Gen Ed N2 English
Gen Ed N2 English
Gen Ed N2 English
LECTURE NOTES
MODELS OF COMMUNICATION
The communication process is indeed a paradox. We always communicate with each other,
yet defining the process itself seems to be a very difficult task. Language of different historical
periods, in their dire attempts to bridge the gap, were able to formulate their own theories to
explain the process of communication, Since the linear representation of Aristotle to the
complex depiction of modern linguist, we can say that this endeavor has come a long way.
Renowned linguist have different points of view about the communication process, and this
diversity proves to be the fuel that keeps linguist of today on taking forward steps en route to the
better understanding of this process.
Two to be discussed in this chapter, each representing the traditional and the contemporary
schools of thought as regards communication. Berio’s representation, being the most widely
cited and extensively use model, will be discussed to explain in the basic components of the
communication cycle, while the Dance Helix model will be clarified to give a fresh and novel
perspective on the practice of other long-standing theories.
Berios’Model
David Berios’s paradigm of the communication process is considered one of the most
recognizable representations. It has four major components: source, receiver, message, and the
channel. That is why at times this model is also called SMRC.
SOURCE MESSAGE
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
CONTENT
ATTITUDES
TREATMENT
KNOWLEDGE
CODE
SOCIAL SYSTEM
CULTURE
RECEIVER
CHANNEL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
SEEING ATTITUDES
HEARING KNOWLEDGE
TOUCHING SOCIAL SYSTEM
SMELLING CULTURE
TASTING
SMRC’s linearity is oftentimes criticized, but Berio’s elucidations regarding the significance of
each component redeem it all. According to him, the interlocutors’ ( source and receiver) , and
attitude are
communication skills, knowledge, socio-cultural system, and attitude are important for
successful communication to take place ( Berio, 1960). For example, if the source has a higher
level of language proficiency compared to the receiver, or vice versa, then problems are
expected. Refer to the sample conversation below and then try, to figure out what caused the
lapse in communication.
Conversation Sample
Situation: The immigration officer is interviewing a tourist about the latter’s whereabouts.
Specifications: The immigration officer is a native speaker, while tourist is a beginner learning
of English language.
Immigration Officer: Good morning, Miss! May I know your travel itinerary?
Tourist: Oh, I see. Actually I plan to go to the Metropolitan Museum and to the Museum of
Modern Art, and maybe stay for another two days in New York City before flying to Florida.
Immigration officer: Okay. Welcome to America. Enjoy your vacation!
In the sample conversation above, the difference between the proficiencies of the interlocutors
led to lapses in communication. It is also noticeable that success of the process relies largely
on the one who has higher proficiency. Since the tourist has limited vocabulary (being a
beginner), the immigration officer paraphrased the statement to fit the level of the tourist.
Discrepancy between knowledge of the interlocutors also poses great treat. Read the sample
conversation below and try to cite some reasons for the communication breakdown.
Conversation Sample
Specifications: Both the client and the technician have the same language of proficiency.
Client: Good morning! May I ask why my laptop shouts down automatically just right after
turning it on?
Technician: I think your laptop has been infected by Trojans and worms…
Technician: Yes. By the way, do you do defragmentation every once in a while? Doing so
greatly helps the performance of your computer.
Technician : Defragmentation. Anyway, to fix your laptop, I will just rebot and reformat
everything, is that ok with you?
Client: I am not really familiar with you are saying. So fix it and send me the Bill Ok?
In conversation above, the technician uses jargon exclusive to those who are adept in the
computers and information technology. For someone who is not really into the technicians of
computer software and hardware nomenclature, understanding what the technician is saying
poses great difficulty that can later on lead to communication breakdown.
Learning the English language circles around the Three Sets of Four, and below is a table that
summarizes these sets.
MACRO SKILLS CUEING SYSTEMS COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCIES
Learning Phonology Grammatical
Speaking Morphology Discourse
Reading Semantics Sociolinguistic
Writing Syntax Strategic
LISTENING
Experts say that listening is the first language skill that students learn. If we are to think
about it, this claim may be true. Upon hearing things, the one can speak-just like how we
learned our first utterances. Parents keep on repeating words until the babies initiate and
repeat the utterances successfully ( behaviorist). But is listening as easy as it may
sound?
The receiving of the message from the source signals is the start of listening process. The
listener, then, will decode the message and select important parts of the message that will help
the listener in interpreting it. Based on the interpretation, the receiver now comprehends the
message and retains information needed for him to react and respond.
Kinds of Listening
This type of listening is very common at times done in an informal setting. This
happens when persons listen to each other for the purpose of communicating and
empathizing. At times, the aim of this type of listening is to accomplish tasks or to
come up with something.
In classroom setting, this is when students listen to each other for them to able to
accomplish given tasks and activities.
Transactional/Critical Listening
In this type of listening, the listener is concerned with acquiring new knowledge for
the purpose of improving his skill in generalizing and decision making.
In a classroom setting, this is when the students listen to their teacher to gain more
knowledge
Joan Morely in her essay “Aural Comprehension, instruction: principles and Practices” made
mention of the three modes of listening, namely: Undirectional, Birectional, and Autodirectional.
SPEAKING
Language and language learning developed as fast as civilization. In the olden times, man used
language merely for survival-now, language functions as one important medium of change and
innovation.
But the question still remains… what is language? Language was defined by Webster as the
expression and communication of emotions or ides between human beings by means of speech
and hearing that is systematized and confirmed by usage among a given people over a period
of time. If we are to look a Webster’s definition can infer that there are only two functions of
language.
The first one is to express how one feels ( emotions); and the second one is to express how
one thinks (ideas). He also mentioned two important factors of language speaking (speech) and
listening (hearing). The two word systematized in Webster’s definition can also be related to
grammar-meaning it follows certain rules and systems, and lastly, he also mentioned”period of
time”, which can be interpreted as the changes language goes through with me.
Webster’s definition is in line with the structurist’s. For them language follows a system-
meaning, one cannot just mix letters to form words. X,Y, K, and D cannot be combined to form a
meaningful word-well, at least in English. In the sentence” she is pretty,”it will be erroneous if
one will change “is” to “are”. These instances are the bases of the structurist in saying that
language is a system. They also believes that language is primary vocal, is another claim of the
structurists. For them, and other Webster, speaking and listening are important language skills.
They also adhere to the concept that language is arbitrary. For them, language constantly goes
through series of innovations developments, and changes. The word “thee”, “thou”, “growist”,
and hath” are no longer used today. This is one proof that language, just as other things,
constantly changes.
The cognitivist, however, believe that language is a mental phenomena. For them, language
learning is innate in the individual. According to them, there is one part in our brain called LAD
(language acquisition device) that is responsible for language acquisition. If we are to analyze
their definition, we can infer that language (for them) is not learned but acquired. The difference
of learning from acquiring is that learning is voluntary while acquiring is involuntary. We choose
to learn, but we no choice what to acquire. We acquire traits from our parents, but we learn how
to solve math problems.
The functionalist have rather functional definition about language. For them language performs
specific functions, such as to express, to persuade, to give or ask information, and to make
someone to do something. Most people will agree with this definition, because practically these
functions are what language is really for.
The behaviorists also have their own definition of language. For them, language is learned
through imitation, repetition, and reinforcement. If a teacher teaching grade one pupils will ask
her students to say word the she does, then pupils learned( imitation). If the teacher will ask the
same pupils to repeat saying the world over and over again, then the pupil will be punished. On
the other hand, if the pupil were able to say it correctly, then he/she will receive a prize. Given
the two instances above, then the pupils learned ( reinforcement)
THE SEGMENTALS
According to the structurist, language is primarily vocal, but the question is-how to speak
properly? Is it merely opening and closing the mouth? Or is there a complex process that guides
speech production? In this action, you will know how the speech mechanism works.
Consonant sounds can be classified according to the three dimensions: the place of articulation
(where the sounds is made), the manner of articulation (how the sounds is made), and voicing
(voiceless or voiced).
Manner of Articulation
Stops/Plosives
These are sounds produced when the air stream is compressed and passes through a small
creating friction. The sounds F,V,S,Z,H,TH ( voiced) and voiceless), Sh Zh, are the members of
this group.
Affricates
These are sounds produced when a plosive is followed by a fricative. Ts ( Ch), and Dz (J) are
the members of this group.
Nasals
Nasal sounds are produced when the oral cavity is blocked, and so the air passes through the
nose. N, M, and Ng are nasal sounds.
Liquid/Lateral
Sounds are produced when air stream moves around the tongue in an unobstructed manner.
Sounds like L and R are examples.
Glides
Glides are sounds that are close to vowel sounds, like W and Y.
Point of Articulation
A sound is voiced if the vocal cords vibrate, whereas a sound is voiceless if the vocal cords are
not vibrating upon the production of sounds.
Consonant Chart
Place of Articulation
Manner
Bilabial Labio Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Dental
Stop TD KG
Fricative FV Th SZ SH ZH H
(voiced
and
voiceles
s
Affricate TS DZ
Nasal M N NG
Loud L R
Glide W Y
VOWELS
Vowels sounds are produced with one’s mouth open. It is also a fact that all vowel sounds are
voiced sounds can be classified according to the height of the tongue and jaw, and the way the
mouth opens.
SPREAD
NEUTRAL
/Y/ Unaccented schwa sound as in “towel”,
and “America”
/^/ Accented schwa as in “judge”, and “cup”
ROUND
Juncture
Juncture is defined as the pauses and rests in a given speaking discourse. It is commonly
represented by a single slash(/) for short pauses, double slashes (//) for long pauses, and three
slashes(///) for rests at the end of the paragraph
Pitch
This is the highness or lowness of sound
Volume
This is the loudness or softness of sound
Intonation
This is the rising and falling sound
Stress
This is the placement of emphasis or force on certain words or syllables
READING
Jean Chall, Proposes skills that are essential for real reading to take place. She said that there
are five skills that a student must have like.
Chall also constructed a matrix of stages of reading development. She states that there are six
stages namely:
Stage 4 Multiple Viewpoint Stage and Stage 5 Construction and Judgment Stage
After reading a text, if students were able to give their opinions they belong to the fourth stage.
On the other hand, if students were able to criticize a particular text, and in turn were able to
write their own, they belong to fifth stage
Purpose of Reading
WRITING
The Paragraph
The paragraph is defined as a group of unified, coherent, well-developed sentences that are
properly and logically organized to support one specific idea or topic.
Based on the given definition, we can infer that it is important for a paragraph to have Unity,
Coherence, logical Organization, support or Development, proper Emphasis, and one governing
and limiting topic sentence- “UCODE TS”
Based on the diagram below, we can say that a paragraph is unified if all the sentences are
about the topic sentence. It has coherence if all the sentences are connected with each other
properly and logical and coherent order.
S2
S1 Topic Sentence
S3
S4
GRAMMAR
Part of Speech
NOUNS
A noun names something- person, place, things, events, phenomena, emotions, etc.
Kinds of Nouns
1. Proper nouns- names of specific persons, things, or places
2. Common nouns- refer to any one of a class of persons, places, or things
3. Count nouns- nouns that can be counted and quantified using numbers
4. Non count nouns Mass nouns- nouns that cannot be counted and quantified using
measurements
- Mass nouns, abstract nouns, events, occasions and phenomena are under noon
count nouns.
5. Collective nouns- nouns that name a group of persons or things
6. Compound nouns- nouns that are made up of two words acting as a single unit.
- Compound nouns may be written as separate words hyphenated words, or combined
words.
PRONOUNS
Kinds of Pronouns
1. Personal pronouns- these are pronouns that refer to the person speaking, the person
spoken to, or the
person or thing spoken about.
SINGULAR PLURAL
FIRST PERSON I ( Subjective) WE ( Subjective)
ME ( Objective) US ( Objective)
SECOND PERSON YOU YOU
Examples:
Possessive Adjective: This is my book ( “my” qualifies the book)
Possessive Pronoun: This book is mine. (‘mine” represents the owner of the book)
SINGULAR PLURAL
FIRST PERSON MYSELF OURSELVES
SECOND YOURSELF YOURSELVES
PERSON HIMSELF THEMSELVES
THIRD PERSON ITSELF
ONSLELF
Example:
REFLEXIVE INTENSIVE
The pronoun refers to the subject The pronoun shows emphasis
a. I see myself in his actions a. I, myself is the culprit
b. Did you teach yourself? b. You, yourself teach
c. He cut the paper himself c. He, himself cut the paper
d. They were shocked about themselves d. They themselves were shocked
INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
WHO HOW TO WHOM
WHAT WHOM TO WHAT
WHICH WHOSE TO WHICHWHERE
WHY WHEN
ADJECTIVES
An adjective qualifies and tells something about a NOUN or PRONOUN through descriptions.
Order of Adjectives
Descriptive Adjectives
determiner observation origin material qualifier noun
size shape age color sports Car
An Expensive Red European Necklace
An Extrai- Daisies
ordinary
Six Long White american Hair
stemmed
Her shiny Short Black Dog
My Big Old German Boxes
Those Long Ceramic jewelry Locket
That Smooth Big Insects
Few Tiny African gold Films
Some Erotic Indian
VERBS
Oftentimes. Verbs are defined as action words. But reality, verbs are far more than that. Verbs
also link ideas in a sentence, help other verbs, and state conditions. We can classify verbs into
(1) verbs actions, (2) linking/be verbs, (3) helping verbs, (4) emphatic verbs, and of course, (5)
modals.
Action Verbs
These are verbs that express action. A majority of verbs are of this nature, and that is why most
of the time, learners tend to define verbs as action words. Words like run, walk, talk, sing,
dance, etc. are common examples of action verbs. We can further classify actions verbs into
two more sub classifications-Regular and Irregular verbs.
Regular verbs
Action verb is considered regular if its past form is derived by adding d or ed. Let us take the
word walk for an example; the past form of walk is walked.
Irregular verbs
Action verb is considered irregular if its past form is derived not by adding d or ed, but through a
change or through retention in spelling.
Linking verbs
Examples:
She is beautiful---She is a pronoun, and beautiful is an adjective.
She is beautiful---She is singular, that is why we used “is”
Examples:
Appear Seem Feel Look
Smell Sound Taste
Examples:
Lie Remain
Rest Stand
Examples:
Become Come Fall
Get Go Grow
Turn
These are also called helping verbs because they always appear with another verb in a
sentence ( main verb). Linking verbs such as is, was, were, are considered auxiliary verbs if
they appear together with a for a s verb in progressive form. Other helping verbs are has, have,
and had.
The verb has is used for singular subjects in the present tense. The verb “have” is used for
plural subjects in the present tense, and had is used doe both singular and plural subjects in the
past tense. Has, have and had, are also considered Auxiliary verbs if they appear in a sentence
with another verb( main verb) in the past participal form.
Example:
She has taken a bath already the verb”has” functions as an auxiliary
Emphatic Verbs
Emphatic verb are used to give certain emphasis. These verbs are do, does, and did. Do is
used for plural subjects in the present tense. DOES is used for singular subjects in the present
tense, and DID for both plural and singular in the past tense.
The verbs, DO,DOES, and DID can also be used as main verbs. They are only considered em
phatic verbs if they appear in a sentence with another verb in its base form.
Example:
She did not drink her milk ----- DID is used as an emphatic verb
Modals
According to Celece-Muria, modals are helping verbs that are used to give a proposition. A
degree of probability, to express one’s attitude, and to perform various social functions such as
expressing politeness or indirectness when making request, giving advice, or grabting
permission. It is always couples with a verb on its base form.
a. Stating Ability
I can do anything
b. Expressing Regret
I should have loved you
c. Giving warning
You may be in danger
e. Expressing observation
You must do this
ADVERBS
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or another adverb.
Adverb of Manner
Adverb of Time
Adverb of Frequency
PREPOSITION
A preposition links words with a sentence. It also states how two separate things are related. A
preposition may indicate a location, direction, possession, or cause.
Common Prepositions
CONJUNCTION
If prepositions link words within a sentence, conjunctions relate or join words into single unit.
Subordinating Conjunctions- connects two complete ideas to make one dependent to other.
Examples: inasmuch as, whenever, unless
INTERJECTION
These are words that express strong feelings or emotions. They may function as an
independent sentence with the speaker as the subject.
Examples: ouch, aha, alas, oh, hurray
Collective Nouns
These nouns can either take a singular or plural verb depending on how they are used in a
sentence. On the other hand, if a collective noun is perceived as one entity, then it would take a
singular verb. On the other hand, if a collective noun is perceived as individuals the group, it will
take a plural verb.
Examples: Our debate team has won the competition
Our debate team have won all their battles
Nouns ending in s and ics are always paired with verbs in the singular form
Examples: Mathematics is my favorite subject
Measles is a dangerous disease
Tenses
SUMMARY SUMMARY
Present I dance
Past I danced
Future I will dance
Present Progressive I am dancing
Past Progressive I was dancing all afternoon yesterday
Future Progressive I will be dancing
Present Perfect I have danced
Past Perfect I had danced before I sang
Future Perfect I will have danced before I sing
Present Perfect Progressive I have been dancing since then
Past perfect Progressive I had been dancing when the bomb exploded
Future Perfect Progressive I will have been when the party ends
Faulty Modifiers
Example:
Who are you?
What is the capital city of Hungary?
Example:
Go away
Turn around
Write your name
Examples:
LITERATURE
Introduction to Fiction
FICTION
Fiction is a prose imaginative composition which may or may not be based on history or fact.
Short story- a relatively brief prose fictional composition based in a single main incident which
is designed to produce a single dominant impression.
Novel- a prose fictional work of considerable length that deals with a series of complications
involving characters in a particular setting.
Drama- a composition in prose or verse designed for stage performance through mine and
dialogue.
Element of Fiction
Plot
The plot is a series of events knit together following the principle of cause and effect. It is also
deemed to be an arrangement of incidents, the narrative structure, the organization of a
narrative, and the logical sequence of actions. A plot can be arranged and organized in two
ways, the first one is through Chronology-which means that the events are arranged according
to time and space, and the second one is through Climax-which means that the events are
organized according to order of suspense.
There are also two types of plot, the first one is called organic, which means the story sprouted
from just one conflict; and the second one is episodic, which means there are two or more
sources of conflicts.
Conflict
Conflict is considered as the soul of the plot, and it is the tension between opposing forces in
the story. It can be external, which means that conflict is from outside forces; or internal which
means the conflict resides the main character.
Character
Characters in the story are the moral agents of actions. They are the invented personages in
fiction.
There are two types of characters namely major and minor. Under major characters, we have
the protagonist, who is the central character where the story revolves; and the antagonist, who
prevents the protagonist in solving the conflict. Under minor characters we have foil, who has
the opposite traits of the main protagonist; the confidant, who serves as the friend of the
protagonist; and the background characters, who are not closely related with the protagonist.
We also have two kinds of character. The first one is round, which means the character was
able to undergo change, while the second one is called flat, which means there was no change
in the outlook and action of character.
Setting
The setting serves as the background of the story, may it be physical, mental, or spiritual. It
serves as the backdrop and sets the mood of the characters. There are three elements of
setting. The first one is time, which sets the duration of the events; next is place, which talks
about the locally; and the third one is atmosphere, which is the emotion or the mood.
Theme
Theme is considered as the central message of the story. It is the universal truth expressed in
the text.
Point of View
This pertains to the vantage point where the story is narrated. Below are the different types;
FIRST person- a principal character in the story is the one narrating it.
SECOND person (unlimited)- an indirect disclosure of the narrating self for characterization
and analysis
THIRD person-(limited) also known as the central intelligence point of view; the author choose
a character from whose consciousness the entire story is told
CAMERA EYE- presents the dialogues, and the incidents of a narrative like a mechanical
recording device.
REVOLVING-characterized by a narrative shift from one point of view to another
COMPOSITE point of view-gives a comprehensive view of the events and incidents in the
story through the different angles adapted by several narrating characters
Figurative Language
1. Synecdoche-an association of some important part with the whole it represents.
Example: the face who launched a thousands ships
2. Simile- an indirect association
Example: she like a flower
3. Personification-given human attributes to an inanimate object (animal, idea, etc.)
Example: the sun is looking down on me.
4. Oxymoron- a self-contrasting statement
Example: Loud silence
5. Metonymy- an association wherein the name of something is substituted by something
that represents it.
Example: Toothpaste is sometimes called Colgate
6. Metaphor- a direct comparison
Example: you are the sunshine of my life
7. Irony- the contrast between what was expected and what actually happened
Example: No smoking sign during a cigarette break
8. Hyperbole- an exaggeration
Example: Cry me a river
9. Euphenism- Creating a positive connotation out of something negative.
Example: Loved child (illegitimate child)
10. Ellipsis- omission of words in a sentence
Example: She walked away and so the world turns…
11. Asyndeton- Not putting any connectors (conjunctions or prepositions)
Example: No retreat, no surrender
12. Apostrophe- A direct address to an abstract things or a person who passed away
Example: Love, please come and take me.
WORD LITERATURES
WORKS AUTHORS
The Epic of Gilamesh LEQI-UNNINNI, SCRIBE (700BCE)
Lliad HOMER, (800 BCE)
Odyssey
The Analects CONFUCIUS (551-479 BCE)
The Oresteia AESCHYLUS (496-406 BCE)
Agamemnom
Theban Plays: SOPHOCLES (496-406 BCE)
Oedipus Rex
Oedipus at Colonus
Antigone
Alcestis EURIPIDES 9484-406 (BCE)
Medea
Hippolytus
The Trojan Women
Electra
The Histories HERODOTUS (484-425 BCE)
The History of the Pelipennesian War THUCYDIDES (470-400 BCE)
The Art of War SUN-TZU (450-380 BCE)
Lysistrata ARUSTOPHANES (448-388 BCE)
The Clouds
The Birds
The Republic PLATO (428-348 BCE)
Ethics ARISTOTLE ( 384-322 BCE)
Politics
Poetics
WORKS AUTHORS
Magnificence and other stories ALFON, ESTRELLA
The Knifed Horizon ANGELES, CARLOS
A Stun of Jewels
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a ARGUILLA, MANUEL
Wife and Other Stories
Sunflower Poems AYALA, TITA LACAMBRA
The Archipelago BAUTISTA, CIRILO
Telex Moon
Sunlight on Broken Stones
What is an Educated Filipino BENITEZ, FRNCISCO
Dead Stars BENITEZ, FRNACISO
Stepping Stories
Half a Life
The Living and the Dead BRILLANTES, GREGORIO
A Wind Over the Earth
Distance to Andromeda
America is in the Heart BULOSAN, CARLOS
( Autobiographical)
The Laughter of My Father
The Voice of Bataan
The Power of the People
People in the War CORDERO-FERNANDO, GILDA
The Visitation of the Gods
The Butcher, The Baker, and the
Candlestick Maker
The Wedding Dance DAGUIO, AMADOR
No Certain Weather DEMETILLO, RICARDO
Barter in Panay
Daedalus and OtherPoems
Masks and Signatures
The Devil Flower ENRIQUEZ, EGMIDIO ALVAREZ DEMETILLO,
House of Images RICARDO
Palabas: Essays on Philippine Threater FERNANDEZ, DOREEN
Poems in Spanish and Ilocano FLORENTINO, LEONA
Now and at the Hour FORD, AIDA RIVERA
Fire Poem/Rain Poem GAMALINDA, ERIC
Popular Delusions
Planet waves
Poems GLORIA, ANGELA MANALANG
The Winds of April GONZALES N.V.M
A Season of Grace
Seven Hills Away
Children of the Ash-Covered Loam
The Bamboo Dancers
Children of the City GUERRERO, AMADIS MA
Dogeaters HAGEDOREN, JESSICA
Gangster of Love
Encanto IGLORIA, MARIA LUISA
Blood Sacrifice
Juanita Crus JALANDONI, MAGDALENA
Ang Dalaga sa Tindahan
Ermita JOSE, FRANCISO SIONIL
Poon
My Brother, My Executioner
The Woman Who Had Two Navels JOAQUIN, NICK
Summer Soistice
May Day Eve
Small Key LATORENA, PAZ
Desire
Sunset
Literature and Society LOPEZ, SALVADOR
Reevaluation LUMBERA, BIENVENIDO
Abot-Tanaw
My humble Opinion NAKPIL, CARMEN GUERRERO
Women Enough
The Virgin POLOTAN-TUVERA-KERIMA
The Hand of the Enemy
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
EXPRESSION MEANING
Come hell of high water I am by your side come hell or high water.
This means the speaker would not leave the one
he/she is speaking with no matter what happens
Put your finger in the pie To finish the task at a much earlier time, everyone
must put his/her finger in the pie.
It means they must do their share in a particular
task.
Be in the limelight The soprano did her best to be in the limelight.
It means to be at the center of everybody’s
attention.
Flogging a dead horse Rallies and mass demonstrations against the RH
law are like flogging a dead horse.
It means that the work being done is futile.
Bring home the bacon The speech coach cheered his contestants. He
said “Bring the bacon!”
It means that he wants the team to win.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea This situation is hopeless!. It is like the devil and
the deep blue sea.
This situation is at its worst and the resolution is
seen to be unpleasant.
In your face The debater was criticized straight in her face.
To state something in an aggressive manner.
Under the weather She did not attend her class. She said that she
feels under the weather.
The person is sick.
Back to square one Her efforts are wasted since she is back to square
one.
The person has to start again from the beginning.
Hold your horses The commandant reminds his team hold their
horses until the right time comes.
Be patient.
Tickled your horses The news tickled her pink.
Made one every happy.
When pigs fly There is no chance of us being husband and wife,
unless when pigs fly.
Impossible to happen.
At the pink of health She looks beautiful and well rested. I assume she
is at the pink of health
Good health.
Phrasal Verbs
Add up Add
Bring about Cause to happen
Bring up Raise
Call off Cancel
Carry on Continue
Back up Support
Bring off Accomplish
Carry out Complete
Count in Include
Cut down Reduce
Fill out Complete (printed form)
Fill up Complete ( container0
Hang up Suspend
Hold up Rob
Pay off To complete payment
Touch up Repair
Turn down Refuse
Throw over Reject
Save up Accumulate
Put off Postpone
Down play Diminish
Figure out Understand
Breakdown Analyze