To Set the Ball Rolling

To set/start the ball rolling means to start something happening.



Examples:
I've started the ball rolling by setting up a series of meetings.
The hospital appeal received a gift of £1 million to set the ball rolling.
To start the ball rolling, the government was asked to contribute £1 million.

To Be Up in the Air

If sth is up in the air it means that no decision has been made, often because other matters have to be decided first.



Example:
I may be moving to Canad, but it's still up in the air.

To Take the Bull by the Horns

To take the bull by the horns means to bravely or confidently deal with a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant problem.



Examples:
I decided to take the bull by the horns and ask him to leave.
Helena decided to take the bull by the horns and organize the show herself.
Nora decided to take the bull by the horns and organize things for herself.
We decided to take the bull by the horns and go to court, instead of paying the fine.

Quick Requests

Making a quick request
Do you have a minute?
Excuse me, am I disturbing you?
Could you just have a quick look at...?
Could you spare a few minutes?
Do you have a few minutes?
Would you mind checking...?
Could you give me a hand with...?

Responding to requests
Yeah, sure.
No problem.
Certainly. Take a seat.
Yes, come in.
I'm a bit busy right now.
Sorry, no time!
I'm sorry, not just now.
Give me two minutes and I'll be right with you.

To Rush from Pillar to Post

To rush from pillar to post means to go from place to place in a panic.



Example:
The poor kid has been rushing from pillar to post.

Apologising & Responding

Apologising
Sorry I'm late.
I'm sorry that...
I'm very sorry about...
I do apologise for...
Sorry about that.
I'm afraid that...

Responding to an apology
Never mind.
That's OK.
That's all right.
It doesn't matter.
Don't worry about that.
No problem.

A Splitting Headache

If you have a splitting headache, you have a very bad headache. You can also say to have a pounding headache. Please note that the word headache is a countable noun, so you should say a headache.



Examples:
I had a splitting headache, and couldn't go to work.
She went home because she had a splitting headache.

Down in the Dumps

To be / feel down in the dumps means to be very sad and without much interest in life.



Examples:
Some Mondays I just feel in the dumps.
She's feeling a bit down in the dumps.

Formal vs Informal

In business writing it is essential that you do not mix the formal with informal writing styles. Here is a list of some formal expressions and their infomal equivalents.

Thank you - Thanks
I would like to apologize for … - Sorry for …
I would appreciate it if you … - Can you … ?
Would you happen to know …? - Do you know … ?
Unfortunately, I will not be able to … - I can’t …
I am unable to say whether … - I don’t know whether …
I would rather not … - I don’t want to …

May I make a request? - Could I ask you for something / some help?
I appreciate that this will be difficult for you. - I know that this is not going to be easy.
Would you be able to attend a meeting on the 4th of June? - Can you meet up on the 4th of June?
Please contact me at any time. - Feel free to call any time.
I would like to apologize for … - Sorry for …

Above vs Over

The two prepositions above and over are very similar in meaning, and in some situations you can use them interchangeably. However, there is a small difference between them.

Above refers to a certain position. You use static verbs (e.g. to be) with above.

The house is above the city. ( - the house is standing still on the mountain)
Our office is above the hairdresser's.
He had a bruise just above his left eye.
I heard a strange noise coming from the room above.

Over refers to movement (in time or space). You use dynamic verbs (e.g. to fly) with over.

UFOs flew over China. ( - over the whole of it, to its borders or even beyond it)
A lamp hung over the table.
We watched a helicopter flying low over the harbour.

TEST YOURSELF
1. We lived in the room ... the shop.
2. Somehow the sheep jumped ... the fence.
3. Government troops fired a few shots ... their heads.
4. Curran’s leg was broken ... the right knee.
5. Flocks of geese flew ... , calling loudly.
6. The lamp is ... me.
7. We could see the Angolan flag flying ... the governor’s palace.

Responding to Spontaneous Situations

Inviting / Offering
How about meeting on Friday?
What about meeting on Friday?
Do you feel like meeting on Friday?
Would you like to meet on Friday?
Do you want to meet on Friday?

Accepting
I'd love to.
Good idea.
Why not?

Partly accepting
Maybe... Can I let you know later?
Let me just check with my boss / my wife.
OK... But I can't stay long.
Yes, but can we make it next week?

Declining
Sorry, I'm heading straight home tonight, it's my wife's birthday.
Not tonight, I've had a bad day.
I'm afraid I don't really feel like it today.
I'm afraid I need to stay behind and finish this presentation.

Rise vs Raise

The verb to rise /raiz/ is an irregular verb (rise – rose – risen) and it means to go up or upwards, increase (in number, amount etc). This is an intransitive verb and it doesn't have an object, e.g.
The Sun rose.
Her hopes rose higher than ever.
The unemployment rate has risen dramatically.

The verb to raise /reiz/ is a regular verb (raise – raised – raised) and it means to move or lift to a higher position, increase an amount, number etc. This is a transitive verb so it needs an object, e.g.
The government has raised VAT.
She knew the answer so she raised her hand.

TEST YOURSELF
Please use the correct verb (rise or raise) in the correct form:

1. Sales ….. by 20% over the Christmas period.
2. Drinking too much coffee can ….. blood pressure.
3. The research budget ….. from £175,000 in 1999 to £22.5 million in 2001.
4. Temperatures rarely ….. above freezing.
5. The university is working to ….. the number of students from state schools.
6. The number of people seeking asylum in Britain has ….. sharply.
7. The divorce rate has ….. steadily since the 1950s.
8. Many shops have ….. their prices.
9. The floodwaters began to ….. again.
10. ….. your hand if you know the right answer.
11. William ….. his hat and smiled at her.
12. Smoke ….. from the chimney.
13. The road ….. steeply from the village.
14. Can you ….. the torch so I can see?

In the Middle of Nowhere

In the middle of nowhere means a long way from the nearest big town.



Examples:
They live miles away, in the middle of nowhere.
We had a puncture in the middle of nowhere, with no mobile and no water.

To Be in the Red

To be in the red means to owe more money than you have; to be operating at a loss, in debt.



Examples:
This is the airline's fourth straight year in the red.
Many of the students were in the red at the end of their first year.

The Tip of the Iceberg

The tip of the iceberg is a small sign of a problem that is much larger.



Examples:
The reported cases of food poisoning are only the tip of the iceberg.
I'm afraid that these few reported cases of the disease might only be the tip of the iceberg.

Thanking & Responding

Thanking
Thanks. / Thanks a lot.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for your time / help.
I'd like to thank you for ...
Thank you for having me.



Responding
You're welcome.
My pleasure.
It's a pleasure.
No problem.
That's OK.
Thank you for coming.

To Have a Narrow Escape

If you have a narrow escape, you just manage to avoid danger or trouble.



Examples:
The crew had a narrow escape when the pilot made a crash landing.
A woman had a narrow escape yesterday when her car left the road.
He only just got out of the vehicle before the whole thing blew up. It was a narrow escape.

You Are Right vs You Have the Right to

There are two expressions with which seem to be a bit problematic for students of English. Both of them contain the word right:

You are right - it means that you have said something that is true. Opposite - you are wrong.
I think you're right. We should have set out earlier.
I think the Prime Minister is only half right.
Am I right in thinking that you two have met before?

You have the right to do sth - it means that you are morally, legally, or officially allowed to do or have something:
You have the right to consult a lawyer.
Everyone should have the right to freedom of expression.

A Laughing Stock

Someone who is a laughing stock has done something so silly that people have no respect for them.



Example:
The programme has made the US a laughing stock.

The Acid Test

The acid test is a key test which will prove the value, quality or truth of something.



Examples:
The producer says critics love the film, but box-office takings will provide the acid test.
People ask if the team is good enough. This match will be the acid test.

On the One Hand

The expressions on the one hand and on the other hand are used to present two opposite facts or two different ways of looking at the same issue.



Examples:
I'd like to eat out, but on the other hand I should be trying to save money.
Braque, on the other hand, developed more slowly as an artist than Picasso.
High schools need to develop clear connections with post-secondary institutions, on the one hand, and businesses, on the other.

To Bend the Rules

To bend the rules means to do something or allow someone to do something that is not usually allowed, especially in order to make things easier on one occasion.



Examples:
They shouldn’t bend the rules for him just because he’s the director’s son.
We might be able to bend the rules just this one time.

To Face the Music

To face the music means to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done.



Examples:
I had to face the music, I had to face myself.
It was not just Diana who had to face the music but her parents as well.
They can't tell us how to live and not face the music when their own conduct is questioned.