#Expressions


🫧Sitting duck / Sitting target.
noun [C]

➖someone who is easy to attack or easy to cheat.


🔸Out in the open, the soldiers were sitting ducks for enemy fire.

Present Habits
#grammar

#SpokenEnglish
#usefullanguage
#Fwytm


🫧On no account/not on any account.

➖used when saying that someone must not, for any reason, do something.

▪️On no account must you disturb me.



🫧When/if push comes to shove / if it comes to the push.

➖if a situation becomes very difficult or action needs to be taken.

▪️If push comes to shove, you can always sell the car.



🫧(As) near as damn it.

➖used to say that something is very nearly true or correct.

▪️The repairs will cost us £1000, as near as damn it.

#confusing_words

🔘Impending / Pending 🔘


▪️If an issue is pending, it means it is not yet concluded or resolved. It is waiting for a
decision or confirmation.

➖The results of the experiment are pending. = waiting for the results to be finalized.

➖ We have a few pending issues on which we need the CEO’s input. = waiting for the CEO to give his/her opinion.

➖The cause of death is pending investigation. = waiting for the police to investigate.

➖There are two pending transactions in the bank account. = the transactions have been initiated, but have not yet finished.



▪️An impending event is one that will happen very soon. Impending often has a
negative connotation (though not always):

➖The weather forecasters are advising people to stay home due to the impending storm.

➖The soldiers prepared themselves for the impending battle.

➖ She faced her impending death with peace and tranquility.

➖My father is wrapping up his projects at work, in preparation for his impending retirement. (not a negative connotation; simply means that he will
retire very soon).

▪️For more positive events that will happen soon, we can use the word upcoming –
“I’m looking forward to my upcoming trip!”

#confusing_words

🔘 Hijack / kidnap 🔘


▪️You hijack a vehicle - such as a car, train, or airplane - taking control of it by using
force.

➖He hijacked a truck, threatening the driver at gunpoint


▪️You kidnap a person - take and hold the person against their will, often demanding money to release them.

➖The criminals attempted to kidnap the wealthy businessman's daughter for ransom.

#confusing_words

🔘Hopefully / Thankfully 🔘


▪️You can say hopefully about something you want to happen (but you do not know if
it will happen or not).

▪️Say thankfully about an established fact.


▪️Both “hopefully” and “thankfully” can be used in the past, present, or future – but
thankfully is about confirmed facts and hopefully is about unconfirmed facts:


▫️Future:

➖Hopefully, this project will be finished by the end of the month. (= I’m not sure if it will be finished by the end of the month or not, but I want it
to).

➖ Thankfully, this project will be finished by the end of the month. (= The project will definitely be finished by that time).


▫️Present:

➖Hopefully, there isn’t a long line at the bank. (= I am not yet at the bank, so I don’t know if the line is long or not)

➖ Thankfully, there isn’t a long line at the bank. (= I am at the bank now, and I can see that the line is not long).


▫️Past:

➖ Hopefully, George got home safely last night. (= I don’t know if he got home safely or not)

➖Thankfully, George got home safely last night. (= I know for a fact that George is OK – perhaps he called me and confirmed it)