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  • Hi, I'm Rebecca from www.engvid.com . In this lesson, you'll learn seven idioms that you

  • can use to give advice to other people, okay?

  • Let's get started.

  • So, the first one is: Save your breath.

  • Do you have any idea what that might mean?

  • Save your breath?

  • Well, "save your breath" means don't waste your time talking, because there is no point.

  • For example, let's say that a colleague of yours is trying to ask a supplier to lower

  • his prices, but he won't do it and you know that he's not going to lower his prices anymore,

  • so you tell your colleague, "Don't waste your time.

  • Save your breath.

  • He's not going to lower his prices."

  • Okay?

  • So, "save your breath" means don't bother talking because it's no use, alright?

  • Next: Watch your back.

  • Now, when do we say this, "watch your back"?

  • We say this when we're telling someone be careful of other people he's around, or he

  • or she is around, or that maybe they're considering working with or something like that, because

  • you want to tell that person that he or she has to be careful of those people.

  • That maybe they might trick him or they might cheat her or something like that.

  • So, you're telling them to be careful because they can't trust the people around them, okay?

  • Got it?

  • That's "watch your back".

  • Be careful of other people around you.

  • Next: Hold your horses!

  • What is that?

  • So, "hold your horses" simply means wait, slow down, don't go so fast, okay?

  • For example, let's say that someone went for a job interview and she thinks it went fantastically,

  • and now she's planning to - she's sure she's going to get the job and she's like "As soon

  • as I go home, I'm going to order that car that I've been waiting to order!"

  • And you tell her "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I'm so glad it went well, but hold your horses.

  • Why don't you make sure that you really get the job?

  • Why don't you wait until they get in touch with you?"

  • Okay?

  • So, that's an example of how you can use or when you can use the expression "Hold your

  • horses".

  • Okay, the next one: Count your blessings.

  • Okay, so what does that mean?

  • "Count your blessings" means think of all the good things, alright?

  • Think of all the good things that are happening in your life.

  • And usually we say this to someone when something has happened and maybe they're thinking of

  • the bad aspect of it, but actually there are a lot of other good things happening their

  • life, okay?

  • So, for example, let's say that somebody that has a good job wanted to get a promotion,

  • but she didn't get it.

  • So, what do you say to her?

  • "Okay, never mind, count your blessings, you still have a really good job and maybe a few

  • months from now, you'll get that promotion, okay?"

  • So, "Count your blessings."

  • Next: Keep your chin up.

  • Okay, what does it mean to keep your chin up?

  • Think about it.

  • You can actually figure it out a little bit.

  • Often, when people are depressed or sad or not feeling very confident, they look down,

  • and people who are more confident look up.

  • They keep their chin up.

  • So, when you're telling somebody to keep their chin up, you're telling them "Be strong, be

  • confident, don't give up!"

  • And usually we say this in a situation where something difficult has happened.

  • The situation is difficult, or there was a problem and they faced some difficulty, but

  • you're telling them not to give up and to stay strong and happy and optimistic.

  • Let's say that a friend failed an exam, but you know that he's really smart, okay?

  • So you tell him, "Never mind, keep your chin up, I'm sure you're going to pass the next

  • time", okay?

  • That's good.

  • Let's look at the next one: Pull your socks up.

  • Okay, this is a bit of a British expression.

  • So, to pull your socks up means to work a little bit harder.

  • That means somebody's not really doing well enough and you're telling them that they need

  • to work harder, okay?

  • So, you tell them "Pull your socks up."

  • For example, in this case, somebody, let's say, wants to get into medical college, but

  • his grades are really not very good.

  • So, you tell him, "If you're really serious about getting into medical college, you need

  • to pull your socks up.

  • You need to work harder, you need to put in more effort."

  • Okay?

  • Alright.

  • So, that was "Pull your socks up."

  • And the last one: Give it your best shot.

  • Okay.

  • That's a little more positive again.

  • Give it your best shot means try your best, okay?

  • It doesn't matter, whatever.

  • I know you're feeling a little bit unsure, but try your best, I'm sure you can succeed.

  • Try your best, okay?

  • That's "give it your best shot."

  • For example, let's say somebody's going for a job interview, but he's not sure.

  • Should he go for it, are they going to like him?

  • Is he good enough?

  • He's feeling really nervous and you encourage him and you say "No, come on, give it your

  • best shot.

  • You never know what can happen."

  • Alright?

  • So, it's something that you do to encourage people.

  • Alright.

  • So, those were the seven idioms.

  • I know I went through them a little fast, so let's review now in this way.

  • I've got some meanings there.

  • Those meanings are not the same as what's written at the side.

  • We're going to try to match them up, okay?

  • Are you with me?

  • Let's go.

  • So, if you want to say to somebody "You need to work harder."

  • So, which expression are you going to use?

  • Which idiom would you say to tell them to work harder?

  • What would you say?

  • Do you know?

  • Okay, so it would be "Pull your socks up", okay?

  • You need to work harder in order to get into medical college, remember?

  • Pull your socks up, okay.

  • The next one: Try your best.

  • Try your best.

  • Do your best.

  • Which one is that?

  • Okay, yeah, it's the last one: Give it your best shot.

  • Okay?

  • Good.

  • Don't give up.

  • Be strong.

  • Which one is that?

  • Check through them.

  • What is it?

  • Keep your chin up, okay?

  • Don't give up, be strong, keep your chin up, okay?

  • Next: Be careful of others.

  • Because there's some people who might be trying to cheat you or lie to you or fool you, so

  • be careful of others.

  • Which one is that?

  • Which idiom?

  • Do you know?

  • You're right, I heard you, yeah, number two, right.

  • Watch your back, okay?

  • Good.

  • The next one: Think of the good things.

  • You have some many good things happening in your life, think about those.

  • So, which one is that?

  • What's left?

  • One, three, or four?

  • What should it be?

  • Good.

  • "Count your blessings", right, you're getting it!

  • The next one is: Don't bother talking.

  • It's a waste of time, really, don't, just don't!

  • So, which one is that?

  • Save your breath, or hold your horses?

  • Okay, yes, good, "Save your breath".

  • No use talking, it's already decided.

  • And the last one: Wait, slow down, is "Hold your horses".

  • Okay, great.

  • So, I'm glad that you got those and, of course, you need to practice a little bit even just

  • to remember them.

  • What did we say?

  • Save your, what?

  • Breath.

  • Hold your what?

  • Horses.

  • Things like that.

  • Keep your what up?

  • Chin up, okay?

  • Things like that.

  • You need to learn the expressions, not just the meaning but also the actual words, okay?

  • Not count your socks, but count your blessings, that kind of thing, okay?

  • So, how do you that?

  • By practicing.

  • So, go to our website at www.engvid.com . There, you can do a quiz on all of these and really,

  • really learn them.

  • Learn them well, practice them, use them, and then maybe in the comments there on www.engvid.com

  • , you could use one of these and give me an example of a situation where you used it,

  • because that's the best way to really make these idioms and expressions your own, okay?

  • And also, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can keep on getting

  • lots of other good lessons to help you learn English faster and faster.

  • Okay, thanks very much for watching.

  • Bye for now.

Hi, I'm Rebecca from www.engvid.com . In this lesson, you'll learn seven idioms that you

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