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Status quo
WotD: Status quo Say goodbye to the status quo, Manila; jeepneys will soon be a thing of the past. Status quo is Latin for the way things are now or the current situation. The English language is peppered with Latin words that are still used today. Love ’em or hate ’em, jeepneys have been a part of…
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Saved by the bell
Idiom: Saved by the bell Saved by the bell is an expression used in English when a situation suddenly ends, and you don’t have to do something you didn’t want to do in the first place. We’ve all been saved by the bell at one time in our lives. Perhaps you were asked a difficult question in a…
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Doctor
Word of the Day: Doctor Today’s word is doctor. I’m sure that brings to mind images of hospitals, patients and nurses. It may also bring to mind situational English lessons. Get ready for a new meaning. When ESL students first begin to learn English as a second language, they start with simple words. After building up…
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Homebody
WotD: Homebody Society tells us that being a homebody is a dull and dreary existence. A homebody is the type of person who likes to stay home and is not very interested in going out into the world on adventures. All the box office smash hits are thrillers with tons of action and adventure. The hero gets the girl,…
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Shoot for the moon
Idiom: Shoot for the moon I’ve heard that Japanese millennials don’t shoot for the moon because they don’t have the ambitions of previous generations. It seems to be true, but I can’t say for sure. The Heisei era will be ending next year. Children born in the early Heisei era are only in their mid to late…
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Chew the fat
Idiom: Chew the fat People talk. It’s a fact of life. No matter where you go, people chew the fat in cafes while sitting on park benches or even on the side of roads. It’s important to note here that chewing the fat differs from just simple chatting. Chatting means making small talk with someone for a few moments…
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Political football
WotD: Political football What the heck is a political football? Remember when former American president Obama’s campaign slogan was ‘Change we can believe in’? I can. The Americans placed a lot of faith and hope in Obama to bring about that change. Everybody wants to talk about it, but when it comes to doing something, they…
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Turn the tables
Idiom: Turn the tables There are times in life when we have to cut our losses and accept defeat. However, we should only do this after we have explored all of our options and tried every possible way to turn the tables. When the tables have turned, you have moved from a position of weakness to a…
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Cold shoulder
WotD: Cold shoulder If you have friends or have ever been in a romantic relationship, there is a high possibility that you have either received a cold shoulder or given one. You know you’re being given the cold shoulder when someone intentionally ignores you or acts very coldly towards you. When this occurs, it is sometimes referred…
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Take a turn for the worse
Phrase: Take a turn for the worse No matter the industry you’re involved in, or the topic of the conversation, take a turn for the worse is a phrase you most likely do not want to hear. When something takes a turn for the worse, no matter how bad or good the situation was, it has just gotten…
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