Idioms! To Catch Someone Red Handed & To Chicken Out! English with Billgreen54

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American English Grammar Review

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American English grammar review with Billgreen54. Idioms, another great topic to talk about in English. Hey, First up today is to catch someone red handed or to get caught red handed. It means to catch someone in the act of committing some offense. Something they're doing it's not correct. An example would be the little girl's mother caught her red handed trying to steal cookies from the cookie jar, not something I would be too upset about. Here's another example. The two men dropped the stolen goods when they heard the police car sirens they didn't want to get caught red handed. Next up, to catch someone's eye. It means to attract someone's visual attention. Here's an example. A when the girls met their mother in front of the post office, they could see her walking towards them in the crowd but couldn't catch her eye. In other words, she didn't see them. Next stop, catch someone's fancy to appeal to somebody. An example. Hey, Daniel arrived at the party not expecting to have a good time. But he met someone there who caught his fancy and spent the entire evening talking to her you liked her. Another example Hey, before you decide that you don't want anything for your birthday, let's go to the jewelry store. You might see something there that catches your fancy. In other words, something you will like next idiom up change horses in mid stream. It means to change plans or leaders in the middle of some action or event. My first example for you is the president older people that if they wanted the country to continue to move forward, they should reelect him. He said that to elect his opponent would be like changing horses in midstream. Here's another example. The chairman of the board died suddenly before he could complete his plans for the company. The stockholders were forced to change horses in midstream and elect someone new. The expression implies that trying to change horses in the middle of a stream is not a wise thing to do. It would be better to wait until one is on land. Next up change of heart change of heart and means a reversal of attitude. The expression is usually applied to an emotional attitude of some kind. Here's an example. Karen told her boss that she planned to leave the company but after the boss offered her a pay raise, she had a change of heart and agreed to stay. Another example. The girl's parents said no at first but then they had a change of heart and let her go to the dance. That was nice of them, wasn't it? Next up is checkered past. checkered past is about a personal history that includes both successes and failures, or ethical and unethical behavior. Here's an example. Larry has quite a checkered past. But things are getting better. He has a new job and is saving for a new apartment. Another example, the personal director of the company refused to consider Mr. Du Pont's application for employment because of his checkered past. The expression originates from the alternating black and white opposite colors of a checkerboard. It's generally used in a negative sense focusing more on failures and unethical behavior than on successes in ethical behavior. Here's an interesting idiom. To choose someone out or to get chewed out It means to scold or reprimand someone harshly. Here's an example. When Peggy came home three hours late, her parents were very angry. They chewed her out and told her she was restricted for two weeks. A second example, the newspaper boy got chewed out by Mrs. James when he ran through her flower garden. You could compare this to read someone the riot act, raked someone over the coals, call someone on the carpet or to give someone a piece of one's mind. Next up, to choose something over to think slowly and carefully about something I know the idea doesn't seem appealing at first, but why don't you Shoot over for a few days before you decide. So to chew over means to give something some thought before you make a decision. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/english-grammar-review/message