??? Strange English idioms that don’t make sense

Many thanks for the cool video you made .What a great lesson teacher Adam! you are very clear by explaining English.You are an awesome teacher.I suggest make a lesson related to Instruction Labels and Translating and Interpreting simultaneously.When we handle both Languages such as English and Spanish.Have a good one!

Smartboy123

Can you do those videos ?however,I would like you make one video about coffee farm as my Dad is a farmer and needs vocab about it.

Smartboy123

Thanks Smartboy,

I will see what I can do :)

Adam

the idioms in this lesson are very hard, they are illiogical and rarely see in conversation everyday, maybe my level English is still low so i don’t reach it, anyway thank Adam and hope your next lesson will eassily

nguyen van long

Yeah ! I have just heard one of them several times. Obviously , they are make no sense when you try to understand the meaning. But after watching this vid , I’m totally able to understand and know how to use them. You need to focus on how native speaker use them in daily life. Don’t stress about idioms that much.

Dii26

Hi Nguyen,

Now that you have seen them, I am sure you will notice them a bit more in natural dialogue. Sometimes idioms are slipped in and by the time you notice that something doesn’t make sense, you will be concentrating on the next part of the conversation and will have forgotten the idiom. I hope you’ll understand them now :)

Adam

I’m Russian. I have been studying English for a year. I mostly study it by myself and learn a lot on the internet. I think that my listening skills are not good. What can I do? Please, help me! Do I have a slim chance to improve my English using the internet? It appears to be as clear as mud. But as I’m head over heels in love with the English language I do believe it’ll help and everything will be all right – right as rain… Thank you, Adam.

Larissa V.

Hi Larissa :) good idiom use.

The internet is actually a great way to learn English. As for listening, the more you do, the better it will become. You should look for transcripts or captions whenever possible to read along as you listen. Eventually, you won’t need them, but for now they will help.

Adam

Hi Adam. I’m glad I see your lesson every time because you’re my favourite Engvid teacher and I like your style of teaching! ?❤? Adam, do you have Instagram or Facebook? I’ll be keen to follow you.?
Adam, maybe could you make a lesson about fluency, I know you have fluency lesson about IELTS theme, but generally, the one about related it? Thank you in advance, Adam!? All the best to you and your family…??

srdjan21

Thank you Srdjan :)

I have a website: writetotop.com

My socials links are at the bottom of the homepage.

Adam

Hello Adam
Thank you for the lesson. We use similar expressions here in Germany. So we know “Hals über Kopf” which literally means neck over heels for head over heels. What I wanted to say is that we talk and think similarly to you. kind regards from Germany
Ronald

Ronald

Hello, Adam Thank you so much for your amazing lessons, I imploringly want you to do me a favor and do/put a lesson on ‘Preposition+which’ like of which, by which, at which, in which, etc.
God bless.

Ali

Hi Seyed,

I’ll get on that ;)

Adam

That was Great Adam, thank you. In my language, we have the same or very similar expressions / idioms, so theoretically, it should be clear as mud but it can be confusing in real life. :)

ariszilvi

Thanks a lot Adam!!Nice lesson ;)

knopfler86

Brilliant lesson

Smilingsab

Thank you Adam for your brilliant lesson again.
The expression/idiom “CAN´T HELP IT BUT” is in my language with the exactly same meaning as in English. This is why it´s easy to understand and use it now.
A.

adrijana

thank you engvid teachers
I am really enriching my vocabulary through this platform.

Dan-dada

Thank you Alex!

larysa6165

Thank you very much for this lesson.And I would like to keep in touch with you privately, please how can you help me? Because we have things to discuss ab

Jean Joseph

Hi Jean,

Please ask me here. Others can benefit as well.

You can also visit writetotop.com and join my socials.

Adam

WONDERFULL SIR

UMS145520

thank you so much

a.banchafi

I am a new subscriber and I think that this decision is right as rain and once I saw the NOUN CLAUSE video , I subscribed . Can you please tell me the meaning of HOT POTATO ?? . IT IS MY DOUBT . PLEASE ??REPLY

VENKAT SATHVIK

Welcome Venkat,

A hot potato is a controversial topic that no one really wants to discuss, so they throw it to someone else, like holding a hot potato in your hand hurts so you throw it away. Hope this helps.

Adam

Thank you, Adam, this class was very nice!

paulo.ayran

thanks alot for your effort :)

shams90

Thanks a lot.

Marwa SW

HI Adam, I have discovered you about two months ago. I am very pleased to take lessons of English with you. I really appreciate your style ans the information you provide. I have a question.
I am reading a book written by Nelson Mandela. He often use a tense I don’t really understand why.

He says for example to describe a past situation I would drive whole night in the country or that night I would arrived late.

Why use this tense instead of saying I drove or I arrived ?

Thank you for your answer and thank you to be there.

Gerard Chagnon

Welcome Gerard,

Good question.

We often use would to talk about past habits. Check to see if he is using it mostly to discuss things he normally did, not specific events.

Also, would is used in narration (storytelling) to remove the author a little bit from the situation, that is, to make him a character in his own story.

I hope this helps.

Adam

Hey Adam,

I like all your videos.
There is the same stuff with the current one! :)

Just would like to clarify with the quiz #5:
“5. Noah: So, that’s the end of the lesson. Is everyone clear on how to do the equation?
Britt: Sure, it’s _______. The answer is 42, right? Just a guess.”.

Why “clear as mud” answer is correct?

Here are my thoughts:
– “clear as mud” means “don’t understand at all”.
– “right as rain” means “very good”
Right?

So, if Noah asks “Is everyone clear?” and after that Britt starts off with “Sure!” next I expect to here “it’s clear” or “it’s understandable” or something like that.

So, my answer is “right as rain”.

Could you please clarify if my reasoning is wrong.

I’ll appreciate your feedback.

Marsius

Maybe for last sentence: “Just a guess” which means Britt is not sure about his answer. And the word “sure” in beginning is for: Britt is confident that he not get the equation & problem is unclear for him.

Jamalsr

Good answer Jamalsr ;)

Adam

Hi Marsius,

I can see how this is confusing.

The clue is “just a guess”, meaning that she doesn’t actually know because it is not clear. Also, if she knew, she would say “Sure, it’s answer.”

Also, right as rain is more about a feeling than knowing something. I feel right as rain, or this situation feels right as rain.

Does this help?

Adam

Thank you for this useful lesson!!

NoorMajed

Hello MR.ADAM I am one of your fans? would you might if you answer me ??
Is it “unpotable” or “impotable”???

AHMED AI

Hi Ahmed,

Technically, both are correct, depending on which dictionary you use:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impotable
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/unpotable

More common is non-potable, or undrinkable

Adam

I mean mine inside of might ?

AHMED AI

Hello! Spiks English?

Ilincuta

I not???

Ilincuta

Hi Ilincuta,

Soon you will ;)

Adam

Hello Mr. Adam, I am a new comer.

Burghistan

Welcome Burghistan :)

Adam

Hello, Adam. Thanks to your videos. I wanna know, do you give private lessons?

Dianaa1

Hi Dianna,

I’m afraid I don’t. I do have more lessons at writetotop.com, maybe these could help.

Adam

Thanks a lot Adam, nice class! I like this expressions, they are funny!

Migk

Hey Mr. Adam, thanks a lot for your knowledge and Happy New Year

Mr. Johns

Happy New Year Mr. Johns :)

Adam

Hi Adam,
All the best in 2021 for you, well I`m really surprising !why? Because I found you as an un-credible coach ! Your session was so “CRYSTAL CLEAR” and useful for me as a project manager construction, and new in Canada(Nov 2018) !!!

Thank you,
Narges

narges1.canada@gmail.com

To you as well Narges
:)
Enjoy Canada

Adam

Hy Adam suit I like your teaching method

Waseem Abbas

you are such a amazing teacher . awesome job mr adam

morteza.king

Perfect lesson. Thanks.

apwnew

Hi Adam, your presentation is excellent and I have enjoyed your teaching so much. I’ll use what I learned in my job and I wish you the best
Thanks again

Mosay Jala

Great lesson. Thanks

Martha4460

Thank you everyone :) Have a great 2021!

Adam

Thanks for helping me to improve my english language Adam !^^

Akmal

Thank you Adam……..

Lanka Sri Lanka

I got 100% thx teacher

normancruz

Not too bad ! I got it 6 out of 10 !!! I know, I need to get better !!
TKS SO MUCH YOUR EXERCISE !!!

Limage Brazil

Hey Adam! How are u doin?
This expression “BREAK A LEG” exist in Brazil too. And the meaning is the same: good luck. In portuguese we say “QUEBRE A PERNA”. It’s more usual for actor and actress before an presentantion. Thanks a lot for your classes. See you.