An idiom is a fixed expression whose intended meaning is different from the literal meaning of its words. A proverb is a familiar saying that communicates advice, wisdom, a warning, or a general observation. For example, pull someone’s leg is…
Not every question is asked because someone needs an answer. When a parent says, “Do you think money appears by magic?” the parent is not asking for a real explanation. The question is making a point. It means money should…
Climax is a figure of speech where words, phrases, or ideas are arranged in rising order of importance. Each part becomes stronger than the one before it. For example, you might say, She wanted a chance, a voice, and a…
A paradox is a statement or idea that seems impossible or self-contradictory at first, but makes sense when you think about it more deeply. For example, the sentence The more choices we have, the harder it becomes to choose sounds…
Word stress can change how clear and natural your English sounds. A word may have two, three, or more syllables, but one part is usually spoken more strongly than the others. For example, TA-ble is stressed on the first syllable,…
Some phrases become so familiar that they stop feeling fresh. Expressions like “time will tell,” “at the end of the day,” and “every cloud has a silver lining” are easy to understand, but they can also sound predictable when used…
Some sentences sound small on purpose. Imagine a town loses electricity for an entire week, and someone says, “That was not ideal.” The words are mild, but the situation is serious. That contrast is what creates an understatement. An understatement…
Some topics are easier to talk about when we use softer words. Instead of saying someone died, people often say they passed away. Instead of saying a person was fired, a company may say the person was let go. These…
Apostrophe can be confusing because the word also refers to a punctuation mark. But in figures of speech, apostrophe has a different meaning. It happens when a speaker turns away from the main audience and speaks directly to someone or…