10 Common Sayings in American English

Introduction 

Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress podcast. This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode, Word Choice in Journalism and Business with Steven Youngblood. If you haven’t checked out that episode yet, you won’t want to miss it! 

Today’s episode is for English language learners, and you’ll learn ten common sayings for everyday conversations. We’ll cover more idioms and phrases than usual since the last episode was longer than typical episodes. Specifically, you’ll learn ten phrases and idioms. When you use these common sayings in everyday conversations, you’ll connect better with native English speakers. Plus, you’ll recognize them when you hear them. As always, there will be an exercise at the end for those looking to modify their accents.

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Now, let’s begin!

Common Sayings in English

I will introduce ten common sayings, share how I used them in the previous episode, and provide definitions.

To Frame Something

So no matter if they have an audience of one or an audience of millions, it’s really important they frame their stories carefully.

Definition: In this context, to frame something means to state something in a particular manner or with a particular focus.

Couch Something in Something

I thought it was clever the way that it was phrased even though it was clearly couched in euphemism and business-speak.

Definition: To couch something means to express it in carefully-chosen language or deceptive words.

One Ingredient in a Recipe

So peace is a recipe that requires many, many ingredients, and peace journalism is just one ingredient in this recipe.

Definition: This idiom means that only one part of a solution to a complicated problem is being discussed.

It’s Not the Case

You know, that’s not the case as well.

Definition: We use this idiom to state that something isn’t true.

Gospel Truth

So if you are someone who happens to believe that Fox News is the gospel truth, I’m not going to dissuade you in these next few minutes, but I will tell you if you love Fox News, then to be an informed person, you need to watch MSNBC, too.

Definition: Something that is absolutely true according to a set of principles or beliefs.

Be-all, End-all

And if you think that the New York Times and CNN are the be-all and end-all, then you need to look at breitbart.com.

Definition: Something that is the best or most important. Something that is so good that it will end the search for something better. In this context, the best source of accurate information.

To See Right Through Someone

And a lot of times, employers see right through it (an exaggeration or lie).

Definition: To not be fooled by someone and to see their true nature.

To Be Straight With Someone

When you ask people, “Why don’t you trust the media?” The two answers are, “I don’t think they’re being straight with me” and “They’re biased.”

Definition: To be honest with someone.

Face-to-Face

So I did my first face-to-face event a couple of months ago in Ivory Coast.

This phrase means being in close physical proximity to each other; facing each other.

Let Someone Go

A leader may have to tell a story to their staff to explain why they let someone go, explain their ideas and their plans for dealing with a crisis, or explain why their revenues declined.

This is another way of saying that someone has been fired or told they can no longer work at a job.

Now you know some common sayings in English to use in a conversation. I encourage you to start using these English expressions today!

Let’s Work Together!

I love helping talented professionals excel in job interviews and convince the interviewer they are the right person for the job. But it’s no easy task, especially if you’re interviewing in a second language. That’s why I released the podcast episode 5 Tips for Interviewing in English, why I work one-on-one with English Language Learners getting ready for job interviews in English every day, and why I created the 90-minute online video course, “How to Succeed in a Job Interview.”  During our time together, I help clients identify questions and answers, and of course, deliver their answers powerfully.

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Kristine is very knowledgeable about job search strategies, resume writing, and interviews. She listened carefully to my questions and provided relevant advice and guidance for my particular situation. I learned a lot and felt more confident in my job search thanks to her.

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I would love to work with you if you have an interview coming up–either a job interview, medical residency interview, fellowship interview, or academic interview.  You can book a mock interview with me on my website.

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 expand your English vocabulary and help you 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!