Phrases & Expressions

To produce an early, rough version of a piece of writing that you will improve later.

• Students who write a first draft quickly and then edit it carefully usually produce clearer essays.
• I wrote the first draft of my cover letter last night, but it still needs a lot of work.

To write a book about your own life and experiences, especially after a famous or important career.

• After retiring from politics, the former minister spent two years writing his memoirs.
• Many athletes write their memoirs soon after they retire, often with the help of a professional writer.

To say that someone has done something bad or illegal when in fact they have not.

• The teacher apologised after wrongly accusing a student of cheating in the exam.
• The man spent three years in prison after being wrongly accused of robbery.

Used to tell someone that you can no longer follow or understand what they are explaining.

• Sorry, you've lost me — could you explain again how the interest on a student loan is calculated?
• I'm afraid you've lost me; could you give an example of what you mean by 'soft skills'?

The most sensible thing to do, or the option most likely to succeed in a situation.

• If you want to improve your listening skills quickly, your best bet is to watch English films with subtitles.
• For reliable data on literacy rates around the world, the UNESCO website is probably your best bet.

Your husband, wife or long-term partner.

• I'd love to come to dinner on Saturday, but I'll need to check with my other half first.
• With both partners working long hours, many people say they hardly see their other half during the week.

The situation or event that you are most afraid of happening to you.

• For many parents, losing a child in a crowded place would be their worst nightmare.
• Because I was very shy at school, being asked to give a speech without any preparation was my worst nightmare.

Something you have done wrong that makes people think less of you.

• Missing the deadline for such an important client would be a serious black mark against the agency.
• Arriving late on your first day would count as a black mark against you before you had even started.

A general feeling of fear or lack of trust among people in a society or organisation.

• Employees say there is a climate of fear in the office, and nobody dares to criticise the management.
• The new manager created a climate of fear, so staff hid their mistakes.

A situation or event that is very badly organised and full of confusion.

• Nobody had booked enough coaches, so the school trip quickly turned into a complete shambles.
• Critics described the government's handling of this year's exam results as a complete shambles.