Author Archives: andreaheald

“Do you know what a foreign accent is? It’s a sign of bravery.”  – Amy Chua There are some who offer “accent reduction” lessons. Since our accent is attached to our voice which is attached to our being – our identity – accent reduction implies that, somehow, we are not good enough. It reminds meContinue reading “Accent Reduction?”

Start good new habits this year by checking out “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. He writes on page 143, “If you want to master a habit, the key is to start with repetition, not perfection. You don’t need to map out every feature of a new habit. You just need to practice it….Habit formation isContinue reading “New Year – New Habits”

Idiom Chat with The Joy of English (www.thejoyofenglish.ca) and guest, Catherine Lough Haggquist! https://lnkd.in/g4BrsWh7 “Down the rabbit hole” The idiom, “down the rabbit hole” is widely used and means to pursue something which leads to other questions or problems or actions. It conveys the sense that someone spends some time doing something without a clear goal.Continue reading ““Down the rabbit hole””

Idiom Chat and The Joy of English with guest Bronwen Smith! In today’s video, you will hear how Bronwen uses the phrase “on the ball”. This idiom is widely used and means to be alert and ready, or to have aptitude for something. Information about its etymology can be read here: https://lnkd.in/g9pTufPD. Here are some examplesContinue reading ““On the ball””

Idiom Chat and The Joy of English! with guest, John Prowse! “Strike while the iron is hot” In today’s video, we use the idiom, “strike while the iron is hot”. This idiom is widely used and means to take advantage of something immediately while the opportunity exists. Here are some example sentences to help you:Continue reading ““Strike while the iron is hot””

Idiom Chat and The Joy of English with guest, Michelle Coulter! “Break a leg” In today’s video, we use the idiom, “break a leg”. This idiom is widely used and means “good luck”. So, instead of wishing someone good luck on their endeavour, you may instead choose to say “break a leg!” The etymology ofContinue reading ““Break a leg””

Idiom Chat and The Joy of English! with guest, Amil Rasheed. “A lot on my plate” In today’s video, we use the idiom, “a lot on my plate”. This idiom is widely used and means to be very busy or to have a lot of responsibilities to deal with. Here are some example sentences to helpContinue reading ““A lot on my plate””

Have you come across it before? It means to have a period of time when you have nothing you must do. It can be a great idiom to use when you are planning to do something in the short term or long term. To help you, below are some examples of using this idiom. “NowContinue reading ““Time on my hands” and “Killing time””

Have you come across it before? It means to remain calm in stressful situations. It can be a great idiom to use when you are describing yourself or others who have managed to remain composed during a heated exchange or when giving advice to others about how to handle a stressful situation. To help you,Continue reading ““Cool as a cucumber””

It means to speak indirectly, to delay the main point. It can be a great idiom to use when you are describing yourself or others who have been reluctant to get to the main point or be specific about something. To help you, below are some examples of using this idiom. “I don’t beat aroundContinue reading ““Beat around the bush””