You Can’t Fight Progress
New English Idioms are “Flying high” and “Packed like sardines.” The Grammar focus is on Adverbials.
Louise: “We are so high up in this new office complex.”
Gertrude: “Welcome to 2023.”
Louise: “The views are incredible. Look at the river over there.”
Gertrude: “I want to see the drawbridge when it goes up.”
Louise: “You can even see birds right out here. Boy, they’re flying high!”
Gertrude: “Why not? They’re at the top of the world while we look out with envy.”
Louise: “I’m glad we have these new offices. But the elevators take so long to get up here!”
Gertrude: “Ya, and people are packed like sardines in there.“
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Flying high as an idiom means to be very happy or jubilant. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Packed like sardines means packed very tightly in a small space. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: Adverbials
“They are packed like sardines in there.” The sentence-final Adverbial “in there” is a Prepositional Phrase which answers the question “Where?”
INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED DIALOGUE
Two employees celebrate not fighting progress in their new building. The Grammar focus is on Modal Auxiliaries.
Shirley: “I love these new offices. They’re so roomy.”
Melanie: “Well, you got a corner with a view. Not all of us were so lucky.”
Shirley: “Can’t help it if I’m the big cheese around here.”
Melanie: “I’m not complaining. I got that desk with the captain’s chair I’ve always been dreaming about.”
Shirley: “And a real water cooler, so you can stand around and shoot the breeze.”
Melanie: “What I don’t like is they closed up that wonderful used books shop right underneath us. To build this massive eyesore.”
Shirley: “Hey, this eyesore has bigger and better everything. But what bookstore do you mean? The one with fungus-face at the register?”
Melanie: “The bearded guy in the red sweater. Yeah, that’s the one. They had a fantastic selection of rare and out of print books.”
Shirley: “But he must have gone somewhere close by. I know he loves the U District as much as we all do.”
Shirley: “Well, let’s get in the groove. We’ve got basement parking, that’s a huge plus.”
Melanie: “You’re right. You can’t fight progress.”
VOCABULARY WITH IDIOMS
Blg cheese means the most important or powerful person in an enterprise. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Shoot the breeze means to spend time talking in an idle manner. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Fungus-face means someone who has a beard or stubble. See online Idioms Dictionary.
Get in the groove means to become attuned to something. See online Idioms Dictionary.
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
Suggested Topic for Comments: The Meaning of Modal Auxiliaries
According to linguists, modal auxiliaries have several meanings, usually social and logical. Consider the following sentence: “He must have gone somewhere close by.“ “Must,” in this usage, does not pertain to social interaction but instead signifies logical probability. It is logical to think that because of his love for the U District, the bearded man in the red sweater did not move his shop very far away, but is somewhere close by.
Learn Conversational English
About the Author
English Grammar Categories
480 English Idioms
Home