Although you can see people dressed like princesses and superheroes around October 31, the original images of Halloween are much spookier. Think of things like ghosts, skeletons, witches and spiders.

But the Halloween season isn't the only time we talk about these topics; many of these scary ideas are part of the English people use every day.

This time, let's take a look at common English idioms related to the dark topics often connected with Halloween.

Skeletons in one's closet

This refers to something from someone's past that they want to keep secret.

• The politician could lose the election if the public found out about the skeletons in his closet.

Come back to haunt you

"Haunt" is a verb we use to refer to ghosts who regularly appear in a certain place. However, just like spirits that will not go away, it can also refer to something that returns and causes problems for someone.

This idiom can be used for things like memories and emotions, or for people or events from the past.

• The decision to use cheap materials instead of stronger ones might come back to haunt them in the future.

Nail in the coffin

"Coffins" are long boxes that dead bodies are placed inside of before being put into the ground. A "nail in the coffin" is an event or action that causes something to fail or end.

• Many people think the debate with Donald Trump was the nail in the coffin that ended Joe Biden's second run for presidency.

Dig one's own grave

A "grave" is a place in the ground where you can find the coffins we mentioned above.

The expression "digging one's own grave" means doing something that will cause problems in the future. It's another way of saying that someone is harming themself.

• Cheating is helping him to succeed now, but he's really just digging his own grave.

(Work) the graveyard shift

A "graveyard" is a field where the bodies of dead people are buried. The "graveyard shift" is another name for the overnight shift, when workers start working very late at night and end in the morning.

• I'm drinking all of this coffee now because I work the graveyard shift tonight.

Related article: Go Juice: English Slang for Coffee and Caffeine

Ghost town

Have you ever been to a place with very little activity and almost no people? These empty, quiet areas often give us a creepy, unpleasant feeling. We call these places "ghost towns."

• When online shopping became common, many shopping malls became ghost towns.

Make one's blood boil

If your blood is boiling, it means you are extremely angry!

• It really made my blood boil to find out that he wasn't punished for his crimes.

Look like you've seen a ghost

This idiom is often said to someone who is so shocked or surprised that they have trouble speaking.

• What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost!

Scared stiff

Something that is "stiff" is hard and unable to bend easily. So if you are "scared stiff," you are so scared that you cannot move!

• We were all scared stiff when we heard the strange noises coming from upstairs.

Like a bat out of hell

Bats are the small flying animals that are often associated with vampires. If something is moving "like a bat out of hell," it is moving very quickly.

• The cat ran out of the house like a bat out of hell when it saw the big dog.

Related article: What's the Difference Between "Fast" and "Quick"?

Roll over in one's grave

This strange idiom refers to the idea that something would cause a dead person to be very angry or upset.

• The original designers of this house would roll over in their graves if they knew how much its current owners have changed it.

Wrap-up

English has many unique and interesting idioms, but it may be challenging to try and memorize them all at once. However, if you focus on a specific theme, you'll be surprised at how much you can learn!

Remember: The expressions we've covered this time can be used any time of the year. So don't wait for Halloween to give them a try in your conversations!

The post Halloween Expressions You Can Use All Year Round [Updated] appeared first on Engoo Blog.

As Election Day gets closer, you will see and hear about the different candidates and their progress on TV and across the internet. Sometimes it's difficult to avoid this news!

To help you understand things better, this article will introduce some important words and expressions related to elections and the political process in America. Let’s begin!

Common election vocabulary

Run

Of course, “run” means using your legs and feet to move quickly. However, in politics, someone “runs” for a political office they want to win. 

• Barack Obama first ran for president in 2008.

It can also be used as a noun.

• Everyone expects that she will announce her run for presidency at tonight’s event.

Blue/Red

America’s two major political groups are the Democratic Party, which is represented by the color blue, and the Republican Party, which is represented by red.

During the election season, it is common to see maps of the United States divided into blue and red, showing the areas each party controls.

• California and New York are known to be blue states, while many states in the south, such as Alabama and Tennessee, are commonly red.

Swing state

As mentioned above, many states almost always support a particular party. But there are a few places that are difficult to predict. These are called “swing states” (or sometimes "battleground states") because it is possible for them to swing, or move, from one party to another in any election. 

Winning swing states is very important for helping a party's leader become the president. Although they change over time, swing states in recent years have been places like Ohio and Arizona.

• Candidates spend a lot of time and money to promote themselves in swing states.

Platform

"Platform" has several meanings that depend on the context. In politics, it refers to the ideas, beliefs and goals of each candidate or party. Politicians promote their platforms to gain support from the public and from other politicians.

• He's running on a platform of renewable energy, gender equality and improved relations with foreign countries.

Progressive/Liberal

Both of these words are adjectives for describing ideas that support social change, innovation and new ideas.

• In modern times, the Democratic Party is the more progressive of the major political parties.

You can also use either of these terms to refer to a person with these political beliefs.

• Most of the people living in this area are liberals.

Conservative

The opposite of progressive is “conservative.” The root word “conserve” means "to save" or “to prevent too much of something.”

People with conservative beliefs often have more traditional values and do not want things to change too much.

• Many people in the southern part of America have conservative political views.

Just like “progressive,” you can use this term to refer to people.

• Some news networks are very popular with conservatives.

Left/Right

These two adjectives are similar in meaning to the words we just covered. A person, state, etc. “on the left” has liberal/progressive beliefs, while anything “on the right” has more conservative ideas.

• It is common for people on the right to support freedom for gun owners. People on the left, however, want more rules to limit the usage of guns.

GOP

“GOP” stands for “Grand Old Party,” which is another name for the Republican Party.

• The leaders of the GOP will meet with members of the press this afternoon.

Seat

In the US, there are two major groups that control the government along with the president: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each position within these groups is called a "seat." The House consists of 435 seats, while the Senate consists of 100.

• A party must control 222 seats in the House to have a majority, and therefore, more power to influence the country's laws.

Ballot

A "ballot" is a special form that people use to record their votes in an election.

• All of the ballots must be counted before we can announce the winner of the race.

Tabulate

According to the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, to “tabulate” something means "to arrange facts or figures in columns or lists so that they can be read easily." During election season, it is commonly used as another way to say "count."

• The state has many volunteers working to tabulate the votes quickly.

Term

A "term" is the amount of time a person can hold one political position. For example, a presidential term in the US is four years, with a maximum of two terms.

• Donald Trump was president of the United States for only one term.

Incumbent

"Incumbent" refers to a person who holds an official position. For example, in 2024, Joe Biden is the incumbent president.

• The incumbent will run against several younger challengers with new ideas for leadership.

Other useful terms and expressions

Tight race

You can call a race "tight" when at least two of the candidates have about the same level of support, making it difficult to guess who the winner will be.

• The race is too tight for anyone to declare a winner.

Flip

When discussing politics, a state “flips” if it changes from one color (political party) to another.

• The popular politician earned enough support to flip the state, which surprised everyone.

Runoff

When an election ends without one person or side being the clear winner, a smaller, additional election must take place. These extra elections are called "runoffs."

• A runoff was announced since neither candidate got a majority of the votes.

Lame duck 

"Lame" is an adjective for describing people or animals who have difficulty walking because of an injury or damage to their legs or feet. It's also used as slang to say that something is not fashionable or cool.

• That movie was so lame. I want my money back!

In politics, a "lame duck" is a politician who does not have enough support or influence to control things or make major decisions. It is often used to refer to a president at the end of their presidency, when many people's attention is focused on the next person to hold the position.

• He lost a lot of support for his policies once he became a lame duck.

It can also be used as an adjective.

• The president has entered his lame-duck period.

Honeymoon period

​​You may already know that a honeymoon is a vacation for newly married couples. But did you know that it's also used in politics?

The "honeymoon period" is the time just after an election, when most politicians still have a large amount of support from the public and from their colleagues.

• It's important to start your term in a strong way by taking advantage of the honeymoon period.

A final note

Because of America’s strong position in the world, even people from other countries watch the latest US election news closely. While it is important to stay informed, it is also important to make sure you have facts before forming your opinions.

Many people have very strong feelings about politics, and unfortunately, it is easy to find misinformation, or information that is not true — especially on social media. It’s a good idea to always double-check that the information you see is correct!

Wrap-up

If you pay attention to the upcoming US presidential election — or to others around the world — you will definitely see or hear some of the terms we've introduced here. We hope this article helps you to understand more of all of the information you find!

The post English for Politics and the Election Season appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Many American schoolchildren learn this simple rhyme to help them remember Christopher Columbus and what he is famous for doing.

For many years, people in America and several other countries have celebrated a day that honors Columbus in early October. But there is another holiday that takes place at the same time, and it was created as a response to Columbus Day. 

Because language is connected to culture, let's take a look at both of these holidays, learn some history behind them and vocabulary related to them.

Who was Christopher Columbus?

Columbus was an Italian explorer who sailed to the Americas in the 15th century with support from the king and queen of Spain.

However, America was not where he planned to go. The purpose of his trip was to find a quick way by boat from Western Europe to islands near China and India. He hoped to buy and trade for spices and other goods only available in that part of the world.

Columbus never reached his destination. Instead, his ships made it to the Caribbean (including the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba today). However, Columbus did not realize that he wasn't in Asia; he called the people he saw "Indians" even though he was far from India. This is why Native Americans are sometimes called "American Indians" even today.

To Columbus and other Europeans, these areas they sailed to were the "New World." Columbus' trips began a period called the Age of Discovery, in which explorers from European countries colonized and controlled many parts of the world.

How is Columbus Day celebrated?

In the US, the second Monday of October is Columbus Day. It is a federal holiday, which means that some businesses, schools and government offices are closed. Officially, it is a day to celebrate Columbus' arrival in the Americas and his discovery of the New World. 

So what do people do on Columbus Day? 

Not every holiday has a big celebration with food or decorations like Christmas, Halloween or Thanksgiving. Although there are groups who hold special ceremonies, holidays such as Columbus Day, Presidents' Day and Labor Day are often simply days in which people relax and take a break from work or school.

Related article: "Take it Easy!" 10 English Expressions for Relaxing

What is Indigenous Peoples' Day?

"Indigenous" is an adjective that describes the first people to live in a place. Therefore, Indigenous Peoples' Day is a day for celebrating and honoring the native, or original, people of America.

The arrival of Columbus and other explorers in America had a very negative effect on the people already living there. Many were killed or were forced to work as slaves for the Europeans. In addition, the new people arriving brought diseases from their countries that killed many of the native people. 

Because of this history, many people have fought against the idea of celebrating Columbus with a holiday. Additionally, they say that he could not have "discovered" a new world if there were people already living there.

So on the second Monday of October — the same day as Columbus Day — they instead celebrate the original Americans as a way to honor their culture and to fight against the whitewashing of history.

How is Indigenous Peoples' Day celebrated?

Similar to Columbus Day, there are no standard ways to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day. However, many people use the day to reflect on, or think about, the nation's history and to educate themselves on Native American culture.

Words and expressions for historical holidays

Reflect (on ~)

"Reflecting" is thinking deeply about something that happened in the past.

• After the game, the coach advised the team to reflect on what they did well and what they can improve.

Related article: Using Your Head: 15 Different Ways to Say "Think"

Discrimination

When a person or group experiences discrimination, they are treated unfairly by others because of their race, gender, religious beliefs, etc.

• Every year, thousands of people leave their home countries in order to escape violence or discrimination.

Whitewash

When something has been whitewashed, it has been changed in order to hide facts that are unpleasant or embarrassing. It can also refer to making the achievements of white people seem more important than the achievements of people of other races.

• Supporters of Indigenous Peoples' Day say that Columbus Day whitewashes the violence he committed against Native Americans.

Colonization

As mentioned earlier in the article, colonization is the process of one country taking over and controlling another.

• In recent years, many European countries have removed statues and monuments that celebrate their colonization of other nations.

Recognize

We can use "recognize" casually to say that we see and understand who or what a person or thing is.

• I couldn't recognize Beth after she changed her hairstyle.

However, it has another meaning: "to acknowledge the existence, quality or legality of something." This meaning is often used in politics and law.

• In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first US president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Adopt

We can use "adopt" to talk about becoming the parent or guardian of a child or a pet.

• We adopted our dog Charlie from the local animal shelter.

However, it can also mean "to choose to accept, use or follow something." This meaning is often applied to laws and rules as well as special days.

• Memorial Day, a day for remembering US soldiers who died serving their country, was first adopted in 1868.

Wrap-up

It can be very interesting to look into the history of the holidays people celebrate each year. You will often be surprised by the information you find, and learning more can give you a new understanding of the culture that celebrates it.

If you found this article interesting, you should also take a look at our article on Juneteenth, America's newest federal holiday!

The post October's Competing US Holidays [Updated] appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Thankfully, there are plenty of much more interesting ways to refer to talented people, and we'll introduce you to 10 of them in this article. You may already know a few of them! 

Expert

We'll begin with one of the simpler terms. An expert is someone who knows all about a particular subject. 

• If you need help with this program, ask Ashley — she's an expert.

There is also the noun form "expertise," which refers to skill and knowledge instead of the person who has them. 

• He has a lot of expertise in the field of marketing.

Natural

Someone who is an expert at something has usually studied and worked hard to get their knowledge and skills. On the other hand, a "natural" is someone who was simply born with a special talent. In other words, they do something naturally.

• He can play all of those instruments even though he never took classes. He's a natural.

This has the same meaning as calling someone "gifted." However, "gifted" is an adjective while "natural" (in this case) is a noun.

• He is a really gifted musician.

Genius

You probably already know this word. It's closely related to the name Einstein, which we've discussed in another post on famous names.

• How did you get the answer so quickly? You're a genius!

You can also use it as an adjective. People often say it when they think an idea or suggestion is very good.

• That's genius! Why didn't I think of that?

Wunderkind

This word is specifically for very successful people who are also very young. It's not as common in daily conversations as other terms on this list, but you may read it or hear it on a news program.

• A few tech wunderkinds are responsible for some of the biggest products and services millions of people use today.

Wizard

"Wizards" are characters with magical powers in fantasy stories. If there is someone who is so skilled at something that it seems like they are doing magic, you have the perfect word to describe them.

• Freddie is a coding wizard. Several companies want to hire him.

There is also the term "whiz kid," which basically means "young wizard."

• It may be easy for a whiz kid like you, but the rest of us need to study hard to pass the test!

Related article: Learn British Slang with the Harry Potter Series

Prodigy

Similar to the term above, a "prodigy" is a very talented person who is often also very young. However, it is not as informal as "whiz kid" or many of the other terms on this list; it can be used casually, but it has a slightly more serious and realistic nuance.

• The child prodigy was on the cover of several scientific magazines because of his discoveries.

Ninja

The ninja were spies and assassins active in Japan starting in the 15th century. They have become world famous through pop culture for their incredible physical abilities and cleverness.

Calling someone a "ninja" today suggests that person also has a very high level of skill in some particular area.

• Danica is a math ninja. If you need help, ask her.

Master

A "master" is someone who has reached the highest rank or level of skill. They know everything there is to know about something, can do difficult tasks easily, and are often able to teach people who are less experienced.

• After training around the world, he became a martial arts master that everyone wanted to train with.

This can also be used as a verb, which means "to reach the highest level" or "to get complete control over."

• She was excited to show off the skateboard tricks she mastered during her vacation.

Savant

This term is different from other words on this list because it is used to describe someone with both a high and low level of ability. A "savant" is a person who may have lower-than-average ability in many areas but is extremely skilled at one particular thing.

• Jeff has trouble socializing, and many of his classes are difficult for him, but he's an art savant. Look at his drawings!

Virtuoso

"Virtuoso" is often used to describe someone with a high level of ability at playing a musical instrument, but it can also be used for other things.

• Everyone was excited to see the match between the two chess virtuosos.

You can also use it as an adjective if it is placed before a noun.

• We were all amazed by their virtuoso performance.

Wrap-up

The next time you want to compliment someone on their skill, you have a lot of options to choose from. Add some color and creativity to your conversations by using one of these alternate names for highly skilled people. You just might surprise your English-speaking friends!

The post "Genius!" Fun Names for People with High Skill Levels appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Many of those words, however, are also used in everyday idioms. Sometimes the meanings are close to their original uses. But other times, you'll need to learn a new meaning to understand. 

This article will explain some of the most common idioms that use words for cooking. Grab your knife and fork, and let's dig in!

Bake

Just like in cooking, this use of "bake" refers to heat. This time, it's a casual word that means something or someone is very hot.

• Our air conditioner is broken, so we've been baking in our apartment for the past week.

• At the theme park, we baked in the sun while we waited to enter the popular attractions.

Bake in

Something that is "baked in" is included from the beginning rather than added later. This means it is an important, fundamental part of something.

• Add spices early in the cooking process so the flavors can be properly baked in.

• Strong security features have been baked into the latest version of the software in order to stop cyber attacks.

Half-baked

When baking something to eat, it's important to give it the necessary time to be cooked completely; you don't want to remove it from the oven too soon.

Similarly, the idiom "half-baked" means that something seems incomplete and, therefore, is unsuccessful.

• Dan always has these half-baked ideas that never work. He should spend more time planning.

• The movie's development was rushed, which is probably why it feels so half-baked.

Roast

"Roasting" things like chicken or pork means cooking them over a fire.

Outside of the kitchen, however, it has quite a different meaning: "to tease or insult"!

• My friends roasted me over my new haircut. I guess they don't like it much …

• The politician was quickly roasted on social media for his controversial statements.

Have bigger fish to fry

This idiom is used for comparisons, and it means having something more important to do.

• Let's not waste time on these minor details; we have bigger fish to fry.

• Max decided to avoid the silly office arguments; she had bigger fish to fry that would require all of her focus.

Stir-crazy

When cooking, we stir things to mix them up, such as when stir-frying.

"Stir-crazy," on the other hand, is an informal term to describe intense anxiety due to being kept inside for too long.

• We haven't left home in three days because of the snow storm, and we're going stir-crazy!

• The students usually feel a little stir-crazy on Friday afternoons; they can't wait for the weekend to begin.

Boil down to

Water that boils bubbles rapidly, then eventually becomes steam. As an idiom, "boil down to" refers to the most important or fundamental part of something after the less-important parts have been removed.

• What it all boils down to is this: We have until tonight to make a decision.

• The whole season boils down to this championship game.

Simmer

Things "simmer" when they are cooked at low heat for a long period of time.

Outside of the kitchen, this word refers to emotions like anger or excitement that are strong but not obvious.

• Everyone could feel the tension between them, which had been simmering for months.

• There were rumors the singer would release a new album soon, and excitement was simmering among her fans. 

Boiling point

If you increase the heat on something that is simmering, it will eventually reach the "boiling point," which is when strong emotions change into strong actions.

• The months of tension reached a boiling point due to the court's controversial decision.

• Frustration with the poor leadership reached a boiling point yesterday, when crowds began protesting loudly outside of city hall.

Grill

You "grill" food by cooking it on metal bars held over a fire. But this verb also means "to question someone intensely."

• The police grilled the suspect, asking for details on everything he did in the past week.

• When we got home late, my parents grilled us about where we'd been.

Wrap-up

As we can see here, some cooking expressions can even be used far away from any kitchen. Memorizing these idioms will prepare you to use and understand these words in their literal sense as well as their figurative sense. It's a very efficient way to learn!

The post 10 English Idioms Related to Cooking appeared first on Engoo Blog.

To help you make the right choice for your situation, this article will introduce several phrases separated into five different categories. So whether you're texting, writing a Valentine's Day card or telling someone in person, you'll find something to help you express your feelings to the special person in your life. 

(But if you want, you can also just skip to the samples at the end!)

1. Tell them you love them

There's nothing wrong with saying "I love you." It's short and sweet. However, if you want something different, here are some ideas:

“I fall in love with you again every day.”

This means that your feelings of love are new and refreshed each day you're with your partner. Here are some similar expressions: 

• “I fall more deeply in love with you every day.”
• “I fall in love with you every single day.”

You'll find this classic expression of love in many songs, from Frank Sinatra to Ed Sheeran.

“I adore you.”

"Adore" means to love deeply. Some people find this phrase sweeter and more special than simply "I love you."

“I heart you.”

"I heart you" is a less serious way to express love. You can find this one in pop songs.

As you can probably guess, the popularity of texting and emojis ("I ❤️ You") created this cute alternative to “I love you.”

2. Tell them how much they mean to you

Here are some simple and effective ways to tell someone how much they mean to you. 

“You mean the world to me.”

The world is a big place, so if someone "means the world" to you, that means they are very important in your life. Here are some similar alternatives:

• "You mean everything to me."
• "You're my everything."
• “When you’re with me, I have everything that I need.”

“I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

It's natural to feel lucky when you meet someone truly special, and it’s nice to tell them that. If you want more options, you can use "thankful" or "grateful" instead of "lucky." For example:

• "I'm so thankful you came into my life."
• "You don’t know how grateful I am to have you in my life."
• "You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me."

3. Tell them why you love them

A nice way to express your love is by telling your partner what you love about them. 

“I love your eyes.”

You can replace "eyes" with basically anything you love about your partner: their smile, their sense of humor, etc.

You can also be creative and use phrases like these:

• "I love the sound of your laughter.”
• "I love the way you look at me."
• "I love the gentle way you hold my hand."

“I love how you are so caring.”

There's probably a lot of things you like about your partner's personality. Tell them about these things by using the structures "I love how you are so ..." or "I love how ... you are." For example:

• "I love how you are always so cheerful, even on bad days."
• "I love how beautiful you look even when you’re doing the simplest things."
• "I love how supportive you are."

4. Tell them how they make you feel

When you're with someone you love, life in general seems better, doesn’t it? Here’s how you can express those feelings to your partner.

“I love being with you.”

You most likely enjoy spending time with your partner. Here are some ways to say that.

• "I love being with you."
• "I love spending time with you."
• "I enjoy every moment we're together."

“You always make me feel special.”

You can tell your partner how they make you feel with phrases like this. For variety, here are some more examples: 

• "You make me feel alive."
• "You make me feel warm and fuzzy inside."*
• "I feel loved when I'm with you."
• "When I'm with you, I feel safe."
• "I've never felt so comfortable with anyone."

*"Warm and fuzzy" is a very casual expression describing a very positive and comfortable feeling.

“You make me feel like a million bucks.”

You can add color to your words with some comparisons. "Feeling like a million bucks" means feeling great. Here are some other examples:

• "When I'm with you, I feel like I'm in a dream."
• "When I'm with you, I feel like I'm floating on clouds."
• "When I'm with you, I feel like I could do anything."

5. Show Appreciation

When you're with the right person, they usually have a positive effect on you. So here are some phrases to help you express your thanks!

“My life is so much better with you by my side.”

Phrases like this tell your partner how much they’ve made your life better. Here are some other possibilities:

• “Everything’s better with you by my side.”
• “You have brought so much joy to my life.”

“You make me a better person.”

If you feel like your partner has helped you grow into a better person, this is the phrase for you. Here are some related phrases:

• “You bring out my better side.”
• “You really know how to bring out the best in me.”
• “I love the way I am when I’m with you.”

“Thanks for always being there for me.”

Finally, don't forget about saying a simple "thanks" for all the little things your partner does for you.

• "Thanks for making me laugh when I'm down."
• "Thanks for always listening to me rant."

Bonus: Be funny

Don’t forget that you can always use humor to lighten up your message if you think your partner might like that. Here are some ideas to get you started.

“Thanks for being my partner-in-crime.”

Two people are "partners in crime" when they break the law together. However, this term is more often used in humorous ways.

So even if you don't actually commit a crime with your significant other, you can lovingly refer to them this way.

“You’re just like bacon — you make everything better!”

You can switch out “bacon” for something else that you like, like in the examples below.

• "You're like hot chocolate — sweet and always warming me up."
• "You're just like my favorite song — I can listen to you all day."

“You’re the peanut butter to my jelly.”

This is a fun way to say that the two of you are a perfect match. There are many versions of this saying:

• "You're the butter to my bread."
• "You're the maple syrup to my pancakes."

Some people also use this with famous characters in movies and TV shows. For example, “You’re the Ross to my Rachel” is a reference to the TV show, Friends.

Related article: More Than 'Friends': Recommended TV for English Learners 

Sample Messages

Here are some sample messages using the phrases above. Remember, if you ever need anyone to check your writing, our tutors are here to help you 24/7!

Text messages

#1

Thanks for making me feel loved and special, today and every day. Can't wait to see you tonight! xoxo

#2

Morning, gorgeous! Just wanted to remind you that you're like hot chocolate — always warming me up and making me feel like home.

Card messages

#1

Dearest [partner's name],

Thanks for always being there for me, hugging me when I'm down, and putting up with me when I'm stressed out. No matter what mood I'm in, you always have a way of making me feel like a million bucks.

But you haven't just made me a happier person. You've also made me a better one — gentler, calmer and more tolerant.

Every day, I wake up feeling so lucky that you're in my life!

All my love,

[Name]

#2

Hi Pumpkin,

I don't usually say things like this, but I wanted to let you know how much I love being your partner-in-crime.

I enjoy every moment we spend together, whether we're baking or jogging or just watching TV.

Even when the cookies we bake don't turn out great, or it starts raining halfway through a run, I feel grateful for the happy adventure my life has become since you appeared.

Love,

[Name]

Related article: 7 Alternatives for "Love" to Use on Valentine's Day 

The post How to Say "I Love You" in English and Actually Mean It [Updated] appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Similar to other expressions related to specific themes, there are music-related idioms for many different situations, so they are quite useful in everyday conversations. So listen up and let's learn a few below.

Good note / bad note

When interacting with others, the way in which things begin can influence how things continue. Similarly, the final moments can give you a positive or negative impression about everything that happened before.

We can talk about these important moments as if they are the first and last notes of a song.

• Jesse was excited to begin her new job on a good note, so she brought doughnuts for all of her co-workers.

• The meeting ended on a bad note when both sides became frustrated with the failed negotiations.

March to the beat of one's own drum

Some people do things differently than others, and are very comfortable being unique. Their uniqueness may come from their attitude, their fashion or maybe their hobbies. We can describe people like this as "marching to the beat of their own drum" — not someone else's drum!

• I've always admired Jane for marching to the beat of her own drum. She's very confident and doesn't mind standing out.

Related article: How Many Different Ways Can You Say "Weird"?

Sing a different tune

"Tune" is a casual term for a song. This expression is used when someone changes their mind, as if they are switching from one song to a different one. It's often used sarcastically. 

• He said he wants to buy the jacket, but he'll be singing a different tune when he sees the price.

Get into a rhythm

Musicians often struggle to play a song they have never played before. Similarly, when trying a new activity, you may not understand how to do it properly at first.

Over time, however, it will become more natural and you will get used to doing it comfortably.  Once you have reached this point, it means you have gotten "into the rhythm" of the activity.

Depending on the situation, it is more appropriate to say "get into a rhythm."

• It took me a little while to get into the rhythm at my new job, but now I feel quite comfortable.
• Once my teammates and I got into a rhythm, we were able to work very quickly.

Music to one's ears

If you hear some news that makes you very happy, you can compare it to the feeling of hearing music that you enjoy.

• Hearing that I didn't have to go to the office tomorrow was like music to my ears!

Tone-deaf

"Deaf" is an adjective that means "unable to hear." Someone who cannot sing or play an instrument well may not clearly understand the small differences between musical notes. In this case, we can say they are "tone-deaf." 

In situations not related to music, you can describe people and actions as tone-deaf if they are not sensitive or appropriate for a situation. For example, making jokes in an important business meeting would be very tone-deaf.

• The politician was criticized for making tone-deaf comments during his speech.

To the tune of ~

This expression is a creative way to say how much something costs or to emphasize a specific amount.

• Our charity campaign received donations to the tune of $50,000. We can help a lot of people with that money!

Related article: "Pay" vs. "Spend" vs. "Cost": What's the Difference?

One-man band

Bands require more than one person to play the different instruments like drums, keyboards and guitars. Most people cannot play more than one instrument at a time.

A person who is able to do many tasks without help from others is similar to a musician playing every instrument on their own. 

• Daisuke is really a one-man band; he programmed the game, made all of the art, and even wrote the music himself.

This expression is generally used in a positive way, but it can also be used to say that someone would do better with help from others.

• I think you should stop trying to be a one-man band and accept help from your friends.

Without skipping a beat

If someone can continue doing an activity smoothly even when there has been a problem or a disruption, it's similar to a musician who can keep the rhythm of a song no matter what is happening around them.

• Although the pandemic had a negative effect on many businesses, we were able to continue without skipping a beat.

One-hit wonder

A "one-hit wonder" is an artist or musical group who has one very popular song that everyone knows — but only one. Similarly, an organization or individual with only one popular product or service can be described with the same term.

• Years after his first invention, Steve showed everyone that he wasn't a one-hit wonder when he made several more successful products.

Face the music

When you "face the music," it means you accept punishment or criticism for a mistake or for poor performance. In other words, it is taking responsibility for something that has gone wrong.

• The students were forced to face the music when the teachers discovered they were cheating on their assignments.

Play something by ear

Many musicians play by reading musical notes that have been written down. However, some people are able to play songs without these guides. We say that those with this skill can "play by ear."

In daily conversations, "playing something by ear" means doing an activity without a plan or preparation.

• We haven't made clear plans for our vacation; we're just going to play it by ear.

Toot one's own horn

"Toot" is a casual verb that means to make a short sound on a horn such as a trumpet or saxophone. "Tooting your own horn" means bragging, or behaving with too much confidence. 

• He loves to toot his own horn about how much money he makes.

However, this expression is often used in the negative in order to reduce the nuance of bragging before someone makes a positive comment about themself.

• I don't mean to toot my own horn, but this pasta I made is delicious.

Related article: Essential English Vocabulary for Cooking

Play second fiddle

"Fiddle" is another word for violin. In an orchestra, the second fiddle supports the first, or main, violin.

Outside of music, this expression often has a negative nuance, suggesting that one person or thing is less important than another. (Notice that you need "to" to refer to another person.)

• Jake was tired of playing second fiddle to Max, so he left to start his own group.

Wrap-up

No matter what language you study, you will probably find expressions connected to music. It is a good reminder of how important music has always been to cultures around the world.

Almost all of the idioms introduced here are common and OK to use even in professional situations. So once you've learned them, look for opportunities to try them out in your own daily interactions.

The post "Get Into the Rhythm" with English Idioms Related to Music appeared first on Engoo Blog.

To help English learners write the best birthday wishes they can, we’ve put together the following list of suggestions, separated into message types. Feel free to write them on your next birthday card or simply use them as inspiration!

Type 1: Wish them a nice day

The point of birthday greetings is to wish someone a nice day. Of course, you can say, “I hope you have a nice day” or simply “Have a nice day.” But why choose these when there are more interesting options? Try one of the phrases below instead:

Wishing you the best birthday ever!

This message is simple and direct.

Hope it’s a good one!

English speakers often say this along with the standard birthday greeting: “Happy birthday! Hope it’s a good one!”

This means “I hope it’s a good birthday.” Notice that the "I" has been omitted from this phrase. This gives the greeting a more casual and friendly feeling.

Hope you enjoy your special day.

It's common to refer to occasions like birthdays and anniversaries as "special days." This can help you avoid repeating the same word multiple times in the same message.

I hope all your birthday wishes come true!

This phrase comes from the custom of making wishes on birthdays. This is a good phrase to use with kids, but it can still be fun to send to adult friends.

Type 2: Wish them a good future

The only thing better than wishing someone a good day is wishing them a good year! Here are some great options to try:

Wishing you an amazing year ahead!

I hope you have an amazing year!

Wishing you many happy, healthy years to come.

You can customize your birthday message by replacing “happy” and “healthy” with other positive adjectives, such as “successful,” “fun-filled,” or “exciting” — whatever you think your friend will like.

Wishing you an amazing day and a wonderful year ahead!

Don’t forget that you can also wish people a great day and year at the same time, as you can see above.

Wishing you all the best on your birthday!

When you wish someone “all the best,” you are hoping that all the best things happen to them. 

Type 3: When you forgot to wish someone a happy birthday

Unfortunately, we don't always remember to send a birthday greeting on someone's actual birthday. In these cases, what can we say? Here are some options:

Hope you had a wonderful birthday!

This is simply “Hope you have a wonderful birthday” in the past tense. You can put some of the previous phrases in past tense for the same effect. For example:

• Hope you enjoyed your special day!
• Hope it was a good one!

Happy Belated Birthday!

“Happy belated birthday” is a popular English phrase for wishing someone a late birthday. For example:

• “Happy belated birthday! Hope you had a wonderful day!”
• “Happy belated birthday! Hope you ate lots of cake!”

Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you!

If your friend threw a birthday party and you couldn’t go, this is a great message to send.

On the other hand, if you cannot attend a party that has not happened yet, you can say, “Wish I could be there to celebrate with you!”

Wrap-up

We hope this has given you plenty of inspiration to write the best birthday message ever! Although all of the options we've listed here are great choices, if you're not sure if what you've written sounds quite right, talk to a tutor. They can check what you've written or give you ideas for messages for a specific situation. 

And if you need help with other kinds of greetings, take a look at some of our related articles: 

How to Congratulate Someone In English and Actually Mean It

How to Say "I Love You" in English and Actually Mean It

13 Popular Phrases of Encouragement

The post How to Wish Someone the Best Birthday Ever [Updated] appeared first on Engoo Blog.

Going in alphabetical order, we'll introduce several verbs that express actions related to specific animals, including some you've probably heard and many that are less common. Learn them all and you'll be ready for a conversation about the amazing animal kingdom!

Verbs for animal behavior

We'll start by listing verbs that express animal actions like "barking" and "meowing." If there is a noun form, we'll include that as well. In many cases, if you know one form, it's easy to imagine the other, so learning them together should be easy.

beach

Whales and other large sea creatures that get stuck on land and cannot return to the water on their own are said to be "beached." Of course, this comes from the noun for the sandy area near the water. 

bite

Animals and insects bite when they use their mouths to attack other creatures. As a noun, "bite" is similar to "wound."

Insects like bees and scorpions "sting" instead of bite.

breach

In general, the verb "breach" means "to break through" something. In the animal world, it refers to a whale jumping out of the water (or "breaking" the water's surface). The noun form has the same spelling and pronunciation.

bristle

Animals "bristle" when their hair stands up because of fear or anger. As a noun, a bristle refers to the individual hairs on a hairbrush or toothbrush, which also stick up straight. 

buck

This verb is often used for horses and bulls, and it refers to the action of kicking the back legs or jumping with all feet off of the ground.

As a noun, a "buck" can refer to a male rabbit or deer. Sometimes it is even used to refer to a young man!

burrow

This refers to the action of small animals like moles and rabbits either digging holes in the ground or hiding in holes. The noun form (which is spelled and pronounced the same) is the word for a hole dug by a small animal.

Related article: What is a Groundhog and Why Does it Have a Holiday?

claw

Claws are what we call the sharp feet on birds like eagles and hawks. When they use those sharp feet to scratch or tear something, we use the verb "claw."

gore

To be "gored" means to be stuck with an animal's horns or long, sharp teeth. The noun form refers to the blood that comes out of such a wound.

hibernate

When animals hibernate, it means they sleep during the winter season. The noun form is "hibernation."

lap

Animals "lap" by using their tongues to drink water or other liquids.

lash

An animal lashes its tail when it moves it from side to side very quickly, usually when it is angry. As a noun, a "lash" is a whip or long rope used for hitting or attacking.  

maul

The verb "maul" refers to an animal attacking and injuring a person or another animal. As a noun, a maul is a tool that is similar to a large hammer.

migrate

Birds and fish migrate when they move from one place to another in large groups. The noun form is "migration."

molt

This refers to the process of birds, animals and some insects losing feathers, hair, etc. It is spelled "moult" in British English.

prance

Horses "prance" when they walk lightly and rhythmically. As a noun, it means a style of walking with fancy or exaggerated movements. Both forms can also be used to talk about people in a poetic or joking way. 

By the way, "Prancer" is also the name of one of Santa's reindeer!

preen

A bird "preens" by using its beak to clean or straighten its feathers. People can also preen, which means they are making themselves look nice.

rear

Horses "rear" when they stand on their hind, or back, legs with their front legs in the air.

spray

Skunks "spray," or shoot out, a strong-smelling liquid to scare away attackers, and cats release small amounts of urine to "mark" their territory. The noun form refers to the liquid itself.

trot

Animals such as horses "trot" when they move at a pace that is faster than walking but slower than running. Think of trotting like running lightly. As a noun, it refers to a trotting pace.

Verbs for animal sounds

Listed below are verbs that describe animals making sounds. Be careful: These words are for the action of making the sound but are not the words for the sounds themselves.

Verbs for bird sounds

Here's a short list of verbs that describe common bird sounds.

• chirp/cheep
• tweet
• trill
• shriek/cry
• sing
• whistle

Finally, let's look at the verbs used for the sounds specific birds make.

Wrap-up

Songs that children in English-speaking countries learn very early in life often teach words related to animals and the sounds they make. That means these words are some of the first that native English speakers ever learn. You may not have a chance to use them every day, but they are nice to know anyway!

Written by Hiroe Hatfield, adapted by David

The post English Verbs for Animal Sounds and Actions appeared first on Engoo Blog.

We have easier access to games than ever before through our phones and PCs. And while it's easy to find games of all types, this article will focus on word games you can use to strengthen the English you know and enhance it with new information. 

The games we'll introduce cover many different skill levels, so be sure to pay attention to the suggested level for each.

Various games from LearnEnglish Kids

The LearnEnglish Kids site has a variety of activities that are good for younger learners. Here you can find an alphabetical list of games based on specific themes. For example, students can match words with the pictures they see for things like household chores, body parts and emotions.

Recommended level: Beginner

Scramble Words

In Scramble Words, players are given five letters and must use them to create as many words as they can. 

At the top of the game screen are spaces representing the words players must spell to win. Each word that is successfully spelled will reveal a letter in one space, providing a clue to other words left to reveal.

Players begin with four minutes and forty seconds, and time remaining in each round will carry over to the next. 

Recommended level: Intermediate

Outspell

In this game, players take turns with an AI opponent, using their letter "tiles" to spell out words on a grid. Tiles placed on special squares will result in higher scores, and so will using trickier letters like Q, Y and X. Once all of the player's and computer's letter tiles are gone, the highest score wins.

The difficulty of the computer can be adjusted, but even on easy, some of the words the AI spells can be uncommon in daily conversations. Therefore, it's a good idea to have a dictionary handy while you play. And if you have any questions about the words you see, book a lesson with one of our tutors and ask them about it.

Recommended level: Intermediate

Spell It

The rules to this game are quite simple. After you listen to a word, you then have 15 seconds to type in the correct spelling. One round consists of 10 words.

Some words are simple, but others can be quite challenging, so we recommend this game for students who are at least at the intermediate level.

Recommended level: Intermediate - Advanced

Spellbound

In Spellbound, you are given seven letters plus a minute and thirty seconds to create as many words as you can with them. Creating words with only three or four letters is not very challenging, but using most (or even all) of the letters is much more difficult and will really test your vocabulary!

If you get stuck, there is a button you can press to get a new set of letters, but this can only be done a limited number of times per game.

(By the way, the adjective "spellbound" means "amazed" or "completely fascinated.")

Recommended level: Intermediate - Advanced

Odd Word Out

This game is a great choice for students who want to test or expand their knowledge of idioms.

In each round, players are presented with four words; three of them can complete a common expression. The player must choose the "odd word out," or the word which does not fit with the others.

As an example, players may be shown the following words:

• Scenes
• Times
• Scissors
• Eight ball

"Behind the scenes," "behind the times" and "behind the eight ball" are all common phrases, but "behind the scissors" is not. Therefore, "scissors" is the correct answer.

What's especially useful is that after an answer is selected, text appears that shows you the rest of the phrase: "Scenes, times and eight ball all complete a common phrase when following 'behind the __'." This allows you to easily search for the meaning of each expression.

Recommended level: Advanced

Syl La Cros Tic

As you might guess from the name, this game is a bit unusual!

On the right side of the game screen is a list of clues. On the left side is a grid of syllables. Instead of searching for the word that matches each clue, players must use the pieces of different words to "build" the answers!

For example, if the clue is "outside the law," you would select the syllables "il," "le" and "gal" from the left side to spell "illegal," the correct answer. Some of the clues can be quite challenging, so we only recommend this game for higher-level students.

Recommended level: Advanced

Wrap-up

Games can be a fun and engaging way to enhance your learning experience. Thankfully, everything we've presented here is completely free to play and requires no registration. However, very competitive players who want to record their scores for everyone to see will need to log in.

But we need to warn you before you play — some of these games can be very addictive, so be careful!

The post Free Word Games to Test Your English Skills appeared first on Engoo Blog.