to ________. Her doctor said another 5 pounds would be good.
4. Sarah keeps saying she's ______, but she's actually the right size for her height.
5. John is a health fanatic. To stay ______, he runs, swims, rides his bike, and watches what he eats.
6. Peter used to weigh 200 lbs. However, he was determined to _______. Now, he weighs 50 pounds lighter!

Write, practice your English, & get published!

A coffee shop can be the perfect place to record your experiences in New York, practice your writing, and improve your English!

If you're a typical student at New York Language Center, chances are you're having the time of your life. You're in New York, enjoying yourself. You visit museums and parks; you go shopping and sightseeing; you hit the clubs at night and sit at cafes during the day. You're here for the New York experience and to see as much of the Big Apple as possible.

• CHANCES ARE - there's a good chance
• HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE - having fun
• the BIG APPLE - New York City

In addition, you're here to improve your English. You study grammar and vocabulary in the classroom; you practice speaking, writing, and pronunciation with your teacher's guidance and direction, then you head out and use as much of what you learned and practice your English as you hang out with friends.

• HEAD OUT - go out
• HANG OUT - spend time

Expressions with "HIT" - part 1

Summer hasn't officially begun yet, but many people have already HIT THE BOARDWALK in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

What do you think of when you hear the word "HIT"? Do you picture a person striking, slapping, or punching another person? Maybe you think of the more positive meaning when the word is used as a noun and means that someone or something is popular? For example, Taylor Swift's newest single became an instant HIT, or my lasagna was A HIT at the party.

If you're in the intermediate levels, you're probably familiar with both meanings. However, did you know the word "HIT" is also used in some idioms to simply mean "go to" or "reach" a place or an objective. This usage is often used informally in conversation, and they're quite common, so you should start using them if you don't already. Here are some expressions that use "HIT" this way.

• HIT THE ROAD means to get on the highway and start a long journey or simply to get going or leave. 
• Alright, if you're ready, let's HIT THE ROAD; everyone's waiting for us.

• HIT THE BOOKS means to study
• I can't hang out with you guys tonight; I have to HIT THE BOOKS. I have a huge exam tomorrow.