20 Must-Know Vocabularies and Expressions to Speak English Like a Native

1. Break the ice Meaning: To initiate conversation in a relaxed way. Example: “To break the ice, she started talking about the weather.”

2. Hit the nail on the head Meaning: To be exactly right about something. Example: “When you said that, you really hit the nail on the head.”

3. Bite the bullet Meaning: To face a difficult situation with courage. Example: “I didn’t want to move cities, but I decided to bite the bullet and go.”

4. Up in the air Meaning: Uncertain or undecided. Example: “Our vacation plans are still up in the air.”

5. Take it with a grain of salt Meaning: To not take something too seriously. Example: “He said he’d be on time, but take it with a grain of salt.”

6. Break a leg Meaning: A way to wish someone good luck, especially in a performance. Example: “Break a leg at your presentation tomorrow!”

7. Burn the midnight oil Meaning: To work late into the night. Example: “I’ve been burning the midnight oil to meet my project deadline.”

8. Spill the beans Meaning: To reveal a secret. Example: “I can’t believe he spilled the beans about the surprise party.”

9. Get cold feet Meaning: To become nervous or hesitant. Example: “She got cold feet right before her job interview.”

10. Go the extra mile Meaning: To make more effort than expected. Example: “He’s known to go the extra mile for his clients.”

11. Cut to the chase Meaning: To get to the main point without unnecessary details. Example: “Let’s cut to the chase—what’s the real reason for this meeting?”

12. Throw in the towel Meaning: To give up or surrender. Example: “After weeks of trying to fix the car, he finally threw in the towel.”

13. Piece of cake Meaning: Something very easy to do. Example: “The test was a piece of cake compared to what I expected.”

14. Under the weather Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick. Example: “I won’t be able to come to work today; I’m feeling under the weather.”

15. Hit the books Meaning: To start studying seriously. Example: “I need to hit the books if I want to pass my exams.”

16. Wrap your head around Meaning: To understand something complex. Example: “It took me a while to wrap my head around the new software.”

17. Keep an eye on Meaning: To watch or monitor someone or something. Example: “Can you keep an eye on my bag while I use the restroom?”

18. Give someone the cold shoulder Meaning: To ignore someone deliberately. Example: “He gave me the cold shoulder after our argument.”

19. Speak of the devil Meaning: When someone you were just talking about arrives unexpectedly. Example: “Speak of the devil—here comes John!”

20. On the ball Meaning: To be very alert and responsive. Example: “She’s really on the ball when it comes to her work.”

Closing Tip: Mastering these expressions will make you sound more fluent and natural in conversations. For a more comprehensive learning experience, join The Royal Visions academy to improve your vocabulary and speaking skills. Book a lesson now: The Royal Visions

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