IdiomSite.com - Find out the meanings of common sayings How to give your opinion in English | English Passio When we give our opinion, we say what we think, feel or believe about something or somebody. Below are some phrases that you can use to help express opinions. Some of these phrases are more appropriate for written English such as giving your opinion in an essay whereas some can also be used in spoken English. How to give your opinion in English? Personal Point of View We use these words and phrases to express a personal point of view: “In my experience…” “As far as I'm concerned…” “I’m absolutely convinced…” “Speaking for myself…” “In my opinion…” “Personally, I think…” “I'd say that…” “I'd suggest that…” “I'd like to point out that…” “I believe that…” “What I mean is…” “It’s obvious to me…” There are at least 3 ways to give a personal opinion. 1. Some people are very opinionated, which means they are certain about what they think and believe and express their ideas and opinions strongly and frequently. We use these words and phrases to express a strong opinion. "I'm absolutely convinced that…" 2. 3.
dictionaries/etymology Idioms used by native speakers Those of us who grew up with English as our first language have been exposed to idioms and idiomatic expressions for most of our lives. They may have confused us a little when we were children, but explanation and constant exposure not only increased our understanding of them, but likely drew them into our own vernacular. If you’re in the process of learning the English language, you may come across some of these and not be entirely sure what they mean. Here’s a list of 20 that you’re likely to come across fairly often: 1. No, this doesn’t mean that you’ve dropped part of your snack. 2. Like taking a HUGE bite of a sandwich that will fill your mouth up so much that you can’t move your jaw, this idiom implies that you’ve taken on more than you can handle successfully. 3. You can’t take anything with you when you die, so don’t bother hoarding your stuff or not using it except for “special occasions”. 4. This implies that nearly everything has been packed/taken/removed. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
English Glossary of Grammar Terms A fully cross-referenced English glossary of linguistic and grammatical terms. Each grammar definition contains an explanation and cross-references to other relevant grammar terms. Usable for both native speakers interested in language and linguistics, and students of English as a second language (ESL, EFL, ESOL, and EAP)English grammar terms of all levels from beginner to advanced. Search the Glossary of English Grammar Terms Browse by Category: Adjectives and Adverbs Articles Collocation Colligation Complement & Object Conditionals Conjunctions Determiners Direct & Indirect Speech Discourse Figure of Speech Functions & Text General Gerunds and Infinitives Learning and Teaching Literature Modals Nouns Parts of Speech Phonetics Phrasal Verbs Phrasal Verbs Prefixes & Suffixes Prepositions Pronouns Pronunciation Questions Readability Tests Relative Pronouns Spelling and Punctuation Varieties and Dialects Verbs and Tenses Vocabulary This English grammar glossary is under continual development.
English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions Learn all about English Idioms. Browse our large dictionary of idioms and idiomatic expressions, containing clear definitions and examples of use, and which is categorised by topic and country of origin. What is an Idiom? An idiom is a unique type of phrase in English, made up of words that together have a meaning that's commonly understood by speakers of the language, but not necessarily obvious from the normal meanings of the individual words. Simply, idioms have established meanings that go beyond what the words might suggest on their own, often painting vivid or metaphorical pictures to express ideas or emotions. Our Idiom Dictionary Our idiom dictionary contains clear definitions and examples of 7,230 English idioms and idiomatic expressions, categorised by topic and country of origin. Members Get More! Search Our Idioms Idioms Listed by Subject Idioms Listed by Variety of English Recently Added Idioms Whale Added on 9 Nov 2020
Idioms – as clear as mud? Miranda Steel is a freelance ELT lexicographer and editor. She has worked as a Senior Editor for dictionaries for learners at OUP and has also worked for COBUILD. In this post, she looks at some of the weird and wonderful idioms in the English language. Idioms are commonly used in spoken and written English. They add colour and interest to what we are saying. Native English speakers are usually confident that their readers or listeners will recognize the idiom, so well-known phrases rarely need to be given in full. Some idioms can be shortened in other ways such as long story short (to cut a long story short). “Anyway, long story short, it turns out Drake isn’t really his father.” Sometimes only a fragment of the original idiom remains. Another common way of changing an idiom is to reverse its meaning. Many idioms are very versatile and can be changed in a variety of ways. “Why use a stick when a carrot will work better?” “Their approach is all stick and no carrot.” Like this:
What do idioms look like? Ahead of his talk at IATEFL 2011 entitled ‘Don’t give up on idioms and phrasal verbs’, Stuart Redman, co-author of Oxford Word Skills, ‘gets to the bottom of‘ idioms in the English language. What’s the first thing that comes into your mind when you see these expressions? - kick the bucket – be barking up the wrong tree – a storm in a teacup – strike while the iron is hot – have egg on your face Your answer is probably that they are all idioms: groups of words that not only have a meaning that is different from the individual words, but also a meaning that is often difficult or impossible to guess from the individual words. Now, let’s turn to another list of expressions. - to some extent – I’ve no idea – from time to time – first of all – in the distance Less obvious perhaps, but the answer, in fact, is the same: they are all idioms. The common factor with both of the above lists is that the form of the expressions have become fixed, or frozen. Do all idioms have a fixed form like this? Like this:
Action Verbs: Creative Writing Tips on Choosing Powerful Verbs to Grab Attention Grab Readers' Attention withVivid Verbs, Powerful Verbs! These creative writing tips show how to harness the tremendous power in action verbs: Creative Writing Tips on Action Verbs #1: Vivid Verbs Are Powerful Verbs Verbs energize. An action verb generates more drama and emotion than a noun, adjective or adverb of similar meaning. Compare: The children wept when their dog died. Use vivid verbs, powerful verbs, to fizz up the action, paint word-pictures, and evoke feelings in your readers. Creative Writing Tips on Action Verbs #2: Active Verbs Grab Attention Use active verbs rather than passive. Kim broke the jar. The first example is strong, precise and concise; the second sounds insipid. The active verb in the first example charges the sentence with a vitality and directness that compels attention. Creative Writing Tips on Action Verbs #3: Active Verbs Add Vim and Vitality Active verbs get things done fast; passive verbs impede action. Jack fired the rocket.