BOX SET: English vocabulary mega-class! 🤩 Learn 8 English '5-word expressions'

Have we got everything, Neil?

Think so. I've got the tickets,

most importantly. Would not want

to miss this concert!

Let me see. One, two, three... Neil?

Yes?

There are only three tickets.

You know Dan is coming too, right?

Really? Oh man. We're one short.

What to do?

I don't know.

Neil, it's OK. I'll take one for

the team. I'm a bit tired anyway.

Are you sure? I could...

Don't worry. I know how much

you love this band!

Too kind. But before I head off,

let's explain the phrase Feifei used.

To 'take one for the team' is to give

something up for the benefit of others ...

usually for your friends or colleagues,

or your sports team, for example.

I decided to let the others

go to the concert instead of me.

I took one for the team.

And I'm very grateful.

Now, listen to these examples.

There wasn't enough space in the car

for all of us, so Johnny took

one for the team and walked.

Valentyna injured her foot in

the first half of the game. She wanted

to continue playing,

but we decided that someone else

should play in the second half

to give us the best chance

of winning. Valentyna

took one for the team.

Sometimes you have to take one

for the team.

Last week I spent the day clearing out the

kitchen while the rest of

the family went to the beach.

You're listening to The English

We Speak from BBC Learning English.

In this programme,

we're looking at the expression 'take one

for the team'. Right, I'd better get going.

Before you go, Neil

I just want to ask something.

Yes?

We need someone to do the

late shift next week. I was wondering...

Feifei, don't you worry. I'll take

one for the team.

I knew you would! Thanks, Neil. Now, go and enjoy the show!

Bye.

Bye.

Hello I'm Feifei and this is The English We Speak.

And hello I'm Neil.

Neil, I wonder if you could help me.

I'm trying to find something on this map.

Oh yes, map reading - I'm good at that.

What are you trying to find?

Well, I went to a gig last night and

saw this new singer - he was amazing.

Thanks for inviting me! Anyway,

what's that got to with a map?

Well, afterwards everyone was talking about it

and saying the gig was so good that

it will 'put him on the map'.

But... I just can't find him on here.

Put the map away Feifei -  you won't find him there.

When we say someone will be 'put on the map',

it means they will become famous

or become more prominent - but not on a map!

Right! Actually, Neil, I've heard about

a new restaurant I ate at being 'put on the map'.

Yes, something as well as someone can be put on

the map - or in other words,  become famous, popular

or well known.

You must have eaten at a good  quality restaurant for it

to be put on the map!

I did! Let's tuck into some examples shall we?

Her first exhibition at the Tate gallery

has put her on the map as a serious modern artist.

This great tasting food has really put this

new restaurant on the map.

Hosting the Olympics has put this city on the map

as a great place to come for a holiday.

So that's to put someone or something

on the map - to become famous,

popular or more prominent.

I suppose it suggests that becoming famous means

you are now important enough for your name

to be seen or heard by everyone.

That's right. In the old days when a place was

too small and unimportant it wasn't

shown on a map - but when it became more important

it was 'put on the map'.

Right. Anyway, Neil, let me look

at that map again...

OK.

Look! That singer I saw really is

on the map - right there.

Really? What was he called?

'Man-chester'.

Man-chester? Manchester. Of course!

Bye.

Goodbye.

Hello, this is The English We Speak.

I’m Feifei…

…and hello, it’s me, Rob.

Hey, Rob.

How are your plans going to get fit?

Oh, Feifei, they are a disaster!

Oh no!

What’s gone wrong?

Well, I went for a five-mile run last night,

but I gave up after just  one mile – I was exhausted.

And then I went for a ten-mile bike ride,

but only got to the end of the street.

I give up – getting fit is not fun!

Don’t give up, Rob! You need to  take things one step at a time.

You mean walk – don’t run?

Not exactly – just improve your  fitness gradually, in stages.

When you do things ‘one step at a time’,

you improve them gradually  in stages – step by step.

So, Rob, improve your fitness ‘step by step’,

which means the same as ‘one step at a time’.

Here are some examples…

I know the instructions look confusing, but

take them one step at a time  and they should make sense.

If you want your cake making to be a success,

you need to follow the  instructions one step at a time.

Don’t panic! I’ve written  a step-by-step guide on how

to turn the heating on, so you should be fine.

This is The English We Speak  from BBC Learning English,

and we’re talking about the  expression ‘one step at a time’ –

it means to improve something  gradually, in stages – step by step.

So, Rob, to get fit, you need a plan  – improve your fitness in stages.

OK, so where do I begin?

Well, don’t run before you can walk –

so do lots of walking and  then a little bit of running.

OK, and after that?

The next stage is to run a bit  further and then walk a little.

Set yourself a goal, like from  your couch to running a 5K.

Oh, did you say ‘couch’? Great, I’m off.

Where are you going?

Well, I’m going to run to my couch –  put my feet up and eat lots of biscuits.

Bye.

Bye, Rob!

Hello and welcome to The  English We Speak, with you Rob…

...and you, Feifei.

Hey Rob, how are you enjoying  your new life in the countryside?

It's great Feifei. When I get home at night,  

I get to smell the fresh air and look out on  green fields. Yes, the country life is for me.

But come on Rob, you must miss the bright  lights and the excitement of living in the city?

Well, I get that by coming to work right here in  the centre of London. I have a great night  

out and then slip off to the peace  and quiet of the country. Perfect!

Perfect? I don't think so – the countryside is  too quiet. The city is the only place for me.

No way. I've got the best of both worlds -  excitement in the city, relaxation in the country.

The best of the both worlds – you  think you get the advantages of  

two very different things at the same time.

Yes, that's right. Let's hear some examples of  the phrase 'the best of both worlds' in action…

Working part-time means I get the best of both  worlds: time with the kids and a steady income. 

Our hotel is by the beach and just a  short train ride away from the city,  

so we get the best of both worlds. We get the best of both worlds with  

our new car: excellent fuel efficiency  and great acceleration and speed.

So, the phrase 'the best of both worlds' means you  have the benefits of two different things and none  

of the disadvantages. But surely Rob there must be  some negative things about living in the country?

Such as?

No shops, no pubs or clubs, having  a long commute to work every day.

I can cope – and anyway, commuting by  

train is fine – time to relax and  shake off the stress of the city.

Maybe not today, Rob.

Why?

My news feed says there's been  a major signal failure – all  

trains to your village are cancelled!

Cancelled? Grrr. So I can't get home! Err,  any chance I could sleep on your sofa tonight?

Ha, so maybe it's not always possible  to have the best of BOTH worlds, Rob?

Maybe!

Bye.

Bye bye.

Hello and welcome to The English

We Speak with me, Feifei...

...and me, Rob. Thanks for joining

me in the kitchen today, Feifei, for the

unveiling of my new cake.

It's just a cake, Rob, but if it's

good, I'm happy to try a slice.

Well, let's get it out of the oven now...

There we go... Ta da!

Err... looks great, Rob,

but let's try it...

It's a bit stodgy, heavy... even lumpy.

Right. So you don't actually like it!

I followed the recipe exactly, although

perhaps I forgot

to do something to the flour. I seem to ...

Oh I seem to have a memory like a...

A sieve.

That's it! I didn't sieve the flour - that

explains the lumps.

No, Rob, I meant you have

a memory like a sieve. When we say

someone has a memory

like a sieve, we mean they have

a very bad memory and forget

things easily! Your memory

is bad, Rob - you can't forget things

when you're cooking.

Well, I'm not the only one.

Listen to these examples.

I've been making my own lunch to take

to work, but I've got a memory

like a sieve and I keep

leaving it at home!

My husband's got a memory

like a sieve - he keeps going out and

leaving the iron switched on.

I've got a memory like a sieve - I left

the house without my keys

this morning and now

I'm locked out!

You're listening to The English

We Speak from

BBC Learning English, and

we're talking about the phrase

'to have a memory like a sieve'.

It basically means bits of information

fall through your memory

and get forgotten, just

like flour falling through the sieve

that Rob should have used

when baking a cake! So,

are you going to try again, Rob?

No, I think my baking days are over,

but luckily I bought one from the shop just

in case. That's OK. A shop-bought cake will

do - so get it out and I'll put the kettle on.

Great... err...Now where did I put it?

I know it's around here somewhere?

Memory like a sieve again, Rob?

Looks like it. I've got a lot

on my mind, Feifei.

Don't worry, I've found it - it's

here in the fridge with the milk!

Honestly, I'd forget

my own name sometimes!

Bye, Rob.

Ah yes, that's it! Bye!

Hello and welcome to The English

We Speak. I'm Feifei and joining me is Rob...

Hello! Hey, Feifei.

Have you heard the news?

Gossip, you mean.

No, no - it's true! We've been given

the day off! So, sorry,

I'm not going to hang

around - I'm off to the beach.

Hold on! Who says?

Neil. He said the boss told him that

we've all worked so hard we don't have to work today!

Hmm. It sounds like a wind-up

to me - a wind-up is another way

of saying 'a trick or joke'.

I'm sure Neil was joking!

April Fool, Feifei! I was joking!

I wanted to trick you - to see

if you'd leave the office

and... take the day off.

Ha ha, very funny.

Well, actually, I have

got the day off today. So, the joke is

on you, and it starts now. Goodbye.

Feifei, where are you going? Come

back and explain what 'the joke is on you'

means... please!

...OK, Rob! When 'the joke is on

someone', it means the person

who has tried to make you look silly has

ended up looking silly themselves.

The joke has backfired. And now

you look silly, Rob.

Point made, Feifei. Here are some

more examples of this phrase in action...

Daisy laughed at my 'terrible' dress sense,

until she found out I was

wearing a designer dress -

I guess the joke's on her now!

Ha, you thought I'd never beat your

time for completing the marathon.

But I have, so the joke's on you!

I know you were trying to be funny

by saying I'd never pass my exam.

But now you're the only one who hasn't,

so the joke's on you, I'm afraid!

This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English and we're looking at

the phrase 'the joke is on someone,'

which means someone has tried

to make someone else look silly but

ended up looking silly themselves!

So, this perfectly describes you, Rob - the

joke about taking a day off is 'on you'.

I was just having a laugh at

April Fool's Day. But, hold on.

Where is everybody? The

office is empty.

Ha - not another one of your 'jokes'?

No, seriously - look, there's an email.

It says 'Due to a power failure the office

is out of action. You can all take the day

off.' Ha, looks like we've all got a day off

after all - the jokes on you, Feifei!

Ah well, enjoy your free time.

Fancy going to the beach?

No, thanks. Bye, Rob.

I was joking. Bye.

This is The English We Speak

with me, Jiaying...

...and me, Neil. Now Jiaying,

could you remind me how to

record our voices on this

machine, please?

Sure - there's nothing to it.

Open the microphone here...

No, this microphone! Then set

the volume there... Open the

computer screen here. Click

there and then click there

and then, see that 'record'

button? Just press that -

there's nothing to it!

Jiaying, you keep saying

'there's nothing to it' - do

you mean 'it's complicated'?!

No! It's the opposite. When

we say 'there's nothing to it,

we mean 'it's easy or simple

to do'. So, Neil, there's

really nothing complicated

about recording this

programme. And if you press

that button there, we can

hear some examples.

This one?

No! This one.

Making the pancakes is easy - there's nothing to

it - just add milk, eggs and flour.

There was nothing to it -

all he had to do was

collect the documents

and deliver them to the office. Unfortunately,

he got lost.

All you have to do is

push this button and the

coffee comes out here -

there's really nothing to it.

This is The English We Speak

from BBC Learning English.

We're talking about the phrase 'there's nothing

to it' which means 'it's easy

or simple to do'. So, Neil,

have you got it now?

Can we carry on now?

Yep, I think I've got it now - it's easy-peasy!

Good. So next time you

can work the studio and

record the programme?

Absolutely. There's nothing to it - just open

that, click on that, press that...

No! Don't press that!

Oh.

That was the 'delete' button.

We'll have to start again now.

Sorry! OK, what does

'there's nothing to it' mean?

Bye, Neil!

Bye.

Welcome to The English We

Speak. I'm Jiaying.

And hello, I'm Neil. Jiaying,

are you feeling OK today?

Yes, I'm fine, thanks.

Why are you asking?

Well, when we spoke yesterday

you said you were 'as sick as a parrot'.

I wasn't ill! When someone

says they are as sick as a parrot they mean they

are very disappointed about

something. I was saying

how disappointed I was

with the outcome of the

football match - my team lost!

Oh, I see - but why were you

watching the football match

with a sick parrot?

I didn't know you had one.

I haven't got one, Neil,

but I was very disappointed.

I'm sure - but I didn't know

parrots liked football as well.

Oh, Neil! Listen to these

examples and will become clear.

I was as sick as a parrot

when I saw someone had

scratched my new car!

He was as sick as a parrot

when he saw how much litter

had been left in the park.

When I heard my colleague

got a promotion over me,

I was as sick as a parrot.

This is The English We Speak

from BBC Learning English and

we're hearing about the phrase 'as

sick as a parrot', which we

can use when we are very

disappointed about something.

So, Neil, have you got it

now - there are no parrots, it's just a saying.

Got it! No parrots.

Exactly - just great disappointment.

But I wonder how sick a parrot has to be in order

to feel disappointment?

Let's not worry about it.

The phrase has got nothing

to do with sickness.

OK then. See you later.

Bye, Neil.