Proverbs and Sayings - Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Meaning – said as an encouragement to someone who is discouraged by some difficulty and is unable to see a positive way forward.

Ø     I realize your future appears to be very uncertain at the moment, but if I were you, I’d focus on the positive side of things. After all, every cloud has a silver lining.

Ø     Despite being homeless and jobless, John is still optimistic about the future. He always believes that every cloud has a silver lining.

Homonyms - Current (As an Adjective and Noun)

1.   (adj) – present time

Ø     Have you read the current (= most recently published) issue of the Times magazine?

Ø     This $5 note is no longer in current use.

2.   (noun) – flow of water, air or electricity in a particular direction

Ø      The fishermen were swept out to sea by the strong current.

Ø      It’s strongly advisable to switch off the electric current before changing the light bulb.

3.   (noun) – feeling or opinion that a particular group of people have

Ø      There is a growing current of support for the opposition party leaders.

Ø      The growing current of discontent among the employees is becoming very hard to ignore.

Similes with As - As Busy as a Bee/Beaver

Meaning – very busy

Ø      Ever since William started his own business, he’s been as busy as a bee/beaver. In fact, he hardly has time to sit down and have a proper meal.

Ø      Despite being as busy as a bee/beaver, Ken never complains. In fact, he reckons it’s better to be busy with work than sit idle at home.

Homophones - Practice v Practise

Practice (noun)

1.  training

Ø     Are you coming for dance practice tomorrow?

Ø     I need more practice before I take my driving test next month.

2.  regular activity

Ø     There’s a lot we can learn from Japanese business practices.

Ø     It’s standard practice to tip the waiters and waitresses in the US.

3.  action

Ø     I’d like to see you put what you preach to practice.

Ø     These are all great ideas, but how do you intend to put them into practice?

4.  work

Ø     Sam recently left the government hospital and joined a            private practice not far from his home.

Practise (verb)

1.   training

Ø     Sally practises the piano for an hour every day. It’s no wonder she’s so good.

Ø     I’m quite satisfied with the way I’m moving on the tennis court. I just need to practise my serve a bit more.

2.  work

Ø     How long has Dr Johnson been practising as a bone specialist?

3.  regular activity

Ø     Everyone has the right to practise their own religion in a democratic country.

Ø     Practising safe sex is crucial (= very important) in order to avoid HIV infection.

Synonyms - Decide

Decide (verb)

1.  determine

Ø     The weather will determine whether or not I go for a swim in the evening.

Ø     Where we spend our holidays is determined by how much money we have in our bank account.

2.  settle

Ø     The young couple plans to start looking for a venue now that the wedding date is finally settled.

3.  choose

Ø     He was recently offered the job of his dreams, but it requires him to relocate to another country. Now, he has to choose between his career and his partner.

4.  resolve

Ø     She resolved that she would only stay in reputable hotels after her bad experience with a new hotel on her last holiday.

Ø     After days of discussion, they resolved against expanding the business.

Proverbs and Sayings - Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

Meaning – Don’t risk everything you have in one plan.

Ø      I always like to keep my options open in anything and everything I do. It’s like they say, ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket.’

Ø      They literally put all their eggs in one basket and invested their entire life savings into this restaurant. Fortunately, business has been very good.

Homophones - Hoarse v Horse

Hoarse (adj) – used to describe a person’s rough voice, which is often due to a sore throat or cold.

Ø      Maria sounded a bit hoarse over the phone this morning. I hope she’s not coming down with a cold.

Ø  We always remember Uncle Sam for his hoarse voice.

Horse (noun) – a large animal ridden by people or used to carry things or pull vehicles.

Ø      William spends a lot of his time riding horses during summer.