Comprensión auditiva con Received Pronunciation

Bend the rules

Bend the rules means to relax or ignore a rule in a particular situation. The speaker presents the exception as small, but others may see it as unfair.

Born or Borne: Choosing the Right Form

Breathing down my neck

Breathe down someone's neck means to watch someone closely in a stressful way, or to approach quickly as an urgent deadline.

Burn phrasal verbs: clear everyday usage

Compare burn down, burn out, burn through, burn off, and burn up. Learn how each phrase changes the meaning of burn.

By the book

Following set rules, laws, or standard steps strictly without taking shortcuts.

Capitalism Meaning: Talking About Economic Systems

Capricious Meaning: Unpredictable Changes

Caveat Meaning: One Condition to Remember

Come out of your shell

Come out of your shell means to become less shy and more willing to talk with other people.

Compound Conjunctions: How to Link Ideas

Corner the market

One company sells nearly every reusable bottle in a city, and competing shops struggle to attract buyers. How can you describe the company's position?

Correlative conjunctions: rules and examples

Crossed wires

You arrive for a meeting on Tuesday, but your colleague expects you on Thursday. Neither person meant to cause a problem. How can you describe what happened?

Cut to the chase

Cut to the chase means to stop wasting time on minor details and talk directly about the most important subject.

Cynical Meaning: How to Use It

Debauchery Meaning: Register and Careful Use

Despicable Meaning: Strong Moral Judgment

Dichotomy Meaning: Two Opposing Sides

Dictionary Updates: How Words Enter

Didactic Meaning: When Teaching Sounds Preachy

Distributive Adjectives: Choose Each and Every

Each, Either, Neither: Choose the Right Word

Easier said than done

Someone tells you to stop worrying before an important interview. The advice is sensible, but following it feels much harder than giving it. How can you respond?

Educational Goals Essay: Planning Your Main Steps