Idioms

Welcome to English in a Minute from home! If you fan a fire, the flames get bigger. But what does this mean as an idiom? Speaker A: Anna, what are you looking at?Speaker B: A car stopped on the road. The men are fighting. Oh, no! Now the women are fighting.Speaker A: Wow! That is definitely going to fan the flames.Speaker B: It has fanned the flames. Now everyone is … [Read more...] about Fan the Flames (Idioms)

Welcome to English in a Minute! A battle is a fight between people or groups. But, what does it mean to pick a battle? Let's find out. Pick Your Battles Speaker A: Jonathan, what is the best relationship advice you have ever been given? Speaker B: Hmm. I'd say "pick your battles." Speaker A: That's a good one! Fighting over every single little thing would be so … [Read more...] about Pick Your Battles (Idioms)

Welcome to English in a Minute! Storms are weather events with rain, lightning, thunder and wind. But what could this expression mean? Let's find out. Take the world by storm. Speaker A: How's the ukulele coming along? Ready to take the world by storm? Speaker B: Well, maybe just the learn-English-with-ukulele world, Jonathan. Speaker A: Is that world even out … [Read more...] about Take the World by Storm (Idioms)

Welcome to English in a Minute from Home! Some people talk a lot. Others, not so much. But how can talking have a price? Speaker A: Jonathan, this weekend I am going to organize my work space. It's going to be clean and… organized…Speaker B: You've been talking about that for months!Speaker A: It takes time.Speaker B: Anna, talk is cheap. Just clean your office. It's … [Read more...] about Talk is Cheap (Idioms)

Welcome to English in a Minute from Home! In life, some things can be helped while others cannot. Speaker A: What happened to your indoor plant?Speaker B: I don't know, Jonathan. I watered it. I put it next to this window. But I don't think it's going too good.Speaker A: Anna, that plant is dead.Speaker B: Maybe if I…Speaker A: Anna. It's a lost cause. Just accept it and … [Read more...] about Lost Cause (Idioms)