Phrases & Expressions

Roads carrying so many vehicles that traffic moves slowly or stops altogether.

• Introducing a charge for driving into the city centre could reduce pollution on congested roads.
• Ambulances lose valuable minutes every day trying to get through heavily congested roads at rush hour.

A reason why something happened that people find believable and sensible.

• When asked why her essay was almost identical to a classmate's, the student could not give a convincing explanation.
• The company failed to give a convincing explanation for the sudden rise in its prices.

To invent a false explanation, usually to avoid getting into trouble.

• The teenagers cooked up a story about studying at a friend's house, but their parents knew they had been at a concert.
• The two suspects had cooked up a story to give each other an alibi, but the police soon found holes in it.

To report on an event or subject in a newspaper or on television or radio.

• Dozens of journalists flew to the capital to cover the story of the president's resignation.
• As a trainee reporter, she was sent to cover a story about a school that had banned mobile phones.

To be sufficient for a particular expense, so that nothing more has to be paid.

• The scholarship covers the cost of tuition but not accommodation, so students still need part-time jobs.
• Your travel insurance should cover the cost of medical treatment if you fall ill abroad.

To study a large amount of material in a very short time just before a test.

• My cousin always crams for exams the night before and then forgets almost everything as soon as the test is over.
• I left everything until the last minute, so I had to cram for the exam all weekend.

A situation in which people live or work in a space that is too small for them.

• Thousands of migrant workers live in cramped conditions, with six or seven people sharing a single room.
• Researchers found that children growing up in cramped living conditions often struggle to find a quiet place to study.

A person or publication whose information can be believed and trusted.

• When writing an academic essay, make sure that every statistic comes from a credible source.
• The rumour spread quickly online, even though it did not come from any credible source.

Praised as excellent by many critics and reviewers.

• Her critically acclaimed first novel has been translated into more than twenty languages.
• The series was critically acclaimed but attracted surprisingly few viewers on television.

The newest and most advanced technology that is available.

• The new hospital uses cutting-edge technology to detect cancer at a much earlier stage.
• Companies that invest in cutting-edge technology are more likely to stay ahead of their competitors.