Phrases & Expressions

To understand words in their most basic, exact meaning rather than the meaning intended.

• When I said I was dying of hunger, my little brother took it literally and got worried.
• Idioms often confuse language learners, who tend to take them too literally.

To carry out the actions needed to deal with a problem or achieve an aim.

• The government must take steps to reduce air pollution in large cities before it harms more children.
• Many schools are taking steps to protect their pupils from online bullying.

To act on your own and start something useful before anyone asks you to.

• Employers appreciate staff who take the initiative and suggest solutions instead of waiting for instructions.
• Nobody was organising the end-of-term party, so Leyla took the initiative and booked a restaurant.

Using or having the most modern machines, equipment and methods.

• South Korea is often described as one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.
• Even in technologically advanced societies, many elderly people have never used the internet.

A climate that is never extremely hot or extremely cold.

• Thanks to its temperate climate, the region is ideal for growing apples and grapes.
• Countries with a temperate climate usually have four distinct seasons.

The negative aspect of something that is generally good or attractive.

• The downside of working from home is that you can feel isolated from your colleagues.
• Cheap flights are convenient, but the downside of flying so often is the damage it does to the environment.

The difference in wealth, income and opportunities between wealthy people and poor people.

• Economists have warned that the gap between the rich and the poor has been widening in many countries since the 1980s.
• Free university education could help to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor over time.

The most fashionable style or thing at a particular time.

• In the 1970s, wide trousers and platform shoes were considered the height of fashion.
• What was the height of fashion ten years ago often looks rather silly in old photographs.

How large one number or amount is compared with another, often shown as two figures.

• In many state primary schools, the ratio of teachers to pupils is still around one to thirty.
• In this city, the ratio of cars to residents has almost doubled over the past twenty years.

The place, time or situation in which something such as a custom or belief first began.

• The roots of the festival go back to an ancient harvest celebration.
• The museum explores the roots of jazz in the music of African American communities.