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For today’s blog entry, I have another expression for you that is used a lot: “after all”. It is used when we want to give a reason for something, and the reason is very obvious or easy to understand. For example:

If our daughter wants to get married, we can’t stop her. She is a grown woman after all.

It’s the CEO’s right to sell the company if he wants to. After all, it is his company.

A: Wow, that Tim Burton movie was so weird. I didn’t expect that.

B: I don’t know why you’re so surprised. It is a Tim Burton movie after all.

We can also use “after all” to talk about the final part of a situation when the situation has changed. For example:

At first Caroline said she would come to the party, but she’s not going to come after all.

I know I said I would help you move this weekend, but I can’t do it after all. My boss just told me I have to go on a business trip on Friday.

At first, everyone in the office thought the new boss would be really strict, but he turned out to be a really nice guy after all.

In the case of the first meaning, “after all” can be place at the beginning or at the end of the sentence but , in the case of the second meaning, it is always placed at the end of the sentence.

Today I have another common expression that I almost never hear my students use. However, it’s a very useful expression: “about to”. It is used when we want to say something is going to happen in the very near future. For example:

I’m about to go home now. Is there anything you need from me before I leave?

We have to hurry! The movie is just about to start!

I was just about to order a pizza on the phone, but my roommate beat me to it.

A: Hello.

B: Hi Jim. This is Sandy.

A: Sandy! Hi! I was just about to call you.

As you can see, we often use the word “just” in front of it. Also, we can use this expression with either the present tense or the past tense. If we use it with the present tense, as in the first two examples, it means that the event will happen very soon, probably within five minutes. If we use it in the past tense, as in the last two examples, it means that the person was planning to do something very soon (probably within five minutes), but another person beat them to it. The idiom “to beat someone to it” means someone did an action before another person could do it. If you don’t remember this idiom well, please review my blog from April 2nd.

Sometimes, “about to” can mean something will happen in the future at a time which is more than a few minutes. For example:

I’m about to go on vacation to Spain! I’m so excited!

The new project is about to start! I’m really looking forward to it!

In these cases, the time period is probably between one day and one week, but it would probably not be used if the vacation or project will start at a time which is more than one week away.

Today I have another expression which many of my students misunderstand: “manage to”. This is used when talking about something we are able to do successfully, but that was not easy to do. For example:

I woke up late this morning, but I managed to get to work on time.

My team had to work overtime, but we managed to meet our deadline.

That novel was over 1000 pages, but I managed to read the whole thing in two weeks.

So in all of these examples, the person is successful, but when they say “manage to”, they are stressing the fact that it was difficult to accomplish.

We can also use this expression as a question. For example:

Do you think you can manage to write this report without making any mistakes?

In this case, the speaker is NOT being polite. It sounds like the person is angry about a previous report that contained many mistakes. I don’t recommend using this expression as a question because people won’t like you if you do. However, unfortunately, sometimes you might hear another person say this. I hope that no one speaks to you in this way though.

I have another very common expression that we use in English today: “to do with”. This expression is used to talk about something that is connected to someone or something else. For example:

Why did you suddenly start talking about cars? That has nothing to do with what we’re discussing.

I’m not in the marketing department, but my job has a lot to do with marketing.

I don’t have anything to do with the ABC project, so maybe you should talk to someone else.

A: I’d like to talk to you about Bill’s idea about improving the office.

B: Why? What has his idea got to do with me?

In English, we can say “have to do with” or “have got to do with” (as in the last example). Both “have” and “have got” mean the same thing, but “have got” is more commonly used in conversation while “have” is used in both conversation and writing.

If you have trouble remembering this expression, just think about the old Tina Turner song, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”.  🙂

I have another useful expression for you today: “no wonder”. It is used when we want to express the idea that something is not surprising considering the circumstances. For example:

A: I’m so hungry right now. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.

B: Well, no wonder you’re hungry!

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A: My sister is really upset right now. She just found out that she has cancer.

B: No wonder she’s upset! I hope she’ll be ok.

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A: My friend is a great piano player. He’s been studying the piano since he was five years old.

B: Well, no wonder he can play so well.

As you can see from these examples, “no wonder” is usually used as a response to someone else’s statement that gives them more information about the circumstances. This is a very commonly used expression in English, so I hope you’ll be able to use it.

Today I have another useful expression for you: “so be it”.  It is usually used with the word “if” and is used to indicate that there’s nothing we can do about a certain situation, so we won’t worry about it. For example:

If Jerry doesn’t want to come with us to the party, so be it.

I don’t want my roommate to move out, but if she wants to leave, then so be it.

If Gloria wants to quit her job as my secretary, so be it. I can find someone else to replace her.

A: Peter wants to become an actor!

B: Well, so be it. There’s nothing we can do to stop him.

We can use the word “then” with “so be it” as in the second example, but it’s not necessary. Either way is fine.

Today, I’d like to write about a very common expression we use in English: “can’t wait”. It is used when talking about things that will happen in the future that we are very excited about. It means that we are really looking forward to a particular event in the future. For example:

I can’t wait to see the new Johnny Depp movie! It’s supposed to be really good!

I can’t wait to go to Paris on my vacation! I’ve just booked my flight. I’m so excited!

My sister is almost finished her degree. She can’t wait until she finally graduates.

I can’t wait until this day is over! It has been such a bad day!

The last two examples indicate a strong desire for something to be over because the present situation is negative. Even in these cases, we use this expression because the person is excited and looking forward to the future, which they think will be positive.

Today, in one of my lessons, I had to teach an expression that we often use in natural English but which I’ve never seen taught in any textbook: “when it comes to”.  This has the general meaning of  “about”, but it’s not exactly the same thing. It is more complex than “about”. It basically means “about this aspect of life”. I know this is difficult to understand, but I think reading some examples will make it clearer. For example:

I’m very hard-working when it comes to my job, but I’m very lazy when it comes to housework.

My brother didn’t get good grades in school but, when it comes to cars, he’s a genius. He knows everything about them.

My mother isn’t a very confident person except when it comes to cooking. She’s very confident about that.

When it comes to food, I think sushi is the best.

As I mentioned before, this is a very useful expression but I’ve never heard any of my students use it. If you want to use it properly, I recommend the technique I talked about in my first blog entry – memorize the example sentences and then change the small details in order to create a new sentence. Good luck!  🙂

Today, I’d like to write about “supposed to” which is often misunderstood. Basically, it means to be expected, but it can be used in different situations:

1. used when talking about previously arranged plans. For example:

I’m supposed to meet my friend at the station at 9:00 pm.

I’m sorry, but I can’t have dinner with you tonight. My friends and I are supposed to see a movie together.

2. used when talking about duties at home or at work. For example:

I’m supposed to help my mother cook dinner tonight.

I’m supposed to have a meeting with my boss at 3:00 pm.

Aren’t you supposed to be writing your report now? (This means the person is not writing the report but they should be).

3. used to relate information that someone told you. For example:

Mr. Taylor is supposed to be back at 3:30. (This means I was told he would be back at 3:30).

This machine is supposed to cook meat in less than five minutes. (This means I was told it would cook meat in less than five minutes).

4. used to talk about things you have heard about but not experienced directly

We should go to the new Thai restaurant downtown. It’s supposed to be fantastic!

I really want to go to the jazz club to hear Sarah Browning. She’s supposed to be an amazing singer!

5. used to talk about rules which are not always followed. For example:

We’re supposed to get to work by 9:00 a.m. every morning.

I’m not supposed to eat or drink at my desk, but sometimes I do.

6. used, in the past tense, to indicate things that were expected but did not happen. For example:

My friend was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago, but he’s still not here.

That movie was supposed to be great, but it wasn’t.

That test wasn’t supposed to be so difficult, but it was.

Today, I’d like to explain another short expression that we often use in English: “in case”. We also can say “just in case” in some situations. We use this expression when we are talking about doing something as a preparation for a possible negative future situation. For example:

I brought my umbrella today in case it rains.

I brought a sandwich for you in case you were hungry.

I brought two pens with me to class in case one of them runs out of ink.

You should take your credit card with you on your trip in case you spend all your cash.

As you can see, we often use the words “bring” or “take” in these sentences. In these sentences the person brings something with them (the umbrella, the sandwich, the extra pen, the credit card) in order to prepare for a negative thing that COULD happen (it rains, the friend is hungry, the first pens runs out of ink, the person spends all their cash). It is important to note that the negative event is only a POSSIBILITY, and the person realizes that it might not happen.

We can also use “just in case” with these sentences, but the structure will change a little. For example:

It might rain today, so I brought an umbrella just in case.

I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you a sandwich just in case.

My first pen might run out of ink, so I brought a second one just in case.

You might spend all your cash on your trip, so you should take your credit card just in case.

We can also use “in case” or “just in case” when talking about preparing for a situation which is not negative but is unlikely or unexpected. For example:

I know the cherry blossoms probably aren’t going to be in bloom today, but I brought my camera in case they were.

I know the cherry blossoms probably aren’t going to be in bloom today, but I brought my camera just in case.

I hope this is clear to everyone. These expressions can be difficult to use so, as I’ve said before, please study the full sentences and memorize them, so you will be able to use them in conversation.