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If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime
English Expression: If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime is an expression often said to criminals who don’t want to go to jail. It comes from common sense. If you can’t accept the consequences of doing something wrong, you shouldn’t have done…
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Unspoiled
Word of the Day: Unspoiled Unspoiled is often used when describing a natural location where human hands have not been damaged or changed. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are a fantastic place and full of hidden gems. In addition, there are many places in Newfoundland and Labrador—my province—where you can go and experience a completely unspoiled…
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Skeletons in the closet
Idiom: Skeletons in the closet No, this is not an idiom for Halloween. Everybody has skeletons in their closet all year round. Yes, even you! Hang on now, before you start calling Ghostbusters, let me explain the idiom. Remember that the individual words of an idiom do not have the same meaning as the idiom…
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Doubting Thomas
Word of the Day: Doubting Thomas A doubting Thomas is someone who does not believe something or is skeptical about it. For example, when I heard that Google was going to make a self-driving car, I didn’t believe they could. So, why is it doubting Thomas and not George, Matthew or Alexa? Today’s term has…
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Take (something) with a grain of salt
Saying: Take (something) with a grain of salt If you take something with a grain of salt, it means that you have to realize or understand that it may not be entirely accurate. It is good to be skeptical sometimes. If you read that the government will lower taxes or increase spending on scientific research,…
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Dead wood
Word of the Day: Dead wood Dead wood is something or someone that is not useful anymore. A typical example is a lazy person in your workplace who doesn’t pull their weight. It can be used to describe dead trees that cannot be used for lumber, or it can be used to describe a person. In a…
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The whole shebang
English Expression: The whole shebang When a student studies with me, I correct all their mistakes, from articles to idioms and the whole shebang, which means everything considered or concerned with a topic. I promise to give my all, correct 100% of my students’ errors, and explain those corrections to them. In order for that…
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Overhead
Word of the Day: Overhead The word overhead refers to the everyday costs of running a business. Rent, electricity, insurance, and website costs are examples of overhead that companies have and need to pay whether the business is making money or not. Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test This post compares in readability to The New York Times.…
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In the doghouse
English Idiom: In the doghouse If you’re in the doghouse, it means someone is angry at you, and you are unhappy about it. If you forget your wife’s birthday, you may find yourself out there with the dog faster than you can blink. You may be out there by yourself because often live inside now.…
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Work like a horse
English Idiom: Work like a horse Work like a horse means to work very hard, and depending on the situation, this can have a positive or negative meaning. If you work very hard every day, day after day, and never take a break, then working like a horse is not such a good thing. However,…
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