Five more English words/expressions/patterns YOU need to know^^

Boast about

To brag about, to show off

Actually, those three verbs are slightly different. Boasting about things is okay, but bragging can be very annoying to other people. And if you show off, your intention is to make other people jealous!

My son got a job at IBM^^ (Boasting—that’s okay^^)

I got all ‘A’s in high school and went to Harvard. Where did you go? (Bragging…this guy is a little annoying, no?^^ You want to say “Shut up!”)

Check out my new Gucci handbag! There was only ONE imported to Korea. I have it^^ Isn’t it nice? (OH! SHUT UP! I hate you!!!—this person is showing off!)

There’s more to A than just B.

If you want to do “A” well, then you have to study/learn/do more than only “B”. 

“B” is not enough if you want to do “A” well.

There’s more to delicious spaghetti than just a good sauce.

There’s more to learning English than just grammar.

There’s more to driving than just steering and braking.

There’s more to being a chef than just cooking food.

Some people think raising a dog is easy. But there is SO much to do. You have to feed it, clean it, walk it, take care of its fur, take it to the vet…there’s more to raising a pet than just loving it^^ Can you make your own example?

Famous for…infamous for

Are you famous for anything? Is your hometown famous for something? What is your country famous for?

I’m from Wisconsin in the United States. Wisconsin is famous for milk and cheese. Our milk and cheese is really delicious^^ 

“famous for” is easy—what about infamous for? To be “infamous” means to be famous in a bad way!!

America is infamous for obesity. It is one of the fattest countries in the world. America’s infamous fast-food is one reason so many Americans are obese.

Can you make an example of “infamous”? Are you infamous for anything? Good luck and BE honest!!!

Just in it for the buck

To be “just in it for the buck” means that “you are only interested in making money.” Why do you buy stocks? Because you are just in it for the buck. That is no problem. But what about this:

A: You raise so many dogs.

B: Yeah, I’m just in it for the buck.

That guy (B) probably does not really care about the health or quality of life for the dogs he sells. He is a TRUE businessman. If you are in business, most people accept that philosophy—“just in it for the buck”. Like Al Gore and his global warming...

But nowadays people are starting to change.

My dream is to have my own English teaching business. But I don’t have enough money to start it, yet. So I have to work at an institute. I love my teaching and my students, but, to be honest, I am only at my institute to make money. I’m just here for the buck. As soon as I get “the buck”, I will leave and start my own English institute!! Don’t tell my boss, please~~

Signature smile

Somebody’s signature something—a distinctive object/comment/gesture that identifies someone.

Michael Jackson and his signature moves…

KFC and its signature Colonel Sanders…

McDonald’s and its signature Ronald McDonald…

Bugs Bunny and his signature carrot…

Shane and his signature bald spot…

Mercedes Benz and its signature mark…

Colorado and its signature mountains…

Paris and its signature Eiffel Tower…

Italy and its signature pizza…

Jim Carey and his signature expressions…

Dracula and his signature teeth (fangs)…

What other examples can you give us?