Bring Your A-Game and Other English Expressions

Introduction 

Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress podcast. This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode, How to Prepare for an Internal Job Interview. It’s an episode for English language learners, and we’ll be talking about some fun English Expressions. You’ll learn four new idioms and one new phrase. When you slip these English phrases into ordinary conversations, you’ll connect better with native English speakers. Plus, you won’t feel confused when you hear them. As always, there will be an exercise at the end for those looking to modify their accents to sound more natural. 

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Now, let’s begin!

New English Expressions

I will introduce five idioms and phrases, provide definitions, and share how I used them in the previous episode.

In the Bag

Phrase

They may believe the interview is simply a formality, and they have the job in the bag.

Definition: We use this informal phrase to indicate we’re confident we’ll achieve the thing we want. 

To Throw (or Toss) One’s Hat in the Ring

Idiom

You may decide not to throw your hat in the ring after all, for example, if you find out they are looking for a fresh perspective and will likely hire an external candidate.

Definition: To show a willingness to be a contestant or candidate.

Hit the Ground Running

Idiom

Be ready to talk about relationships you’ve built, skills you’ve developed, and projects you participated in that will allow you to hit the ground running. 

Definition: To seize an opportunity and begin it with strong enthusiasm.

Straight From the Horse’s Mouth

Idiom

They will find out one way or the other, so it’s best if it comes straight from the horse’s mouth. 

Definition: Directly from the person who has direct personal knowledge of something.

Bring One’s A-Game

Idiom

Bring your A-Game to the interview.

Definition: When someone is told to bring their A-game, they should perform at their highest level.

Now you know some examples of English expressions to use in a conversation. I encourage you to start using these idioms and phrases today!

Editing Services

Whenever I write in Spanish or Portuguese, I worry I’m making grammar mistakes, sounding unnatural and unprofessional, or worse, not getting my message across clearly. I’m not a native speaker, after all! So whenever I’m writing something important, I ask a native speaker to check my writing. Inevitably, they discover mistakes. It’s par for the course. 

Many of my students and clients using English as their second language must write in English for their jobs. Sometimes the stakes are high. They’re writing a grant application for research funding. They’re writing a cover letter for a job they want badly. Perhaps they’re writing a personal statement with the hopes of getting an interview for a medical residency. Or, they’re writing the text for slides they will present to an important client. They, too, worry they will make mistakes and come across as unprofessional, unclear, and ultimately, not achieve their goals.

So, they hire me to check their writing for them. I’m detail-oriented and love writing and editing. And if the writer’s first language is Spanish or Portuguese, I often detect what they meant to say, even if it doesn’t come across that way in English. Plus, my background in marketing and knowledge of business and organizational psychology allows me to check the grammar and give content suggestions. Ultimately, my clients create captivating writing and evoke emotion in the reader.

If you have something important to write, I hope you will reach out to me to work together. Just shoot me an email at hello@express-to-impress.com, and we’ll get started. 

English Learning Homework

Learning takes repetition and implementation. So, I’ll give you an exercise. Listen to this episode again and repeat the words out loud to practice. It will not only expand your English vocabulary but help you to improve your American English pronunciation, listening skills, and intonation. You’ll be doing the Shadowing Technique! If you need a reminder about implementing the Shadowing Technique, check out my episode, Introducing the Shadowing Technique for English Learning.  

Thank you so much for listening to the Express to Impress Podcast. If you found this episode helpful, please remember to share it with a friend. See you next time. Bye!