Sound More Natural in English: 11 Expressions You Should Know!

Hi there. This is Harry. Welcome back  to Advanced English Lessons with Harry,  

where I tried to help you to get a better  understanding of the English language, to

So in this particular lesson we're going to look  

at some idioms. We're going to  look at idioms about friendship.

So I'll go through them, explain them

and give you an example when you can use them.

And as always, you will try and practices  idioms later. And you ever have any difficulty,  

you come back to me and I'll  give you some more examples.

To get on like a house on fire. This always causes  a little bit of amusement because if the house is  

on fire, it doesn't sound like it's particularly  attractive and it's very dangerous, but it means  

something happens very quickly. So often when  there's a fire in the house, when it starts,  

the house burns very quickly because there's  a lot of inflammable material in the house.

Wood,

carpets, whatever it might be. So the house, when  it gets on fire goes very, very quickly. So when  

people talk about their friendship or their  relationship on that point of view, it means  

they struck up a friendship really,  really quickly. Yeah. I just met him  

a couple of weeks ago, and it seems  as if I've known him all my life.

We got on like a house on fire. You

within a few minutes, we were laughing. You

it's not often I get somebody  who laughs at my jokes,  

and he. He was laughing at them all. So  we get on like a house on fire. So, you

fact, we're going to try and get  together in a couple of weeks with our

partners and see, do they get  the same sort of vibe as we got?

Yeah. So yeah, to get on like a house  on fire means to get on very early  

in the relationship very quickly. And  it looks really, really good, really,  

really promising to get on like a house on fire.

Now, if we want something completely  different, then we can be like chalk  

and cheese. There's no similarity between  chalk and cheese. Okay, so. But people who  

are different often get along very well. Ah,  those guys. They've been friends for years,  

but they're like chalk and cheese. I  mean, look, their size is different.

He likes sport. He doesn't.

He's got a really

good job. He's just got an average  sort of job. But you know these guys,  

they that none of that matters.  They get on really, really well.

they're like chalk and cheese. You would never  put the two of them together. So when two people  

don't necessarily fit by the way they look  by their, their interests. You never know  

how they connect on an intellectual  basis or just that simple friendship.

They're like chalk and cheese,  but they get along so well.

Now, if we're talking about  negative issues as we can in

connection with relationships, particularly  friendships, sometimes we don't quite see  

eye to eye now. Eye to eye means to be at the  same level. And if you don't see eye to eye,  

you see things differently. Perhaps you don't  like the way he, he or she treated somebody.

Perhaps you don't like the way he  or she spoke to somebody. Perhaps  

you just don't like the way he or she  advised you, or told you about something,  

so you don't quite see eye to eye. You try not  to let it get in the way of your friendship.  

But sometimes it can if it's a serious  matter. Well, it could challenge and test

the strength of that

relationship or that friendship,  because we don't quite see eye to eye.

We don't quite see eye to eye  on politics. That's okay. We  

have differences of opinion. We  don't quite see eye to eye on

money matters. Well, okay. Somebody has  more interested in money than others.  

Others do. But you know, it shouldn't  affect your friendship. So we don't  

quite see or we don't see eye to eye on  many small things, but on the big things.

Yeah, we're on the same wavelength.  We're on the same page. We understand  

each other. So our friendship is  rock solid. It's on solid ground.

To be on the same wavelength. Well, this is  quite an old fashioned expression. You have  

to be on the same wavelength. Means really  to be to understand each other. Yeah, yeah,  

yeah. Look, I know where you're going with  this. We're on the same wavelength, I think.

And I feel exactly the same. Yeah,  

okay. This is what we should do. This is how  we should approach it. Yeah, yeah, I get it,  

I get you. We're on the same page. People often  say we're on the same wavelength. Means we know  

and we think. Or we are thinking the same  way, same way to be on the same wavelength.

To hit it off. Well, when two people hit it off,  

it means they get on very, very quickly in  that relationship. Yeah, we hit it off the  

first time we met, we were talking about  football. We were talking about there are  

families. We were talking about the same type of  books. Yeah, we really hit it off. I like the guy.

I think we could enjoy each other's company.

We hit it off. Or if you meet  some new business contacts and  

they seem to be very nice and open to the  conversation, you can see. Yeah. Yeah,  

it's really good. We we have really hit it off. I  think we can do good business together. In fact,  

he's a really nice guy. Is the sort of guy  you'd like to have as a friend to hit it off.

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So when we use the expression of the idiom,  

we go back a long way. It means that our  friendship goes back over many, many years,  

decades, whatever. We have a friend that we  met when we first went to school, and, you

we might not see them so regularly, but we can  pick up the mobile phone or we can send a text,  

or we can send and get in touch with  them because we go back a long way.

So you could be,

going to some reception. And when you walk in the  room, somebody comes over and greets you and says,  

oh, Harry, here, let me introduce you  to Paul. I said, Paul, we go back a long  

way. We haven't seen each other for years. So  your friend is surprised that you know Paul.  

But we can say, yeah, we know each  other really, really long time.

In fact, we went to school together. So we go back  a long way. So when you go back a long way with  

somebody, you have a connection. There's something  about that type of friendship means you can pick  

it up whenever you like. It's as if you just  had met them yesterday. So to go back a long way

To have your ups and downs. Well, when things  have ups and downs like friendships or marriages,  

relationships. It means most of the time  good, but sometimes bad. The arguments are,

we've got a good friendship. We've known  each other long time. But of course,  

like all friendships, we've had  our ups and downs. But, you know,  

we always need know when to apologize, how  to apologise, when to accept that apology.

Because that's what friendship is about. You  can't be perfect. All of the time. So we yes  

we do. We have our ups and downs.  I don't always like what he says.  

He doesn't always like what I say. I  don't like always how he reacts and  

he doesn't always like the way I react.  But you know what? We're good together.

We're good friendship. We understand each  other. Yeah. We have our ups and downs.

To know somebody inside out. Well, how well  do we know people? Usually when we've been  

living with somebody for a long time.  And whether it's a brother or a sister,  

or when we get into that situation where we're  into relationships, boyfriend, girlfriend,  

husband, wife, yeah. We have to know that person  inside out. We know that likes and their dislikes.

We know what they whether they like  surprises or they don't like surprises.  

We know how to. To break news, to them  and how not. So when to support them,  

when to leave them alone. So we know that  person inside out means everything about them,  

every way they move. Sometimes we use the  expression we know what makes them tick.

Like a clock. Tick tock, tick tock. Yeah, we know  what makes them tick. We know them inside out.

A fair-weather friend. These are the friends you  don't really want, a fair weather friend. As a  

friend who's only with you and only calls itself  a friend when the weather is good, that's the  

literal meaning. So when you have no problems  in your life and you have no difficulties,  

you are not asking for advice. So you're not  looking for advice or you're not seeking help.

Well, then you'll have plenty of fair weather  friends. The difficulty will be when you have  

a personal problem, a serious problem, and  you're hoping that your friend is there to  

give you that shoulder, to lean on, the shoulder  to cry on the helping hand. The bit of good advice  

when you're looking for that. Unfortunately,  fair weather friends are few and far between.

You can't find them anywhere. Okay, so we can all  do without fair-weather friends and look for that  

really series long term friendship. The person  that will be with you through thick and thin as

Okay, so fair-weather friends, those  that are only there during the good  

times and when the bad times come. The  difficulties then nowhere to be seen.

Through thick and thin. Well, this is  always a great test for a friendship. Yeah,  

we've been through thick and thin together.  Thick and thin. Thick means good times.  

Thin means bad times. I was there when he  needed me. She was there when I needed her.

I was there when they needed me. So  those are the tests of friendship,  

not the fair-weather friends that only  turn up when it's. The weather's good.  

But the guys that are there when you  really need them through thick and thin,  

you lost your job. Your friends were  there to support you. The thin side.

My wife had a baby and we had a great celebration.  Your friends were there to enjoy and join in the  

celebrations. The thick time. So through thick  and thin. Good and bad. Yeah. Okay, so we all  

need friends and we all would love to have  friendships like that through thick and thin.

And then finally, when you have someone's back,  

it means you're going to protect  them. You're going to support them.

You're going to be there when they need you. Don't  worry, I've got your back on this. So really,  

really good saying and lovely words to hear.  When you've got a difficult time or a problem,

You talk to your friend and no  matter what the not judgmental,  

that's the really important thing. And they're  going to tell you at the end of all of this,  

okay. It doesn't matter. You need some  help. I'm there for you. I've got your  

back. Okay? I've got your back on this  because you would do the same for me.

And that's really what friends like to.  Here, I've got your back. You date. Do the  

same for me. Don't need to thank me.  I'm there. When do you need me? When  

do you need to be collected? What do you  need to be done? You have someone's back.

Okay, so really good idioms there. Advanced  English, advanced English idioms connected with

friendship.

So practice them. Try to understand exactly  what they mean. You won't remember them all,  

but try to remember 1 or 2 or some  of them. That might really mean  

something to you, and that might  be quite poignant or relative to  

particular issues with your friendships at  the moment. So it might make it easier to,

recollect them. Easier to remember.

Okay, let me go through them one  more time to go back a long way.  

Know somebody for a very long  time to have your ups and downs.  

Things don't always work out perfectly.  To hit it off means to get on quickly,

to know somebody inside out  everything. Know how they tick,  

what makes them tick, to  be on the same wavelength.

Or sometimes we say to be on the same page, to  be like chalk and cheese were very different.  

But you know what? That's part of the beauty of  the friendship. We're like chalk and cheese to  

get on like a house on fire very quickly,  really hit it off immediately we met each  

other. Something about him that I liked  and something about me that he liked to,

get on like a house on fire, occasionally a  negative, not to see eye to eye with somebody.

So we don't agree. But everything. Maybe there  are only small things, but we don't see eye to  

eye on everything. To be with you, to be there  through thick and thin. Good times, bad times,  

bad times, good times, through thick and  thin. And then finally to have someone's  

back really to support them in their hour  of need and when they really need you.

Not just that fair-weather friend.

And for those of you and your friends  or family who want 1 to 1 lessons,  

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Okay, so idioms connect with  friendships. Try them. See? Do you  

understand them? Come back to me if you  don't. www.englishlessonviaskype.com You  

know the drill by now. I'm really, really  happy to help you and thanks for watching.  

Thanks for listening. Thanks for liking this  particular lesson and join me again soon.