B2 group // Vocabulary

knock someone’s confidence

Pronunciation:

/ˌnɒk ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈkɒnfɪdəns/

Definition:

To make someone feel less confident about themselves or their abilities.

Synonyms:

undermine someone’s confidence — подорвать чью-либо уверенность
shake someone’s confidence — поколебать чью-либо уверенность
make someone doubt themselves — заставить кого-либо сомневаться в себе

Knock someone’s confidence is conversational and often describes the emotional effect of criticism, rejection, or failure. Undermine suggests a more gradual or serious weakening; shake often refers to a particular event.

Context gap:

1. Constant criticism can ________ ________ ________.

2. That rejection really ________ ________ ________.

3. Don’t let one bad lesson ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. Failing the interview knocked her confidence for a while.

2. His comments really knocked my confidence.

3. One negative review shouldn’t knock your confidence.

Collocations:

really knock someone’s confidence
seriously knock someone’s confidence
knock someone’s confidence badly
knock someone’s confidence at work
knock someone’s confidence for a while

Translation:

knock someone’s confidence — пошатнуть уверенность / подорвать уверенность в себе

Important note:

Especially common in British English. Knock someone’s confidence is more idiomatic than knock someone’s self-confidence.

work gets in the way

Pronunciation:

/ˈwɜːk ɡets ɪn ðə ˈweɪ/

Definition:

Used when work prevents you from doing something else you want or need to do.

Synonyms:

work interferes with something — работа мешает чему-либо
work prevents someone from doing something — работа не позволяет кому-либо что-либо сделать
work takes priority — работа выходит на первый план

Get in the way is conversational and focuses on something preventing another thing from happening. Interfere with is more neutral or formal. Take priority means that work is treated as more important rather than literally preventing something.

Context gap:

1. I’d see my friends more often if ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

2. Sometimes ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ of spending time together.

3. I try not to let ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. I’d love to travel more, but work gets in the way.

2. Their relationship suffered because work kept getting in the way.

3. I try not to let work get in the way of my personal life.

Collocations:

get in the way of something
let work get in the way
work keeps getting in the way
get in the way of a relationship
get in the way of your personal life

Translation:

work gets in the way — работа мешает / работа не даёт заняться чем-либо

Important note:

The productive pattern is get in the way of + noun / -ing: Work gets in the way of seeing my friends.

look for the wrong values in someone

Pronunciation:

/ˈlʊk fə ðə rɒŋ ˈvæljuːz ɪn ˈsʌmwʌn/

Definition:

To prioritize qualities or principles in a person that are not actually right or suitable for you.

Synonyms:

value the wrong qualities in someone — ценить в человеке не те качества
look for the wrong things in someone — искать в человеке не то
prioritize the wrong qualities — ставить не те качества на первое место

Values specifically refers to principles and beliefs, whereas qualities and things can refer more broadly to personality, appearance, status, or behaviour.

Context gap:

1. I used to ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ people I dated.

2. We sometimes ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ a potential partner.

3. She realised she had been ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ men.

Examples:

1. For years, she looked for the wrong values in potential partners.

2. I think I was looking for the wrong values in people when I was younger.

3. He realised he had been looking for the wrong values in a partner.

Collocations:

look for certain values in someone
share the same values
have similar values
value certain qualities
look for the wrong qualities

Translation:

look for the wrong values in someone — искать в человеке не те ценности / ценить не те качества

Important note:

The supplied expression is understandable, but look for the wrong qualities/things in someone is generally more idiomatic unless you specifically mean principles or beliefs.

get on like a house on fire

Pronunciation:

/ɡet ˈɒn laɪk ə ˌhaʊs ɒn ˈfaɪə/

Definition:

To immediately have a very friendly and lively relationship with someone.

Synonyms:

hit it off — сразу найти общий язык
get on really well — прекрасно ладить
click with someone — сразу почувствовать взаимопонимание

Get on like a house on fire is vivid and informal. Hit it off particularly emphasizes an immediate connection, while click with someone suggests natural chemistry or an instinctive connection.

Context gap:

1. We ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ from the moment we met.

2. I think you two would ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. Surprisingly, our parents ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. Emma and my sister got on like a house on fire.

2. We met at university and got on like a house on fire.

3. I introduced them at dinner, and they got on like a house on fire.

Collocations:

immediately get on like a house on fire
really get on like a house on fire
seem to get on like a house on fire
get on well with someone
get on well together

Translation:

get on like a house on fire — отлично поладить / сразу найти общий язык

Important note:

This expression is especially common in British English. Hit it off is a more internationally common alternative.

be like passing ships / like ships that pass in the night

Pronunciation:

/biː laɪk ˌpɑːsɪŋ ˈʃɪps/ /laɪk ˌʃɪps ðət ˌpɑːs ɪn ðə ˈnaɪt/

Definition:

To see very little of each other because your schedules or lives rarely overlap.

Synonyms:

hardly see each other — почти не видеться
keep missing each other — постоянно разминаться
have conflicting schedules — иметь несовпадающие графики

The ship metaphor is more vivid and figurative. Keep missing each other is natural conversational English, while have conflicting schedules specifically explains why two people rarely meet.

Context gap:

1. With our different schedules, we’re ________ ________ ________.

2. For months, we were ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. We lived together but became ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. When we both worked shifts, we were like passing ships.

2. For months, we were like ships that pass in the night.

3. We became like passing ships once she started working evenings.

Collocations:

be like passing ships
feel like passing ships
become like passing ships
work opposite shifts
hardly see each other

Translation:

be like passing ships — постоянно разминаться / почти не пересекаться

Important note:

The established expression is ships that pass in the night. Passing ships is a common shortened version.

at times

Pronunciation:

/ət ˈtaɪmz/

Definition:

Sometimes, but not all the time.

Synonyms:

sometimes — иногда
occasionally — время от времени
from time to time — время от времени

At times can sound slightly more reflective than sometimes and is particularly natural when talking about difficulties, feelings, or contrasting experiences.

Context gap:

1. The job can be exhausting ________ ________.

2. I find him difficult to read ________ ________.

3. We all feel insecure ________ ________.

Examples:

1. Living abroad can feel lonely at times.

2. The course was challenging at times, but I learned a lot.

3. She comes across as slightly guarded at times.

Collocations:

difficult at times
challenging at times
frustrating at times
feel lonely at times
seem distant at times

Translation:

at times — временами / порой

light up someone’s world

Pronunciation:

/ˌlaɪt ʌp ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈwɜːld/

Definition:

To make someone extremely happy or bring a lot of joy and meaning into their life.

Synonyms:

brighten someone’s life — сделать чью-либо жизнь ярче
bring someone joy — приносить кому-либо радость
make someone incredibly happy — сделать кого-либо невероятно счастливым

Light up someone’s world is more emotional and expressive than brighten someone’s life or bring someone joy. It is particularly common when talking affectionately about partners, children, or other important people.

Context gap:

1. I want to find someone who can ________ ________ ________ ________.

2. You can tell that his daughter really ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. They seem to ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. His children absolutely light up his world.

2. She came into my life and lit up my world.

3. I want to be with someone who lights up my world.

Collocations:

really light up someone’s world
completely light up someone’s world
light up each other’s worlds
light up someone’s life
someone who lights up your world

Translation:

light up someone’s world — озарить чью-либо жизнь / сделать чью-либо жизнь счастливее

be on the cards

Pronunciation:

/biː ɒn ðə ˈkɑːdz/

Definition:

To be likely or possible to happen in the future.

Synonyms:

be likely — быть вероятным
be a possibility — быть возможным
be in prospect — ожидаться / быть вполне возможным

Be on the cards is informal and conversational. Be likely is neutral and much more flexible, while be in prospect is more formal and less common in everyday speech.

Context gap:

1. Another promotion could ________ ________ ________ ________.

2. Do you think marriage is ________ ________ ________ ________?

3. A move abroad might ________ ________ ________ ________ next year.

Examples:

1. A career change is definitely on the cards for me.

2. Another series of the show could be on the cards.

3. Marriage isn’t on the cards for them at the moment.

Collocations:

definitely be on the cards
still be on the cards
possibly be on the cards
marriage be on the cards
a move be on the cards

Translation:

be on the cards — быть вполне вероятным / намечаться

Important note:

This is primarily British English. In American English, be in the cards is more common.

come across something

Pronunciation:

/ˌkʌm əˈkrɒs ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To find or encounter something by chance, without deliberately looking for it.

Synonyms:

stumble across something — случайно наткнуться на что-либо
run across something — случайно встретить / обнаружить что-либо
happen upon something — случайно наткнуться на что-либо

Come across is the most neutral and widely useful. Stumble across emphasizes the accidental nature of the discovery. Happen upon is slightly more literary, while run across is especially common in American English.

Context gap:

1. I ________ ________ an interesting article while researching the topic.

2. Have you ever ________ ________ anything like this online?

3. I ________ ________ an old photo while clearing out my room.

Examples:

1. I came across her profile completely by accident.

2. We came across a tiny café while exploring the neighbourhood.

3. If you come across any useful resources, send them to me.

Collocations:

come across an article
come across a photo
come across some information
come across an old friend
come across something by chance

Translation:

come across something — случайно наткнуться на что-либо / случайно обнаружить что-либо

Important note:

Don’t confuse come across something with come across as + adjective/noun. The latter means “to give a particular impression”: He comes across as confident.

down-to-earth

Pronunciation:

/ˌdaʊn.tuˈɜːθ/

Definition:

Practical, realistic, and easy to relate to, without acting as if you are more important than other people.

Synonyms:

grounded — здравомыслящий / не оторванный от реальности
unpretentious — непритязательный / без претенциозности
level-headed — рассудительный / здравомыслящий

Down-to-earth combines practicality with an approachable, unpretentious personality. Grounded often emphasizes emotional stability, unpretentious focuses on a lack of pretension, and level-headed means calm and sensible when making decisions.

Context gap:

1. Despite being incredibly successful, she’s surprisingly --________.

2. I’d like to meet someone who’s ambitious but still --________.

3. He came across as friendly and --________.

Examples:

1. She’s successful, confident, and incredibly down-to-earth.

2. I expected him to be arrogant, but he was actually very down-to-earth.

3. One thing I really like about her is how down-to-earth she is.

Collocations:

very down-to-earth
really down-to-earth
surprisingly down-to-earth
a down-to-earth person
a down-to-earth attitude

Translation:

down-to-earth — приземлённый / простой, практичный и без пафоса

guarded

Pronunciation:

/ˈɡɑːdɪd/

Definition:

Careful not to reveal too much about your feelings, thoughts, or personal life.

Synonyms:

reserved — сдержанный / замкнутый
cautious — осторожный
closed-off — эмоционально закрытый

Guarded suggests deliberately protecting yourself and not revealing too much. Reserved can simply be a personality trait, while closed-off is stronger and often suggests emotional unavailability. Cautious is broader and is not limited to emotions.

Context gap:

1. She seemed quite ________ when I asked about her previous relationship.

2. He’s understandably ________ after what happened with his ex.

3. At first, she was friendly but slightly ________.

Examples:

1. He tends to be guarded when talking about his private life.

2. She was initially quite guarded, but gradually opened up.

3. His answers were polite but noticeably guarded.

Collocations:

be quite guarded
seem guarded
remain guarded
a guarded response
guarded about something

Translation:

guarded — сдержанный / осторожный и не склонный раскрываться

Important note:

For personality, guarded does not simply mean shy. A guarded person may be confident and sociable but deliberately avoid revealing their feelings or personal information.

easy-going

Pronunciation:

/ˌiːziˈɡəʊɪŋ/

Definition:

Relaxed, tolerant, and not easily annoyed, worried, or upset.

Synonyms:

laid-back — расслабленный / спокойный
relaxed — спокойный / непринуждённый
good-natured — добродушный

Easy-going describes someone who is relaxed and flexible with other people. Laid-back is more informal and emphasizes a relaxed attitude. Good-natured focuses more on kindness and friendliness.

Context gap:

1. I need someone - who doesn’t turn every little problem into an argument.

2. Everyone likes working with her because she’s so -.

3. He seems pretty - about the whole situation.

Examples:

1. She’s incredibly easy-going and gets along with almost everyone.

2. I’m quite organised, so an easy-going partner balances me out.

3. He has a very easy-going personality and rarely gets stressed.

Collocations:

an easy-going person
an easy-going personality
an easy-going attitude
seem easy-going
fairly easy-going

Translation:

easy-going — лёгкий в общении / спокойный, покладистый

good-natured

Pronunciation:

/ˌɡʊdˈneɪtʃəd/

Definition:

Naturally kind, friendly, and not easily annoyed or offended.

Synonyms:

kind-hearted — добросердечный
warm-hearted — сердечный / душевный
amiable — дружелюбный / приятный в общении

Good-natured often suggests both kindness and an ability to remain pleasant when other people might become annoyed. Kind-hearted emphasizes kindness, warm-hearted emotional warmth, and amiable is slightly more formal.

Context gap:

1. He’s incredibly - and rarely gets annoyed with anyone.

2. Her - personality makes people feel comfortable around her.

3. Even when people tease him, he remains -.

Examples:

1. He’s such a good-natured guy that it’s difficult not to like him.

2. Their teasing was completely good-natured.

3. She comes across as warm, funny, and good-natured.

Collocations:

a good-natured person
a good-natured smile
good-natured humour
good-natured teasing
remain good-natured

Translation:

good-natured — добродушный / дружелюбный и незлобивый

self-assured

Pronunciation:

/ˌself əˈʃʊəd/

Definition:

Confident in yourself and your abilities, especially in a calm and natural way.

Synonyms:

confident — уверенный в себе
self-confident — уверенный в собственных силах
poised — уверенный и собранный

Self-assured often suggests calm, natural confidence rather than confidence that needs to be demonstrated. Confident is broader and more neutral. Poised additionally suggests composure and controlled behaviour.

Context gap:

1. She sounded calm and - during the interview.

2. He’s become much more - since starting the new job.

3. I was impressed by how - she seemed.

Examples:

1. She comes across as self-assured without being arrogant.

2. He was remarkably self-assured for someone giving his first presentation.

3. Her calm, self-assured manner immediately put everyone at ease.

Collocations:

seem self-assured
appear self-assured
become more self-assured
a self-assured manner
calm and self-assured

Translation:

self-assured — уверенный в себе / уверенный в собственных силах

composed

Pronunciation:

/kəmˈpəʊzd/

Definition:

Calm and in control of your emotions, especially in a difficult or stressful situation.

Synonyms:

calm — спокойный
collected — собранный / владеющий собой
poised — спокойный и уверенный в себе

Composed emphasizes emotional control, particularly under pressure. Calm is broader and more neutral. Collected is especially common in calm and collected, while poised also suggests confidence and graceful self-control.

Context gap:

1. She remained ________ even when the conversation became uncomfortable.

2. I don’t know how he manages to look so ________ under pressure.

3. She seemed calm and ________ throughout the interview.

Examples:

1. Despite being nervous, she remained completely composed.

2. He looked surprisingly composed after hearing the news.

3. She’s very good at staying composed in stressful situations.

Collocations:

remain composed
stay composed
look composed
calm and composed
perfectly composed

Translation:

composed — спокойный и собранный / владеющий собой

articulate

Pronunciation:

/ɑːˈtɪkjələt/

Definition:

Able to express thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively.

Synonyms:

eloquent — красноречивый
well-spoken — хорошо и грамотно говорящий
expressive — выразительный

Articulate focuses on expressing ideas clearly and logically. Eloquent is stronger and often suggests particularly persuasive or beautiful language. Well-spoken focuses on speaking style, while expressive is broader and can refer to emotions as well as words.

Context gap:

1. She’s incredibly ________ and explains complex ideas very clearly.

2. He came across as intelligent and ________ during the interview.

3. I wish I were more ________ when speaking under pressure.

Examples:

1. She’s an articulate speaker who can make complicated topics accessible.

2. He was thoughtful and surprisingly articulate for someone so nervous.

3. You don’t need sophisticated vocabulary to sound articulate.

Collocations:

highly articulate
an articulate speaker
an articulate person
intelligent and articulate
confident and articulate

Translation:

articulate — умеющий ясно выражать свои мысли / красноречивый

driven

Pronunciation:

/ˈdrɪvən/

Definition:

Extremely motivated and determined to achieve something or succeed.

Synonyms:

ambitious — амбициозный
determined — решительный / настроенный добиться своего
highly motivated — очень мотивированный

Driven suggests a strong internal need to achieve and can sometimes imply that a person pushes themselves very hard. Ambitious focuses on wanting success, while determined emphasizes not giving up.

Context gap:

1. She’s incredibly ________ and always sets herself challenging goals.

2. You have to be quite ________ to build a business from scratch.

3. He’s talented, but what really sets him apart is how ________ he is.

Examples:

1. She’s extremely driven and knows exactly what she wants from her career.

2. I’ve always been quite driven when it comes to work.

3. He’s a driven entrepreneur who rarely switches off.

Collocations:

highly driven
extremely driven
a driven person
a driven professional
ambitious and driven

Translation:

driven — целеустремлённый / чрезвычайно мотивированный

Important note:

Driven is usually positive, but depending on context it can imply excessive ambition or difficulty switching off.

focused

Pronunciation:

/ˈfəʊkəst/

Definition:

Giving your full attention and effort to a particular task or goal.

Synonyms:

concentrated — сосредоточенный
determined — целеустремлённый / решительный
goal-oriented — ориентированный на достижение целей

Focused describes attention directed towards a particular task or goal. Concentrated usually refers more specifically to mental attention, determined emphasizes persistence, and goal-oriented describes a broader approach to achieving results.

Context gap:

1. She’s very ________ when she has a clear goal in mind.

2. I find it difficult to stay ________ when I’m tired.

3. He remained completely ________ despite all the distractions.

Examples:

1. She’s incredibly focused and rarely gets distracted from her goals.

2. I’m much more focused when I work in the morning.

3. He stayed focused on what he wanted to achieve.

Collocations:

stay focused
remain focused
highly focused
focused on something
focused on achieving something

Translation:

focused — сосредоточенный / нацеленный на что-либо

Important note:

Use focused on + noun / -ing: She’s focused on building her career.

open-minded

Pronunciation:

/ˌəʊpənˈmaɪndɪd/

Definition:

Willing to consider new or different ideas, opinions, experiences, or ways of doing things.

Synonyms:

receptive — восприимчивый / открытый к идеям
broad-minded — широких взглядов
open to new ideas — открытый к новым идеям

Open-minded is the most useful general term. Receptive usually needs a complement such as receptive to feedback, while broad-minded often refers to tolerance of different lifestyles, beliefs, or behaviour.

Context gap:

1. I’d like to meet someone who’s curious and -.

2. Try to stay - until you’ve heard both sides.

3. Travelling has definitely made me more -.

Examples:

1. She’s very open-minded about different ways of living.

2. You need to be open-minded if you want to learn from other people.

3. I consider myself fairly open-minded, but I still have strong opinions.

Collocations:

be open-minded about something
remain open-minded
fairly open-minded
an open-minded person
an open-minded attitude

Translation:

open-minded — непредвзятый / открытый к новым идеям и взглядам

hard to read

Pronunciation:

/ˌhɑːd tə ˈriːd/

Definition:

Difficult to understand emotionally because someone does not clearly show what they think or feel.

Synonyms:

difficult to read — трудно понять
hard to figure out — сложно понять / разгадать
difficult to gauge — сложно оценить / понять реакцию

Hard to read is very natural when someone’s feelings, intentions, or reactions are unclear. Hard to figure out is broader and can refer to someone’s personality or behaviour. Difficult to gauge is slightly more formal and often refers to reactions or opinions.

Context gap:

1. I can’t tell whether he likes me or not — he’s really ________ ________ ________.

2. Her expression was completely ________ ________ ________.

3. He can be quite ________ ________ ________ when you first meet him.

Examples:

1. She’s hard to read, so I never know what she’s really thinking.

2. I thought the date went well, but he was quite hard to read.

3. His reaction was hard to read because he barely said anything.

Collocations:

really hard to read
quite hard to read
someone is hard to read
an expression that is hard to read
find someone hard to read

Translation:

hard to read — трудно понять / сложно понять чувства или намерения человека

raring to go

Pronunciation:

/ˌreərɪŋ tə ˈɡəʊ/

Definition:

Very enthusiastic, energetic, and eager to start doing something.

Synonyms:

eager to get started — очень хотеть начать
ready to go — быть готовым начать
full of enthusiasm — быть полным энтузиазма

Raring to go is energetic and informal. Eager to get started emphasizes enthusiasm, while ready to go can simply mean prepared and does not necessarily imply excitement.

Context gap:

1. After a week off, I’m ________ ________ ________.

2. Everyone was ________ ________ ________ before the project even officially started.

3. She arrived early and looked absolutely ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. After my holiday, I came back raring to go.

2. The new team is raring to go and full of ideas.

3. By eight in the morning, the kids were already raring to go.

Collocations:

be raring to go
come back raring to go
feel raring to go
absolutely raring to go
all raring to go

Translation:

raring to go — не терпится начать / быть полным энергии и энтузиазма

Important note:

The fixed expression is raring to go, not rearing to go, although the latter is sometimes heard by analogy with a horse rearing.

fill someone in on something

Pronunciation:

/ˌfɪl ˈsʌmwʌn ɪn ɒn ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To give someone the information or details they need about something that has happened.

Synonyms:

bring someone up to speed — ввести кого-либо в курс дела
update someone on something — сообщить кому-либо последние новости
brief someone on something — проинформировать / провести инструктаж

Fill someone in is informal and conversational. Bring someone up to speed emphasizes helping someone catch up, update focuses on new developments, and brief is more formal and common in professional contexts.

Context gap:

1. Can you ________ ________ ________ ________ what happened while I was away?

2. I’ll ________ ________ ________ ________ all the wedding drama later.

3. Someone needs to ________ her ________ ________ the latest changes.

Examples:

1. I missed the meeting, so can you fill me in on what happened?

2. She filled us in on all the details over lunch.

3. I’ll fill you in on the situation when I see you.

Collocations:

fill me in on something
fill someone in on the details
fill someone in on what happened
quickly fill someone in
let someone fill you in

Translation:

fill someone in on something — ввести кого-либо в курс дела / рассказать кому-либо подробности

Important note:

The usual pattern is fill + person + in on + topic: Fill me in on what happened

hopeful

23. hopeful

Phrase:

hopeful — полный надежды / надеющийся на хороший исход

Pronunciation:

/ˈhəʊpfəl/

Definition:

Feeling positive and believing that something you want is likely to happen.

Synonyms:

optimistic — оптимистично настроенный
positive — позитивно настроенный
confident — уверенный в хорошем результате

Hopeful usually relates to a specific desired outcome. Optimistic can describe a more general attitude to life or the future. Confident expresses stronger certainty that something will happen.

Context gap:

1. I’m ________ that things will work out eventually.

2. Despite everything that happened, she still feels ________ about the future.

3. We’re ________ that we’ll hear some good news soon.

Examples:

1. I’m hopeful that the situation will improve.

2. She sounded surprisingly hopeful about finding someone new.

3. After their conversation, he felt much more hopeful about the relationship.

Collocations:

feel hopeful
remain hopeful
be hopeful about something
be hopeful that...
cautiously hopeful

Translation:

hopeful — полный надежды / надеющийся на хороший исход

Important note:

Common patterns are hopeful about + noun and hopeful that + clause: I’m hopeful about the future. / I’m hopeful that things will improve.

ride or die

Pronunciation:

/ˌraɪd ɔː ˈdaɪ/

Definition:

A person who is extremely loyal and will support you no matter what happens.

Synonyms:

loyal friend — преданный друг
someone who has your back — человек, который всегда тебя поддержит
someone who sticks by you — человек, который остаётся рядом несмотря ни на что

Ride or die is slang and much more expressive than loyal friend. Have someone’s back emphasizes active support, while stick by someone means remaining loyal during difficult times.

Context gap:

1. She’s been my ________ ________ ________ since university.

2. Everyone needs a ________ ________ ________ who’ll be there when things go wrong.

3. He describes his best friend as his ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. She’s my ride or die — I can call her at any time.

2. We’ve been ride or die since we were teenagers.

3. I don’t need a huge circle of friends; I just need one ride or die.

Collocations:

my ride or die
a ride-or-die friend
a ride-or-die partner
your ride or die
be someone’s ride or die

Translation:

ride or die — преданный друг / человек, который всегда будет рядом

Important note:

This is informal slang. When it comes before a noun, it is normally hyphenated: a ride-or-die friend.

have something in common

Pronunciation:

/ˌhæv ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɪn ˈkɒmən/

Definition:

To share the same interests, experiences, characteristics, or opinions with another person.

Synonyms:

share common interests — иметь общие интересы
have similar interests — иметь схожие интересы
share the same values — разделять одни и те же ценности

Have something in common is broader than the alternatives: the shared thing could be an interest, experience, personality trait, opinion, or background.

Context gap:

1. We realised we ________ ________ ________ ________ within minutes of meeting.

2. It’s easier to connect when you ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. At first, I didn’t think we ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. We have a lot in common, despite being very different on the surface.

2. They quickly discovered that they had something in common.

3. You don’t necessarily need to have much in common to get on well.

Collocations:

have a lot in common
have something in common with someone
have nothing in common
have very little in common
have more in common than you think

Translation:

have something in common — иметь что-то общее / иметь общие интересы или черты

the ick

Pronunciation:

/ðiː ˈɪk/

Definition:

A sudden feeling of dislike or loss of attraction towards someone, often caused by a small behaviour or habit.

Synonyms:

a turn-off — то, что отталкивает
lose attraction to someone — потерять влечение к кому-либо
be put off by someone — почувствовать отторжение из-за кого-либо

The ick specifically describes the feeling of suddenly becoming unattracted to someone. A turn-off is the behaviour or quality that causes the loss of attraction. Be put off is broader and does not have to be romantic.

Context gap:

1. I got ________ ________ when he started talking to the waiter like that.

2. Once you get ________ ________, it can be difficult to find someone attractive again.

3. What’s something completely irrational that gives you ________ ________?

Examples:

1. I immediately got the ick when he started bragging about money.

2. Sometimes the ick is triggered by something ridiculously small.

3. She said his constant baby talk gave her the ick.

Collocations:

get the ick
give someone the ick
have the ick
get the ick from someone
a major ick

Translation:

the ick — внезапное отвращение / резкая потеря влечения к человеку

Important note:

The ick is the more established expression for the feeling itself. An ick is also used informally, especially for a specific behaviour that someone finds unattractive: One of my icks is people chewing loudly.

make a lifelong commitment

Pronunciation:

/ˌmeɪk ə ˌlaɪflɒŋ kəˈmɪtmənt/

Definition:

To make a serious promise or decision that is intended to last for the rest of your life.

Synonyms:

commit for life — связать себя обязательством на всю жизнь
make a long-term commitment — взять на себя долгосрочное обязательство
commit to someone for life — посвятить себя отношениям с человеком на всю жизнь

Lifelong commitment explicitly suggests something intended to last your entire life. Long-term commitment is less absolute, while commit to someone for life is specifically about a relationship.

Context gap:

1. Marriage means ________ ________ ________ ________ to another person.

2. Before you ________ ________ ________ ________, you need to be sure it’s what you really want.

3. She wasn’t ready to ________ ________ ________ ________ at twenty-two.

Examples:

1. Getting married means making a lifelong commitment to another person.

2. He wanted to be certain before making a lifelong commitment.

3. Not everyone sees marriage as making a lifelong commitment.

Collocations:

make a lifelong commitment to someone
be ready for a lifelong commitment
a serious lifelong commitment
marriage as a lifelong commitment
enter into a lifelong commitment

Translation:

make a lifelong commitment — взять на себя обязательство на всю жизнь / связать себя на всю жизнь

take someone out of the picture

Pronunciation:

/ˌteɪk ˈsʌmwʌn aʊt əv ðə ˈpɪktʃə/

Definition:

To remove someone from a situation so that they are no longer involved or relevant.

Synonyms:

remove someone from the situation — убрать кого-либо из ситуации
cut someone out — исключить кого-либо
eliminate someone from consideration — исключить кого-либо из числа возможных вариантов

Take someone out of the picture is figurative and conversational. Cut someone out often suggests deliberately ending contact or excluding someone from your life. Eliminate someone from consideration is more formal and applies particularly to choices or candidates.

Context gap:

1. Once her ex was ________ ________ ________ ________ ________, their relationship became much easier.

2. Someone clearly wanted to ________ him ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. If you ________ ________ ________ ________ ________, the whole situation changes.

Examples:

1. Things became less complicated once his ex was out of the picture.

2. She was trying to take her rival out of the picture.

3. If you take money out of the picture, would you still choose the same career?

Collocations:

take someone out of the picture
be out of the picture
remove someone from the picture
once someone is out of the picture
take money out of the picture

Translation:

take someone out of the picture — устранить кого-либо из ситуации / исключить кого-либо

Important note:

The related expression be out of the picture is extremely common and means “no longer be involved”: Her ex is completely out of the picture now.

put a ring on it

Pronunciation:

/ˌpʊt ə ˈrɪŋ ɒn ɪt/

Definition:

To propose marriage or make a romantic relationship official through engagement or marriage.

Synonyms:

propose to someone — сделать кому-либо предложение
get engaged — обручиться
make it official — официально закрепить отношения

Put a ring on it is playful and informal. Propose to someone is the neutral expression for asking someone to marry you. Get engaged describes the resulting relationship status, while make it official is broader and does not necessarily mean marriage.

Context gap:

1. They’ve been together for eight years — when is he going to ________ ________ ________ ________ ________?

2. If you know she’s the one, maybe it’s time to ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. Everyone keeps asking when he’ll finally ________ ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. They’d been dating for years before he finally put a ring on it.

2. Her friends keep joking that he needs to put a ring on it.

3. He knew he wanted to put a ring on it, but he was waiting for the right moment.

Collocations:

finally put a ring on it
ready to put a ring on it
time to put a ring on it
decide to put a ring on it
want to put a ring on it

Translation:

put a ring on it — сделать предложение / жениться

Important note:

Informal and often humorous or playful. It can sound clichéd or deliberately cheeky, so propose to someone is preferable in neutral contexts.

at face value

Pronunciation:

/ət ˌfeɪs ˈvæljuː/

Definition:

Based only on what something appears to mean or be, without questioning whether there is more behind it.

Synonyms:

without questioning it — не подвергая сомнению
at first glance — на первый взгляд
on the surface — на поверхности / внешне

At face value is particularly common when talking about accepting information, statements, or appearances as true. At first glance refers to an initial impression, while on the surface contrasts what is visible with what may be hidden underneath.

Context gap:

1. I wouldn’t take everything he says ________ ________ ________.

2. If you take the story ________ ________ ________, it seems completely believable.

3. Social media posts shouldn’t always be accepted ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. I made the mistake of taking his explanation at face value.

2. The claim sounds convincing at face value, but the evidence is weak.

3. She tends to accept what people tell her at face value.

Collocations:

take something at face value
accept something at face value
judge something at face value
appear convincing at face value
seem reasonable at face value

Translation:

at face value — за чистую монету / не вдаваясь в скрытый смысл

Important note:

The most useful chunk to learn is take something at face value: Don’t take everything you see online at face value.

walk down the aisle

Pronunciation:

/ˌwɔːk daʊn ði ˈaɪl/

Definition:

To get married, especially when referring to the traditional moment of walking towards your partner during a wedding ceremony.

Synonyms:

get married — пожениться / выйти замуж
tie the knot — связать себя узами брака
get hitched — пожениться

Walk down the aisle creates a vivid image of the wedding ceremony itself. Get married is neutral and universal. Tie the knot is informal and idiomatic, while get hitched is even more casual and playful.

Context gap:

1. She always imagined ________ ________ ________ ________ in a simple white dress.

2. They dated for ten years before finally ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. Are you actually ready to ________ ________ ________ ________?

Examples:

1. They’re planning to walk down the aisle next summer.

2. She never imagined she would walk down the aisle before turning thirty.

3. He had serious doubts just weeks before they were due to walk down the aisle.

Collocations:

finally walk down the aisle
be ready to walk down the aisle
prepare to walk down the aisle
about to walk down the aisle
before walking down the aisle

Translation:

walk down the aisle — идти к алтарю / вступить в брак

Important note:

The expression can refer literally to walking down the aisle during the ceremony or figuratively to getting married.

voice note

Pronunciation:

/ˈvɔɪs nəʊt/

Definition:

A recorded spoken message sent to someone through a messaging app.

Synonyms:

voice message — голосовое сообщение
audio message — аудиосообщение
voice recording — голосовая запись

Voice note is especially common in British English and in the context of messaging apps. Voice message is more general and widely used. Voice recording refers to any recorded speech and does not necessarily mean a message sent to someone.

Context gap:

1. I’ll send you a ________ ________ because it’s too complicated to type.

2. She sent me a ten-minute ________ ________ explaining everything.

3. I listened to your ________ ________ on the way home.

Examples:

1. Can I send you a voice note instead of typing all of this?

2. I woke up to three voice notes from my best friend.

3. She explained the whole situation in a five-minute voice note.

Collocations:

send a voice note
record a voice note
listen to a voice note
a long voice note
reply with a voice note

Translation:

voice note — голосовое сообщение / аудиосообщение

haunted house

Pronunciation:

/ˌhɔːntɪd ˈhaʊs/

Definition:

A house believed to be inhabited by ghosts or supernatural spirits.

Synonyms:

ghost house — дом с привидениями
haunted building — здание с привидениями
spooky house — жуткий / пугающий дом

Haunted house specifically suggests that ghosts or spirits are believed to be present. Spooky house only means that a house feels frightening or eerie; it does not necessarily imply anything supernatural. Haunted building is broader and can refer to any type of building.

Context gap:

1. Would you spend a night alone in a ________ ________?

2. They turned the abandoned mansion into a ________ ________ for Halloween.

3. Apparently, the hotel used to be a ________ ________.

Examples:

1. As a child, I was terrified of haunted houses.

2. They claim the old building is a haunted house, but I’m not convinced.

3. We went through a haunted house at the Halloween festival.

Collocations:

a supposedly haunted house
an abandoned haunted house
spend the night in a haunted house
visit a haunted house
a haunted house attraction

Translation:

haunted house — дом с привидениями / дом, населённый призраками

Important note:

Haunted house can mean either a real house believed to contain ghosts or an entertainment attraction designed to frighten visitors.

roller coaster

Pronunciation:

/ˈrəʊlə ˌkəʊstə/

Definition:

A situation or experience involving frequent and sudden changes between positive and negative emotions or circumstances.

Synonyms:

emotional roller coaster — эмоциональные качели
ups and downs — взлёты и падения
emotional whirlwind — эмоциональный вихрь / буря эмоций

When used figuratively, roller coaster emphasizes dramatic changes. Ups and downs is more neutral and can describe ordinary difficulties and successes. Emotional whirlwind suggests intense, often confusing emotions rather than repeated highs and lows.

Context gap:

1. The last few months have been a complete ________ ________.

2. Their relationship has been an emotional ________ ________ from the start.

3. Starting a new business can feel like a ________ ________.

Examples:

1. The entire experience was an emotional roller coaster.

2. Their relationship has been a roller coaster of break-ups and reconciliations.

3. The past year has been a real roller coaster for the whole family.

Collocations:

an emotional roller coaster
a real roller coaster
a complete roller coaster
a roller coaster of emotions
a roller-coaster relationship

Translation:

roller coaster — американские горки / эмоциональные качели

Important note:

When used before another noun, it is often hyphenated: a roller-coaster relationship, a roller-coaster year.

people-pleasing / people-pleaser

Pronunciation:

/ˈpiːpəl ˌpliːzɪŋ/ /ˈpiːpəl ˌpliːzə/

Definition:

People-pleasing is the habit of prioritizing other people’s approval, needs, or feelings, often at the expense of your own. A people-pleaser is someone who regularly behaves this way.

Synonyms:

approval-seeking — стремление получить одобрение
try to please everyone — стараться всем угодить
seek validation from others — искать подтверждения своей ценности у других

People-pleasing often involves difficulty saying no or setting boundaries. Approval-seeking focuses specifically on wanting other people’s approval, while seeking validation is broader and relates to needing external reassurance or recognition.

Context gap:

1. I didn’t realise how much - was affecting my relationships.

2. She describes herself as a recovering -.

3. Constant - can leave you feeling exhausted and resentful.

Examples:

1. I’m trying to stop people-pleasing and become better at setting boundaries.

2. As a lifelong people-pleaser, she finds it difficult to say no.

3. People-pleasing can sometimes look like kindness, but the motivation may be completely different.

Collocations:

people-pleasing behaviour
people-pleasing tendencies
a chronic people-pleaser
a recovering people-pleaser
stop people-pleasing

Translation:

people-pleasing — стремление всем угодить / привычка ставить чужое одобрение выше своих потребностей
people-pleaser — человек, который старается всем угодить

a surge of

Pronunciation:

/ə ˈsɜːdʒ əv/

Definition:

A sudden and noticeable increase in a feeling, activity, quantity, or level of something.

Synonyms:

a rush of — внезапный прилив
a wave of — волна чего-либо
a spike in — резкий скачок чего-либо

A surge of suggests a sudden, powerful increase and works with emotions as well as activity or demand. A rush of is especially natural with physical or emotional sensations. A wave of emphasizes something spreading or washing over someone, while a spike in is commonly used for measurable quantities.

Context gap:

1. I felt ________ ________ ________ relief when I heard the news.

2. The video led to ________ ________ ________ interest in the product.

3. She suddenly experienced ________ ________ ________ confidence.

Examples:

1. She felt a surge of excitement when she saw his name on her phone.

2. The announcement triggered a surge of interest in the course.

3. I experienced a surge of relief when I realised everything was fine.

Collocations:

a surge of excitement
a surge of confidence
a surge of relief
a surge of emotion
a surge of interest

Translation:

a surge of — внезапный всплеск / резкий прилив чего-либо

Important note:

With measurable nouns, English often uses a surge in: a surge in demand / prices / applications. With emotions and similar nouns, a surge of is more natural: a surge of excitement.

squander

Pronunciation:

/ˈskwɒndə/

Definition:

To waste something valuable, such as money, time, talent, or an opportunity, through careless or foolish use.

Synonyms:

waste — тратить впустую
throw away — упустить / выбросить на ветер
fritter away — растрачивать понемногу впустую

Squander is stronger than waste and often implies that something genuinely valuable has been lost through poor choices. Throw away is informal and especially natural with opportunities. Fritter away suggests gradually wasting resources on unimportant things.

Context gap:

1. Don’t ________ the opportunity just because you’re afraid of failing.

2. He ________ most of the money within a few years.

3. She felt she had ________ years worrying about what other people thought.

Examples:

1. He squandered a brilliant opportunity by failing to prepare.

2. I don’t want to squander my time on a relationship that isn’t going anywhere.

3. She had enormous potential but squandered much of it through poor decisions.

Collocations:

squander an opportunity
squander a chance
squander money
squander your talent
squander your potential

Translation:

squander — растратить впустую / бездарно упустить

Important note:

Squander is normally used for something considered valuable, so it carries more criticism than neutral spend or even waste.

to your own detriment

Definition:

In a way that causes harm, disadvantage, or negative consequences for yourself.

Synonyms:

at your own expense — за свой счёт / в ущерб себе
to your own disadvantage — в ущерб собственным интересам
at a cost to yourself — ценой собственного благополучия

To your own detriment is relatively formal and emphasizes negative consequences. At your own expense can mean either personal disadvantage or literally paying for something, depending on context. At a cost to yourself is more explanatory and conversational.

Context gap:

1. She constantly prioritises other people’s needs ________ ________ ________ ________.

2. Don’t keep saying yes ________ ________ ________ ________.

3. He worked constantly, often ________ ________ ________ ________.

Examples:

1. She tends to help everyone else to her own detriment.

2. He pursued success to his own detriment, ignoring his personal relationships.

3. People-pleasers often avoid conflict to their own detriment.

Collocations:

to your own detriment
to someone’s detriment
often to your own detriment
sometimes to your own detriment
do something to your own detriment

Translation:

to your own detriment — себе во вред / в ущерб собственным интересам

Important note:

The possessive changes with the subject: to my detriment, to her detriment, to their detriment. Own adds emphasis but is not always necessary.

overachiever

Pronunciation:

/ˌəʊvərəˈtʃiːvə/

Definition:

Someone who consistently tries to achieve more than is expected, often setting themselves very high standards.

Synonyms:

high achiever — человек с высокими достижениями
high performer — человек, показывающий высокие результаты
perfectionist — перфекционист

Overachiever emphasizes exceeding expectations and can carry a slightly critical or humorous connotation. High achiever is generally positive and neutral. High performer is particularly common in work or education. A perfectionistfocuses on doing things perfectly rather than necessarily achieving more than others.

Context gap:

1. I’ve always been an ________, even when nobody expected that much from me.

2. As a typical ________, she finds it difficult to feel satisfied with what she’s achieved.

3. Being an ________ can be exhausting when you never allow yourself to slow down.

Examples:

1. She’s a classic overachiever who turns every small goal into a major project.

2. I was such an overachiever at school that anything below the highest grade felt like failure.

3. He describes himself as an overachiever, but he’s learning to put less pressure on himself.

Collocations:

a classic overachiever
a chronic overachiever
a typical overachiever
a high-achieving overachiever
a self-confessed overachiever

Translation:

overachiever — человек, стремящийся превзойти ожидания / человек, который постоянно требует от себя большего

Important note:

Unlike high achiever, overachiever can imply that someone pushes themselves unnecessarily hard or feels pressure to constantly exceed expectations.

spark joy

Pronunciation:

/ˌspɑːk ˈdʒɔɪ/

Definition:

To cause a feeling of happiness, pleasure, or delight.

Synonyms:

bring joy — приносить радость
give someone pleasure — доставлять удовольствие
make someone happy — делать кого-либо счастливым

Spark joy suggests triggering an immediate positive emotional response. Bring joy is broader and can describe something that makes someone happy over a longer period. Make someone happy is the most neutral and general.

Context gap:

1. I’m trying to spend more time doing things that ________ ________.

2. If something no longer ________ ________, do you really need to keep it?

3. Small everyday rituals can ________ ________ when life feels overwhelming.

Examples:

1. Teaching still sparks joy for me, even on difficult days.

2. I’m trying to fill my home with things that genuinely spark joy.

3. Sometimes the smallest things spark joy — a good coffee, a message from a friend, or a sunny morning.

Collocations:

genuinely spark joy
still spark joy
no longer spark joy
something that sparks joy
find things that spark joy

Translation:

spark joy — вызывать радость / приносить искреннее удовольствие

Important note:

The phrase became strongly associated with Marie Kondo’s decluttering method, but it is now also used more broadly and often playfully about anything that makes someone happy.

come off as

Pronunciation:

/ˌkʌm ˈɒf æz/

Definition:

To give other people a particular impression, especially through the way you speak or behave.

Synonyms:

come across as — производить впечатление / казаться
seem — казаться
give the impression of being — создавать впечатление, что ты какой-либо

Come off as and come across as are very close in meaning. Come off as can sometimes sound slightly more critical, especially with negative adjectives. Seem is broader and more neutral, while give the impression of being is more explicit and slightly more formal.

Context gap:

1. I hope I didn’t ________ ________ ________ rude when I said that.

2. She sometimes ________ ________ ________ overly confident, but she’s actually quite shy.

3. Trying too hard to sound impressive can ________ ________ ________ arrogant.

Examples:

1. He came off as slightly defensive during the conversation.

2. I don’t want to come off as desperate, so I’m not going to message him again tonight.

3. She’s very direct, which can sometimes come off as rude.

Collocations:

come off as rude
come off as arrogant
come off as confident
come off as desperate
come off as defensive

Translation:

come off as — производить впечатление / казаться каким-либо

Important note:

The usual pattern is come off as + adjective/noun: He came off as arrogant. Come across as is often more neutral and is especially common in British English.

perceived obligation

Pronunciation:

/pəˌsiːvd ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃən/

Definition:

A responsibility or duty that someone believes they have, whether or not they are actually required to do it.

Synonyms:

sense of obligation — чувство долга / обязанности
felt obligation — ощущаемая обязанность
perceived duty — воспринимаемый долг

Perceived obligation emphasizes that the obligation exists in someone’s perception and may not be objectively required. Sense of obligation is more natural in everyday English. Felt obligation is used particularly in academic or formal contexts, while perceived duty places slightly more emphasis on moral responsibility.

Context gap:

1. She stayed in the relationship partly because of a ________ ________ to support him.

2. A ________ ________ to keep everyone happy can make it difficult to set boundaries.

3. Some people agree to things because of a ________ ________, not because they genuinely want to.

Examples:

1. Her decision seemed to come from a perceived obligation rather than genuine enthusiasm.

2. A perceived obligation to please everyone can become emotionally exhausting.

3. He realised that much of the pressure came from his own perceived obligation to succeed.

Collocations:

a perceived obligation to do something
a strong perceived obligation
a sense of perceived obligation
act out of perceived obligation
feel a perceived obligation

Translation:

perceived obligation — ощущаемая обязанность / воспринимаемое чувство долга

Important note:

This is a relatively formal and abstract expression. In everyday conversation, a sense of obligation or feel like you have to do something will often sound more natural.

afford someone the time/opportunity/freedom to do something

Pronunciation:

/əˈfɔːd ˈsʌmwʌn ðə ˈtaɪm ˌɒpəˈtʃuːnəti ˈfriːdəm tə duː ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To provide someone with the time, opportunity, freedom, or conditions necessary to do something.

Synonyms:

give someone the opportunity to do something — дать кому-либо возможность что-либо сделать
allow someone the freedom to do something — предоставить кому-либо свободу что-либо делать
provide someone with the time to do something — предоставить кому-либо время что-либо сделать

Afford someone something is more formal than give or allow and is particularly useful in professional, academic, and sophisticated written English. Here, afford means provide, not “have enough money for.”

Context gap:

1. Working remotely ________ me ________ ________ ________ ________ spend more time with my family.

2. The course ________ students ________ ________ ________ ________ explore topics in greater depth.

3. A flexible schedule ________ employees ________ ________ ________ ________ organise their day around other commitments.

Examples:

1. Freelancing affords me the freedom to work from almost anywhere.

2. The programme affords students the opportunity to gain practical experience.

3. Having fewer meetings affords us the time to focus on more important tasks.

Collocations:

afford someone the opportunity to do something
afford someone the chance to do something
afford someone the freedom to do something
afford someone the time to do something
afford someone greater flexibility

Translation:

afford someone the time/opportunity/freedom to do something — предоставить кому-либо время / возможность / свободу что-либо сделать

Important note:

This is a formal use of afford meaning provide or make possible. Compare: I can’t afford a new car = у меня недостаточно денег; The job affords me the freedom to travel = работа предоставляет мне свободу путешествовать.

judge someone/something by something

Pronunciation:

/ˈdʒʌdʒ ˈsʌmwʌn ˈsʌmθɪŋ baɪ ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To form an opinion about someone or something based on a particular sign, characteristic, or piece of evidence.

Synonyms:

form an opinion based on — составлять мнение на основании чего-либо
assess based on — оценивать на основании чего-либо
go by — ориентироваться на / судить по

Judge by is especially natural when talking about the information or characteristics you use to form an opinion. Assess based on is more formal and analytical, while go by is more conversational and can mean using something as a guide.

Context gap:

1. You shouldn’t ________ someone ________ their appearance.

2. It’s easy to ________ a relationship ________ what you see on social media.

3. Don’t ________ the whole experience ________ one bad day.

Examples:

1. I try not to judge people by the way they dress.

2. You can’t judge someone by their first reaction alone.

3. People often judge a relationship by how happy a couple looks online.

Collocations:

judge someone by their appearance
judge someone by their actions
judge someone by their behaviour
judge something by its results
judge something by appearances

Translation:

judge someone/something by something — судить о ком-либо / чём-либо по чему-либо

Important note:

By introduces the evidence, sign, or characteristic that your opinion is based on:

Don’t judge her by her appearance.

judge someone/something on something

Pronunciation:

/ˈdʒʌdʒ ˈsʌmwʌn ˈsʌmθɪŋ ɒn ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To evaluate someone or something according to a particular criterion, quality, or standard.

Synonyms:

evaluate based on — оценивать на основании чего-либо
assess according to — оценивать в соответствии с определённым критерием
rate based on — оценивать по определённому параметру

Judge on is particularly common when there are explicit criteria for evaluation. Evaluate and assess are more formal, while rate often suggests giving a score or ranking.

Context gap:

1. Candidates should be ________ ________ their skills and experience.

2. The projects will be ________ ________ originality, creativity, and impact.

3. I’d rather be ________ ________ the quality of my work than the number of hours I spend in the office.

Examples:

1. Employees are judged on their performance throughout the year.

2. The contestants will be judged on creativity and technical ability.

3. I want my work to be judged on its quality rather than its popularity.

Collocations:

be judged on performance
be judged on merit
be judged on results
be judged on quality
be judged on ability

Translation:

judge someone/something on something — оценивать кого-либо / что-либо по определённому критерию

Important note:

On is especially natural when there is a clear criterion of evaluation:

Applicants will be judged on their experience and qualifications.

judge something from something

Pronunciation:

/ˈdʒʌdʒ ˈsʌmθɪŋ frəm ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To form an opinion or reach a conclusion about something using particular information or evidence.

Synonyms:

infer from — делать вывод из
conclude from — заключать на основании
tell from — определять / понимать по чему-либо

Judge from focuses on drawing a conclusion from available evidence. Infer from is more formal and analytical. Tell from is very common in everyday English, especially when noticing or identifying something from a particular clue.

Context gap:

1. It’s difficult to ________ someone’s personality ________ one short conversation.

2. You can’t really ________ the quality ________ these photos alone.

3. I wouldn’t ________ their relationship ________ what they post online.

Examples:

1. It’s hard to judge someone’s personality from a first impression.

2. You can’t judge the entire situation from one person’s version of events.

3. I wouldn’t judge the quality of the course from a single lesson.

Collocations:

judge from experience
judge from appearances
judge from the evidence
judge from someone’s reaction
judge from the information available

Translation:

judge something from something — судить о чём-либо на основании чего-либо / делать вывод из чего-либо

Important note:

Judge from is possible, but in many everyday contexts judge by is more idiomatic when referring to a visible sign or characteristic:

judge someone by their appearance — судить о человеке по внешности

Judge from works particularly well when the second element is treated as a source of information or evidence:

It’s difficult to judge the situation from these photos alone.

Compare:

judge by = судить по признаку
judge on = оценивать по критерию
judge from = делать вывод на основании источника информации / имеющихся данных

call off the wedding

Pronunciation:

/ˌkɔːl ɒf ðə ˈwedɪŋ/

Definition:

To cancel a planned wedding so that it will not take place.

Synonyms:

cancel the wedding — отменить свадьбу
break off the engagement — разорвать помолвку
end the engagement — прекратить помолвку

Call off the wedding focuses on cancelling the wedding itself. Break off/end the engagement focuses on ending the couple’s engagement and normally implies the relationship will not proceed to marriage. Cancel the wedding is neutral and slightly less idiomatic than call off the wedding in conversational English.

Context gap:

1. She was seriously considering whether to ____ ____ ____ ____ just weeks before the ceremony.

2. They decided to ____ ____ ____ ____ after another huge argument.

3. Everyone was shocked when the couple suddenly ____ ____ ____ ____.

Examples:

1. He called off the wedding after realizing he wasn’t ready to get married.

2. Would you call off the wedding if you discovered your partner had been lying to you?

3. They nearly called off the wedding over disagreements about their future.

Collocations:

decide to call off the wedding
threaten to call off the wedding
nearly call off the wedding
suddenly call off the wedding
call off the wedding at the last minute

Translation:

call off the wedding — отменить свадьбу / отказаться от свадьбы

Important note:

Call off is a common phrasal verb meaning cancel: call off a meeting / strike / search / wedding. With a pronoun, it is separable: call it off, not call off it.

hold a grudge against smth

Pronunciation:

/ˌhəʊld ə ˈɡrʌdʒ əˌɡenst ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To continue feeling angry or resentful because of something that happened in the past.

Synonyms:

resent something — обижаться на что-либо / испытывать негодование из-за чего-либо
bear a grudge — таить обиду
harbour resentment — таить обиду / затаённое негодование

Bear a grudge is very close to hold a grudge. Resent is more general and does not necessarily suggest that the feeling has lasted for a long time. Harbour resentment is more formal and emphasizes keeping negative feelings over time.

Context gap:

1. I don’t ____ ____ ____ ____ what happened years ago.

2. She still seems to ____ ____ ____ ____ the way she was treated.

3. There’s no point ____ ____ ____ ____ one stupid mistake.

Examples:

1. He tends to hold a grudge against anyone who criticizes him publicly.

2. I’m surprised she still holds a grudge against him for cancelling the trip.

3. You can disagree with someone without holding a grudge against them.

Collocations:

hold a grudge against someone
hold a grudge over something
hold a grudge for years
still hold a grudge
tend to hold grudges

Translation:

hold a grudge — таить обиду / держать зло

Important note:

The most natural pattern is hold a grudge against someone, not normally against something. For the reason, use over/about something or for doing something: She holds a grudge against him for leaving. Also common: hold grudges.

develop feelings for someone

Pronunciation:

/dɪˌveləp ˈfiːlɪŋz fə ˌsʌmwʌn/

Definition:

To gradually begin to have romantic feelings for someone.

Synonyms:

fall for someone — влюбиться / запасть на кого-либо
become attracted to someone — начать испытывать влечение к кому-либо
start to like someone — начать испытывать симпатию к кому-либо

Develop feelings for someone usually suggests a gradual emotional change and is often deliberately vague about how serious the feelings are. Fall for someone is more informal and usually stronger. Become attracted to someone can focus more on attraction than emotional attachment.

Context gap:

1. I never expected to ____ ____ ____ ____ my best friend.

2. Things became complicated when she started to ____ ____ ____ ____ her colleague.

3. What would you do if you ____ ____ ____ ____ someone who was already in a relationship?

Examples:

1. They agreed to keep things casual, but he eventually developed feelings for her.

2. It’s easy to develop feelings for someone when you spend that much time together.

3. She realized she had developed feelings for him long before he noticed.

Collocations:

start to develop feelings for someone
slowly develop feelings for someone
unexpectedly develop feelings for someone
develop strong feelings for someone
realize you’ve developed feelings for someone

Translation:

develop feelings for someone — начать испытывать чувства к кому-либо / проникнуться романтическими чувствами к кому-либо

Important note:

In relationship contexts, feelings without an adjective often implies romantic feelings: I think I’m developing feelings for him.

stir up drama

Pronunciation:

/ˌstɜːr ʌp ˈdrɑːmə/

Definition:

To cause or intensify unnecessary conflict, tension, or emotional trouble.

Synonyms:

cause drama — создавать драму / конфликты
create tension — создавать напряжение
stir up trouble — провоцировать неприятности / конфликты

Stir up drama is informal and often suggests deliberately or unnecessarily making a situation more emotionally charged. Create tension is more neutral. Stir up trouble is broader and can refer to problems that are not emotional or interpersonal.

Context gap:

1. She loves to ____ ____ ____ whenever the group is finally getting along.

2. Posting that screenshot will only ____ ____ ____.

3. I’m not trying to ____ ____ ____; I just think we need to discuss what happened.

Examples:

1. Reality shows often encourage contestants to stir up drama.

2. He accused her of stirring up drama by bringing the issue into the group chat.

3. I’d rather deal with the problem privately than stir up unnecessary drama.

Collocations:

deliberately stir up drama
constantly stir up drama
stir up unnecessary drama
try to stir up drama
stir up drama online

Translation:

stir up drama — провоцировать драму / раздувать конфликт

Important note:

Informal and particularly common when talking about relationships, social groups, reality TV and social media. Stir upoften has a negative meaning: stir up trouble / resentment / controversy / conflict.

have second thoughts

Pronunciation:

/hæv ˌsekənd ˈθɔːts/

Definition:

To begin to doubt a decision or plan that you previously thought was right.

Synonyms:

have doubts — сомневаться
reconsider — пересмотреть решение
change your mind — передумать

Have second thoughts means doubts have appeared after an initial decision, but the person has not necessarily changed their mind. Reconsider emphasizes thinking about the decision again. Change your mind means the decision itself has actually changed.

Context gap:

1. I’m starting to ____ ____ ____ about moving abroad.

2. She had ____ ____ after accepting the job.

3. If you’re ____ ____ ____ about the wedding, you need to tell him now.

Examples:

1. He was excited about buying the house at first, but now he’s having second thoughts.

2. I had second thoughts about sending the message and deleted it.

3. It’s normal to have second thoughts before making such a major commitment.

Collocations:

have second thoughts about something
start having second thoughts
be having second thoughts
have serious second thoughts
have second thoughts about doing something

Translation:

have second thoughts — начать сомневаться / засомневаться в своём решении

Important note:

Usually plural: have second thoughts, not have a second thought. The standard pattern is have second thoughts about + noun/-ing.

walk down the aisle

Pronunciation:

/ˌwɔːk daʊn ði ˈaɪl/

Definition:

To walk through the wedding ceremony venue towards the person you are going to marry; figuratively, to get married.

Synonyms:

get married — пожениться / выйти замуж / жениться
tie the knot — связать себя узами брака / пожениться
get hitched — пожениться

Walk down the aisle evokes the wedding ceremony itself and is often figurative. Tie the knot is informal and idiomatic. Get hitched is even more informal and playful.

Context gap:

1. She burst into tears just before she was supposed to ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. They dated for ten years before finally ____ ____ ____ ____.

3. Can you imagine ____ ____ ____ ____ with someone you’ve only known for six months?

Examples:

1. She walked down the aisle with her father.

2. They’re planning to walk down the aisle next summer.

3. He always said he would never walk down the aisle, but then he met Laura.

Collocations:

finally walk down the aisle
prepare to walk down the aisle
be ready to walk down the aisle
walk down the aisle together
walk someone down the aisle

Translation:

walk down the aisle — идти к алтарю / пожениться

Important note:

Aisle is pronounced /aɪl/; s is silent. The expression can describe the literal ceremonial walk or be used figuratively to mean get married.

drift apart

Pronunciation:

/ˌdrɪft əˈpɑːt/

Definition:

To gradually become less close to someone, usually without a particular argument or event causing it.

Synonyms:

grow apart — постепенно отдалиться
lose touch — потерять связь
become distant — отдалиться / стать менее близкими

Grow apart is extremely close in meaning and often interchangeable. Lose touch focuses specifically on no longer communicating regularly. Become distant can describe emotional distance and does not necessarily imply a gradual process.

Context gap:

1. We didn’t have a big argument; we just ____ ____ over time.

2. Couples can ____ ____ when they stop making time for each other.

3. I’m worried that we’re slowly ____ ____.

Examples:

1. After university, we gradually drifted apart.

2. They drifted apart when their lives started moving in completely different directions.

3. Sometimes people drift apart without either person doing anything wrong.

Collocations:

slowly drift apart
gradually drift apart
start to drift apart
drift apart over time
drift apart emotionally

Translation:

drift apart — постепенно отдаляться / становиться менее близкими

Important note:

Drift apart usually suggests a gradual, unplanned process, which distinguishes it from deliberately ending a friendship or relationship.

clear the air

Pronunciation:

/ˌklɪə ði ˈeə/

Definition:

To discuss a disagreement or uncomfortable situation openly in order to reduce tension or misunderstanding.

Synonyms:

talk things through — всё обсудить
resolve a misunderstanding — разрешить недопонимание
sort things out — разобраться с проблемами / уладить ситуацию

Clear the air specifically focuses on removing tension, resentment, or misunderstanding through open communication. Talk things through emphasizes the discussion process. Sort things out is broader and can refer to solving almost any problem.

Context gap:

1. I think we need to ____ ____ ____ before this gets any more awkward.

2. They met for coffee to ____ ____ ____ after their argument.

3. Maybe an honest conversation would help ____ ____ ____ between you two.

Examples:

1. I called her because I wanted to clear the air after what happened.

2. We finally cleared the air and realized the whole thing had been a misunderstanding.

3. It might be worth clearing the air before you start working together again.

Collocations:

try to clear the air
meet to clear the air
clear the air between two people
clear the air after an argument
have a conversation to clear the air

Translation:

clear the air — прояснить отношения / снять напряжение

Important note:

It does not simply mean explain something. It normally implies that there is tension, awkwardness, resentment or misunderstanding that needs to be addressed.

rekindle a relationship / romance

Pronunciation:

/ˌriːˈkɪndl ə rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/ /ˌriːˈkɪndl ə rəʊˈmæns/

Definition:

To make a romantic relationship or romantic feelings become active and strong again after they had weakened or ended.

Synonyms:

get back together — снова сойтись
revive a relationship — возродить отношения
reconnect romantically — снова сблизиться в романтическом плане

Rekindle emphasizes bringing back feelings or closeness that previously existed. Get back together specifically means becoming a couple again after a breakup. Revive a relationship is broader and slightly more formal.

Context gap:

1. They met again years later and decided to ____ ____ ____.

2. The holiday gave them a chance to ____ ____ ____ after a difficult year.

3. She had no interest in trying to ____ ____ ____ with her ex.

Examples:

1. The couple reportedly rekindled their romance after spending several months apart.

2. They tried to rekindle their relationship, but the same problems soon returned.

3. A chance meeting led them to rekindle a romance that had ended years earlier.

Collocations:

rekindle a romance
rekindle a relationship
rekindle an old romance
try to rekindle a relationship
rekindle feelings for someone

Translation:

rekindle a relationship / romance — возобновить отношения / вновь разжечь роман

Important note:

Rekindle literally comes from the idea of making a fire burn again, so it naturally suggests bringing something back to life. Common objects include romance, relationship, friendship, interest, passion, feelings.

be on the rocks

Pronunciation:

/bi ˌɒn ðə ˈrɒks/

Definition:

If a relationship or marriage is on the rocks, it is experiencing serious problems and may end.

Synonyms:

be in trouble — переживать серьёзные проблемы
be going through a rough patch — переживать трудный период
be close to breaking up — быть близкими к расставанию

On the rocks suggests serious relationship problems and possible separation. Go through a rough patch is softer and often suggests that the difficulties may be temporary. Be close to breaking up explicitly focuses on the possibility of the relationship ending.

Context gap:

1. Rumours started circulating that their marriage was ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. They’ve been ____ ____ ____ ____ for months.

3. I had no idea their relationship was ____ ____ ____ ____.

Examples:

1. Their marriage has been on the rocks since the beginning of the year.

2. Friends suspected the relationship was on the rocks long before they announced the breakup.

3. Just because a couple argues doesn’t necessarily mean their relationship is on the rocks.

Collocations:

a marriage on the rocks
a relationship on the rocks
be seriously on the rocks
rumours that a marriage is on the rocks
put a relationship on the rocks

Translation:

be on the rocks — переживать серьёзный кризис / быть на грани разрыва

Important note:

With relationships, the expression implies serious difficulty, not simply a minor disagreement. It is also common in media reporting about celebrity relationships.

feel taken for granted

Pronunciation:

/ˌfiːl ˌteɪkən fə ˈɡrɑːntɪd/

Definition:

To feel that someone does not appreciate you or what you do because they simply expect your support, effort, or presence.

Synonyms:

feel unappreciated — чувствовать себя недооценённым
feel undervalued — чувствовать, что тебя недостаточно ценят
feel overlooked — чувствовать, что тебя не замечают / игнорируют

Feel unappreciated is the closest general alternative. Feel undervalued is especially common in professional contexts. Feel overlooked focuses more on not receiving attention or recognition. Feel taken for granted specifically suggests that your contribution or presence has become expected rather than appreciated.

Context gap:

1. After doing everything around the house, she started to ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. Employees are more likely to leave when they ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.

3. I love helping people, but I don’t want to ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.

Examples:

1. He felt taken for granted because nobody ever thanked him for the extra work.

2. It’s easy to feel taken for granted when you’re always the person everyone relies on.

3. She told her partner that she had been feeling taken for granted for months.

Collocations:

start to feel taken for granted
constantly feel taken for granted
feel completely taken for granted
make someone feel taken for granted
feel taken for granted in a relationship

Translation:

feel taken for granted — чувствовать, что тебя воспринимают как должное / чувствовать себя недооценённым

Important note:

Compare take someone for granted and feel taken for granted: He takes me for granted describes his behaviour, while I feel taken for granted describes my experience of it.

bring up the past

Pronunciation:

/ˌbrɪŋ ʌp ðə ˈpɑːst/

Definition:

To mention past events, especially unpleasant or sensitive ones, during a present conversation or disagreement.

Synonyms:

bring up old issues — поднимать старые проблемы
dredge up the past — ворошить прошлое
reopen old wounds — бередить старые раны

Bring up the past is relatively neutral and depends on context. Dredge up the past is strongly negative and suggests unnecessarily bringing unpleasant events back into discussion. Reopen old wounds emphasizes causing emotional pain by revisiting something painful.

Context gap:

1. Every time we argue, he ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. I don’t see why you need to ____ ____ ____ ____ when we’ve already resolved this.

3. She accused him of constantly ____ ____ ____ ____ during arguments.

Examples:

1. I wasn’t trying to bring up the past; I was explaining why the situation bothered me.

2. They agreed to stop bringing up the past every time they disagreed.

3. Sometimes you need to bring up the past to understand why the same problem keeps happening.

Collocations:

constantly bring up the past
keep bringing up the past
bring up the past during an argument
refuse to bring up the past
bring up painful memories from the past

Translation:

bring up the past — поднимать прошлое / ворошить старые проблемы

Important note:

Bring up means introduce a topic into a conversation: bring up an issue / subject / problem. Unlike dredge up the past, bring up the past is not inherently negative; the reason for discussing it can be legitimate.

back and forth

Pronunciation:

/ˌbæk ən ˈfɔːθ/

Definition:

Repeatedly from one direction, position, or person to another and back again.

Synonyms:

to and fro — туда-сюда
from side to side — из стороны в сторону
an exchange — обмен

To and fro is close in literal movement but is less common in everyday conversation. From side to side describes physical movement specifically. An exchange can replace the figurative sense when information, messages, or arguments are being passed between people.

Context gap:

1. We went ____ ____ ____ for days before finally reaching an agreement.

2. There was a lot of ____ ____ ____ between the lawyers before the contract was signed.

3. She kept walking ____ ____ ____ across the room while she was on the phone.

Examples:

1. We emailed back and forth for about a week before arranging a meeting.

2. The discussion went back and forth without anyone reaching a conclusion.

3. He spent half an hour going back and forth between the two options.

Collocations:

go back and forth
email back and forth
text back and forth
a lot of back-and-forth
back-and-forth discussion

Translation:

back and forth — туда-сюда / обмен репликами, сообщениями или мнениями

Important note:

As an adjective or noun modifier, it is normally hyphenated: a back-and-forth discussion / a lot of back-and-forth. In go back and forth, no hyphens are needed.

reach out to someone

Pronunciation:

/ˌriːtʃ ˈaʊt tə ˌsʌmwʌn/

Definition:

To contact someone, especially to offer or ask for help, support, information, or connection.

Synonyms:

contact someone — связаться с кем-либо
get in touch with someone — выйти на связь с кем-либо
approach someone — обратиться к кому-либо

Contact is neutral and broad. Get in touch focuses simply on establishing contact. Reach out often sounds warmer and can imply taking the initiative to connect, help, ask for help, or discuss something.

Context gap:

1. Don’t be afraid to ____ ____ ____ ____ if you need support.

2. I decided to ____ ____ ____ ____ after seeing her post.

3. Several former colleagues have ____ ____ ____ ____ since I announced the project.

Examples:

1. She reached out to me after hearing that I was looking for a new job.

2. We’re reaching out to potential clients this week.

3. If you’re struggling with the assignment, reach out to your tutor.

Collocations:

reach out to someone for help
reach out to potential clients
reach out to an old friend
reach out for support
reach out directly

Translation:

reach out to someone — связаться с кем-либо / обратиться к кому-либо

ground rules

Pronunciation:

/ˈɡraʊnd ruːlz/

Definition:

Basic rules that establish how people should behave or how an activity should be conducted.

Synonyms:

basic rules — основные правила
guidelines — рекомендации / общие правила
boundaries — границы

Ground rules are agreed rules for how something will work. Guidelines are often less strict. Boundaries concern limits on acceptable behaviour, particularly in personal relationships.

Context gap:

1. We need to establish some ____ ____ before we start working together.

2. They agreed on a few ____ ____ for discussing difficult topics.

3. Let’s set some ____ ____ before everyone starts sharing ideas.

Examples:

1. The teacher established a few ground rules for group discussions.

2. We set some ground rules about contacting each other outside working hours.

3. Every relationship needs clear ground rules around privacy and communication.

Collocations:

set ground rules
establish ground rules
agree on ground rules
lay down ground rules
clear ground rules

Translation:

ground rules — основные правила / базовые договорённости

Important note:

Usually plural: ground rules. Lay down the ground rules can sound more authoritative than set/agree on ground rules.

lift someone’s mood

Pronunciation:

/ˌlɪft ˌsʌmwʌnz ˈmuːd/

Definition:

To make someone feel happier, more positive, or less low.

Synonyms:

cheer someone up — развеселить / подбодрить
brighten someone’s mood — улучшить настроение
lift someone’s spirits — поднять дух / настроение

Cheer someone up is more conversational and often directed at someone who is unhappy. Lift someone’s spirits is very natural when someone is discouraged or going through a difficult period. Lift someone’s mood focuses directly on improving their emotional state.

Context gap:

1. Even a short walk can ____ ____ ____ when you’re feeling low.

2. Seeing everyone again really ____ ____ ____.

3. Music always seems to ____ ____ ____ after a difficult day.

Examples:

1. Talking to her instantly lifted my mood.

2. A bit of sunshine can really lift your mood.

3. The message was exactly what I needed to lift my mood that morning.

Collocations:

instantly lift someone’s mood
really lift someone’s mood
help lift someone’s mood
lift your mood naturally
do something to lift your mood

Translation:

lift someone’s mood — поднять настроение / улучшить эмоциональное состояние

pop into + place

Pronunciation:

/ˌpɒp ˈɪntə/

Definition:

To go into a place briefly, usually casually and without staying long.

Synonyms:

drop into somewhere — заглянуть куда-либо
stop by — заскочить / ненадолго зайти
call in — заглянуть / зайти ненадолго

Pop into is informal and especially common in British English. Stop by is particularly common in American English. Call in is also common in British English but can sound slightly less casual depending on context.

Context gap:

1. I need to ____ ____ ____ ____ on my way home.

2. She ____ ____ ____ ____ to pick up some bread.

3. Can we ____ ____ ____ ____ before it closes?

Examples:

1. I popped into the supermarket after work.

2. She popped into my office to ask a quick question.

3. We popped into a café while we were waiting for the train.

Collocations:

pop into a shop
pop into a café
pop into the office
pop into town
just pop into somewhere

Translation:

pop into + place — заглянуть куда-либо / ненадолго зайти

Important note:

Compare pop into a café with pop in: I’ll pop in later. Pop over/round is more natural for casually visiting someone at home.

strike up a conversation

Pronunciation:

/ˌstraɪk ʌp ə ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃn/

Definition:

To start a conversation with someone, especially someone you do not know well.

Synonyms:

start a conversation — начать разговор
get talking to someone — разговориться с кем-либо
engage someone in conversation — вовлечь кого-либо в разговор

Strike up a conversation often implies spontaneously initiating conversation. Get talking suggests that conversation develops naturally. Engage someone in conversation is more formal.

Context gap:

1. She managed to ____ ____ ____ ____ with the woman sitting next to her.

2. I’m terrible at ____ ____ ____ ____ with complete strangers.

3. He ____ ____ ____ ____ while they were waiting for their coffee.

Examples:

1. I struck up a conversation with someone on the train.

2. She can strike up a conversation with almost anyone.

3. He struck up a conversation with a stranger while waiting in line.

Collocations:

strike up a conversation with someone
strike up a casual conversation
strike up a friendly conversation
easily strike up a conversation
strike up a conversation with a stranger

Translation:

strike up a conversation — завязать разговор / начать беседу

Important note:

The fixed pattern is strike up a conversation with someone. It often emphasizes taking the initiative, particularly with strangers or people you barely know.

be mindful of something

Pronunciation:

/bi ˈmaɪndfəl əv ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To consciously remember and consider something when deciding how to behave or what to do.

Synonyms:

be aware of something — осознавать что-либо
bear something in mind — иметь что-либо в виду
take something into account — учитывать что-либо

Be aware of focuses on knowledge. Bear in mind means remember something relevant. Take into account focuses on considering a factor when making a decision. Be mindful of often combines awareness with considerate behaviour.

Context gap:

1. Try to ____ ____ ____ other people’s boundaries.

2. We need to ____ ____ ____ how much time everyone has available.

3. ____ ____ ____ your tone when giving feedback online.

Examples:

1. Be mindful of how your words might affect other people.

2. We should be mindful of cultural differences when working internationally.

3. I’m trying to be more mindful of how much time I spend online.

Collocations:

be mindful of your tone
be mindful of other people
be mindful of the impact
be mindful of your surroundings
be mindful of cultural differences

Translation:

be mindful of something — учитывать что-либо / осознанно помнить о чём-либо

Important note:

The fixed preposition is of: be mindful of something. In everyday English it does not necessarily refer to mindfulness as a meditation practice.

put yourself out there

Pronunciation:

/ˌpʊt jəˌself ˈaʊt ðeə/

Definition:

To make yourself visible or open to new people and opportunities despite the possibility of rejection, criticism, or embarrassment.

Synonyms:

take a chance — рискнуть
put yourself forward — выдвинуть себя / проявить инициативу
step outside your comfort zone — выйти из зоны комфорта

Put yourself out there often involves social or emotional vulnerability. Take a chance is much broader. Put yourself forward often relates to volunteering or presenting yourself as a candidate. Step outside your comfort zone focuses on doing something unfamiliar or uncomfortable.

Context gap:

1. Dating gets easier once you’re willing to ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. You have to ____ ____ ____ ____ if you want to meet new people.

3. I was terrified of rejection, but I decided to ____ ____ ____ ____ anyway.

Examples:

1. It’s difficult to put yourself out there after a painful breakup.

2. She started putting herself out there and attending more industry events.

3. You don’t have to completely change your personality to put yourself out there.

Collocations:

be afraid to put yourself out there
be willing to put yourself out there
really put yourself out there
put yourself out there socially
put yourself out there more

Translation:

put yourself out there — проявить инициативу / открыться людям и возможностям, рискуя получить отказ

make something into a game

Pronunciation:

/ˌmeɪk ˌsʌmθɪŋ ˌɪntə ə ˈɡeɪm/

Definition:

To turn an activity or task into something game-like to make it more enjoyable, motivating, or engaging.

Synonyms:

turn something into a game — превратить что-либо в игру
gamify something — геймифицировать что-либо
make something fun — сделать что-либо увлекательным

Turn something into a game is essentially interchangeable and arguably more common. Gamify is more technical and often refers to deliberately adding game mechanics such as points or rewards. Make something fun is broader.

Context gap:

1. We ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ to make revision less boring.

2. Try to ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ instead of treating it like a chore.

3. They’ve ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ where everyone earns points for completing tasks.

Examples:

1. We made learning new vocabulary into a game.

2. She makes household chores into a game for the children.

3. If networking makes you nervous, try making it into a game.

Collocations:

make learning into a game
make exercise into a game
make a task into a game
make the whole thing into a game
turn something into a game

Translation:

make something into a game — превратить что-либо в игру / придать чему-либо игровой формат

Important note:

Turn something into a game is generally the more common everyday formulation. Make something into a game is still natural.

---

self-imposed + noun

Pronunciation:

/ˌself ɪmˈpəʊzd/

Definition:

Created, chosen, or imposed by yourself rather than required by another person or external authority.

Synonyms:

self-inflicted — причинённый самому себе
voluntary — добровольный
self-created — созданный самим собой

Self-imposed is usually used for rules, restrictions, deadlines, limits, or pressure. Self-inflicted is more negative and usually refers to harm or problems caused by your own actions. Voluntary simply means chosen freely and does not imply imposing a restriction on yourself.

Context gap:

1. The deadline was completely -, so there was no reason to panic.

2. She’s working under enormous - pressure.

3. After the controversy, he began a - break from social media.

Examples:

1. Most of the pressure I was feeling was self-imposed.

2. She struggled to meet a self-imposed deadline.

3. His self-imposed isolation lasted several months.

Collocations:

self-imposed deadline
self-imposed pressure
self-imposed restrictions
self-imposed limit
self-imposed isolation

Translation:

self-imposed + noun — установленный самим себе / добровольно наложенный на себя

Important note:

Self-imposed is normally hyphenated before a noun: a self-imposed deadline. It can also appear predicatively: The pressure was largely self-imposed.

float an idea / suggestion / comment

float an idea / suggestion / comment — осторожно озвучить идею / предложение / реплику, чтобы посмотреть на реакцию

Pronunciation:

/ˌfləʊt ən aɪˈdɪə/ /səˈdʒestʃən/ /ˈkɒment/

Definition:

To mention an idea, proposal, or comment tentatively in order to see how other people respond.

Synonyms:

put forward an idea — выдвинуть идею
suggest something — предложить что-либо
sound someone out — осторожно выяснить чьё-либо мнение

Float an idea is tentative: you introduce it without fully committing to it. Put forward is more deliberate and formal. Suggest is neutral. Sound someone out focuses on finding out someone’s opinion rather than presenting the idea itself.

Context gap:

1. She ____ ____ ____ about working remotely to see how her manager would react.

2. Can I ____ ____ ____ before we make a final decision?

3. He casually ____ ____ ____ about meeting somewhere else.

Examples:

1. I floated the idea of moving the meeting to Friday.

2. She floated a suggestion that we invite someone from another department.

3. He floated a comment about leaving early and waited to see how everyone reacted.

Collocations:

float an idea
float a suggestion
float a proposal
float the possibility of something
casually float an idea

Translation:

float an idea / suggestion / comment — осторожно озвучить идею / ненавязчиво предложить или упомянуть что-либо

Important note:

Float an idea and float a proposal are particularly established collocations. Float a comment is possible but considerably less conventional; depending on context, make a comment or casually mention something may be more natural.

carry someone through + period/situation

Pronunciation:

/ˌkæri ˌsʌmwʌn ˈθruː/

Definition:

To give someone enough emotional, practical, or other support to help them successfully get through a difficult period or situation.

Synonyms:

get someone through something — помочь кому-либо пережить что-либо
support someone through something — поддерживать кого-либо в трудный период
see someone through something — помочь кому-либо пройти через что-либо

Get someone through is the most neutral and conversational. Support someone through explicitly emphasizes support. Carry someone through often suggests that something provides the strength or resources needed to continue.

Context gap:

1. Her sense of humour ____ ____ ____ ____ one of the hardest periods of her life.

2. Those friendships really ____ ____ ____ ____ the first few months.

3. Sometimes sheer determination is enough to ____ ____ ____ ____ a difficult situation.

Examples:

1. Her optimism carried her through an incredibly difficult year.

2. The support of my friends carried me through the worst of it.

3. His savings carried him through several months without work.

Collocations:

carry someone through a difficult period
carry someone through a crisis
carry someone through hard times
carry someone through the worst of something
carry someone through a difficult year

Translation:

carry someone through something — помочь пережить что-либо / поддержать в трудный период

take a light-hearted approach to something

Pronunciation:

/ˌteɪk ə ˌlaɪt ˈhɑːtɪd əˌprəʊtʃ tə ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To deal with a subject or situation in a relaxed, humorous, and not overly serious way.

Synonyms:

not take something too seriously — не воспринимать что-либо слишком серьёзно
take a relaxed approach — подходить к чему-либо спокойно
see the funny side — видеть смешную сторону ситуации

A light-hearted approach specifically suggests humour and a lack of excessive seriousness. A relaxed approach does not necessarily involve humour. See the funny side means finding humour in a particular situation.

Context gap:

1. The podcast ____ ____ - ____ ____ dating and relationships.

2. Maybe we should ____ ____ - ____ ____ the whole situation.

3. She tends to ____ ____ - ____ ____ minor setbacks.

Examples:

1. The campaign takes a light-hearted approach to a fairly serious topic.

2. I try to take a light-hearted approach to embarrassing mistakes.

3. The presenter took a light-hearted approach to the awkward situation.

Collocations:

take a light-hearted approach to something
a light-hearted approach to life
a light-hearted approach to dating
a more light-hearted approach
adopt a light-hearted approach

Translation:

take a light-hearted approach to something — относиться к чему-либо легко / подходить к чему-либо с юмором

short-change yourself

Pronunciation:

/ˌʃɔːt ˈtʃeɪndʒ jəˌself/

Definition:

To treat yourself as less capable or deserving than you really are, or to accept less than you deserve.

Synonyms:

sell yourself short — недооценивать себя
undervalue yourself — недооценивать себя / свою ценность
underestimate yourself — недооценивать свои способности

Sell yourself short is the closest and more established expression when talking about abilities or worth. Undervalue yourself focuses on your value. Underestimate yourself specifically concerns your abilities or potential.

Context gap:

1. Don’t - ____ by assuming you aren’t qualified enough.

2. You’re - ____ if you settle for far less than you deserve.

3. I think she tends to - ____ when talking about her achievements.

Examples:

1. You’re short-changing yourself if you never apply for opportunities that scare you.

2. Don’t short-change yourself by dismissing everything you’ve achieved.

3. She realized she had been short-changing herself professionally for years.

Collocations:

constantly short-change yourself
short-change yourself professionally
short-change yourself by doing something
stop short-changing yourself
risk short-changing yourself

Translation:

short-change yourself — недооценивать себя / соглашаться на меньшее, чем заслуживаешь

Important note:

For the meaning underestimate your own abilities or worth, sell yourself short is generally the more common idiom. Short-change yourself is natural when the emphasis is on depriving yourself of what you deserve or could have.

take a leap into the unknown

Pronunciation:

/ˌteɪk ə ˌliːp ˌɪntə ði ʌnˈnəʊn/

Definition:

To make a major decision or start something new without knowing exactly what will happen.

Synonyms:

take a leap of faith — решиться, не имея гарантий
venture into the unknown — отправиться в неизвестность
take a risk — рискнуть

Take a leap into the unknown emphasizes uncertainty. Take a leap of faith additionally suggests trusting that things will work out despite limited evidence. Take a risk is much broader.

Context gap:

1. Leaving a stable job felt like ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.

2. Sometimes you have to ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ if you want your life to change.

3. Moving abroad alone was a huge decision — essentially ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.

Examples:

1. Starting my own business felt like taking a leap into the unknown.

2. She took a leap into the unknown and moved to a country she had never visited.

3. Changing careers at forty can feel like a leap into the unknown.

Collocations:

take a leap into the unknown
a huge leap into the unknown
feel like a leap into the unknown
represent a leap into the unknown
be prepared to leap into the unknown

Translation:

take a leap into the unknown — сделать шаг в неизвестность / решиться на неизвестное

give yourself brownie points for doing something

Pronunciation:

/ˌɡɪv jəˌself ˈbraʊni pɔɪnts fə ˌduːɪŋ ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To give yourself informal credit or praise for doing something positive or worthwhile.

Synonyms:

give yourself credit for something — отдать себе должное
pat yourself on the back — похвалить себя
be proud of yourself for something — гордиться собой за что-либо

Give yourself credit is neutral and very common. Pat yourself on the back is informal and can sometimes sound slightly self-congratulatory. Give yourself brownie points is playful and humorous.

Context gap:

1. Even if nobody replies, ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ trying.

2. I’m ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ actually going to the event alone.

3. You should ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ starting the conversation.

Examples:

1. I gave myself brownie points for resisting the temptation to cancel.

2. Give yourself brownie points for putting yourself out there.

3. She gave herself brownie points for staying calm throughout the conversation.

Collocations:

give yourself brownie points for trying
give yourself brownie points for making an effort
earn brownie points
get brownie points for something
a few brownie points

Translation:

give yourself brownie points for doing something — поставить себе плюсик за что-либо / похвалить себя за что-либо

Important note:

Informal and playful. Brownie points are imaginary points for doing something that deserves approval. Also very common: earn/get brownie points with someone — заработать дополнительные очки в чьих-либо глазах.

start up + business / organisation / movement

Pronunciation:

/ˌstɑːt ˈʌp/

Definition:

To create and begin running a new business, organisation, project, or similar activity.

Synonyms:

set up — основать / организовать
launch — запустить
found — основать

Set up is extremely common for establishing a business or organisation. Launch emphasizes officially beginning something. Found is more formal and is particularly natural with companies and organisations.

Context gap:

1. She ____ ____ a small business from her kitchen.

2. They want to ____ ____ an organisation supporting young artists.

3. A group of local residents ____ ____ a movement to protect the area.

Examples:

1. He started up his own consulting business after leaving the company.

2. They started up a small organisation to support local families.

3. She used her savings to start up a business from home.

Collocations:

start up a business
start up a company
start up an organisation
start up your own business
start something up from scratch

Translation:

start up + business / organisation — основать / запустить

Important note:

For businesses, start up is natural, though start/set up a business are also extremely common. As a noun/adjective, use startup/start-up depending on style guide: a tech startup. With movement, simply start a movement is generally more natural than start up a movement.

catch hold of something

Pronunciation:

/ˌkætʃ ˈhəʊld əv ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To quickly take hold of something, especially to stop it or yourself from moving or falling.

Synonyms:

grab something — схватить что-либо
seize something — схватить что-либо
take hold of something — взяться за что-либо / схватить

Grab is the most common informal alternative. Seize is stronger and more formal or dramatic. Take hold of does not necessarily imply the same sudden movement as catch hold of.

Context gap:

1. She managed to ____ ____ ____ the railing before she fell.

2. I reached out and ____ ____ ____ his sleeve.

3. He tried to ____ ____ ____ the rope as it swung past.

Examples:

1. She caught hold of my arm as she lost her balance.

2. He caught hold of the branch just before he slipped.

3. I caught hold of the handle to steady myself.

Collocations:

catch hold of someone’s arm
catch hold of a rope
catch hold of the railing
catch hold of the handle
manage to catch hold of something

Translation:

catch hold of something — ухватить что-либо / схватиться за что-либо

Important note:

Catch hold of is especially common in British English. In many everyday contexts, grab is shorter and more conversational.

toss out something

Pronunciation:

/ˌtɒs ˈaʊt ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition:

To casually introduce an idea, suggestion, or comment for other people to consider.

Synonyms:

throw out an idea — подкинуть идею
float an idea — осторожно озвучить идею
suggest something — предложить что-либо

Toss out is casual and can suggest mentioning something without developing it. Float an idea is more tentative and often aims to test people’s reactions. Suggest is neutral.

Context gap:

1. Let me just ____ ____ ____ and see what everyone thinks.

2. She ____ ____ ____ during the meeting, but nobody responded.

3. He casually ____ ____ ____ about meeting somewhere else.

Examples:

1. I’m just going to toss out an idea here.

2. She tossed out a few suggestions and asked the team to choose.

3. Someone tossed out the idea of meeting in person instead.

Collocations:

toss out an idea
toss out a suggestion
toss out a question
casually toss something out
just toss something out there

Translation:

toss out something — подкинуть / небрежно озвучить идею; выбросить что-либо

Important note:

Toss out also commonly means throw away: I tossed out the old magazines. For ideas, toss out an idea and toss an idea out there are natural informal patterns.

take the leap

Pronunciation:

/ˌteɪk ðə ˈliːp/

Definition:

To finally make a significant or risky decision that you have been considering.

Synonyms:

take the plunge — решиться на серьёзный шаг
go for it — решиться и сделать
take a chance — рискнуть

Take the plunge is extremely close and often used for major life decisions. Go for it is much more informal and encouraging. Take a chance emphasizes risk, while take the leap emphasizes committing to a significant change.

Context gap:

1. After years of talking about moving abroad, they finally ____ ____ ____.

2. I’m nervous about leaving my job, but I think I’m ready to ____ ____ ____.

3. What would make you finally ____ ____ ____ and start your own business?

Examples:

1. She finally took the leap and moved to another country.

2. I spent months thinking about freelancing before I took the leap.

3. Sometimes you have to take the leap before you feel completely ready.

Collocations:

finally take the leap
be ready to take the leap
decide to take the leap
be afraid to take the leap
take the leap and do something

Translation:

take the leap — решиться / сделать смелый шаг

Important note:

Compare take the leap with take a leap into the unknown. Take the leap focuses on finally committing to a major decision; take a leap into the unknown puts more emphasis on uncertainty about what will happen next.

without heavy exceptions

Pronunciation:

/wɪˌðaʊt ˌhevi ˌekspekˈteɪʃənz/

Definition:

Without placing strong expectations, pressure, or demands on a situation or its outcome.

Synonyms:

without high expectations — без больших ожиданий
without putting pressure on it — не создавая давления
with no particular expectations — без каких-либо конкретных ожиданий

Without high expectations focuses on not expecting an especially good outcome. Without putting pressure on itfocuses on keeping the situation relaxed. With no particular expectations is neutral and idiomatic.

Context gap:

1. Try going into the conversation ____ ____ ____.

2. She wanted to meet him again, but ____ ____ ____.

3. Approach new social situations ____ ____ ____ and see what happens.

Examples:

1. I went into the date without heavy expectations.

2. Try talking to people without heavy expectations about where the interaction will lead.

3. She approached the experience without heavy expectations and simply enjoyed it.

Collocations:

go into something without heavy expectations
approach something without heavy expectations
without heavy expectations about the outcome
without placing heavy expectations on something
without putting too much pressure on something

Translation:

without heavy expectations — без серьёзных ожиданий / не возлагая больших надежд

Important note:

Heavy expectations is understandable but is not the most idiomatic general collocation. Depending on meaning, native speakers are more likely to say without high expectations, without too many expectations, with no particular expectations, or without putting too much pressure on it.

I’m still on the fence about whether …

Pronunciation:

/aɪm stɪl ɒn ðə fens əˈbaʊt ˈweðə/

Definition:

Used when you have not yet made a decision because you can see reasons for both options.

Synonyms:

I haven’t made up my mind yet — я ещё не определился
I’m undecided about... — я не определился насчёт...
I’m torn between... — я разрываюсь между...

On the fence suggests neutrality or hesitation between alternatives. Undecided is more neutral and slightly more formal. Torn between usually implies a stronger emotional conflict between two attractive or difficult options.

Context gap:

1. I’m still ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ to accept the offer.

2. I’m still ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ moving abroad is the right decision.

3. I’m still ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ we should book the trip now or wait.

Examples:

1. I’m still on the fence about whether I want to do a master’s degree.

2. I’m still on the fence about whether to tell her what happened.

3. I’m still on the fence about whether working remotely actually suits me.

Collocations:

be on the fence about something
be on the fence about whether...
still be on the fence
sit on the fence
get off the fence

Translation:

be on the fence about whether... — не мочь определиться, стоит ли... / колебаться насчёт того, ...

Important note:

After whether, use either a clause (whether I should go) or to + infinitive (whether to go). On the fence is common and conversational. Sit on the fence can be more critical, suggesting that someone is deliberately avoiding taking a position.

That said

Pronunciation:

/ðæt ˈsed/

Definition:

Used to introduce a point that contrasts with, qualifies, or limits what you have just said.

Synonyms:

having said that — при этом / тем не менее
nevertheless — тем не менее
on the other hand — с другой стороны

That said is concise and natural in both conversation and writing. Having said that is slightly fuller and often more conversational. Nevertheless is more formal. On the other hand explicitly introduces a contrasting perspective.

Context gap:

1. The job is demanding. ___ ___, I’m learning a huge amount.

2. I wouldn’t normally recommend the course. ___ ___, it might suit someone who already has experience.

3. The city is incredibly expensive. ___ ___, the quality of life is excellent.

Examples:

1. I enjoy working from home. That said, I do miss seeing my colleagues.

2. The film was far too long. That said, the performances were excellent.

3. She probably needs more experience. That said, I’d still invite her for an interview.

Collocations:

That said, I think...
That said, I can see why...
That said, it’s worth...
That said, there are...
That said, I wouldn’t...

Translation:

That said, ... — при этом / тем не менее

Important note:

It normally refers back to the whole previous idea, not to one specific noun. It is particularly useful for making an opinion more nuanced: X is true. That said, Y is also worth considering.

when it comes to…

Pronunciation:

/wen ɪt ˈkʌmz tə/

Definition:

Used to introduce the particular subject or area you are going to talk about.

Synonyms:

as for... — что касается...
regarding... — касательно...
in terms of... — с точки зрения / в плане...

When it comes to is very natural in conversation and focuses attention on a particular area. Regarding is more formal. In terms of usually introduces a specific aspect or criterion rather than simply a topic.

Context gap:

1. ___ ___ ___ ___ managing stress, everyone seems to have a different strategy.

2. I’m quite disciplined ___ ___ ___ ___ work, but not with exercise.

3. ___ ___ ___ ___ choosing a place to live, location matters most to me.

Examples:

1. When it comes to money, I tend to be quite cautious.

2. She’s confident in meetings, but when it comes to public speaking, she gets nervous.

3. When it comes to learning vocabulary, regular retrieval practice makes a huge difference.

Collocations:

when it comes to work
when it comes to relationships
when it comes to choosing...
when it comes to dealing with...
when it comes to making decisions

Translation:

when it comes to... — когда речь идёт о... / что касается...

Important note:

To is a preposition here, so use a noun or -ing form: when it comes to making decisions, not when it comes to make decisions.

I subscribe to the belief that...

Pronunciation:

/aɪ səbˈskraɪb tə ðə bɪˈliːf ðæt/

Definition:

Used to say that you accept or support a particular belief or principle.

Synonyms:

I believe that... — я считаю, что...
I’m of the view that... — я придерживаюсь мнения, что...
I hold the belief that... — я придерживаюсь убеждения, что...

Subscribe to the belief/view that is more deliberate and formal than simply believe and often suggests agreement with an existing idea or philosophy. I’m of the view that is formal but neutral. Hold the belief that is also formal and emphasizes having a particular conviction.

Context gap:

1. I ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ people do their best work when they feel trusted.

2. I’ve always ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ education should encourage curiosity rather than conformity.

3. I don’t ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ success has to involve constant sacrifice.

Examples:

1. I subscribe to the belief that confidence comes largely from experience.

2. She subscribes to the belief that children should be given plenty of independence.

3. I don’t subscribe to the belief that being busy automatically means being productive.

Collocations:

subscribe to the belief that...
subscribe to the view that...
subscribe to the idea that...
fully subscribe to the belief that...
not subscribe to the belief that...

Translation:

subscribe to the belief that... — придерживаться убеждения, что... / разделять мнение, что...

Important note:

This use of subscribe to means agree with/support an idea, not “подписываться”. It is relatively formal and is particularly useful in discussions, essays and interviews. In casual conversation, I believe that... is usually more natural.

If anything

Pronunciation:

/ɪf ˈeniθɪŋ/

Definition:

Used to correct, strengthen, or reverse a previous idea, often meaning that the opposite is actually closer to the truth.

Synonyms:

if anything, the opposite is true — если уж на то пошло, всё наоборот
in fact — на самом деле
if anything at all — если вообще что-либо

If anything is especially useful when rejecting an assumption and replacing it with a stronger or opposite claim. In factsimply adds or corrects information and does not necessarily imply contrast. If anything at all can have a different meaning: “если вообще хоть что-нибудь”.

Context gap:

1. The experience didn’t make me less ambitious. ___ ___, it made me more determined.

2. I don’t think she was offended. ___ ___, she seemed amused.

3. Working from home hasn’t reduced my workload. ___ ___, I probably work more now.

Examples:

1. I’m not tired of travelling; if anything, I want to do more of it.

2. The criticism didn’t discourage him. If anything, it motivated him.

3. She hasn’t become less independent since moving back home. If anything, she’s become more so.

Collocations:

if anything, it made...
if anything, I’d say...
if anything, the opposite...
if anything, even more...
if anything, rather than...

Translation:

if anything — если уж на то пошло / скорее наоборот

Important note:

A very useful pattern is: X didn’t happen. If anything, the opposite happened. Do not automatically translate it literally as если что-нибудь.

so to speak

Pronunciation:

/ˌsəʊ tə ˈspiːk/

Definition:

Used after a word or phrase to show that you are using it in an unusual, figurative, or not completely literal sense.

Synonyms:

figuratively speaking — образно говоря
in a manner of speaking — в некотором смысле / так сказать
if you like — если хотите / можно сказать

So to speak is a compact idiomatic marker often attached to a metaphor. Figuratively speaking is more explicit and slightly more formal. In a manner of speaking often signals that a statement is only partly or loosely true.

Context gap:

1. After ten years in the company, she knows where all the bodies are buried, ___ ___ ___.

2. Social media has become our public diary, ___ ___ ___.

3. He became the unofficial face of the movement, ___ ___ ___.

Examples:

1. We’re all in the same boat, so to speak.

2. The project has finally found its feet, so to speak.

3. She became the glue holding the whole team together, so to speak.

Collocations:

metaphor + so to speak
the face of..., so to speak
the glue..., so to speak
in the same boat, so to speak
behind the scenes, so to speak

Translation:

so to speak — так сказать / образно говоря

Important note:

It usually comes after the figurative expression it comments on. It can sound slightly self-conscious or playful, so there is often no need to use it when the metaphor is already completely conventional.

Speaking of

Pronunciation:

/ˈspiːkɪŋ əv/

Definition:

Used to introduce a related topic because something in the previous conversation has reminded you of it.

Synonyms:

that reminds me... — кстати, это мне напомнило...
on the subject of... — раз уж речь зашла о...
while we’re on the subject... — раз уж мы об этом заговорили...

Speaking of is very common and conversational. That reminds me introduces something triggered by the previous comment but not necessarily the same topic. On the subject of and while we’re on the subject are slightly more explicit topic-management phrases.

Context gap:

1. ___ ___ holidays, have you booked anything for December?

2. ___ ___ your new job, how are you finding your manager?

3. ___ ___ university, did you ever finish that research project?

Examples:

1. Speaking of work, I need to tell you what happened in yesterday’s meeting.

2. Speaking of travel, have you decided where you’re going this winter?

3. Speaking of Anna, have you heard from her recently?

Collocations:

speaking of work
speaking of which
speaking of people
speaking of your...
speaking of something completely different

Translation:

speaking of... — раз уж заговорили о... / кстати, о...

Important note:

Speaking of which refers back to the whole preceding topic: I need a holiday. Speaking of which, have you booked the hotel yet? It is especially common in informal spoken English.

if you will

Pronunciation:

/ɪf ju ˈwɪl/

Definition:

Used to signal that the word or description you have chosen is unusual, approximate, metaphorical, or open to interpretation.

Synonyms:

so to speak — так сказать
if you like — если хотите / можно сказать
in a sense — в некотором смысле

If you will often sounds more rhetorical or intellectual than so to speak. So to speak typically flags figurative language. In a sense means that something is true from one particular perspective rather than literally or completely.

Context gap:

1. Social media has become a kind of public stage, ___ ___ ___, where everyone performs a version of themselves.

2. She acts as the emotional anchor, ___ ___ ___, of the whole family.

3. It was a psychological safety net, ___ ___ ___, rather than a practical solution.

Examples:

1. He became the architect, if you will, of the company’s new identity.

2. We’re creating a small ecosystem, if you will, where people can exchange ideas freely.

3. Her office became a refuge, if you will, from the chaos downstairs.

Collocations:

a kind of..., if you will
the architect, if you will, of...
a metaphor, if you will
a sort of..., if you will
the beginning, if you will, of...

Translation:

if you will — если хотите / если можно так выразиться

Important note:

This discourse-marker use is different from conditional if you will.... It often appears parenthetically between commas and is more common in reflective, academic, interview, or rhetorical speech than in very casual conversation.

to some extent

Pronunciation:

/tə ˌsʌm ɪkˈstent/

Definition:

Used to say that something is partly, but not completely, true.

Synonyms:

to a certain extent — до определённой степени
to some degree — в некоторой степени
partly — частично

To some extent and to some degree are very close. To a certain extent can sound slightly more deliberate or formal. Partly is shorter and more direct but does not work as naturally as a discourse marker in every context.

Context gap:

1. ___ ___ ___, I agree that social media has changed the way we communicate.

2. Success depends on talent, but ___ ___ ___ it also comes down to opportunity.

3. We’re all influenced by other people’s expectations ___ ___ ___.

Examples:

1. To some extent, your environment shapes the person you become.

2. I can understand her reaction to some extent, although I think she overreacted.

3. All relationships require compromise to some extent.

Collocations:

agree to some extent
true to some extent
depend to some extent on...
influence something to some extent
understand something to some extent

Translation:

to some extent — до некоторой степени / в какой-то мере

Important note:

It is a useful hedging device for making claims less absolute. It can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence: To some extent, I agree. / I agree to some extent.