Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts, 3rd Edition


Book Description

A useful guide to everyday American English to help you understand meanings and avoid difficulty in translation In this new edition of Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts, noted lexicographer Richard A. Spears shares with you 1,900 of the most common phrases and colloquial expressions used in contemporary American English. Here you will discover the greetings, good-byes, and everyday small talk that Americans use daily. All entries have been selected with the special needs of you, the nonnative speaker of English, in mind! Inside you'll find: Examples or short dialogues with each entry that illustrate how the phrase is used in everyday speaking Usage restrictions or warnings for those situations when a phrase may be inappropriate Shortened or abbreviated expressions cross-referenced to their complete forms A Phrase-Finder Index to help quick and easy reference




Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts


Book Description

With more than 200 new entries, this updated edition boasts almost 2,000 common phrases and colloquial expressions used in contemporary American English. From greetings and good-byes to everyday small talk, each entry is presented in a realistic context. Special attention to the needs of nonnative speakers includes usage restrictions and cautions as well as a phrase-finder index for on-the-spot reference. An essential dictionary for all students of English who want to know the most common expressions in American speech today.




Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts


Book Description

This guide helps new speakers unravel the mystery of colloquial American speech. Each of the 1,700 entries includes a mini-dialogue that dramatizes the meaning and use of phrases in greetings, goodbyes, and in small talk.







NTC's Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions


Book Description

With more than 7,000 up-to-date phrases, this dictionary covers situations from talking to a doctor to ordering a meal, and helps learners communicate personal feelings, and make small talk.




McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English


Book Description

Learnmore than 3,000 English expressions and speak and understand the language easily As a new speaker of English, you may hear some expressions in your daily conversations that you do not understand--yet. McGraw-Hill's Conversational American English will help you learn these expressions, so not only do you know what a person is saying to you, but that you can use the expression yourself! More than 3,000 expressions are organized by theme, so you can find what you are looking for quickly. And each topic is illustrated to further help you understand context. The book features: Common expressions are batched into 350 themes, ranging from general greetings and asking how someone is, to the more specific needs, like showing disbelief, asking someone’s intentions, and expressions for a forgotten word or name A comprehensive thematic glossary provides an additional means for the learner to locate expressions by key words and concepts Topics include: Basic Social Encounters, Greetings, Small Talk, Introductions, Ending a Conversation, Good-Byes, Agreeing, Disagreeing Conversational Encounters, Focusing Attention, Launching the Conversation, Making Friends, Complex Matters, Disputes, Discussion and Resolution, Polite Encounters, Prefaces, Communication Barriers







The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions


Book Description

The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions uncovers the fascinating, humorous, and often unbelievable origin stories behind the English language's most common sayings! Nobody thinks twice about sayings like bite the bullet and the cat's out of the bag. But the strange and wonderful origins of these expressions are far from arbitrary: They are rooted in forgotten history. Within this book, you will discover the origins of idioms like: Why we say an unwell person is under the weather. It goes back to when sickly sailors and seafarers had to rest below deck! How come sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle is called riding shotgun." In the Wild West, passengers had a crucial job: packing heat and preventing highway robberies! What's up with the phrase, cat got your tongue. Here's a hint: It doesn't have anything to do with cats! With over 100 pieces of original artwork, The Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions is as beautiful as it is entertaining and informative. Read up on this fascinating history of the English language's 64 most popular idioms, and you will know what it really means when you say pass with flying colors, bury the hatchet, and rest on your laurels!




McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idoms and Phrasal Verbs


Book Description

Learn the language of Nebraska . . .and 49 other states With more entries than any other reference of its kind,McGraw-Hill’s Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs shows you how American English is spoken today. You will find commonly used phrasal verbs, idiomatic expressions, proverbial expressions, and clichés. The dictionary contains more than 24,000 entries, each defined and followed by one or two example sentences. It also includes a Phrase-Finder Index with more than 60,000 entries.




Essential American Idioms


Book Description

Among the special features of this book are the following: each entry has at least two example sentences illustrating how the idiom is used in context in natural American English; and a new Phrase-Finder Index enables users to locate a particular idiom quickly by looking up any of its major words.