Classroom English: Have you ever been confused by an idiom or slang word in the English language?
Natural English: Has an idiom or slang phrase in English ever “thrown you off”?
SEE WHAT I DID THERE?
This week’s English video lesson is meant to give you a sense of how classroom English differs from the actual English you’ll hear in a conversation with a native English speaker.
I always tell my students to stop speaking so formally outside of the English classroom. Americans are casual in their day-to-day conversations.
Get rid of the phrases that are too awkward and replace them with these better alternatives.
1.
Perfect English Did you answer the phone?
Native English Did you pick up the phone?
2.
Perfect English you should really try to have the same skill ability as me
Native English get on my level!
3.
Perfect English I have to complain to you right now
Native English I have to vent
4.
Perfect English it’s still happening
Native English it’s ongoing
5.
Perfect English my job is very difficult, i am working all of the time
Native English my job is a grind
6.
Perfect English that is not possible
Native English There’s no way
7.
Perfect English I am going to reveal the bad thing that this organization has done
Native English I am going to pull back the curtain on them
8.
Perfect English I have a problem with this behavior
Native English I am the worst
9.
Perfect English If you have experienced this then you would understand it without me explaining it
Native English If you know you know
10.
Perfect English I want to add something brief to the conversation
Native English I wanted to say something
- I wanted to say
- I wanted to ask
- I wanted to know
11.
Perfect English What was the problem?
Native English Why didn’t it work out?
12.
Perfect English I like what you’re doing
Native English Keep it up
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