To Get at Something and Other American Idioms and Phrases

Introduction to New American Idioms and Phrases

Hello! It’s Kristine here with the Express to Impress podcast. This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode, Feeling Misunderstood? 5 Phrases to Use When Asking for Clarification. You will learn five new American idioms and phrases in English to grow your vocabulary. As a result, you will be able to communicate better with native English speakers. You won’t feel confused when you hear English phrases and will keep up with the conversation. As always, you’ll get some homework at the end so you can continue to improve your English pronunciation.

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Now, let’s begin!

New American Idioms and Phrases in English

Alright, I will introduce new phrases and idioms in American English, provide definitions, and share how I used them in the previous episode.

Tried and True 

Phrase

By the end of the episode, you’ll have five tried-and-true phrases to ask for clarification.

Definition: Tried-and-true indicates that something has proven to be effective or reliable in the past.

To Have a Nickel for Something 

Phrase

If I had a nickel for every time I spoke up in class as a child and young adult to tell the teacher I didn’t understand, I’d be rich.

Definition:  Used to indicate something happens a lot to a person. Sometimes we use nickel and other times we say the name of a different coin like a penny or dime. 

To Jump Into Something 

Phrasal Verb

I’d like to jump in here. I’m a bit confused. Could you walk me through that again?

Definition: We say this when we want to join a conversation. To “jump in” means to suddenly say something about a subject someone else is already talking about, especially without thinking about it carefully. 

To Be Lost 

Idiom

Sorry to interrupt, but I’m a little lost. Could you please explain what you mean?

Definition: In this context, this idiom indicates that someone is confused.

To Get at Something 

Idiom

I’m still unsure of what you’re getting at. Could you be a little more specific?

Definition: To get at something means to suggest or express something in a way that is not direct or clear, making it difficult for other people to understand. 

Now you know some of the best common idioms and phrases in English. I encourage you to start using these expressions today!

Online Courses For Help Landing a Job

If you’re thinking about a job change anytime soon, now is the time to invest in training to reach your goals faster! With my courses, you’ll learn how to find jobs, create a standout resume and cover letter, optimize your LinkedIn profile, and perform well in interviews. Among the more than dozen handouts, you’ll get an Employee Benefits Exercise, Interview Questions Exercise, and a Sample Resume. 

Recently, someone asked me why they would want to pay for my courses when there is plenty of free advice and videos online? I was glad he asked a question that probably many people have. In case you also have that question, I’d like to share my response. 

Great question! In some cases, I seek out free advice and videos when I want help with something, and in other cases, I pay to access materials that appear to be of higher quality. In the case of my online courses, I believe they are far higher quality than what you could find online for free. I approached building my courses like a research project, only using the most credible sources, citing where the information in the course came from, and most importantly, translating those materials for job seekers. For example, I am a paid member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and I utilized their materials while building my online courses. SHRM is the largest HR organization, and it’s where hiring managers and recruiters go to learn how to conduct interviews, get interview questions, etc. Of course, I included tips based on my hiring and coaching experiences, but I believe the most valuable takeaways people get from my courses are the up-to-date research-based tips.

After people watch my courses, they tell me how surprised they are by how much useful information is included. So, I think it’s safe to say my approach has been successful. 

To check out my courses, I invite you to visit my website at express-to-impress.com.

English Learning Homework

Learning takes repetition and implementation. So, I’ll give you some homework! 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, and if you found this episode helpful, please remember to share it with a friend. See you next time. Bye!