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1. Blind Date
Although dating a person who is visually impaired might be considered a blind date, the term is commonly used for a pre-arranged social appointment where a third-party sets a date for two mutual friends who have never met. Therefore, the date is designated as “blind.”

2. To Fall For
In the case of “to fall for someone” or “to fall in love,” the word fall functions as an intransitive verb representing a particular state of being.
Example: When Francois gave Jeanette a handwritten poem, she knew he was falling for her.

3. To Find Mr. Right or Miss Right
This common phrase denoting the ideal romantic partner has been in use since 1922 when the Irish author James Joyce coined the expression.
Example: After she paid the excessive restaurant bill, Marie knew she had found Mr. Wrong not Mr. Right.

4. To Get Back Together
Getting back together is a common intransitive phrasal verb used when a couple, band or group decide to resume their relationship.
Example: Isabella wistfully looked through the love letters from her ex-lover and realized they should get back together.

5. To Get Engaged
To get engaged is a phrase related to marriage that implies the betrothed parties are reserved for one another.
Example: Since meeting her prince charming, Delilah couldn’t wait to get engaged.

6. To Get Hitched
To tie the knot or get hitched are both common informal terms for marriage.
Example: The bride and groom got hitched and were united in a bond even stronger than a trailer hitched to an overloaded station wagon.

7. To Have a Crush
A crush is a common informal idiom for a romantic infatuation. This term has been used since the 19th century and is still popular today.
Example: Paul had a crush on Sophie since first grade. He finally summoned up enough courage to invite her to the movies.

8. Head Over Heels
Falling head over heels in love with someone is an idiomatic way of expressing the overwhelming excitement of irrevocable affection.
Example: Juliet knew she was falling head over heels for Romeo.

9. To Be Hung Up On Someone
This popular phrase has been in use since the late 1800s. It implies a lingering interest or something you can’t get out of your head.
Example: Antoinette had been hung up on that mysterious cowboy since they met one fateful night.

10. To Patch Up a Relationship
Patching is a term often used for repairing tires or mending jeans. However, it can also be used to denote emotional reconciliation.
Example: Jack and Jill decided it was time to patch up their relationship.

11. To Pop The Question
This informal idiom for proposing marriage has been in use since 1826.
Example: Marcus stopped by the jewelry store that evening and was waiting for the right moment to pop the question.

12. Those Three Little Words
There are plenty of three-word phrases, but this romantic idiom only refers to “I love you,” the most meaningful phrase of all.
Example: Martina waited with anticipation hoping her sweetheart would say those three little words.

Understanding colloquial phrases is essential for anyone who wants to use idioms with love. Are there any love-related phrases or idioms on love that you find difficult to decipher? If so, share them here.

What are Idioms?
In English, an idiom is a broadly-used phrase with a meaning that may differ quite radically from the actual literal wording. The phrase “time flies” expresses the quickness of time rather than suggesting that it buzzes around your head like a bee.

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Cheapskate
A person who behaves in a miserly fashion and is stingy with money.

“Our boss never gives us a Christmas bonus; he is a bigger cheapskate than Ebenezer Scrooge.”
“Phyllis left the waitress a twenty dollar tip and would never be accused of being a cheapskate.”

Cold Hard Cash
Physical currency as opposed to checks, credit cards, and so forth.

“I don’t have a card, so I paid for everything in cold hard cash.”

Cut-rate
Cheap pricing, though not necessarily positive.

“The engine lasted only two more weeks after that cut-rate mechanic worked on it.”

Dime a Dozen
Very common.

“Cut-rate auto dealerships are a dime a dozen since the economy started going bad.”

Dutch Treat
Both persons pay their own way, also known as “going Dutch”.

“Bob took Mary to a movie, but she insisted that they go Dutch.”
“The group of friends met for a Dutch treat at a nearby restaurant.”

To Feel Like a Million Bucks (or Dollars)
To feel terrific. To “look like a million bucks” means that someone looks great.

“Mary had been sick, but she now felt like a million bucks.”
“If you’re going out to put in job applications, make sure you look like a million dollars.”

To Go Broke
To lose all of one’s money.

“Do a lot of research before starting a business or you will go broke in the first year.”

To Grease Your Palm
To bribe or give a tip.

“When I greased the waitress’ palm, she gave us a nice seat by a window.”

Hit the Jackpot
To suddenly make a lot of money, but it can also be used to indicate other successes.

“Ted played the lottery and hit the jackpot.”
“I was looking for a few pencils and hit the jackpot when I found a box of thirty.”

In the Red
This indicates a situation that is not making a profit.

“The company closed after running in the red for over a year.”

To Make a Bundle
To make a large amount of money.

“Gertrude retired after making a bundle from her invention.”

Penny for your Thoughts
To ask someone what they are thinking about, often used when a person appears to be lost in thought.

“She noticed her friend’s silence and said, ‘Penny for your thoughts?’”

There are plenty of other idioms that are related to money, and some of them are quite common. Can you think of any?

What are Adjectives?
An adjective is a word that describes a person, place, or thing (nouns and pronouns), and they generally appear before the word they modify. The articles “a,” “an” and “the” are also adjectives. Nationality, religious affiliation and culture are “proper adjectives” and always have their first letter capitalized. They can be stacked as deeply as needed, but two or more adjectives require commas to separate them.

blue donkey
small car
scary, long, black, Scandinavian snake

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Adjective Degrees
When used for comparison, adjectives have separate forms based on the number of objects being compared. The base word is called the “positive,” and the degrees of modification are “comparative” and “superlative.”

“Positive” adjectives: non-comparative, base adjective.
Frank is sweet.
That bay horse is fast.

“Comparative degree” of adjectives: the form used to compare two nouns, usually assisted by the word “than.”

Gwen is sweeter than Frank.
The white horse is faster than that bay horse.

“Superlative degree” of adjectives: the form used to compare more than two nouns, usually preceded by the word “the.”
“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”
Of the dwarves, “Grumpy” seemed to be the crankiest.

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Some adjective are irregular in their comparative and superlative forms, such as “good better best,” “little less least,” and “bad worse worst.”

His haircut looks better than his suit.
Hugh was the least likely of my cousins to get into trouble.
I’ve complained about the weather in several cities I’ve lived in; because of the snow, Chicago is the worst of them all.

Another oddball is the positive “well,” as in “healthy.”

You look well today.
You look better than you did yesterday.
As a matter of fact, this is the best you’ve looked all week.

-Er, -Est, and Less/More/Most
Words of one syllable can be modified with “-er” and “-est.”

bigger planes
fattest sheep

Words with more than two syllables are modified with helpers “less,” “more” and “most.”

less energetic
more expensive
most fortunate

Darn Those Two-Syllable Adjectives!
Adjectives made of two syllables can be modified either way, depending on the word.

Those adjectives that end in “-er,” “-le,” “-y,” “-ow,” and those with emphasis on the second syllable use “-er” and “-est.” Those that end in a consonant and “-y” combination–such as “pretty” or “early”–also use “-er” and “-est,” but they add an “i,” so that “pretty” becomes “prettier” and “prettiest,” and “early” becomes “earlier” and “earliest.”

Adjectives ending in “-ous,” “-ed,” “-re,” “-ing,” “-ful,” and those with emphasis on the first syllable use “more” and “most.”

If all of this this sounds intimidating, at the very least remember to never use both at the same time. Let’s examine the positive “slow” as an example.

Wrong: most slowest racehorse
Right: most slow racehorse
Right: slowest racehorse

There are undoubtedly more adjectives that buck the rules, and most of those probably have two syllables, since they seem to be the feistiest. Can you think of any that don’t follow this list of rules?

The Use of Quotation Marks
Quotation marks set apart statements or words, adding a loud emphasis to whatever they surround. The most basic rule is that a quotation must be ended once it is started. If the end of a paragraph is reached, no end quotation mark is used if the quotation continues, but another at the beginning of the following paragraph indicates the continuation.

“When the men reached the shore, they tied their boats to the bushes. After a short rest, they began unloading their fishing gear.

“Back at the camp, their sons were lighting a campfire to cook the fish they knew the men would bring.”

Speech and Source Quotations
When indicating dialogue or quoting written words, use quotation marks. When the source/speaker of the quote is named within the same sentence, commas are required.

The manual listed the steps. “Unplug the machine, then remove the screws.” Bill grabbed his screwdriver.
Norm said, “I’ll go.” “You sure will,” said Amy.

Words and Phrases
Quotation marks call attention to words and can even add irony or sarcasm.

In ancient writing, “leprosy” was used to indicate any sort of skin condition.
When Meredith threw the guests out, her reputation of being a “friendly” hostess took a hit.

Titles
Quotation marks enclose the title of short written/artistic/musical works, and they indicate nicknames.

Alphonse “Scarface” Capone; “Babyface” Nelson; Sammy “the Bull” Gravano
After reading “Nick the Narwhal,” he was inspired to paint “Ode to a Whale” while singing “We All Live in a Yellow Submarine.”

The Period in Quotation Marks
American English finishes a sentence with the end punctuation inside the quotation marks unless single letters or numbers are involved.

Misty named her new horse “Marvin.”
He bit her, and she said, “Stop that!”
I asked how old Marvin is, and she said “4″.
To warn others, she marked his stall with a big red “X”.

Punctuation Outside Quotation Marks
If it is part of the quotation, keep the punctuation inside. In the first example, the question mark is part of the title, while the second example is a question.

I just read a story called, “They Eat Chickens, Don’t They?”
Would you like to see my new oil painting, “Three Pickles and a Twinkie”?

Quotation Marks Inside Quotation Marks
When a quotation is within another quotation, the second quotation uses single quotation marks: ‘. It is more simple to keep track of alternating quotation marks, and it is allowed up to five times: ” ‘ ” ‘ ” ” ‘ ” ‘ “. When they follow each other, a space is required for better readability.

“I am busy,” she said, “reading ‘This Week’s Movies.’ ”

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The words “quote” and “quotation” are often used interchangeably, but they have unique uses. Can you think of examples of how to properly use each?

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Visit Friends and Family
Christmas is a time for appreciating those we care for. Take some flowers to your mom, or spend quality time with someone you haven’t seen for a while.

Send Christmas Cards
A pretty card brightens the darkest day, and sitting down to fill out a small box of them warms the spirit. Even a few Christmas postcards to one or two special people will spread “good cheer.”

Eat Turkey
By 4 p.m. on Christmas Day, seventy-five percent of America will be passed out on the couch, bellies stuffed, watching television in a “turkey coma.” Rise up and join them! Or rather, lie down and join them. Turkey is comparatively low in calories–perfect for gleeful gorging.

Give Presents
Again, Christmas is about showing friends and family that they are loved. Even the hardest heart melts to see the happiness on a loved one’s face when opening a Christmas gift.

Make a Wish
Christmas is a magical time of year. The next time you see a lighted tree twinkling in the darkness of your neighborhood, make a wish!

Pull a Cracker
Fireworks are not just for summer–there are Christmas “crackers” that look like big, jolly-colored Tootsie rolls, popular across the pond. Grasp it at both ends and yank. Bang! Inside is a small gift.

Light a Candle
People often light candles at Christmas in remembrance of departed or absent loved ones. If your spouse or kids are elsewhere, if you’re missing a parent, light a candle and spend some time with your happiest memories of that person.

Kiss Under the Mistletoe
It an old tradition to kiss to anyone standing under a sprig of mistletoe. Some not only follow this tradition, they cheerfully linger under it. Hang a piece in a doorway of your home for the holidays, and include some when decorating for holiday parties.

Sing a Carol
A rousing Christmas song can fire up the spirit, especially if sung in the shower, but if you’re asked to go caroling with friends, it can be great fun.

Hug Santa
An icon of love and giving, wrap that big man in the red suit in a hug the next time you see him, and it will probably make his day as well as yours.

Vocabulary for Christmas

Carol: a Christmas song.

Chimney: a brick column that vents fireplace smoke through the roof. Santa is said to climb down the chimney to deliver toys to the children.

Christmas Eve: the day before Christmas.

Egg Nog: a traditional holiday drink made with eggs, often containing rum.

Mistletoe: a leafy plant with white berries.

Reindeer: a cold-climate relative of the caribou. Nine are said to pull Santa’s sleigh: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph.

Sleigh: an open-topped vehicle pulled by livestock, having runners instead of wheels. Santa loads his with a bag of toys for the children.

White Christmas: a Christmas where snow has fallen.

Xmas: abbreviation for Christmas.

Have you heard any Christmas-related terms or traditions that you are unfamiliar with? Please post them!

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Chin Music

Meaningless talk is “chin music”.

“Stop the chin music and give me some solutions.”

“His apology was little more than chin music.”

Change your Tune

“Changing your tune” emphasizes a change of mind/heart.

“Frankie wanted to wear a skirt but changed her tune when it started snowing.”

“Initially, he didn’t like her, but he changed his tune when he saw her kindness.”

Ring a Bell

When something seems familiar, it “rings a bell”.

“I don’t know him, but his face rings a bell.”

“This song rings a bell; did I hear it in a movie?”

Music to my Ears

This idiom emphasizes extremely pleasant news.

“When our boss announced the three day weekend, it was music to our ears.”

“I was afraid the battery was dead, but when I heard my car start, it was music to my ears.”

Set Something to Music


A musician writing a tune for lyrics is “setting the lyrics to music”.

An example of creativity in English idioms and expressions, it can also be used as a sarcastic response to criticism/complaining or as a positive reply to good news/compliments.

Example statement: “You’re ugly, your haircut is horrid, and your breath smells.”

Reply: “Wow, you should set that to music.”

Example statement: “Your tests are negative; you’re cancer-free.”

Reply: “Set that to music, Doc!”

Elevator Music


This idiom refers to popular tunes reorganized into instrumentals and can also describe soft jazz and “easy listening” music. It is played in doctor/dentist offices, on “hold” on the telephone, and in malls.

“The elevator music in my doctor’s office makes me sleepy.”

“Phil laughed when he realized that genuine elevator music was playing inside the elevator.”




For a Song

Items purchased cheaply were bought “for a song”.

“As the car had no engine, Fred was able to buy it for a song.”

“Since Rudy got the engagement ring for a song, he could spend more on his tuxedo.”

Face the Music

“Facing the music” describes dealing with the consequences of one’s actions.

“Inga did not study and will face the music when her grades are posted.”

“After eating nothing but cheeseburgers for years, Bertha was now facing the music.”

Play it by Ear

Talented musicians do not need sheet music and can “play by ear”, but this also indicates uncertainty in unpredictable situations.

“I’m unsure how Martha will react to the new puppy, so lets play it by ear.”

“Until the politician understood how the voters felt, he played it by ear.”

Jam Session


Musicians playing unrehearsed and for fun is a “jam session”, and it can indicate gathering for the purposes of brainstorming.

“Norbert and his buddies got together with their instruments for a jam session.”

“On Wednesday, everyone assigned to the new project will stay late for a jam session.”

On the “flip side”, some of the best-known music incorporates English idioms. Can you name any?

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Agerasia
(n.) A lack of the signs of old ages; a youthful old age
“The agerasia of that fellow is amazing; look at him darting around on those skates!”

Bayard
(n.) A person armed with the self-confidence of ignorance
“Only a bayard would walk past that bull.”

Bed-swerver
(n.) An unfaithful spouse
“Phil refused to believe his wife was a bed-swerver.”

Fard
(v.) To paint the face with cosmetics, so as to hide blemishes
“My wife’s tendency to fard in the bathroom for an hour made us late.”

Gobemouche
(n.) One who believes anything, no matter how absurd
“That guy is a gobemouche–I told him that bull would not chase him, and he believed me.”

Hansardize
(v.) To show that a person has previously espoused opinions differing from the ones he or she now holds
“Tom hansardized Phil by showing us a letter Phil had written to him.”

Inadvertist
(n.) One who persistently fails to take notice of things
“I am an inadvertist when it comes to driving. I run over about 3 things a month.”

Killcrop
(n.) A brat who never ceases to be hungry, and was popularly thought to be a fairy that was substituted for the child
“Once upon a time, wicked faeries kidnapped a child and replaced it with an evil killcrop.”

Maritality
(n.) Excessive or undue affection on the part of a wife for her husband
“Marge’s maritality was driving Burt insane, so he went out with his buddies.”

Natiform
(adj.) Buttock-shaped
“The children giggled when they saw the natiform pumpkin.”

Obmutescence
(n.) The state or condition of obstinately or willfully refusing to speak
“The sullen boy glared at his mother in obmutescence.”

Plinyism
(n.) A statement or account of dubious correctness or accuracy, such as some found in the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder
“Saying that the moon is made of cheese is pure plinyism.”

Quaresimal

(adj.) Said of a meal, having the qualities of food served during Lent; austere, skimpy
“We only had a few pieces of chicken, and after our quaresimal meal, we were still hungry.”

Scrouge
(v.) To inconvenience or discomfort a person by pressing against him or her or by standing too close
“I was standing in the elevator when six other people got in, and one in particular scrouged me into a corner.”

Yepsen
(n.) The amount that can be held in two hands cupped together also, the two cupped hands themselves
“The pond was nearly dry; barely more than a yepsen of water was left.”

Some people like to learn a new word every day, though they are not always as odd as these. Are there any words in your every day speech –odd or not so odd– that others do not frequently use?

English spelling can be tricky in many ways. Homophones – words that sound the same, yet have a different English spelling – are a good source of frustration for people who are just learning the basics of English spelling, and even for people who are fluent and advanced.

As you can see in Ginger’s Spelling Mistakes Hall of Fame, many of our users’ commonly misspelled words are homophones. It’s not surprising that these words are confusing, as they sound the same.

A good way to remember which is which is by making up a mnemonic device for each pair. Here is a list of some of Ginger’s most commonly misspelled words that are homophones. We took the liberty of adding some of our own mnemonic devices for them, we hope it will help your English spelling!

Principal vs. Principle

A principal is the head of a school. A principle is something you would insist on. When you’re in school, the principal is not your pal.

To, Two, or Too

To is a preposition. Two is the number following one. Too means also.

Foreword vs. Forward

A foreword is the introduction to a book. Forward is a direction. Fore is similar to before, and so it comes before the book.

Knight vs. Night

A knight is a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armor. Night is what happens when the day is over. The K is shaped a little like a knight holding two swords.

Bald vs. Bawled

Bald means hairless. Bawled means yelled, or cried.

Mail vs. Male

Mail is what you receive in the post. Male is a gender (men.)

Dear vs. Deer

Dear is regarded with deep affection. A deer is an animal, like Bambi. A deer can be dear to you, but a dear cannot be deer to you. Because that just doesn’t make much sense, does it?

 Eight vs. Ate

Eight is the number following seven. Ate is something you would do for lunch. You can remember that ATE has the same letters of EAT, moved around.

 Made vs. Maid

Made is the past tense of make. A maid is a person who does domestic work. It’s spelled like ‘aid’, because it helps!

 Flour vs. Flower

A flower grows in your garden. Flour is more commonly found in the kitchen, and is used to make baked goods.

I am glad ’tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much ashamed of my exchange:
But love is blind and lovers cannot see

Knock knock! Who’s there?
In Macbeth, a porter speaks a comic monologue which follows the pattern of “knock knock” jokes, but it is done entirely by the character, with knocking sounds from off-stage. The porter imitates a doorkeeper of hell, welcoming sinners of various occupations.

[Knocking within.] Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ the name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty: come in time; have napkins enough about you; here you’ll sweat for ’t.

Green-eyed monster
When not associated with nature/growth, green is often negative and is popularly used to represent sickness and greed. In The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare used it to indicate envy.

How all the other passions fleet to air,
As doubtful thoughts, and rash-embraced despair,
And shuddering fear, and green-eyed jealousy!

The world is my oyster
From The Merry Wives Of Windsor comes this exchange:

Falstaff:
I will not lend thee a penny.

Pistol:
Why then the world’s mine oyster,
Which I with sword will open.

Falstaff:
Not a penny.

Pistol is threatening to rob Falstaff or another hapless victim at the point of a blade, but society has changed this threat to a declaration that the world is a treasure trove from which you can pluck anything you desire, whenever you wish.

Wild goose chase
A hopeless undertaking, the first recorded use is from Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo: Switch and spurs, switch and spurs; or I’ll cry a match.

Mercutio: Nay, if thy wits run the wild-goose chase, I have done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.

In a pickle
“In a difficult position”, this phrase is from The Tempest.

And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ‘em?
How camest thou in this pickle?

Break the ice
This phrase appears in The Taming of the Shrew and refers to meeting someone for the first time. Breaking the ice gently unlocks the conversation, such as by asking questions about the other person.

Make your hair stand on end
Fear causes this sensation, and in Hamlet, Shakespeare turned it into one of his most popular sayings.

I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, thy knotted and combined locks to part and each particular hair to stand an end, like quills upon the fretful porpentine.

Due to his timeless popularity, the English language is heavily peppered with Shakespearean sayings. Can you think of any?

 
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The first rule when forming indirect quotes is to change all first person pronouns to the appropriate third-person form (he, she, it and they.) The second rule is to change the tense. Indirect quotes go back one tense further than the original quote whether that quote is in the present tense or past tense. For example, Farmer John said, “This is the best season I’ve had” would be translated or paraphrased into an indirect quote: Farmer John said this was the best season he has had.

If a direct quote is already in the past tense, it needs to go back one step further. If Farmer John said, “I graduated from the Farmer’s Academy.” This phrase would become Farmer John said he has graduated from the Farmer’s Academy.

When forming first-person quotes, direct speech punctuation is essential to offset statements and secondary information. Direct quotes should always be enclosed within quotation marks and begin with a capital letter while names and supplemental information should be offset by commas outside the quotation marks. Direct speech punctuation should always be included inside the quotation marks when it modifies a direct quote.

Authors and journalists often interrupt quotes to set a tone for the dialogue or add details. For emphasis, a writer might break up a quote to read: “My job is hard,” complained Farmer John, “and I have to get up early to get all the work done.” Capitalization is only necessary at the beginning of each quote or sentence even if it is broken into two or more parts.

When translating quotes between reported and direct speech, present tense statements become past tense statements that retain their simple, progressive and perfect designations. When translating direct quotes that are already in the past tense, things are a little more complicated. Simple past statements become past perfect and past progressive statements become past perfect progressive, but past perfect quotes that include could and would constructions stay the same. For example, John said he could drop by with some produce this afternoon is the same as John said, “I could drop by with some produce this afternoon.” One exception for direct and indirect speech is information that is always true. For example, “My name is Farmer John” would become he said his name is Farmer John. The tense doesn’t need to be changed.

Practicing indirect speech and direct speech can provide writers and English speakers with the freedom to create any direct or indirect quote. Whether an indirect quote uses rich descriptors or is simply repeating something that has already been said, understanding direct speech rules and the rules for indirect quotes can open a lot of creative doors to express quotes in a meaningful literary or journalistic style.

Have you ever shied away from making reported and direct speech quotes due to the rules and punctuation? You’re welcome share your experiences with indirect speech and direct speech in the comments below.