Free Lessons

City, Suburb, Countryside, or Rural

Remote area: an area that is far from the city or places where most people live, often difficult to get to. Other words with the same meaning: secluded, isolated   Phrases about the city, suburbs, countryside, or a rural area “In the middle of nowhere” = a place far from other people, homes, businesses, cities, etc. Example: They live in the middle of nowhere.   “In the sticks” = in an area where there is lots of forest and woods Example: Their house is out in the sticks.   “In the boondocks” = to live along (far) away from town or civilization. Example: This place is out in the boondocks.   “God-knows where”: A place that people may not know its location. Example: God-knows where it is located.   “backwoods”: A wooded area that is far away from the city. Example: The bar is located in some backwoods area.   “In a backwater”: A place where there is no development or progress happening. Example: They live in some backwater town.   Terms Used to Talk About People from the city and countryside/ rural areas.   “City slicker”: Used by people who live in the countryside/a rural area to describe a person who is from the city. Example: We don’t like city slicker’s like you coming around here trying to buy farmland to then build condos.   “Country bumpkin”: An insult for a person who lives in the countryside and the person is thought to not be intelligent or educated. Example: Just because he is wearing overalls, doesn’t mean he is a country bumpkin.   “hick”: An offensive word used to refer to someone who has always lived in the country/countryside and does not know about “city life” (living in a city). Example:  Just because they own a farm, does not…


Not All Eggs Are the Same

These are eggs. When you go to the grocery store,  you will see cartons of eggs.   On the carton of eggs, you will see words like… Cage eggs Cage-free eggs Free-range eggs Pasture-raised eggs Let’s talk about these terms… Cage Eggs: Conventional cages are often sloped to the floor. There could be up to 3-8 birds in a cage. Hen’s don’t participate in natural behavior like walking or foraging. They can not nest or roost. They can have foot damage due to overgrown claws. Cost $. Cage-Free Eggs: Then hen can move free horizontally (side to side) and vertically (up and down). They have at least 1 square foot of floor space.  However, the hens might not have access to the outdoor. The hens are free to nest, roost and forage. Cost $$. Free-range eggs: The hens have at least 1 square foot of floor space, like cage-free eggs. They also have access to some form of an outside area. However, there is no standard on how much time the hens are outside or what the outside space looks like. Cost $$$. Pasture-Raised Eggs: The hens have regular access to a large outdoor that is covered with grass and other plants, like a pasture. Cost $$$$. After knowing about cage, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs, what kind of eggs do you want to eat? What kind of eggs, do you prefer to buy?


Phrases you will hear at a bar…“cut off” “get cut off” “cut someone off”

If the bartender says to someone “you’re cut off” it means they can see you have had too much to drink and they will not serve you any more alcohol. Sometimes someone will tell a bartender, you need to “cut someone off” someone else notices the person has had too much to drink.   Examples: At Club Blu, there were 2 bartenders working. Roxanne had been drinking all night. She was starting to get loud and have slurred speech. One bartender said to the other, if she comes to order another drink, tell her, “Sorry, but you’re cut off.”   Rob and Barry were out at a sports bar. Throughout the evening, Rob had two beers. Barry had 4. Barry waved over the bartender to order another beer. Rob shook his head at the bartender, to signal him to cut Barry off.    


“wasted” “trashed” or “bombed”

To get wasted/trashed/bombed= want to get drunk Example: The guys showed up to the party shouting “let’s get wasted”.   To be wasted/trashed/bombed = to be drunk Example: Bea noticed that Suzy was completely wasted. Bea drove Suzy home and put her in her bed, to sleep on her side.   Was/were/got wasted/bombed/trashed= was drunk/were drunk/ got drunk Example: He was so trashed last night. I doubt he remembers anything he did.


Designated Driver

A designated driver is a person who doesn’t drink alcohol so that they can drive after others have been drinking. The person stays sober. Many times, when people go out in a group to a restaurant, bar, club, or have a “night on the town” someone in the group offers or agrees to be the designated driver. They don’t drink any alcohol and they drive the car. Everyone else I the group rides in the car. Example: Tom and a group of his friends go out every Thursday night. Each week they take turns being the designated driver. This week Andy is the designated driver. When the waitress came to the table to take their drink order, Tom and the other guys ordered a beer. Andy asked for a soda.   Have you ever been a designated driver? Would you agree to be the designated driver?


The Check (bill) & the Tip

The Check: In a restaurant, the bill is a list of each item (food & drinks) that you ordered, and the cost/charge of each item. Most people call the bill “the check”. Using the word “check” will may you sound 100% American! Example: Can I have the check? This lets the waiter/waitress know you would like to pay the bill and leave. Then, they will bring you the check.   The Tip: The amount of money you leave after receiving a service, like being served in a restaurant. In the United States, the typical custom is to tip (gratuity) 15-20% of your bill. It is usually rounded up to the nearest dollar. Example: Like in the photo below, the bill looks like it was $20. The person left a $4 tip. If you’re in a restaurant and you pay with cash and you are going to give the waiter/waitress the amount of the check and the tip together. You are not expecting any more back. You can hand the waiter/waitress the money and say, “I don’t need any change.” This, lets them know you are paying the bill and the rest of the money is their tip.   If you are paying with a credit card, there is a section to add/write in the tip ad you add the total amount, letting the restaurant know, the amount you are authorizing your card to be charged.   If you are worried about trying to calculate the tip. Here is a trick! Round up the amount to the nearest dollar. Then, double the amount. Move the decimal place to the left to get the tip. Example: The bill is $49.75. Round the amount up to the nearest dollar. $50.00 Double the amount. $100.00 Move the decimal (.) over 1 place to the…


Are you an Early Bird or a Night Owl?

Early Bird: a person who wakes up early in the morning. People who have a natural habit of waking up early.  Example: He has always been an early bird.   Night Owl: A person who goes to sleep very late. People who have the habit of staying up late at night or until the early hours of the morning. Example: She is a night owl; she usually goes to sleep after midnight.   I am a ____________________.


“Keep Up”

Keep up is a phrasal verb. Keep up means to move or progress at the same rate as someone or something else. to continue the course of action. to maintain a relationship with someone.   Keep up in the context of moving or progress at the same rate as someone or something else.  He needs to run faster, so he can keep up with the group. Tim needs to sell more cars this month to keep up with Maxine’s sales.   Keep up in the context of continuing the course of action. Keep up the good work. If you keep up the good work, they will promote you.   Keep up in the context of maintaining a relationship with someone. It is important to keep up a friendship, you can do this by calling or texting your friends to check on them. We meet once a month for dinner to keep up our friendship.  


Surrendering A Baby (Newborn under 30 days old)

**This is not professional legal advice and laws may change from state to state** In the U.S. (in most states), you can surrender (give away) a newborn baby (under 30 days old) at any hospital emergency room. It is not illegal. You will not be arrested. This is due to (because) of Safe Haven Laws   You can walk into any emergency room at a hospital and give the baby to a nurse. You do not need to stay. Yes, the hospital will want you to stay, but you are free to leave. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to. The hospital will want to get information from you about yourself or the baby. You can stay to give in the information or leave.   The hospital CANNOT call the police. The hospital only wants your information to see if they can help you or to know about the baby. To know the baby’s name, date of birth, health information. YOU CAN’T BE ARRESTED for surrendering a baby under 30 days at a hospital emergency room. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/09/13/safe-haven-laws-things-you-didnt-know-surrendering-newborn/2031516001/ https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DCF/Prevention/PDF/SafeHavenEngpdf.pdf Again, this is not professional legal advice.


What does it mean to “HOOK-UP”?

It depends on what we talking about the noun hook-up or verb “Hook-up”. The NOUN: hook up a hook up is a connection to something, like electric, water, or a sewer line/ For example: Here are the “hook-ups” for a washing machine.   The VERB “HOOKUP” To connect something. Example: We are hooking up the water today. A sexual encounter In today’s world, a “hookup” is a casual sexual encounter between two people that are not in a relationship. It is most often sex between two people that are not dating. A hookup usually refers to some type of sexual activity; kissing, sexual touch, oral sex, sex, etc.   In the U.S. many people (most often young people) have the hookup culture mindset. A “one-night stand” is when you have sex with a person and you never see them again. Many people hook up with people from school, work, or someone they met on social media or dating apps. There are apps that are just for hookups.