Would rather
I’d rather + (verb) This structure is used to suggest that you would like to do one thing more than another. In informal speech I would is pronounced as I’d. You can learn more about...
Author: Manjusha Nambiar
I can’t help doing
I can’t help + (verb-ing) If you say that you can’t help doing something, you mean that you can’t stop yourself from doing it. To refer to the past tense, use ‘couldn’t help’. I...
It depends | English phrases
Read the piece of conversation given below. First speaker: What do you do? Second speaker: I am a salesman. First speaker: Where do you work? Second speaker: I work at a marketing company in...
Call it a day | English idioms
To call it a day is to quit work and go home. This is an expression used to say that a day’s work has been completed. Read the piece of conversation given below. Let’s call...
Be up to neck in something | English idioms
When you are up to neck in something, you are very busy. Read the piece of conversation given below. I’m up to my neck in work Storyline: Aditi has been working at her desk...
Cut it close | English idioms
To cut it close is to barely manage a deadline. This expression can also be used to talk about working under a tight schedule. Read the sample conversation given below. I’ve got a pretty...
Reported speech worksheet for class 9
Read the dialogue given below and complete the paragraph. Soumya: Nice to meet you. Where have you been all these days? Kirthi: I went to Pune to attend a seminar on environmental pollution. Soumya:...
Dealing with the traffic cop | English speaking lessons
The first thing you should typically do when a traffic cop signals you to stop is to acknowledge the command promptly. Signal that you are going to stop and do so as soon as...
Expressing wishes in English
The phrase I wish I had… is the most common structure used to talk about our wishes. Here are some common wishes people have. I wish I had more money. I wish I had...
Call on the red carpet, haul over the coals | English idioms
To call someone down is to berate, scold or reprimand them. The manager called down the employee for missing the deadline. English has several idioms with the same meaning. Take to task To take...