Hello this is Sasa, from China, and you are listening to Everybody ESL.
Welcome to episode 417 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to their English, practice their English, or just learn more English.
My name is Ben and I have a mini episode for you today where I am going to teach you about one English topic.
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Okay, let's get on with this mini episode.
In this episode, I am going to teach you an interesting and useful expression.
expression. That expression is like clockwork.
Like clockwork. That's spelled L -I -K -E -C -L -O -C -K -W -O -R -K.
Like clockwork. Before I tell you what this expression means and how we use it, let me this.
What does clockwork mean?
Clockwork means all of the little parts inside a clock, all of the parts that make the clock work.
And this expression started with the idea of old -fashioned clocks.
Not digital clocks and not electric clocks, but those old -fashioned clocks with all of those very small, very precise parts inside, all of them working together perfectly to make the clock work.
When you think of that, you might have an easier time understanding and remembering what this phrase means.
Because like clockwork means happening in a regular or predictable way.
It describes things that happen in a predictable, consistent way, especially things that happen in a very predictable and exact way.
Let me give you a couple of examples of situations where we can use the phrase like clockwork to describe this kind of thing.
Let's say there is a student and he is not a very good student.
In fact, he does not like to study.
He does not like to work hard. He really doesn't like to do anything.
Every time students need to make some kind of big presentation in front of the class, this student is missing.
This student is home sick, or he later says that he was sick.
We could say every time students have to give presentations in class, like clockwork, this student is absent.
This student is not at school.
It happens like clockwork.
In other words, it is very predictable.
It happens every time.
We can easily predict when this student will be out of school, because it happens every time he would need to make a big presentation in class.
We could also say something like this.
Scientists can easily predict when eclipses will happen.
Eclipses happen like clockwork.
Eclipses happen like clockwork.
In other words, eclipses happen in a very regular and consistent and predictable way.
They happen in a very exact way.
They happen in a way that is as predictable and exact as a clock.
A clock moves in a very predictable and exact way.
And that's why we can describe something like an eclipse as happening like clockwork.
It happens in a very regular and predictable way.
And that is, like clockwork, an interesting and useful phrase that I think you should know.
This is the end of episode 417 of EVERYBODY ESL.
Remember, if you have questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes, the same way Sasa recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode, send an email to everybodyesl at gmail dot com.
I'll be back soon with a new episode, and until then keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning!
I'll see you soon, goodbye!
