Advanced Vocabulary - British English Phrases

Ready to learn some advanced British English expressions?

Great.

Grab a cuppa, a pen and paper.

And let's do this.

Number one.

Bob's your uncle, Bob's your uncle.

This expression is used to mean that something is easily done or achieved.

Think of it as saying, there you go, or that's it.

It's not that complicated.

Really.

Once you plug the machine in and add your ingredients, you just need to press this button

and Bob's your uncle, it will start baking the perfect loaf of bread.

Now, when saying this phrase, we always use the weak version of the word ‘your’ which

is, /jə/.

Bob's your uncle.

Bob's your uncle.

You'll notice that the ‘s’ at the end of ‘Bob's’ is pronounced as a ‘z’

‘z-z-z-z’ , which blends nicely into /jə/.

/zjə/, /zjə/

Say it with me, /bɒbzjə/, /bɒbzjə/.

/bɒbzjər ˈʌŋkl/

/bɒbzjər ˈʌŋkl/ If you were to use the strong version of ‘your

/jɔːr/’, then the meaning would change and this phrase would become much more literal.

Bob's your uncle.

Is he?

I had no idea.

Now while we're on the subject of Bob.

The next expression is bits and bobs, bits and bobs.

This expression is used to refer to a collection of small items, often unimportant objects.

I am sure you have a certain drawer or box somewhere that's just full of random bits

and bobs, right?

I went to boots this morning and bought a few bits and bobs for my holidays.

Wipes, suncream, some hairpins, etc.

When saying this phrase, we use the weak version of ‘and’ and we drop the ‘d’, leaving

us with /ən/, /ən/ bits and /ən/, bits /ən/.

You see we blend the ‘n’ with ‘bits’ to make /bɪtsən/, /bɪtsən/.

Say it with me.

Bits and bobs /bɪtsən bɒbz/, bits and bobs /bɪtsən bɒbz/.

Number three is keep a stiff upper lip.

This expression is used to mean showing courage and poise in a difficult situation.

Almost like you're holding back your feelings and not allowing them to overwhelm you.

He kept a stiff upper lip throughout the funeral and stayed strong until he was finally alone

and could let it all out.

The ‘a’ here is weak /ə/.

So ‘keep a’ sounds like ‘keeper’, ‘keeper’.

Then join ‘upper’ on too ‘stif’ to make /stɪfˈʌpə/, /stɪfˈʌpə/ and you

have /kiːpəstɪfˈpə/, /kiːpəstɪfˈpə/.

Keep a stiff upper lip /kiːpəstɪfˈʌpə lɪp/.

Keep a stiff upper lip /kiːpəstɪfˈʌpə lɪp/.

Number four.

Number four is catch 22.

Now this expression is used to describe a dilemma.

A difficult situation from which there is no escape, because no option is a good option.

They won't employ me because I haven't got any experience.

But I can't get experience if they don't employ me.

It's a catch 22 situation.

Now in the word ‘catch’, ignore the ‘t’ but make sure that you don't soften the ‘ch’

it's pronounced /tʃ/, /tʃ/.

Not /ʃ/.

So we have catch /kætʃ/, catch /kætʃ/, catch 22.

Now sometimes you'll hear native speakers drop the second ‘t’ in 20.

They say /ˈtweni/, /ˈtweni/.

Twenty-two /ˈtwenti-tuː/ or twenty-two /ˈtweni-tuː/.

But I would encourage you to keep the ‘t’ in ‘twenty-two’.

Keep both ‘ts’ in 22.

Twenty-two /ˈtwenti-tuː/.

Catch 22.

Number five, a blessing in disguise.

I really like this expression because it speaks to the optimist in me.

It's used to describe a positive result from a difficult or unfortunate situation.

For example, breaking your back would be considered a terrible thing but if the next day all able

bodied individuals are drafted into the army to go and fight in a dangerous conflict, and

you cannot go because of your broken back, then you may consider that a blessing in disguise.

Losing my job was a blessing in disguise, it gave me the opportunity to pursue my dream

career.

Now let's look at the two ‘ins’ together.

The first is ‘ING’.

So this should be made with a back of the tongue high /ŋ/, /ŋ/ followed by ‘in’

(in) which is made with the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth ‘in’ ‘blessing

in’ /ˈblɛsɪŋ ɪn/, ‘blessing in disguise’ /ˈblɛsɪŋ ɪn dɪsˈɡaɪz/.

The final -s in ‘disguise’ is voiced, so it sounds like a ‘z’ /zzzzz/.

So, we have ‘dis-guise’ /dɪs-ɡaɪz/, ‘dis-guise’ /dɪs-ɡaɪz/, ‘dis-guise’

/dɪs-ɡaɪz/.

A blessing in disguise.

/əˈblɛsɪŋ ɪn dɪsˈɡaɪz/.

Number six is lost the plot.

This expression is used to describe someone who's become confused or irrational, often

due to a stressful situation.

This is a person who's lost the ability to understand or cope with what's happening.

Today, during our daily team meeting, my boss completely lost the plot and started shouting

at the top of his voice.

Now, depending on the level of emphasis, you may or may not decide to drop the ‘t’

in both ‘lost’ and ‘plot’.

So you could say ‘lost the plot’ /lɒs ðə plɒ/,

‘lost the plot’ /lɒs ðə plɒ/

That would usually happen if you're saying it fast.

He's lost the plot.

/hiːz lɒs ðə plɒ/

Or you could say he's lost the plot.

He's lost the plot.

There I'm being more emphatic.

He has lost the plot.

I have to admit that sometimes when my kids have been stuck in the house all day, they

lose the plot, and so do I.

Next number seven on tenterhooks, on tenterhooks.

Now don't make the mistake of saying ‘tenderhooks’.

Those hooks are not tender.

It's ‘tenterhooks’.

This expression is used to describe a feeling of anxious anticipation, like when you're

waiting nervously for news or for something to potentially happen.

Like if your football team is in the World Cup final and it's down to a penalty shootout.

You will be watching on tenterhooks.

“Yes!!!”.

We are all on tenterhooks, waiting for the exam results to come out.

The only pronunciation pointer I would give here is not to lengthen the double ‘o’.

Hooks /hooks/ is not hooks /hu:ks/, but hook /hook/, hook /hook/, hooks /hooks/, hooks

on tenterhooks.

Next, we have number eight toe the line, toe the line.

This expression is used to mean obey the rules or conform to expectations.

Do what is expected of you and don't cause trouble or pushback in any way.

Toe the line.

Julia has always been a bit of a rebel, but when she joined the police force, she was

forced to toe the line and follow the company's policies.

Regarding pronunciation.

Here the ‘th’ must be pronounced fully

with the tongue between the teeth – ‘the’ /ðə/

and let's have a nice sweeping ‘əʊ’ in ‘toe’,

not two /tuː/ or /tɔ:/,

but toe /təʊ/, toe the /təʊ ðə/,

toe the /təʊ ðə/

toe the line /təʊ ðə laɪn/,

toe the line /təʊ ðə laɪn/.

Number nine, the last straw.

This expression is used to describe the final thing or issue, problem or insult, which is

just too much to bear and it causes an unwanted change.

Like imagine carrying a huge box and only just able to cope then someone places a magazine

on top.

That's tiny addition of weight is enough to make you collapse on the floor.

That magazine was the final straw.

The news of the pay cut was the last straw, he decided to quit his job.

In this phrase, let's open the mouth wide for long /ɑː/ in last /lɑːst/

last /lɑːst/

if that fast the ‘t’ in last maybe dropped

last straw /lɑːs strɔː/

last straw /lɑːs strɔː/

And the final vowel requires a big space inside the mouth or /ɔː/, or /ɔː/

straw /strɔː/

the last straw /ðə lɑːst strɔː/ the last straw /ðə lɑːst strɔː/

Now I do hope we're on the same page, which is my 10th phrase on the same page.

This expression is used to describe when two or more people have the same understanding

of a particular issue.

For example, I am committed to doing intermittent fasting and my partner is on the same page.

We've both read the same information about it and we understand its benefits.

So we are on the same page.

My aunt, however, has not read the information and she is skeptical about it.

She is not on the same page as us.

We need to make sure we're all on the same page before we commit to buying a house.

And talking about pages.

I have created a lovely PDF worksheet for this lesson, which you can download for free

by joining my free ESL mailing list.

I'll leave a link in the description below.

Number 11.

A fly in the ointment.

This expression is used to describe something which spoils a situation just as a fly would

if it blew into a freshly painted wall and stuck.

Oh a fly.

I've just painted that wall.

Daniels severe intoxication on his wedding day was the fly in the ointment the whole

day was ruined.

‘The’ here is pronounced /ðiː/ because the following sound is a vowel sound /ˈɔɪ/

ointment.

So, the ointment /ði ˈɔɪntmənt/, /ði ˈɔɪntmənt/.

And the first ‘t’ in oint-meant is often dropped.

A fly in the ointment /ə flaɪ ɪn ði ˈɔɪnmənt/,

A fly in the ointment /ə flaɪ ɪn ði ˈɔɪnmənt/

Number twelve.

To turn the tables.

This expression is used to describe a situation where the balance of power has changed, or

where there's a reversal of one's position relative to someone else.

So for example, if I am super rich, and I'm offering you a job because you're struggling

financially, but then next week, you suddenly become super rich and I lose everything.

And I asked you for a job, you could say the tables have turned.

At the start of the debate he was making me look really bad running rings around me with

his fancy words.

However, once I calmed down and started making my points, I was able to turn the tables on

him and win the overall argument.

Now the ‘ur’ /ɜː/ vowel is tricky for many students

‘ur’ /ɜː/ We ignore the letter ‘r’ so we don't say

‘turn’ /tɜːrn/, we say ‘turn’ /tɜːn/

/tɜːn/ and we make the long /ɜː/ sound

no ‘r’ turn /tɜːn/,

turn /tɜːn/.

The other thing to note here is the end of ‘table’, ‘table’, ‘tables’.

The ‘L’ here is a dark ‘L’.

Uhl-- Uhl-- Table /ˈteɪbəl/.

Table /ˈteɪbəl/.

So you want to make the sound resonate further back in your mouth so that it creates a darker

sound.

Uhl -- Table /ˈteɪbəl/.

To turn the tables.

Next, we have 13 - out of the blue.

This expression is used to describe something which happens unexpectedly.

So when you do not expect it.

For example, it could be a nice surprise to get a phone call from an old friend out of

the blue.

Oh, sorry, hang on.

My phone is.. is ringing.

Oh, its’ Sadie.

Hi, Sadie, how are you?

This is a nice surprise.

I haven't heard from you for ages.

You're calling me out of the blue what's going on?

Now with this phrase, you have a few options, we can say, out of the blue, with a week of

/əv/, /əv/, /əv/.

Out of the blue /aʊt əv ðə bluː/

or outta the blue /ˈaʊtə ðə bluː/

outta the blue /ˈaʊtə ðə bluː/

taking away the /v/ outta

not out of, outta, outta the blue /ˈaʊtə ðə bluː/.

Or we can go one step further and do a glottal ‘T’.

Out of /ˈaʊʔə/

out of the blue /ˈaʊʔə ðə bluː/, out of the blue /ˈaʊʔə ðə bluː/.

Though, I would always encourage you to work a bit harder, and keep this ‘T’ in place

out of the blue /ˈaʊtə ðə bluː/, out of the blue /ˈaʊtə ðə bluː/.

Number 14.

To hold your own.

This expression is used to describe when you're able to defend yourself or maintain your position.

So, if someone is bullying you or putting pressure on you to do something that you don't

want to do, then you will need to hold your own especially if there's no one else there

to back you up or support you.

She was the underdog but she managed to hold her own against some of the toughest opponents

in the competition.

Again, the ‘your’ /jɔː/ here can be weak /jə/.

‘your’ /jə/.

Hold your own /həʊld jər əʊn/

hold your own /həʊld jər əʊn/.

Then it starts to sound like hold your /həʊldjə/, hold your /həʊldjə/

Then we have an intruding /r/ popping in here between

/jə/ and /əʊn/

to make /rəʊn/, /rəʊn/.

So we have /həʊl djə rəʊn/,

/həʊl djə rəʊn/,

hold your own /həʊl djə rəʊn/,

hold your own /həʊl djə rəʊn/.

Number 15.

To cut to the chase.

This expression is used to mean getting to the point quickly.

We use it when we need to be direct and say what's important.

In the UK we aren't typically direct unless the situation really requires it.

Often being too direct can be considered impolite.

But there are times when you need to be direct.

If you are in charge, and have to be decisive.

If a situation is dangerous, and you have to be clear and to the point, or simply if

time is tight, and a deadline is looming.

Look, let's cut to the chase, I need you to finish the project by Friday or you're out.

In this phrase, we merge the two /t/ ‘Ts’ in ‘cut’ and ‘to.

So we hear, cut to /kʌtə/,

cut to /kʌtə/

You might be able to hear the hold or a glottal stop in cut /kʌʔ/,

cut /kʌʔ/, cut to /kʌʔ tə/,

cut to /kʌʔ tə/,

And again with the ‘CH’ never pronounce this as a soft /ʃ/.

It should be /ʧ/, /ʧ/.

Chase /tʃeɪs/,

chase /tʃeɪs/, cut to the chase /kʌt tə ðə ʧeɪs/,

cut to the chase /kʌt tə ðə ʧeɪs/.

Ah, you might also notice that the ‘to’ the vowel is weak - /tə/, /tə/.

Cut to /tə/ the chase.

Cut to the chase /kʌt tə ðə ʧeɪs/.

Cut to the chase /kʌt tə ðə ʧeɪs/.

Now, I am going to cut to the chase and ask you to support my work by clicking the like

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If you want to hang out again.

Take a moment to write down in the comments any of the phrases that were completely new

to you.

Try putting it into an example sentence as this will help you to start remembering it

for the future.

Thank you for watching.

Until next time, take care and goodbye!