Phrases & Expressions

Someone who speaks fluently and gets their thoughts across in a clear, effective way.

• She is an articulate speaker who can make complex scientific ideas easy for a general audience to understand.
• Employers look for graduates who are confident, articulate speakers as well as good team players.

(of two or more people) extremely close and friendly, often sharing secrets that others do not know.

• Those two are as thick as thieves; whenever I walk in, they stop whispering and start laughing.
• At primary school my cousin and I were as thick as thieves, but we drifted apart as teenagers.

Among ordinary members of an organisation or community, as opposed to the people in charge.

• Real improvements in public health often begin at grassroots level, with local volunteers and community groups.
• The new policy was welcomed by the party leadership, but it has caused real anger at grassroots level.

So tired, worried or annoyed that you cannot deal with any more problems.

• After three sleepless nights, I was at the end of my tether.
• The builders kept making mistakes, and she was at the end of her tether.

To be read by a large number of different kinds of people.

• Popular science books that avoid technical language tend to attract a wide readership.
• The online newspaper has attracted a wide readership among young people who rarely buy printed papers.

To persuade foreign companies to put money into businesses in your country or region.

• Low taxes and a skilled workforce have helped Ireland attract inward investment from technology firms.
• Regional governments offer cheap land and tax breaks in order to attract inward investment.

To name a particular person or thing as the creator or cause of something.

• The company attributed its poor sales to the unusually warm winter.
• Doctors attribute the rise in childhood obesity to poor diet and a lack of exercise.

A reliable source of information produced by trusted experts.

• When writing an academic essay, you should cite authoritative sources such as peer-reviewed journals rather than blogs.
• The World Health Organization is generally regarded as an authoritative source on global health statistics.

To stay away from the hidden problems or mistakes that are common in an activity.

• This free guide helps first-time buyers avoid the pitfalls of purchasing a house.
• Good supervisors help PhD students avoid the common pitfalls of academic research, such as choosing too broad a topic.

Plenty of something, especially time, room, energy or money.

• Don't rush the reading section – you'll have bags of time to check your answers at the end.
• The new office has bags of space, so everyone finally has a proper desk.