Euphemisms: What are they and why you should use them

There are some words that some people might find outright offensive or impolite or upsetting.

So how do you convey your message without offending someone?

The answer is just one word: Euphemisms. These are terms used in place of those ‘offensive’ words to make it sound tolerable, acceptable or polite. It’s like sugar-coating the message to make it seem less harsh than it actually is.

Here’s an example: Instead of saying “John was sent to a jail after that incident”, you could say “John was sent to a correctional facility after that incident”. In this case, “jail” and “correctional facility” both mean the same thing but the second sentence makes the situation more palatable.

In this article, we’ll explore euphemisms for some common topics.

+ Physical/ mental disability: Instead of saying “handicapped” or “disabled”, you could say “physical challenged” or “differently abled”. Instead of saying “retarded”, you could say “mentally challenged”. “Special needs” could be used for people that are physically and/or mentally challenged.

+ Death: Instead of saying “died”, you could say “passed away”, “deceased”, or “taken to Jesus”.

+ Euthanasia: “Put one to sleep” or “put one out of misery” could be used instead of “euthanasia” or “euthanized”. (You’ll mostly find it used in vet clinics)

+ Overweight: “Ample proportions”, “plus-sized”, or “stocky” could be used in place of “fat” or “obese”.

+ Lavatory: You might find it hard to believe but the words “bathroom”, “washroom”, and “restroom” all are euphemisms for “toilet”.

+ Flatulence: “Break wind”, “pass gas”, “cut the wind” could be used instead of the word “fart”.

+ Lying: Instead of saying “lying” or “lied”, you could say “color the truth”, “bending the truth”, or “misstatement”.

And there are euphemisms for almost all of the ‘taboo’ topics in English. It is understandable when some of you say English is a difficult language but using euphemisms in everyday conversation not only makes you appear sophisticated but also makes your message much more acceptable.

Don't Have Time to Learn English? No Problem!

Does this sound familiar?

Your English is...OK. As a non-native English speaker, you are able to communicate pretty well. You can go shopping or talk to someone about your favourite film. But be honest, your English isn't as good as you want it to be, is it?

You know what you have to do; you have to study more, right? Learning a language takes hours and hours of study every single week. The only way to speak a language fluently is to sit down and start studying.

So every January 1st, you pledge to finally get started and study every day. And for a few days you do it; you read English books, do free online English grammar exercises, and watch TV in English. But one day you are just too busy, and so you skip a day of studying. And the next week you skip another one. And soon all of your English things are lying under the bed, untouched for six months, and your English is worse than it was before.

That exact situation happens to far too many language learners. And unfortunately you probably blame yourself, it's just because you are too lazy or unmotivated, right? Wrong!

It simply means that you are a regular person, just like everyone else. As an adult, you have too many things to take care of already. Your job, your family, your life can't stop for an hour or two each day just because you want to learn to speak English better.

Let's dispel the biggest myth about learning English right now: You do not have to spend hours and hours each week in order to learn English.

In fact, trying to learn too much at once can actually be the worst thing that you can do. It's been shown that people can only learn about seven new things at one time. So any time spent trying to learn more than that is just a waste of time. Linguists even recommend that you only spend about 10 minutes a day studying a language[1].

Yes, that's right, you can learn a language in just 10 minutes a day. All you have to do is dedicate yourself to doing 10 minutes of free English online grammar exercises or vocabulary work each day, and you really will see your English improve.

No one is so busy that they don't have 10 minutes every day. You could do your English studying while riding public transportation, eating your lunch, or even while sitting on the toilet. Whenever you have a few spare minutes, do a little studying. You should live your normal life and then do your studying in your free time, not the other way around.

Doing it for such a short time each day prevents studying English from becoming a chore. When it doesn't feel like work and you are having fun, that is when your brain is able to learn the best. That means that it isn't only important to study for short periods of time, but also to make that studying time interesting and fun.

Do something different each day to keep it interesting. One day you can practice your English using the great free English online grammar exercises at grammati.com. This tool can also help you find out what you don’t know, so you can focus on exactly what to study and make your 10 minutes a day even more effective.

The following day you can learn new vocabulary words at vocabulary.com. And at the weekend you can watch a short video or read a news article at BBC Learning English and put your studying to good use.

While you can certainly study more than 10 minutes a day if you have a little time and are feeling good, make sure not to do too much too quickly. Studying for long periods of time won't really help you very much, and it will start to make English feel like work again, instead of like a fun break each day.

Lastly, remember that learning English takes time. For normal people with families, jobs, and social lives, it just isn't possible to become fluent in English overnight. But if you stick to a plan of 10 minutes a day, you will find that your English improves faster than you ever expected.

[1] www.mezzoguild.com/2012/03/02/short-and-sweet-study-periods

English Idioms: Shhh! - learn English the fun way using cartoons

Do you know how you can tell someone to lower their voice in an informal way? In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples to understand the meaning of idioms that you can use to tell someone to be quiet, when you may not agree with what someone is saying. There are even occasions when people are being rude!

You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to animals, happiness, money, food and the body.




See more about Kaplan idioms illustration

English Idioms: The Body - learn English the fun way using cartoons

Do you know the meaning of “being all ears”, “having a sweet tooth” or “eye-catching”? They are just a sample of English idioms using parts of the body, these idioms are generally used to explain ideas. In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples to understand the meaning of idioms related to parts of the body. You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to animals, happiness, money and food.




See more about Kaplan’s body idioms illustration

English Idioms: Food - More fun cartoons to learn English

Have you ever been told that you are an “egg head”, “big cheese”, “bad apple” or “top banana”? Did you understand that the other person meant by that? If you were unsure then this post will definitely help. In this post we introduce some very interesting and useful idioms related to food. You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to animals and happiness and money.




To learn more English vocabulary using funny cartoons and illustrations visit Kaplan Illustrations

Common expressions in English that you’re normally not taught at school

We’d like to introduce today a table containing some words and sentences commonly used by the native English speakers but that are not normally taught at school or English courses.

Table 1: Common expressions in English

Expression	Example
My tummy is upset	I couldn’t sleep well last night, my tummy was upset.
I don't give a flying fig	He doesn’t give a flying fig if I don’t get a new job soon.
I couldn’t care less	We couldn’t care less about the outcome of the match, we dislike both team.
I couldn’t be bothered	You couldn’t be bothered calling him, he’s shown no respect for you.
I’m with you	All right, I’m with you, keep reading.
I’m not with you	Hold on! Can you repeat please? I’m not with you.
Make no mistake	But make no mistake, this is not easy and you’ll have to try hard.
Good food for thought	Read this article, is good food for thought.
Social butterfly	You’re such a social butterfly; always have a good plan to go out.
My brain is addled	My brain is addled today, I better go to bed.
We’ll agree to disagree	We’ll agree to disagree on this one; our points of view are very different.
Kick off	You better kick this off and start working / The match just kicked off 5 minutes ago.
Keep the ball running	Don’t worry about that now, let’s fix this and keep the ball running!
Kick the can down the road	He said Obama is showing he "wants to kick the can down the road" until after the election.
To be on someone’s foot	Seriously, try to be on my shoes and you'll see what I mean.
We don’t want to shoot ourselves on the foot	We're once again sadly demonstrating to the rest of the world our self-destructive propensity- we shoot ourselves on the foot.
To lose your marbles	She’s spending too much time on her own; I think she’s going to lose her marbles.
Ta	Short form for "Thanks". Ta! -You're welcome!

Ta for reading!

English Idioms: Money - More fun cartoons to learn English

Do you know the meaning of idioms like “bring home the bacon”, “go Dutch” or “cook the books”? If you’re not sure then this post is definitely for you!:) In this post we introduce some very interesting and useful idioms related to money. You can also check out our previous posts about idioms related to Animals and Happiness.



To learn more English vocabulary using funny cartoons and illustrations visit Kaplan Illustrations

5 Sites to Learn the English Names of Groups of Animals

When you are learning English often times you start out with simple vocabulary that children would learn. One of those things is the names of animals. In English there are often different names for male and female animas, different names for baby animals, and different names for groups of those animals. This can make it hard to learn as there is no one standard. Here are five sites that you can check out to learn these differences for yourself:

1. Animal Vocabulary in British English - This great site has the animal’s pictures next to them, making it easy to see what each one is. It is also organized by groups such as wild animals, farm animals, insects and so on. This site also gives details such as where the animals are located and which are native to Britain.

2. Farm Animals in North America - This is a great site to learn about the names of farm animals in North America. This site also offers details like what sounds the animals make and what the food made from the animals is called. It is very simple for even basic English learners to read and understand.

3. Male and Female Animals - If you are just interested in learning the differences between male and female names for animals than this site is the one to check out. It has an alphabetical listing of animals with their male and female names in English.

4. Unusual Animal Alphabet - If you are looking for the proper names for a more unusual animal, this is a site to look at. They have a wider variety of animal names as well as names for the baby animals and groups of animals. It is easy to find the animal you are looking for because it is in alphabetical order.

5. Collective Noun List - The name for a group of animals is called a collective noun. If you just want to know what the name of a group of animals is called this is a good site to check out. It also has links to bigger pages on specific animals if you need to see a photo or other information. It also has notes like if the group name applies to on land, at sea or in the air.

These are just a few of the resources that you can use to learn the names of groups of animals, what the different genders are called, and what baby animals are called.

Ken holds a master’s in business leadership from Upper Iowa University and multiple bachelor degrees from Grand View College. As president of morningsidenannies.com, Ken’s focus is helping Houston-based parents find the right childcare provider for their family. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.

English Idioms: Animals - More fun cartoons to learn English

Few weeks ago we described some English idioms to describe happiness. This week, we’d like to present another set of excellent idioms involving animals and used by English speakers to make their language more colourful. Discover how to go wild with your English learning! :)



To learn more English vocabulary using funny cartoons and illustrations visit Kaplan Illustrations

Fun cartoons to learn English - Kaplan Illustrations

There is a new initiative at Kaplan to learn English by using fun cartoons and illustrations. For example, you’ll be able to learn English idioms or words that are pronounced the same but differ in meaning (homophones).

It is said that an image is worth more than a thousand words so let’s check out an illustration about English idioms to express happiness:



To learn more English vocabulary using funny cartoons and illustrations visit Kaplan Illustrations

Learn English the fun and interactive way with GCF Learn English

With GCF Learn English you’ll be able to learn English at your own pace and in a great and truly interactive way. Moreover, its interface makes it really easy to use on your computer or tablet like the iPad, Samsung Galaxy or Nexus from Google. Let’s see some screenshots from this wonderful online resource that will surely convince you to try it out.

On the main menu, you’ll be able to choose your native language so that it’s easier to navigate through the application:



You’ll then be able to choose among over 40 topics to practice every aspect of your English:



After choosing your desired topic for learning English, you’ll be able to learn vocabulary, grammar and also to practice with exercises using Word Explorer, Text Explorer, Video Dictionary or Fill in the blank.



In conclusion, this is a superb online resource where you’ll find countless topics and activities to keep improving your level of English.

Go on and visit GCF Learn English.

Learn English with the fantastic resources from Australia Network

If one of your resolutions for the New Year is to learn English, we’d like to present you an online resource that will certainly help you to achieve your target. Australia Network is Australia's international television service, beaming 24/7 to more than 46 countries across Asia, the Pacific and Indian subcontinent. The reason why it’s interesting to us is because it offers many great tools to learn English.

On its section to learn English (Learning English), you’ll find learning programs, video podcasts, social networks and communities.

Moreover, on its learning programs, at the bottom of the page there is a very helpful table that explains the recommended programs depending on your level of English: better than beginner, intermediate and advanced. For instance, if you have an advanced level, you should use the programs Nexus, English Bites and Study English.

On the video podcasts section you’ll be able to subscribe to their video podcast feeds and get the latest available Australia Network Learning English programs automatically downloaded to your computer or portable media device. Finally, on the communities section you’ll be able to access to more content from Australia Networks on sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Orkut.

Don’t hesitate and visit the Learning English section on Australia Network, you’ll find great (and free) online resources that will surely improve your level of English.

10 Common English Idioms You Should Know

If you’ve been learning English for very long, then you have heard some idioms. You may understand the individual words, but you don’t understand how they work together. Idioms are strange like that. An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is only understood based on the common use of that expression, separate from the literal meaning of the words. There are estimated to be over 25,000 idioms in the English language.

Idioms can be very colorful, but they can also be extremely hard for non-native speakers to understand. Some idioms are widely understood. Idioms like, “This is a piece of cake”- meaning it is easy- have many variations in other languages as well. To help you out (assist you) here is a list of ten common English idioms, their meaning, and how they are used.

Table 1: 10 Common English Idioms You Should Know

Idiom	Meaning	Example of use
used to	Accustomed to/ comfortable with	I am not used to running so far. That is why I am tired.
take place	To happen/ to occur	The party took place at Jim’s house.
stick with (something)	To continue / to not quit (especially with difficulties)	It was hard, but I stuck with my piano lessons. Now I can play well.
show up	To appear/ to arrive/ to be present	I did not think the teacher was going to show up today, but he was just late.
A dime a dozen	Common/ easy to get	I thought that my baseball card was rare, but the man told me it was a dime a dozen.
A slap on the wrist	A mild punishment	When he broke the window he should have gotten thrown out of school. Instead, he just got a slap on the wrist. He has to go to a week of detention.
An arm and a leg	Very expensive/ a large amount of money	A nice laptop computer will cost you an arm and a leg.
On the other hand	However/ in contrast/ looking at the opposite side of a matter	I like your idea of skipping class today, but on the other hand I need to keep my grades up.
For sure	Without doubt/ certainly/ surely	I am going to meet you for sure this weekend.
For good	Permanently	Did you hear? They are closing the store for good tomorrow!

This guest post is contributed by Debra Johnson, blogger and editor of full time nanny. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: - jdebra84 @ gmail.com.

Learn how to pronounce words with EmbedPlus

EmbedPlus is leveraging its enhanced YouTube player to offer free video-centric learning experiences in different domains. The first is a language-focused tool for pronunciation learning.

From looking around, you’ll quickly see that it breaks the dictionary convention of simply providing short and isolated audio snippets by additionally providing time-stamped videos of real speakers using words in real situations.

The goal is to give learners greater context and less mechanical pronunciations for free. In some cases, like the video in the screenshot below, you’ll even get to observe the facial gestures used to produce pronunciations.



Using the tool is easy. Simply enter a word in its search box and you’re automatically given an audio pronunciation if one exists.The audio can be replayed as many times as you need. Most importantly, if videos have been matched to the word, their tiles are listed horizontally for you to click and watch. The enhanced embedded YouTube controls provided by EmbedPlus help you effectively navigate the playback.

To further improve the number and quality of the available videos, our team recently had the idea of time-stamping videos from interested ESL teachers on YouTube and using them as pronunciation examples. This would lead to an ESL specific track within the videos we serve and offer a two pronged benefit: (1) ESL teachers get more English learners viewing their videos as we grow to serve more of the many daily pronunciation requests, and (2) learners are able to gain more than just pronunciations as they watch content that inherently provides language learning lessons.

We suggest that interested teachers explore a few words on the site and find samples within their own videos. Note that we’d prefer to start with examples for commonly used English words that do not currently have matching videos, like awesome, cache, and tomato. If you are interested, please send an email to our team with the YouTube channel information here: submit@epronounce.com.

This is a guest post written by Tay Omojokun, Tay is the cofounder of EmbedPlus.

Learn English and improve your vocabulary base with Quizlet

Quizlet is one of those free Internet resources that are worth trying and that you’ll love. It’s based completely on the use of flashcards for learning English, vocabulary or almost anything.

You can make your own flashcards at Quizlet and then share them so you’ll have millions to choose from. These flashcards are grouped in different categories, like Arts and Literature, Languages and Vocabulary, Maths and Science, History and Geography, Standardized Tests and Professional and Careers.

To study English, the most interesting subcategories are English (in Languages and Vocabulary), SSAT, TOEFL and TOEIC (in Standardized Tests). Moreover, as the majority of vocabulary is in English, you’ll be able to dip into the category you’re interested in and practice your English skills.

The following tools and games are available for each flashcard:

• Flashcard Mode: allows you to familiarize yourself with the material.
• Speller Mode: uses audio to let you type what you hear.
• Learn Mode: is the most powerful study mode, keeping track of your scores, and retesting incorrect answers.
• Test Mode: generates customizable tests with short answers, matching, multiple choice and true/false options.
• Scatter: is a fun matching game which lets you drag and drop questions and answers with your mouse while racing against the clock.
• Space Race: is the ultimate video game study simulation. Racing the clock, you type in answers to questions flying overhead before they evade your grasp.

You can see an example about the Learn Mode below:

Choose a Study ModeScatterLearnFlashcards

Study these flash cards | Study english flash cards

Quizlet is also a very valuable resource for classes, as teachers will be able to create their own flashcards (which can include images) and then use them in class with their students. As it’s an interactive resource, the chances are that it will be fully accepted by the class.

Finally, you can also enjoy Quizlet on your phone or tablet as there are many available apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone and Kindle Fire.

Go on and check out Quizlet, it won’t disappoint you.

VocaTube - the Olympic Games in English

With the London Olympic Games just around the corner, it’s time for us to join the Olympic spirit. For this, we have compiled a series of videos from YouTube with which you’ll be able to learn all the English vocabulary about the Olympic sports.

Remember that vocabulary can only be improved with practice and listening through repetition. It’s difficult for everyone to understand from the beginning but you’ll notice that the more hours you listen, the better your understanding.

Good video with English Sports Vocabulary – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Video with general vocabulary for Sports in English – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Vocabulary with Winter Olympic Sports – elementary English



Link to the video on YouTube

Subtitled video with sports in Britain – intermediate English



Link to the video on YouTube

Introduction to London Summer Olympics 2012 – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

English vocabulary about the Olympic Games (part 1) – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

English vocabulary about the Olympic Games (part 2) – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

English vocabulary about the Olympic Games (part 3) – advanced English



Link to the video on YouTube

Visit the official website for the London 2012 Olympic Games

Find out how Babbel can help you to improve your level of English

There is no doubt that the Internet offers new and exciting ways to learn English online. We have previously mentioned Babbel, as a revolutionary platform to learn languages online.

We’d like to present you with a testimony from a person that uses Babbel and who has told us what she likes about it and how it has helped her to improve her level of English.

1. How long have you been using Babbel in order to improve your level of English?

I’ve been studying English with Babbel for several months. I usually practice one hour every day rather than practicing a lot in a day and then don’t study again for some days.

2. During this time, do you think that you have improved your level of English and in what way?

From my point of view, I have improved a lot, especially on my vocabulary skills as I have improved them progressively.

3. What are your favourite features from Babbel? What is your favourite one and what is the one that you like least?

What I like about Babbel is that I can practice from my listening to my speaking skills, for example: you can configure your microphone in order to evaluate your pronunciation and that makes you to improve and perfect it. You also have the possibility to review everyday what you have learnt, what makes that you are always practicing and properly acquiring the new knowledge. Moreover, it’s a very interactive program; you can chat with people around the World and see different English expressions that they use.

As of now, I can’t say anything negative about Babbel, I think that the interface is very clear and easy to understand. I’d include some videos with conversations from an elementary to an advanced level, to practice more the listening skills. But in general, I can say that it’s a very complete website.

4. Have you tried any other product to learn English online? Do you think that Babbel is better than other products that you have tried?

Yes, I’ve tried other products to learn English, but due to the complexity of the website, I’ve ended up using Babbel. With no doubt, Babbel is top quality and allows you to learn English in a fast and simple way, and especially, without getting bored.

5. Do you think that the price for a course on Babbel is reasonable and why?

Babbel prices are quite cheap, as for less than 9$ per month, you have access to many applications to learn a language in a very interactive way totally adapted to your needs. You can connect to Babbel at any time and not only from your computer but also from your mobile phone. This makes that you don’t waste any time as in a bus or train stop, you could be learning English.

Stop thinking about it, register for free and try Babbel today

Useful Verbs "To Give More Information" About Something

We all know the feeling of trying to find the right word sometimes. OK, maybe you have a word that ‘sort of fits’, but you know there’s probably a better word out there that more accurately means what you want to say.

Imagine you’re doing a presentation in English. You have a pie chart () on the screen. You’re using the pie chart to give more information about something, for example, different departments in your company.

'This pie chart says that...', you begin to say. But you realize that 'Says that...' isn’t really correct (pie charts don’t speak!). What other verb could you use instead of 'says that'?

Depict is a useful verb. This means 'to show or represent something, usually with pictures / images'.

'This pie chart depicts the profit areas for each department in our company.' = 'This pie chart shows the profit areas for each department in our company'

Check out the following video for some other useful verbs ‘to give more information’ about something in English.

At the end of the video, you’ll find a short quiz to test your knowledge of the new verbs.



Link to the video on YouTube

Guest post from Rob who is co-founder and co-director of Story & Birch English Language Vacations Ltd. based in Nova Scotia, Canada. Story & Birch is a family-run company which specializes in short-term homestay English training holidays. Rob is an experienced teacher having taught in Slovakia and Germany for seven years before returning to Canada. You can also find Story & Birch on Facebook.

Learn hundreds of expressions a year in just 5 minutes a day - the fun way

It’s just a matter of time before my English students bring up the following frustration: “When I’m watching TV I hardly understand a thing! I think I speak English pretty well but I just don’t understand what they’re saying. I think they’re speaking too fast.” I love these sorts of comments because I know I can shed some light on the matter and help my students understand why most English learners have exactly the same difficulties they do in understanding native English speakers in the various types of media... or in person.

Here’s why I believe it’s so difficult to understand native speakers talking the way they usually do every day: Not only is it the speed at which people speak – but a big part of it is that we don’t recognize phrases as a whole. Phrases may have a totally different meaning to the individual component words. I’m sure you’ve heard many language learners the world over saying “I can’t distinguish individual words. They all blend into one.” So how do we tackle this difficulty? What can we actually do about it?

I believe that a huge key aspect consists in learning phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions. Any English student knows how tricky phrasal verbs can be to identify and then use in the correct context. On top of that we need to deal with idiomatic expressions – whole chunks of language which don’t necessarily have a direct or literal translation into our first language. When we consider both phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions together - which native English speakers use so naturally and freely in their everyday language - it seems like a compound problem, especially when there are thousands to learn. It seems like such an enormous task!

It’s absolutely essential to learn as many expressions and phrasal verbs in context as we can, if we are to reach our goal. So where do we start? As with anything in life, we start with one small step, and each day we take one more. We need to find a way, a method or a routine that will help us to learn them progressively. Let me give you 2 basic tips to keep up with consistent day to day learning:

1. If you want to learn to speak like a native English speaker, you will definitely need to read, listen to and watch material that native speakers read, listen to and watch.
2. You also need to find a fun and dynamic way to learn them so that you don’t lose interest but rather stay motivated.

Keeping that in mind, I decided to set up a site, “Natively Speaking Comics” where my students could go online and learn an idiomatic expression or a phrasal verb every day through comic strips and short video clips of their favorite TV series. You can learn a lot from comic strips: you learn the language that is being used today, you will learn about current events, you definitely expand your vocabulary - and of course, you learn a lot of phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions!

I’ve always had a huge focus on teaching phrases – and the incredible thing is that before long my students come to class really excited: “Frank, I was watching a TV series/ CNN last night and I heard that phrasal verb/ idiomatic expression… I understood it!”

If you have discovered any other fun ways to learn Idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs, please share it with us on this post.

This is a guest post by Frank Degenaar. Frank is a private English teacher in Fortaleza, Brazil. Visit his blog “Natively Speaking Comics” to start learning hundreds of new expressions.

Mastering English Slang and Idioms

Good students of English can know all the English words there are to know, yet still feel like a fish out of water if they don't take the time to master English slang and idioms. Now pause from reading this for just a few seconds. Did you notice the idiom in the first sentence of this paragraph? The expression "like a fish out of water" is an English idiom for feeling like you're out of your natural environment. In this case, a student might feel a little out of place if he's sitting around a table with English speakers who use a great deal of English slang and idioms if he doesn't understand it.

To really fit in to American English culture, it helps to know certain idioms and slang. First, however, we will explain the difference between an idiom and slang words. An idiom is an expression not to be taken literally in which certain combinations of words mean something all together different than what they appear to mean. A prime example of an idiom is the phrase "it's a piece of cake", which in English means "something that's really easy or simple." So if you are taking a really easy English test, you would say that the test was "a piece of cake". You will also hear easy classes in college being referred to as "cake" classes. To foreign ears, this might sound silly, but it makes complete sense to English ears because the idiom has deep roots in the culture.

Slang is a little more tricky, because these informal words and phrases often have an element of humor or irony to them that doesn't always translate well. It also changes from generation to generation, based often on youth culture in the U.S. For instance, something that was great in the 1960s was "groovy" or "far out", but those slang terms have fallen out of circulation today. Today, someone might say something great is "sweet" or "the bomb". Of course, the word "cool" has meant great for several generations now.

There are some helpful free video resources online on YouTube that can help you learn common English idioms and slang terminology that you can use in informal conversations with English speakers. A few of them are:

• English lessons with Jennifer: The instructor in this video teaches 10 consecutive classes on American English slang.
• This English instructor describes some commonly used expressions in English here.
• An instructor walks English students through common slang terms and idioms used in the English language in this series of videos. Once you click on the first video, the others will run consecutively.

In addition to these video resources there are some great lists of common English slang and idioms available on academic websites, including:

• Texas A&M International Programs list of popular American slang words and phrases.
• Salisbury University provides a helpful list of American slang.

This is a guest post from Alisa. Alisa Gilbert, regularly writes on the topics of bachelors degree. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alisagilbert599@gmail.com.