Phrases & Expressions

A very busy schedule of parties, meetings and other events with friends.

• With a part-time job and a hectic social life, many first-year students find it hard to keep up with their studies.
• She used to have a hectic social life, but since starting her PhD she rarely goes out.

A voice that is very high in tone, often sounding thin or squeaky.

• Cartoon characters often have high-pitched voices to make them sound young and funny.
• On the phone, my uncle's high-pitched voice is often mistaken for a child's.

So compelling that people easily become dependent on it and struggle to give it up.

• Critics argue that social media apps are deliberately designed to be highly addictive, especially for teenagers.
• Be careful with this new TV series — it's highly addictive, and I watched six episodes in one night.

Admired and praised a great deal, especially by critics or experts.

• Her research on cleaning polluted rivers was highly praised at an international conference last spring.
• The hospital's new cancer unit has been highly praised for its short waiting times.

To reach the amount of sales you were aiming for.

• The team hit their sales target for the third month in a row.
• She was proud to hit her sales target early.

To invite journalists to an event where you make an announcement and respond to their questions.

• The health minister held a press conference to explain the new vaccination programme.
• After the match, the coach held a press conference and apologised to the fans for the team's poor performance.

To bring many people together in a public place to show support for a cause or to protest.

• Thousands of young people held a rally outside parliament to demand stronger action on climate change.
• The opposition party plans to hold a rally in the capital on the eve of the election.

To make a car horn produce a loud warning or greeting sound.

• The taxi driver hooted his horn impatiently when the car in front did not move at the green light.
• Drivers hooted their horns in celebration as the national team's bus drove through the city.

To make it easier for people to obtain or use a service or resource they need.

• Cheaper mobile data has improved access to online banking in many rural communities.
• Online courses have helped improve access to higher education for students who cannot afford to move away from home.

Written in a friendly, relaxed way, as if the writer were talking to the reader.

• The blog is written in a chatty style, which makes complex scientific ideas easy for teenagers to follow.
• Avoid writing in a chatty style in formal emails, as it may sound unprofessional to the reader.