to be crazy about something/someone

Example 1:

Sherman is really crazy about Star Wars. Every year, he attends the Star Wars convention dressed as Darth Vader. He collects all the action figures and toys he can find. Sherman even named his new puppy Princess Leia! I hope he can find a girls who is as crazy about Star Wars as he is!


Example 2:

I am crazy about Martin. He is so handsome, and he tells the best jokes! I can't stop thinking about him. Martin is the perfect guy for me!

Meaning:

to be crazy about something/someone is an expression that many Americans use when they are talking about something/someone that they really, really, really like.

So, if you really, really like chocolate, you can say, "I am crazy about chocolate."
If you like baseball very much, you can say, "I am crazy about baseball."

What are you crazy about?

This idiom was taken from LSI's textbook 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 Look After

Idiom: to look after (something/someone); used as a verb.

First Example: Herb was going on vacation, but he was worried about his cat, so he asked Cindy to take care of it. She agreed, and she looked after his cat while Herb was out of town.

Meaning: "to look after (something)" means to take care of something, often something that isn't yours. In this example, Cindy is taking taking care of Herb's cat while he's out of town. This idiom can apply to any situation where someone takes care of something else, but it's usually used for people and things that can't take care of themselves or are likely to get into trouble (such as an animal, a child or an elderly person). It's used in the simple past tense in this example to explain that she isn't caring for the cat anymore.

Here is another example:

Second Example: Both of Billy's parents work, and they don't get home until after 6:00pm. Billy is old enough to be alone, but his little sister, Melody, isn't, so Billy looks after Melody until his parents get home.

Meaning: In this case, Billy is looking after his little sister, who is too young to take care of herself and might get into trouble if left alone. This idiom can be used for short-term care (such as the first example, which only happened for a few days/weeks) or long-term care (such as this example, which happens every school day). In this example, it's used in the simple present tense to clarify that Billy regularly does this.

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

to throw a party

Situation #1

Tim: Hey, next Saturday is Grace's birthday..

Joe: Really? We should throw a party for her.

Tim: Good idea! Let's do it! We can have it at my place.

Joe: Perfect!

Situation #2

When I graduated from college, my parents threw a really nice party for me and my friends. My parents have a bog backyard and my dad barbequed steaks for eveyone. My parents had all kinds of food and all my friends had a great time.

Meaning of idiom: to throw a party means that someone organizes or plans a party. Someone usually comes up with the idea or is in charge of planning.

NOTE: In English you cannot say "do a party" or "make a party.." These expressions are incorrect. You must say "throw a party" or "have a party."

This idiom was taken from LSI's textbook titled Speaking Transitions. This book is used at LSI schools to teach Level 4 Speaking and Listening. For more information please visit: http://www.languagesystems.com

To work like a horse

Please read the following letter and try to guess the meaning of the idiom to work like a horse.
Dear Sheila,

How are things with you, my dear sister? I hope all is well.
I am still trying to adapt to New York’s life style. I can’t believe I’ve been here for almost six months now! I have been thinking about moving back to Los Angeles. At least there I have you, Mom and Dad, my friends, and I would be able to get my old job back.
My work schedule is crazy! I work from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. almost everyday. I know I am lucky to have such a well-paying job having just graduated from college, but I work like a horse and then go home and sleep. I don’t have the time or energy to enjoy all the money I am making… I am sorry to be so negative, but I am really upset and have no idea if I’ll be able to do this anymore.
I will write again after I make a decision.
I can’t write anymore now. I have a meeting starting in 3 minutes.

I love you,

Timothy.

What do you think to work like a horse means?

a. to work at the zoo
b. to work too much
c. to work just a little
d. to work dressed as a horse

Meaning:

To work like a horse means to work too much.

This idiom was taken from the LSI level 4 L/S book Speaking Transitions.

To Make Fun of Someone or Something

Please read the following paragraph and try to guess the idiom in bold:

Joseph has been secretly in love with his co-worker Julia for a long time. Last week Julia received an anonymous love letter. The letter was signed by “Your admirer”. She read it to everyone in the office and everyone made fun of the letter. There were a couple of sentences in the letter that everyone in the office repeated over and over again: “ You are like a cake to me. You look good, you make me happy, you make my heart beat faster, and you are sweet…”
Yesterday, Joseph sent an anonymous e-mail to the whole office saying: “Do not make fun of the person who wrote the love letter… He is in love! This is not a joke!”. He signed “ Me” and everyone replied to his e-mail: “Good job, Joseph!”. Joseph can’t understand how everyone knew he was the one who sent the e-mail and everyone in the office is now making fun of him!

What do you think the idiom means?

a. To make someone have fun
b.To laugh at and/or talk about someone or something in an unkind way
c. To write and read while baking a cake
d. To cry in a kind way

The answer is....

b. To laugh at and/or talk about someone or something in an unkind way. To ridicule someone or something.

This idiom was taken from Speaking Transitions, our level 4 Listening and Speaking LSI book!

To get ( something ) out of the way

Idiom of the day:

To get ( something ) out of the way.

Meaning: This idiom is used when a person needs to finish an unpleasant or slightly boring task first. It gives the sense of doing one thing first in order to be able to do what one truly desires.

First Example: I would love to go see a movie with you, but I need to get my homework out of the way first.

Meaning: In this sentence, the speaker wants to finish his homework first in order to be able to go see a movie with his friend.

Here is another example:

Second Example: I want to change my major to biology but before I can do that I need to get some prerequisites out of the way.

Meaning: The speaker can’t (isn’t allowed to) change his major until he completes all the required courses.

Third Example: Alan, get your toys out of my way! I can’t clean the house like this!

Meaning: “Get the toys out of my way” means “put your toys away”. In this sentence, it means to remove the toys physically, because they create an obstacle for mom to clean the house.

This idiom is found in LSI 's Reading Connections book which is used for Level 3 reading.

No problem.

No Problem

Idiom: No problem.

First Example:

Megumi: I’m sorry I can’t give you a ride home from the airport.

Shi-Young: No problem. April said she would pick me up.

Meaning: “No problem” means, “That’s okay; don’t worry about it.” It’s common to say, “No problem,” after someone apologizes.

Here is another example:

Second Example:

Shi-Young: Thanks so much for picking me up from the airport.

April: No problem. It was on my way.

Meaning: In this case, April means that giving Shi-Young a ride wasn’t a big deal. You can use “No problem,” instead of, “You’re welcome,” but it’s a little less formal.

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/