to mingle

Example 1:

Jason: I really want to make many friends while I'm here in the USA. Do you have any advice for me, Shelby?

Shelby: Well, I think you should try to mingle with your classmates as much as possible. Don't be shy. Introduce yourself to as many people as you can. You can meet many people this way!

Jason: Thanks! I'm going to a party tomorrow night. I will try it!


Example 2:

I took my girlfriend to my company's holiday party last weekend. As soon as we arrived, she started introducing herself to all of my co-workers. She mingled with everyone all night! I didn't see her again until we were ready to go home.

Meaning:

to mingle verb
it means to mix socially with other people when at a party or other social occasion. This verb implies that the person who is mingling is moving from one person to another to meet and/or chat for a brief period. A person who mingles does not stay in one place with one specific person/group for very long.


This idiom was taken from LSI's text book titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Speaking and Listening in our Level 5 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

to put up with

Example #1:

Joe: I love living in Southern California!
Gina: Yeah, me too! But sometimes it's hard to put up with the traffic.
Joe: I know what you mean. When I'm stuck in traffic I listen to my favorite music. That helps me a lot.

Idiom: to put up with (something). This idiom is used as a verb phrase and it means to endure or to bear something unpleasant, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.

Example #2:

Kathy: So, how do you like your new apartment?
Debbie: The apartment is nice, but my new neighbors are crazy! Last night they had a party until 3am. The music was so loud I couldn't get to sleep. I'm not sure if I'll be able to put up with them if they do that every weekend!

Idiom: to put up with (someone). Here the object is a person. This idiom means to endure or to bear with someone who is really bothering you or making you feel annoyed.

This idiom is from LSI's textbook "Speaking Transitions." We use this book to teach Level 4 Speaking and Listening. For more information please visit
http:/www.languagesystems.com

Dead serious

Context #1:
Kelly: I have some very big news!
Joe: Really?
Kelly: Yeah... I'm engaged!!!!
Joe: You're joking. I don't believe it.
Kelly: No, I'm dead serious. My boyfriend proposed to me last night. Look at my ring!
Joe: Wow! Congratulations!

Context #2:
When Tom told me that he got fired, I didn't really believe him. I was waiting for him to say he was just joking. Then he told me that he was dead serious. I feel really bad for him.

Meaning: to be dead serious is an idiom that is very common in American English. It means that you are not joking or kidding. It means that you are very serious and what you are saying is really true.

This idiom was taken from LSI's text book titled Speaking Savvy. This book is used to teach Speaking and Listening in our Level 5 class. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com/

To Cost an Arm and a Leg

To Cost an Arm and a Leg

Example Dialogues:


Joanna: How much did you pay for you car?
John: It was $12,000.

Michelle: How much was dinner?
Maria: It was $24.00

Lia: How much was the hospital bill?
Eric: It cost an arm and a leg!
Lia: What? Are you ok? An arm and a leg? What do you mean?
Eric: Haha, don’t worry, Lia! My arms and legs are safe! When we say something cost an arm and a leg, it means something was very very expensive! It’s an idiom!
Lia: Oh…ok. You scared me! So… how much was it?
Eric: I was in the hospital for three days and it cost me $150,000
Lia: Wow, that really did cost an arm and a leg! Sorry to hear that, but I am happy that you are not sick anymore!
Eric: Thanks, Lia…

Hideka: Ligia, that is a really nice purse! It looks very expensive!
Ligia: Well… Thank you! Guess how much I paid for it.
Hideka: I don’t know, but I am sure it cost an arm and a leg! It looks really expensive!
Ligia: The original price was $400.00, but I bought it at ROSS for only $80.00!
Hideka: Wow! That was a great deal!


Meaning: To cost an arm and a leg means to be extremely expensive.
Watch this video to see an example of how to use the idiom to cost an arm and a leg:
www.howcast.com/videos/3100-How-To-Live-on-Practically-Nothing

These idioms are from LSI's book Speaking Savvy, which is used in the level 5 listening and speaking classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

The history of the idioms “in the black” and “in the red”

Idioms: "in the black" and "in the red"; used as adjectives

Usually when accountants (people who work managing money) write down the amount of money they have available, they use a black pen to write the amount if they have enough money and a red pen to write the amount if they don’t have enough money or owe that amount. Some accounting computer programs also use black and red to indicate that. Read the following dialogue and see if you can guess the meaning of “in the black” and “in the red”:

Example Dialogue
Regina: Hey, Mark! Do you want to go to Disneyland with us next weekend?
Mark: I would love to go, Regina, but I am in the red ! I have to save money. Maybe next time… Thank you!
Regina: Well, I have good news! My sister sent me a $500.00 check for my 21st birthday! I am in the black now and I would be happy to pay for your ticket!
Mark: But, Regina… I have no idea when I’ll be in the black again to pay you back!
Regina: Please don’t worry about it, Mark… You are my best friend! I like you very much… I really, really like you… a lot!
Mark: Wow, thank you. I’ll accept your offer if you let me take you out on a date when I am not in the red anymore. What do you think?
Regina: YES! YES! Sure…

Meaning: As you probably noticed, being “in the black” means having enough money, and being “in the red” means not having enough money or owing money.

These idioms are from LSI's book Speaking Savvy, which is used in the level 5 listening and speaking classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

to be into

to be into (something/ someone)

Idiom: to be into; used as a verb

First Example: Eun Hye is into surfing.

Meaning: to be into means to enjoy something a lot. In this example, Eun Hye likes to surf. We often use "be into (something)" to talk about our likes and dislikes.

Here is another example:

Second Example: Brian has been dating his girlfriend for a year. I think he’s really into her.

Meaning: In this case, the meaning of "be into" is slightly different. Here, it means that Brian really likes his girlfriend, and he is serious about the relationship. You can use "be into" to talk about a person you would like to date, or a girlfriend or boyfriend. (Note: We usually don’t use this expression to talk about friendship, only about romantic feelings.)

This idiom is from LSI's book "Speaking Transitions," which is used in the Level 4 listening and speaking classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/

to chip in

to chip in

Idiom: to chip in; used as a verb

First Example: Everyone chipped in five dollars to buy a birthday present for Yoko.

Meaning: to chip means to help pay for or do something. In this example, several people gave money to buy a birthday gift for Yoko. Sometimes we chip in money so that we can afford to buy one nice gift, instead of many inexpensive gifts. In a sentence, chip in is sometimes followed by the specific amount of money everyone pays.

Here is another example:

Second Example: All of Lisa’s coworkers chipped in to give her a wedding shower.

Meaning: In this case, Lisa’s coworkers all gave some money to have a party for her before her wedding. In American workplaces, we often chip in for gifts or parties for co-workers.

This idiom is from LSI's book "Reading Transitions," which is used in the Level 4 reading classes. For more information, please visit http://www.languagesystems.com/