Homophones - Vain v Vein

Vain

1.   (adverb) - unsuccessfully

Ø                  Sarah tried in vain to start a conversation with John, but he was just too shy.

Ø                  All the police’s efforts to arrest the robbers were in vain as the robbers managed to escape with the help of an accomplice.

2.   (adj) – self-conscious

Ø                 It’s shocking how much money and time vain people invest into their appearances.

Vein (noun) – a tube in that transports blood from the heart to the other parts of the body

Ø            Sarah lost so much weight at one point that we could see her veins protruding from under her skin.

Common Idioms - Not Your Cup of Tea

Meaning – not the type of thing you like.

Ø      Thanks for the invitation, but opera’s not my cup of tea.

Ø      Raw food just isn’t Vivien’s cup of tea as she once suffered a bad bout of food poisoning after having some sushi for dinner a few years ago. 

Grammar - Still, Yet and Already

A.            Still = sth is the same as before

Ø      I had a heavy meal two hours ago but I’m still hungry. (= I was hungry earlier on and I’m hungry now)

Ø      ‘Have you bought your car?’     ‘No, I’m still undecided about which car to buy.’

Ø      ‘Do you still walk to work?’      ‘No, I take the subway now.’

B.            Yet = until now

Yet is used in negative sentences (He hasn’t eaten yet.) and in questions (Has he eaten yet?). Yet is usually placed at the end of a sentence:

Ø      A: Where’s Kent?

    B: He hasn’t arrived yet.

Ø      A: Are you ready to leave yet?

    B: Not yet. I still want to order dessert.

Ø      A: What are you doing this weekend?

    B: I don’t know yet. I might go dancing.

C.             Already = earlier than expected

Ø      ‘I’m going to load all the boxes into the car.’       ‘I’ve already done that.’   

Ø      Wendy won’t be joining us for dinner tonight. She’s already got dinner plans with her friends.

Ø      ‘What time is Dave coming over?’      ‘He’s already here.’

Similes with Like - Like Trying to Get Blood Out of a Stone

Meaning – said of sth that is extremely difficult or almost impossible.

Ø     Getting money out of Ben was like trying to get blood out of a stone.

Ø     Getting Nathan to help out with house chores is like trying to get blood out of a stone. Thankfully, we can manage without him.  

Homophones - Told v Tolled

Told (verb) – past simple of tell

Ø      I was told this restaurant serves the best chicken rice in town.

Ø      John told Sarah he’d be late for dinner tonight.

Tolled (adj) - a tolled road, bridge etc is one where you have to pay to use

Ø      Everyone was furious about the government’s latest plans to build a tolled motorway around the perimeter of the city. 

Proverbs and Sayings - One good turn deserves another

Meaning – If someone does you a favour, it is only right if you return the favour.

Ø      Sally helped me when no one would. So, now that she needs my help, the least I can do is return the favour. After all, one good turn deserves another.

Ø      John is always trying to help his siblings as they were the ones who put him through college. He strongly believes that one good turn deserves another.

Similes with As - As poor as a church mouse

Meaning – Very poor. A mouse that lives in a church won’t have as much to eat as a mouse that lives in a house or farm.

Ø      When David first started working, he was as poor as a church mouse. In fact, he sometimes had to borrow money from his parents.

Ø      Even though they were as poor as church mice, the Johnsons were contented with what they had.