Do you know all these irregular English verbs? Save this table if you think it’s useful and tell us - do you know any more 🫖🍪?⁣
⁣
Click on the link in our bio for more irregular verbs!⁣

⁣@bbclen

Conversation:

Youssra : Hi, Jack! Have you heard the news? Mary has tied the knot!

Jack: Really? I can't believe it! She has always been a free spirit.

Youssra : Yes, she has settled down now. And guess what? I have finally found my feet at the new job.

Jack: That's fantastic! I knew you would hit the ground running.

Youssra : Thanks! By the way, have you seen Sam lately? He has been under the weather.

Jack: Yes, I have visited him. He has been burning the midnight oil for his exams and it has taken a toll on him.

Youssra : Poor Sam. He has always bitten off more than he can chew.

Jack: True, but he has always managed to land on his feet.

Idioms and their meanings:

Tied the knot: Got married.

Free spirit: Someone who is independent and lives life without conforming to societal norms.

Settled down: Started living a more stable and regular life, often referring to getting married or starting a family.

Found my feet: Become comfortable and confident in a new situation.

Hit the ground running: Start something and proceed at a fast pace with enthusiasm.
Under the weather: Feeling ill or unwell.
Burning the midnight oil: Staying up late working or studying.
Taken a toll on him: Had a negative impact on him.
Bitten off more than he can chew: Taken on more responsibility than he can handle.

Land on his feet: Successfully deal with problems or challenges.

@bbclen

A kind reminder ♡ :
Often, we find ourselves staying in situations longer than we should, not because they're good for us, but because we hold onto hope. This hope can keep us tied to places, people, or circumstances that ultimately break our hearts. Letting go of this hope is incredibly difficult, yet it's a crucial step in the healing process. It's where we start anew. Trusting ourselves enough to release what hurts, even when it’s painful, is essential for our growth and well-being. Learning to move on is not just about ending a chapter but beginning a new one, with the belief that better things lie ahead ! ...

The past perfect tense
is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action or a specific time in the past

▫️ Formation: It's formed using "had" + the past participle of the main verb.
Example: "I had finished my homework before dinner."
▫️Usage:
- To show that one past action happened before another:
"By the time I arrived, the movie had already started."
- To express a past condition that is no longer true:
"I had lived in Paris for 10 years before I moved to London."

▫️ Time expressions: Often used with words like "already," "just," "never," "by the time," and "before."

▫️ In reported speech: Used to backshift the present perfect:
Direct: "I have seen that movie."
Reported: "She said she had seen that movie."

▫️ Contrasts with simple past: The past perfect clarifies which of two past actions happened first.
"When I arrived at the party, Tom left." (Unclear sequence)
"When I arrived at the party, Tom had left." (Clear that Tom left first)

◽️Affirmative form:
Structure: Subject + had + past participle
Example: "She had finished her report."

◽️ Negative form:
Structure: Subject + had not (hadn't) + past participle
Example: "They had not (hadn't) seen the movie before."

◽️Question form:
Structure: Had + subject + past participle
Example: "Had you visited Paris before?"

▫️Here's a breakdown of each:

Affirmative:
Used to state that an action was completed before another past action or time.
Examples:
"I had eaten breakfast before I went to work."
"They had already left when I arrived."

Negative:
Used to state that an action was not completed before another past action or time.
Examples:
"I had not finished my homework when my friends called."
"She hadn't learned to drive before she moved to the city."

Question:
Used to ask if an action had been completed before another past action or time.
Can be yes/no questions or wh-questions.
Examples:
Yes/No: "Had you ever traveled abroad before last year?"
Wh-question: "What had you accomplished before turning 30?"

@bbclen

Youssra: Hey Xenalia, do you have any weekend plans?

Xenalia: Hi Youssra! Well, I’m going to play it by ear. If the weather is good, I might go for a hike. What about you?

Youssra: That sounds nice! I might visit my cousin, but I’m on the fence. If she’s busy, I’ll probably just stay home and have a lazy day.

Xenalia: A lazy day sounds like a plan! Sometimes it’s good to just kick back and relax. I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off all week, so I might do the same.

Youssra: I hear you! I’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately, so some downtime would be great. But I might also catch up with a few friends. They’re planning a small get-together, and I don’t want to miss the boat.

Xenalia: That’s true. It’s always good to stay in touch. I might also go to that new café downtown. I’ve heard it’s the bee’s knees!

Youssra: Oh, I’ve heard great things about that place too! Maybe I’ll tag along if I don’t visit my cousin. We could kill two birds with one stone—catch up and try out the café.

Xenalia: That sounds like a plan! Let’s keep it open-ended and decide last minute. We can see which way the wind blows.

Youssra: Agreed! Sometimes it’s best not to put all your eggs in one basket. We can go with the flow and see what happens.

◽️ Idioms and Their Meanings:

▫️Play it by ear: To decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than planning it in advance.

▫️On the fence: Undecided about something.

▫️Kick back and relax: To rest and take it easy.

▫️Running around like a chicken with its head cut off: Being very busy and trying to do many things quickly.

▫️Burning the candle at both ends: Overworking yourself by staying up late and getting up early, leading to exhaustion.

▫️Miss the boat: To miss an opportunity.

▫️The bee’s knees: Something or someone outstanding or excellent.

▫️Kill two birds with one stone: To accomplish two things with one action.

▫️See which way the wind blows: To wait and see how a situation develops before making a decision.

▫️Not to put all your eggs in one basket: To avoid risking everything on one plan or idea.

@bbclen

When you're trying to master English and find that all roads lead to 'Get,' simplify your language learning... make it easier! 🌚✨...

@bbclen

Did you know there are two very different pronunciations of ‘scone’? 🌚✨..
In this video, George asks the BBC Learning English team how they pronounce this word...
@bbclen