If you know these phrases, that means your English is awesome.
What if I told you that you could sound more fluent, more natural, and more confident simply by learning a handful of powerful phrases in English?
In this episode, I'm going to present these phrases to you so you can add them to your active vocabulary and start speaking more fluently today.
Let's get started. Hey there, how's it going?
Thiago here and welcome to another episode of the podcast.
In case you're new here, this podcast is designed to help intermediate and advanced learners of English communicate with more confidence, more accuracy, more clarity, and more awareness.
If this sounds like something you want for yourself and your English, Go ahead and subscribe to the channel if you are on YouTube or if you are listening to me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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By the way, I have put together another free PDF to accompany this lesson today.
You can download the PDF here in the link below in the description, also in the pinned comment below.
The PDF basically has all these phrases I'm going to teach you today with their definitions and examples.
So. go ahead and download the accompanying PDF before you forget, okay?
So basically today... I want to cover useful phrases you can use in your everyday conversations in English in five different situations.
First, explaining things, then sharing your opinion, then sharing anecdotes or personal stories, then talking about abstract topics, and finally comparing things or comparing people, all right?
So let's get started here with the first situation. explaining things.
The very first useful phrase you have to know and if you know and use, it shows that your English is awesome, is to break it down.
To break it down for someone. When you break something down to someone, you explain it in more detail.
You are more granular in your explanation.
For example, Okay, let's break it down.
First, you gather the ingredients, then you mix them, and finally you bake.
Another example, the concept seems complicated but if you break it down, it's just a few simple steps.
You see, picture an idea that might be too complex or too big to grasp at first glance.
To break down that idea means to explain it in a way that other people can understand it.
And also it has this idea of maybe dividing the big idea or splitting the big idea into multiple smaller parts that are easier to digest, easier to understand.
Okay? The second phrase I'm going to teach you today is to spell it out. to spell it out or to spell it out for someone.
Listen. Do I need to spell it out for you?
You're not allowed to use your phone during the exam.
You see, if you say that to someone... It's almost like, do I need to draw a picture for you to understand it?
How much more obvious do I have to make my message so you understand it, you know what I mean?
Just be careful with that one because it's extremely informal and it might come across as a little bit rude or impolite.
I would recommend using this one only with close friends or family member, people with whom you have a lot of intimacy already.
I wouldn't use it at work, for example. Yeah?
Here's another example. I tried to be subtle, but maybe I need to spell it out.
I am not interested. Okay? The third expression is in a nutshell.
In a nutshell. When you say in a nutshell, you are basically summarizing something.
So it's a great expression you can use After you have explained things, you have shared your thoughts and ideas, and then you want to bring it to a close.
You want to summarize it with the main point.
So you can say in a nutshell, blah, blah, blah.
For example, so in a nutshell, we ran out of time and couldn't finish the project.
Or, the whole plan in a nutshell is to increase sales and reduce costs.
This is also a very useful expression, I find, if you don't have a lot of time to explain something to someone in more detail.
Imagine you are at the office and you are heading for a meeting.
As you are heading for the meeting, you bump into a colleague of yours who asks you about the current status of a project that you guys have been working on.
At that moment, you don't have a lot of time to explain in detail the updates.
So you can say to your colleagues something along the lines of, look, I'm kind of late now because I'm heading for a meeting, but In a nutshell, the plan is to increase sales and reduce costs, but we talk about it later, okay?
You see? So in a nutshell, it's a great phrase you can use to summarize something, to communicate the main point, the main idea of something.
The next expression, to put it simply. To put it simply.
For example, to put it simply, we need more money to make this happen.
You see, so in other words, you are simplifying your message. you are making it as easy as possible to be understood.
He's a genius, but to put it simply, he's also a bit socially awkward.
You see? The next one is to cut a long story short.
This is a great one, again, for summarizing. usually a personal experience.
For example, to cut a long story short, we missed our flight and had to stay an extra night.
You see, imagine you have shared all the story, everything that happened.
And then... You don't want to keep sharing more details because you've already shared a lot.
So you can say, well, to cut a long story short, that's what happened.
Or he explained the entire process, but to cut a long story short, you just need to click save.
You see? It has that idea of simplifying something, getting to the bottom line of something.
Many times in movies and TV series, you will actually see that the actors there don't even say to cut a long story short.
They're just gonna say, long story short.
Long story short, that's very common as well.
So you are sharing your story. This is what happened.
I went to this place and then I saw these people.
Well, long story short, blah, blah, blah.
You see? So this is the first category here.
When you are explaining things to people, when you are sharing a little bit of anecdotes as well, you can use some of these, all right?
Here's an example scenario. Just to... illustrate how all these phrases could come together.
Listen, imagine you were explaining a new policy at work.
All right team, let's break it down regarding the new travel policy.
To put it simply, we're streamlining the reimbursement process.
I could go into all the minute details, but to cut a long story short, you'll now submit everything online.
If anyone still doesn't get it, I can spell it out for you with a step-by-step guide.
So in a nutshell, it's all about making things easier for everyone.
Cool, isn't it? just for you to have an idea of how all of these could come together, all right?
The second situation is when sharing your opinion.
It's okay to say, in my opinion, but what else can you say?
Well, for example, you can say, if you ask me.
Listen, if you ask me, that new restaurant is way too expensive.
Or if you ask me, she's made a mistake by not taking that job offer.
You see, if you ask me, could replace in my opinion.
What about this one? To my mind. To my mind.
Listen, to my mind, the best solution is to completely reevaluate our strategy.
Or it's a beautiful day. To my mind, it's a perfect day for a walk in the park.
You see? You can also use the phrase, I figure.
I figure. Listen, I figure we should leave early to avoid the traffic. or she's been studying hard, I figure she'll do well on the test.
You see? Similar to, I think she will do well on the test.
In my opinion, she will do well on the test.
I figure she will do well on the test. Another possibility here is as I see it.
As I see it. As I see it. The biggest challenge we face is securing funding, or as I see it, the problem isn't the technology, but rather the training.
You see? And finally, one of my favorites, as far as I'm concerned.
As far as I'm concerned, I know it's kind of a big phrase, but it sounds great.
It sounds professional. It sounds a little bit formal to share your opinion.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, blah, blah, blah.
For example, as far as I'm concerned, we've done everything we can and now it's up to them.
Or, as far as I'm concerned, he's a reliable person and always gets his work done.
All right? Here's an example scenario putting it all together.
Imagine you are discussing a project outcome, the results of a project.
Listen. If you ask me, that presentation went really well.
To my mind, the client seemed genuinely impressed with our new design.
I figure we'll hear back from them by the end of the week.
As I see it, the only potential hitch is the budget.
But as far as I'm concerned, we put forward a solid proposal.
Nice, right? Let's move on now to situation three, sharing anecdotes.
An anecdote is a personal story. that really happened to you.
And usually you can share when you are maybe giving a presentation, teaching something in order to prove a point.
So here are some narrative phrases you can use when sharing your stories.
The first one, the other day... The other day, for example, the other day I was walking down the street and saw the most incredible sunset.
Another one, I had a funny experience the other day.
I completely forgot my wallet at home. Nice, right?
You can also use this one time. This one time.
For example, this one time I was at a concert and the lead singer jumped into the crowd right in front of me.
Or, you won't believe it, but this one time I accidentally locked myself out of my car with the keys inside.
You can also use the phrase, you know how it is.
You know how it is. For example, you know how it is.
Sometimes you just need a quiet night in after a long week.
Or, getting things done can be tough with all the distractions.
You know how it is. This is a great phrase also for you to sympathize or empathize with the person a little bit.
You know how it is. I mean, I know you have been through the same situation.
You see, it helps build that connection, that rapport.
What about this one? Speaking of which...
Speaking of which, this is a great phrase when somebody mentions something that reminds you of something else. and then to introduce that something else you can say, speaking of which.
For example, oh, speaking of which, did you remember to pick up the dry cleaning?
You see, something your friend said reminded you of the dry cleaning.
And then you said, oh yeah, speaking of which, did you remember to pick it up?
Or, we were just talking about vacation plans.
Speaking of which, have you booked your flights yet?
You see, speaking of which refers to the vacation plans.
So this is a great phrase as well for you to use in conversation.
Whenever something you see or hear reminds you of something else, You can say, speaking of which, and then you introduce that idea, all right?
Finally, for sharing anecdotes, you can also use funny enough.
Funny enough, I mean, I personally use that all the time when I'm sharing my stories here with you guys.
Funny enough, blah, blah, blah. For example...
Funny enough, I was just thinking about that very thing yesterday.
Or, I ran into him at the airport. Funny enough, considering we live in different cities.
You see, it's almost like you're acknowledging an interesting coincidence, you know?
Coincidence, an interesting coincidence, right?
Now, here's an example scenario bringing it all together.
A chance encounter. meeting somebody by chance.
Listen, the other day I was at the coffee shop just minding my own business.
Funny enough, I saw someone who looked just like my old high school friend.
This one time, we were practically inseparable.
You know how it is. You lose touch over the years.
Anyway, speaking of which, I should really try to reconnect with them on social media.
You see? Nice, right? Hopefully you got an idea here of how conversational you can sound when you put these phrases together.
And that's the magic, that's the beautiful thing about these phrases. when you start combining them and using them together, then your English sounds Awesome.
Really awesome. All right? Moving on to situation four, talking about abstract topics.
One phrase you can use is at the end of the day. at the end of the day for example at the end of the day success is really about how you define it for yourself We can argue all we want, but at the end of the day, some things are just out of our control. also a very nice way, I would say, to summarize or to bring the discussion to an end.
You know, maybe you are having an argument with a friend or maybe you are having even a productive discussion.
You are agreeing with each other, disagreeing, but then maybe to bring it to a close, you can say, well, at the end of the day, and then you wrap up.
All right? What about this one? In the grand scheme of things... in the grand scheme of things.
For example, a small setback today isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
This basically means when you look at the big picture, when you look at the big picture, this little thing here is not that important.
Another example. While this problem seems huge now, in the grand scheme of things, it's a minor obstacle.
Okay, this means when you look at the big picture.
Another phrase you can use is it boils down to. it boils down to.
For example, ultimately, it boils down to whether we have the resources to pull this off.
It boils down to. I mean, the most important factor is this.
A similar phrase could be, it comes down to. it boils down to, it comes down to.
Another example here. The whole argument, when you really think about it, it boils down to a misunderstanding.
You see? You can also use the phrase on a deeper level. on a deeper level.
For example, on a deeper level, his art explores themes of loneliness and connection.
Or, while it seems like a simple disagreement, on a deeper level it reflects underlying tensions.
I love that. Whenever you want to introduce maybe something a little bit deeper to the discussion, you can use that phrase.
I know it seems that way, but on a deeper level, I would say blah, blah, blah.
You see? Finally, the big picture is... the big picture is.
Listen, regarding bogged down in details, the big picture is that we need to innovate to survive. or don't lose sight of the big picture.
Our goal is to improve customer satisfaction.
All right, the big picture. Here's an example scenario here.
Putting it all together, imagine you are discussing your life's priorities.
Listen. We spend so much time worrying about small things.
But at the end of the day, what truly matters?
The big picture is about finding happiness and connection.
Sure, work is important, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not everything.
On a deeper level, I think it boils down to how you choose to spend your limited time.
You see, great phrases you can use you are sharing your opinions and thoughts about more abstract ideas or concepts you see talking about life's priorities or what happiness really means to you.
You know, these... Finally, we have the last situation, comparing. comparing things, comparing people.
What are some phrases you can use to sound more conversational, to sound more awesome in English, and that are very common?
Listen, it's like comparing apples and oranges.
It's like comparing apples and oranges. For example, you can't really say which city is better.
It's like comparing apples and oranges. They're so different.
Or, trying to judge their performances against each other is like comparing apples and origins, as they work in completely different roles.
You see, many times in conversation, you also hear people just saying, apples and origins, or it's like apples and oranges, you see?
So whenever you wanna communicate that, Two things cannot be compared or shouldn't be compared because they are so different that it wouldn't be a fair comparison.
You can say that. Look, I mean, I think it's pointless trying to compare these two things because they're like apples and oranges, all right?
You can also use the phrase, afar cry from. a far cry from.
Listen, his current living situation is a far cry from the luxurious lifestyle he once had. or the quality of the new product is a far cry from what they used to produce.
In other words, it's something completely distant from what they used to produce or from the lifestyle he once had.
It's so different you can't even compare.
You see, it's a far cry from something else.
Another one that you can use is pales in comparison to.
This is a great phrase, when something pales in comparison to something else.
Listen. Even her best efforts pale in comparison to the sheer talent of the other contestant.
In other words, she doesn't stand a chance.
You see, or the small inconvenience of the journey pales in comparison to the beauty of the destination.
The difference is so gigantic that, you know, you shouldn't even be considering that.
Got it? You can also use on the one hand, on the other hand.
Nice conjunction here, right? Quite common.
For example, on the one hand, the new policy saves money, but on the other hand, it might negatively impact employee morale.
You see, on one hand, idea one. Now let me contrast that with another idea.
On the other hand, idea two. You see? Or, on the one hand, I'd love to go out tonight.
But on the other hand, I have a big exam tomorrow.
Okay? Finally, 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other.
6 of 1 half a dozen of the other. Listen, choosing between the two similar models is really six of one, half a dozen of the other.
They both offer similar features. or whether you start with this task or that one, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. in terms of overall time.
In other words, it doesn't make much of a difference. whether you choose this one or that one.
So pick whichever one you like. You see?
Here's an example scenario, now putting it all together.
Imagine you are evaluating two options. Listen.
So, we have two options for the new software.
On the one hand, this one is cheaper, but on the other hand, the other has more features.
Honestly, when you look at them closely, it's really six of one, half a dozen of the other for our basic needs.
The user interface of this new version, however, is a far cry from their old one.
It's much better. The speed of the expensive one, while impressive, actually pales in comparison to the overall ease of use of the cheaper option.
Trying to argue one is definitely better for everyone is like comparing apples and oranges.
And there you have it. These are 25 phrases that if you know, understand and use, make your English sound awesome.
Here's a little assignment or homework. Choose your favorite phrases from this list and start actively using them any chance you get. any opportunity you get.
And you can start by leaving me a comment under this video with a few sentences with some of these phrases.
Pick your favorite phrases here, come up with a few example sentences with them, and post your sentences here in the comment section below.
Just so you start, practicing and internalizing these phrases.
Remember, when it comes to vocabulary, if you don't use it, you lose it.
All right? I hope you enjoyed this episode today.
I hope you found it informative. Don't forget to download the free PDF. that accompanies this lesson.
On the PDF, you're gonna have all of these expressions and phrases with their definitions and also example sentences.
All right. So you can add to your self study material there.
All right. I'm Thiago. I'm signing off.
Thanks so much for listening to me today, for hanging out with me today.
I hope you found this episode useful. If this episode helped you read your English, Help me out by liking this video, subscribing to the channel, sharing this video with a friend who's also learning English,
And if you are on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, leave me a five-star review on those platforms as well.
All right. So I'm Chad. I'm signing off.
Thank you so much for listening to me today.
And I'll be talking to you very soon in the upcoming episode.
Bye-bye.
