What's a headless chicken? - 16/17 ep.25
What's a headless chicken? - 16/17 ep.25
In this week's Premier Skills English podcast, Rich and Jack talk about the latest news from the Premier League as Everton's Romelu Lukaku goes into the lead in the race for this season's Golden Boot. The language focus this week is on animal idioms and how they are used in football. Have you ever heard a midfielder being described as a 'headless chicken'? We also have a new football phrase for you to guess and a Premier League prediction for you to make. Enjoy!
How much did you understand?
Vocabulary
In the podcast, Rich and Jack used some words and phrases that might be new for you. You can see two examples here:
Manchester Utd's Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on target as they beat Leicester 3-0 away from home.
Romelu Lukaku hit four goals in Everton's 6-3 demolition of Bournemouth.
There were a few more tricky words in the podcast. Can you remember all of them? Try the activity below, then, listen to the podcast again to hear how we used the words in context. This can really help with understanding.
Language - Idioms
Idioms are expressions with non-literal meanings. This means that the meanings of idioms are different from what you would expect if you just looked at the words that make them. This can make them difficult to understand for people learning English. Idioms normally cannot be modified or the words within them changed. This is a good example of an idiom:
The player lost his head completely when the referee showed him the red card.
'To lose your head' is an idiom which means to get very angry. The literal meaning would be very different!
There are lots of idioms that are used in general English that are connected to football. We looked at some of them in a previous podcast. Some of the most common idioms that are connected to football include 'to keep your eye on the ball' and 'to kick off':
A business person needs to keep his or her eye on the ball so competitors and other businesses don’t take away their customers.
Let’s kick off with what people have been talking about on the website this week.
In the first example above, the meaning of the sentence is connected to business, not football, and the second example is not connected to football either. To keep your eye on the ball means to pay attention to a specific project or item. And, 'to kick off' means to start something such as a conversation or discussion. If you want to learn more idioms, take a look at the activities below.
Language - Animal Idioms
Not all idioms are so difficult to understand. A simile is a type of idiom that compares one thing to another. They often use the word 'like' to compare two different things to say that they are similar or the same. In this week's podcast, Jack and Rich used some similes that compared different things to animals. Some examples from the podcast were
Zlatan has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.
'To take to something like a duck to water' means to do something very easily when you do something for the first time. This simile compares Zlatan Ibrahimovic's arrival in the Premier League to a duck learning to swim.
Another example was:
Don't talk to him this morning, he's like a bear with a sore head.
'To be like a bear with a sore head' means to be in a bad mood, angry and complain a lot. This simile compares the boss to a bear with a sore head.
In the podcast, Jack and Rich asked you to use some more idioms and similes in the comments section. Here they are again. Can you tell us what they mean and try to give us an example or two?
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Like a fish out of water
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Like a bull in a china shop
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Like a rabbit caught in the headlights
-
Raining cats and dogs
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Hold your horses
And, if you want us to correct your English, just write 'correct me' at the beginning of your message.
Transcript
Welcome
Rich: Hello my name’s Rich
Jack: and I’m Jack
Rich: and welcome to this week’s Premier Skills English podcast
Jack: Where we talk about football and help you with your English.
Jack: What’s happening this week Rich?
Rich: In this week’s show, we’re going to talk about the latest in the Premier League and we’re going to talk about some animal idioms that we use to talk about actions!
Jack: And we’ve got a new football phrase for you to work out and a football prediction for you to make.
Rich: That’s right. And remember, when you’re listening to the podcast, if you think it’s difficult to understand, you can read the transcript at the same time. After the podcast, there are some language activities on the Premier Skills English website to help you practise and remember the new language, too.
Headlines
Rich: Leicester City lose again.
Jack: Leicester City are only one point above the relegation zone and have lost their last four Premier League matches. They are the only team in all four English divisions not to have scored a league goal this year! Could they be the first league champions to be relegated since 1938?
Rich: Old man Ibrahimovic is on target again.
Jack: Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on target as they beat Leicester 3-0 away from home. Ibrahimovic is the first player over 35 years old to score 15 goals in a Premier League season.
Rich: Lukaku leads in the race for the golden boot.
Jack: We have a new top scorer in the Premier League. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku hit four goals in their 6-3 demolition of Bournemouth. Will Lukaku win this season’s Golden Boot?
Rich: I’m not sure if Zlatan would be too happy with us calling him old!
Jack: No, possibly not. Maybe we should have said experienced or mature. Or we could call him a veteran.
Rich: But it makes you think, doesn’t it. We should still be getting our boots on Jack!
Jack: Ha ha! Maybe I should, but you’re much older than me. I think you’re better off with a pair of slippers and watching on TV.
Rich: Very funny. Well, Zlatan has certainly taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.
Jack: Nice idiom. To take to something like a duck to water means to do something very easily especially when you are doing something for the first time.
Rich: Like when a tiny little baby duckling learns to swim.
Jack: Yes, Rich. That’s why we say like a duck to water. There are quite a lot of these idioms that compare actions to animals and follow the same pattern. We’ll look at some more of them later on.
Player of the Week
Jack: There have been some great performances in the Premier League this week.
Rich: Gabriel Jesus continued his fantastic start at Manchester City. He got both goals for City as they beat Swansea 2-1. He scored the winner in the last minute and he’s keeping Sergio Aguero out of the team!
Jack: Yes, he’s doing brilliantly. Jermain Defoe scored two for Sunderland. They beat Crystal Palace 4-0 away from home. I don’t understand Sunderland. They can never win in the first half of the season and then suddenly start winning. I’m sure they will stay up.
Rich: Yes, you’re probably right. They might finish above Leicester. Our player of the week this week, however, is Everton’s Romelu Lukaku. He scored four times last weekend!
Jack: Yes, a great performance. I think his first goal was the best. Check out the Romelu Lukaku article on our homepage. In the article, we ask you who will win the Golden Boot this season. It’s very close at the top of the goalscoring charts.
Rich: I’m going for Diego Costa.
Jack: Yeah maybe, but I think it will be Ibrahimovic. Let us know what you think in this week’s Player of the Week article.
Language/Topic Focus
Jack: In this week’s language focus, we’re going to take a look at some of those idioms like the one we used about Zlatan Ibrahimovic. What was that again?
Rich: Like a duck to water. Ibrahimovic has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water.
Jack: That was it. It means when you do something for the first time you find it very easy and you’re very good at it.
Rich: You said before, Jack, that there are quite a lot of these types of idioms.
Jack: Yes, there are and I can think of one that is very famous in football. It’s like a headless chicken.
Rich: Ahh, yes very good. I know this one.
Jack: It’s a bit gruesome to imagine.
Rich: Wait. Gruesome is a difficult word. It describes something that is horrible or shocking. It’s often used to talk about an injury when there’s lots of blood.
Jack: Yes, you could say gruesome or horrific or grisly. They are all quite difficult words. It’s a bit gruesome to imagine a chicken with its head cut off.
Rich: I’ve heard that if you cut off a chicken’s head, it will keep on running about.
Jack: But because it’s got no head, it runs in circles and crashes into things.
Rich: And that’s why this idiom is used in football. It describes a midfielder who runs around a lot but doesn’t really know what he’s doing.
Jack: Yes, I’ve heard this one a lot from fans. They say, we need to change this player - he’s running around like a headless chicken.
Rich: Another idiom that follows this pattern is like a bear with a sore head.
Jack: Yes, it describes someone who is in a very bad mood and is nasty to other people and often complains a lot.
Rich: Yes, you might talk about your boss in the office and say to a colleague ‘don’t talk to him this morning, he’s like a bear with a sore head’.
Jack: I can imagine this one in football, too. After a bad result, the players might say this about the manager at training. He’s like a bear with a sore head this morning.
Rich: Yes, definitely. So that’s three that follow the same pattern. Like a duck to water, like a headless chicken and like a bear with a sore head. There are lots more, too.
Jack: We’re going to say five more idioms and we want you to try to work out what they mean.
Rich: And then tell us in the comments section and also try to give us an example. This can be a personal example or maybe using football like we did with the examples we spoke about.
Jack: OK: We’ve got five for you they are: like a fish out of water, like a bull in a china shop, like a rabbit caught in the headlights, and two that are a bit different: raining cats and dogs and hold your horses.
Rich: Let me just repeat them in case you didn’t get them: like a fish out of water, like a bull in a china shop, like a rabbit caught in the headlights, raining cats and dogs and hold your horses.
Jack: So in the comments section below just give us a definition and an example. You can write about all of them or just one if you prefer.
Rich: And, if you want us to correct your English, just write ‘correct me’ at the start of your message.
Can you work out this week’s football phrase?
Rich: Have you got a football phrase for us this week?
Jack: Yes, I have, but first, last week’s football phrase. The phrase was ‘transfer deadline day’. It is the day the transfer window closes. Transfer Deadline Day was the 31st of January.
Rich: Wait a minute. I’ve got a joke.
Jack: Really, oh no.
Rich: Leicester City bought Wilfrid Ndidi during the transfer window.
Jack: Yes, that’s right. Do you think he can make a difference for Leicester?
Rich: Ndidi can!
Jack: Sorry, oh no. Rich please that’s an awful joke. Is it really a joke? Anyway, well done to Kwesimanifest from Ghana, Alex from Ukraine, MES from Armenia and Shobonenok from Russia. All of you correctly said the answer was ‘transfer deadline day’.
Rich: Let me see if I can get this right this week. Congratulations to Shobonenok from Russia. Let me know if that was any better, Shobonenok.
Jack: The football phrase this time is to **** **. It’s a phrasal verb and it means to remain in the division and not be relegated. Sunderland and Leicester City are two teams who are fighting to **** ** this season.
Rich: I think Leicester will **** ** but I think Sunderland will go down.
Jack: Yeah, but your predictions are not always correct speaking of which it’s time for this week’s prediction.
Premier League Prediction
Rich: Last week’s prediction was Chelsea- Arsenal and I got top marks last week. I predicted 3-1 and that was the final score. Jack went for an Arsenal win and our listeners also went with a 3-1 win to Chelsea.
Jack: I think we were a bit late last week, but anyway that means Rich and our listeners are looking good at the top of our Prediction League. What’s your prediction this week?
Rich: This week’s Premier League prediction is Liverpool against Spurs. Liverpool are on a terrible run and haven’t won in the Premier League this year. Spurs are up to second and are Chelsea’s main challengers at the top. I know this doesn’t make sense but I think Liverpool will win on Saturday. Final score Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham.
Jack: You can’t just follow your team Rich, you’ve got to go with the formbook. I think Spurs will win 2-0.
RIch: Right, that’s all we have time for this week.
Jack: Don’t forget to write your answers to our questions and make a guess at our football phrase in the comments below. And remember to make your Premier League prediction in the vote.
Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football!
Quiz
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Form
Premier League Prediction - GW25 - Liverpool v Tottenham
Last week's featured match was a 3-1 win for Chelsea against Arsenal. Rich and our listeners predicted a win, and a 3-1 win for Chelsea! Jack thought Arsenal would win. Those three points take Rich and our listeners clear at the top of the Prediction League with 15 points. Remember, it's one point for the correct result and two additional points for the correct score. The big match in Gameweek 25 is - Liverpool v Tottenham. Can you predict the right score?
| Gameweek 24 | Total Points | Liverpool v Spurs | |
| Rich | 3 | 15 | 2-1 |
| Podcast Listeners | 3 | 15 | ? |
| Jack | 0 | 11 | 0-2 |
Make your prediction now!
What do you think?
In this week’s podcast, Jack and Rich used some different idioms and similes.
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Did you hear the five idioms that Jack and Rich asked you to find out about? Can you tell us what they mean?
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Can you use some of the idioms in an example sentence? The sentence can be about football or more general!
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Can you translate an idiom or simile from your own language into English? Let's see if it works in English, too!
Remember to write your guess at this week's football phrase and the questions above in the comments section below.
Leave a comment
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Comments
23/01/2021
points
1-
• He felt like a fish out of water when he had been fired unexpectedly.
• He was like a bull in china shop at the bargain negotiation therefore didn't get any discount.
• He was like a rabbit caught in the headlights when auditor checked out fees and found off- the- books consumptions for company which taken place by him .
• We should stay at home it's raining cats and dogs.
• Don't be quick to make a decision about her/him personality. Hold your horses until your talking is finished.
2-
Being top scorer always doesn’t mean playing very well. Some strikers don’t get in the goal positions so much but they wander like a headless chicken-:) in the third zone and wait for an opportunity to score.
In working- life, I've ran into some staff who are always like a bear with sore head especially in the morning.
3-
• My roommate is like a mule stubborn, he never accept what I said.
• When the fish to go up of poplar tree you get a raise. (It’s said for impossible events or actions)
PHRASES
I always feel better off travelling by bus instead of driving .It provides much time reading something as well as watching the scenery.
Nowadays parents are keeping their children out of crowded areas because of pandemic.
I have to work out an alternative short way to commute which don't cost so much.
It would be better to check out monthly expenses to save some Money.
Predicted and expected profit figure for last year wasn’t on target as a result of high rate of inflation.
Demolition of agricultural areas is result of unplanned and irregular urbanization.
In case of problem at the office to kick off a talk might help to find solution.
P.S.
• We have an idiom same meaning as in English but instead of “chicken” “rooster” is used. There is another same meaning idiom as in English but instead of “bull” “elephant” and instead of “china shop” “glassware shop” is used.
23/01/2021 18:36
Tottenham Hotspur
5556
1-
• He felt like a fish out of water when he had been fired unexpectedly.
• He was like a bull in china shop at the bargain negotiation therefore didn't get any discount.
• He was like a rabbit caught in the headlights when auditor checked out fees and found off- the- books consumptions for company which taken place by him .
• We should stay at home it's raining cats and dogs.
• Don't be quick to make a decision about her/him personality. Hold your horses until your talking is finished.
2-
Being top scorer always doesn’t mean playing very well. Some strikers don’t get in the goal positions so much but they wander like a headless chicken-:) in the third zone and wait for an opportunity to score.
In working- life, I've ran into some staff who are always like a bear with sore head especially in the morning.
3-
• My roommate is like a mule stubborn, he never accept what I said.
• When the fish to go up of poplar tree you get a raise. (It’s said for impossible events or actions)
PHRASES
I always feel better off travelling by bus instead of driving .It provides much time reading something as well as watching the scenery.
Nowadays parents are keeping their children out of crowded areas because of pandemic.
I have to work out an alternative short way to commute which don't cost so much.
It would be better to check out monthly expenses to save some Money.
Predicted and expected profit figure for last year wasn’t on target as a result of high rate of inflation.
Demolition of agricultural areas is result of unplanned and irregular urbanization.
In case of problem at the office to kick off a talk might help to find solution.
P.S.
• We have an idiom same meaning as in English but instead of “chicken” “rooster” is used. There is another same meaning idiom as in English but instead of “bull” “elephant” and instead of “china shop” “glassware shop” is used.
16/05/2020
points
Armut, ağacın dibine düşer
( A pear drops to the bottom of its own tree )
It is basically the equivalent of the English idiom "a chip off the old block" and refers to the generalization that children usually turn out like their parents :)
16/05/2020 09:02
Manchester United
6536
Armut, ağacın dibine düşer
( A pear drops to the bottom of its own tree )
It is basically the equivalent of the English idiom "a chip off the old block" and refers to the generalization that children usually turn out like their parents :)
16/05/2020
points
Like a fish out of water
That idiom means you feel strange in a place or an experience you haven't had before.
ex : when people immigrate to another country , they feel like a fish out of water till they settle down.
Like a bull in a china shop
It means people who don't care about their behaviour.
ex : Young kids often behave like a bull in a china shop when they go out with their parents.
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights
It means you are so intimidated and have no idea what to do.
ex : First day at school for some kids is like a rabbit caught in the headlights but then they make lots of friends.
Raining cats and dogs
It means raining very heavily.
ex : Last January it was raining cats and dogs in my home city and all people in the street got soaked.
Hold your horses
It means to wait for a short time.
ex : My colleague was asking me about something but he had to hold his horses because the manager called me immediately.
16/05/2020 08:58
Manchester United
6536
Like a fish out of water
That idiom means you feel strange in a place or an experience you haven't had before.
ex : when people immigrate to another country , they feel like a fish out of water till they settle down.
Like a bull in a china shop
It means people who don't care about their behaviour.
ex : Young kids often behave like a bull in a china shop when they go out with their parents.
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights
It means you are so intimidated and have no idea what to do.
ex : First day at school for some kids is like a rabbit caught in the headlights but then they make lots of friends.
Raining cats and dogs
It means raining very heavily.
ex : Last January it was raining cats and dogs in my home city and all people in the street got soaked.
Hold your horses
It means to wait for a short time.
ex : My colleague was asking me about something but he had to hold his horses because the manager called me immediately.
16/05/2020
points
This week's football phrase is ( stay on ) or ( survive )
16/05/2020 08:46
Manchester United
6536
This week's football phrase is ( stay on ) or ( survive )
25/02/2017
points
The phrase is to avoid relegation.
25/02/2017 08:45
Liverpool
3705
The phrase is to avoid relegation.
25/02/2017
points
The idioms are difficult,i do not know their meanings.
25/02/2017 08:44
Liverpool
3705
The idioms are difficult,i do not know their meanings.
15/02/2017
points
the phrase is to 'MOVE UP'
15/02/2017 14:29
Manchester United
684
the phrase is to 'MOVE UP'
15/02/2017
points
Hi MES
Good guess but that's not the right answer. Do you want to have another guess?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 14:40
Liverpool
594
Hi MES
Good guess but that's not the right answer. Do you want to have another guess?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
16/02/2017
points
yes of course,, I think it is to "stay in"
16/02/2017 12:50
Manchester United
684
yes of course,, I think it is to "stay in"
16/02/2017
points
Hi MES
You're very close. In your two guesses, you've used the correct two words just not in the right order. Have a listen to this week's podcast for the correct answer!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
16/02/2017 21:23
Liverpool
594
Hi MES
You're very close. In your two guesses, you've used the correct two words just not in the right order. Have a listen to this week's podcast for the correct answer!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
17/02/2017
points
ha ha "move in"? )))
17/02/2017 19:05
Manchester United
684
ha ha "move in"? )))
18/02/2017
points
Hi MES
Sorry, those are the wrong two words!!! Have a listen to this week's podcast and see if you can find out the answer!
http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listen/podcasts/do...
18/02/2017 14:42
Liverpool
594
Hi MES
Sorry, those are the wrong two words!!! Have a listen to this week's podcast and see if you can find out the answer!
http://premierskillsenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listen/podcasts/do...
16/02/2017
points
Hi Rich
Thank you very much. Can I win the prize if I've already give an answer one time?
16/02/2017 12:27
Manchester United
41
Hi Rich
Thank you very much. Can I win the prize if I've already give an answer one time?
15/02/2017
points
the phrase is 'MOVE UP'
15/02/2017 14:12
Manchester United
41
the phrase is 'MOVE UP'
15/02/2017
points
Hi Pilisopa1
Welcome to Premier Skills English! I hope you enjoy the website! Sorry, but 'move up' is not the right answer. You move up the table or move up from one division to another but you don't move up when you avoid relegation.
Do you want to have another go?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 14:42
Liverpool
594
Hi Pilisopa1
Welcome to Premier Skills English! I hope you enjoy the website! Sorry, but 'move up' is not the right answer. You move up the table or move up from one division to another but you don't move up when you avoid relegation.
Do you want to have another go?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
13/02/2017
points
The football phrase this time is to **** **.
13/02/2017 21:23
Liverpool
6570
The football phrase this time is to **** **.
13/02/2017
points
1. Like a fish out of water is used when someone out of mind or of out of play. A bull in a china shop means not being carefull. When someone is totally not able to speak or do he is like a rabbit in the highlights. Hold your horses means don't go ahead or stop talking.
2. Ranieri was like a fish out of water when he had to anawer to reporters after Leicester's defeat to Swansea.
3. Like water on the sea means in arabic that you can find it easily.
Football phrase . Hang on .
13/02/2017 15:24
Manchester City
3988
1. Like a fish out of water is used when someone out of mind or of out of play. A bull in a china shop means not being carefull. When someone is totally not able to speak or do he is like a rabbit in the highlights. Hold your horses means don't go ahead or stop talking.
2. Ranieri was like a fish out of water when he had to anawer to reporters after Leicester's defeat to Swansea.
3. Like water on the sea means in arabic that you can find it easily.
Football phrase . Hang on .
15/02/2017
points
Hi Elghoul
Yes, Ranieri probably felt a little uneasy giving that interview. I've had a think about the idiom that you use in Arabic and I don't think we can translate it directly. The closest is probably the one we used in the podcast: 'to take to something like a duck to water'. Hang on does mean to survive so can sometimes be used in football. We can say that a team 'hung on for the draw' when the other team was attacking a lot' or 'the team hung on to their pPremier League status' if they finished in 16th or 17th place. Unfortunately, it's not the phrase we are looking for. Do you want to guess again?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 08:45
Liverpool
594
Hi Elghoul
Yes, Ranieri probably felt a little uneasy giving that interview. I've had a think about the idiom that you use in Arabic and I don't think we can translate it directly. The closest is probably the one we used in the podcast: 'to take to something like a duck to water'. Hang on does mean to survive so can sometimes be used in football. We can say that a team 'hung on for the draw' when the other team was attacking a lot' or 'the team hung on to their pPremier League status' if they finished in 16th or 17th place. Unfortunately, it's not the phrase we are looking for. Do you want to guess again?
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
10/02/2017
points
Rich, your pronunciation of my nickname is much better than before!
10/02/2017 20:44
Manchester City
989
Rich, your pronunciation of my nickname is much better than before!
15/02/2017
points
Thanks. I'll get closer one step at a time!
15/02/2017 08:38
Liverpool
594
Thanks. I'll get closer one step at a time!
10/02/2017
points
Correct me.
1. Unfortunately, I haven't ever heard any of the mentioned idioms. However, I'll try to guess what they mean.
Like a fish out of water - a person can say when the atmosphere is not comfortable for him or if he has to do anything that he is not capable
Like a bull in a china shop - a careless person who harms everything he interacts with
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights - to be shocked by something
Raining cats and dogs - we say it when it rains heavily
Hold your horses - it's a request to be calmer.
2. All the defenders failed to create an offside trap and left the goalkeeper to feel like a fish out of water in his debut.
The Sunderland's goalkeeper was like a rabbit caught in the headlights after the Mkhitaryan's scorpion kick.
The Manchester derby was postponed due to the raining cats and dogs.
Pep Guardiola petulantly asked Fernandinho to hold his horses during the matches.
3. There are lots of idioms in Russian. One of them can be translated as "after a Thursday rain" and native English speakers may use this idiom saying "at the Greek calends" or "when pigs fly" or "on a cold day in a hell". The other open is "to spell teeth" in Russian or "pull the wool over eyes" in English.
The football phrase is "**** **".
10/02/2017 15:42
Manchester City
989
Correct me.
1. Unfortunately, I haven't ever heard any of the mentioned idioms. However, I'll try to guess what they mean.
Like a fish out of water - a person can say when the atmosphere is not comfortable for him or if he has to do anything that he is not capable
Like a bull in a china shop - a careless person who harms everything he interacts with
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights - to be shocked by something
Raining cats and dogs - we say it when it rains heavily
Hold your horses - it's a request to be calmer.
2. All the defenders failed to create an offside trap and left the goalkeeper to feel like a fish out of water in his debut.
The Sunderland's goalkeeper was like a rabbit caught in the headlights after the Mkhitaryan's scorpion kick.
The Manchester derby was postponed due to the raining cats and dogs.
Pep Guardiola petulantly asked Fernandinho to hold his horses during the matches.
3. There are lots of idioms in Russian. One of them can be translated as "after a Thursday rain" and native English speakers may use this idiom saying "at the Greek calends" or "when pigs fly" or "on a cold day in a hell". The other open is "to spell teeth" in Russian or "pull the wool over eyes" in English.
The football phrase is "**** **".
15/02/2017
points
Hi Shobonenok,
Thanks for your message. I'm going to concentrate on your use of idioms this week rather than changing bits of grammar.
Yes, the idioms you mention in Russian are very different and I've never heard them in English. Where do you think the one about Thursday originates?
Hope the comments were helpful!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 08:37
Liverpool
594
Hi Shobonenok,
Thanks for your message. I'm going to concentrate on your use of idioms this week rather than changing bits of grammar.
Yes, the idioms you mention in Russian are very different and I've never heard them in English. Where do you think the one about Thursday originates?
Hope the comments were helpful!
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017
points
Hi Rich,
Thanks for your comments, it's useful for me to understand the mentioned idioms correctly and to get how the advanced or native speakers use those ones.
The idiom about Thursday is derived from the Ancient Russia before it became Christian in 988. Russian population prayed to the several Gods and "Peroon" was the main one. He was a God of heavy rain and war. It was believed that Peroon could make it rained and the most successful day to appeal for the rain was Thursday. However, nothing helped prayers to call the rain. So. the rain's absence after the Thursdays' prayers was the reason to say "after a Thursday rain" that means "never".
15/02/2017 18:09
Manchester City
989
Hi Rich,
Thanks for your comments, it's useful for me to understand the mentioned idioms correctly and to get how the advanced or native speakers use those ones.
The idiom about Thursday is derived from the Ancient Russia before it became Christian in 988. Russian population prayed to the several Gods and "Peroon" was the main one. He was a God of heavy rain and war. It was believed that Peroon could make it rained and the most successful day to appeal for the rain was Thursday. However, nothing helped prayers to call the rain. So. the rain's absence after the Thursdays' prayers was the reason to say "after a Thursday rain" that means "never".
10/02/2017
points
Like a fish out of water could mean feeling uncomfortable.
Example, when a debutant gets a nutmeg in a football match he might look like a fish out of water especially if its a derby match.
10/02/2017 14:46
Manchester United
4779
Like a fish out of water could mean feeling uncomfortable.
Example, when a debutant gets a nutmeg in a football match he might look like a fish out of water especially if its a derby match.
10/02/2017
points
This week's phrase is **** **
10/02/2017 13:21
Manchester United
4779
This week's phrase is **** **
10/02/2017
points
We may say ‘Hold your horses’ when we ask someone not to act too quickly. For example: ‘Hold your horses, let’s consider the situation carefully first and than we will make the final decision’.
10/02/2017 10:57
Watford
4417
We may say ‘Hold your horses’ when we ask someone not to act too quickly. For example: ‘Hold your horses, let’s consider the situation carefully first and than we will make the final decision’.
10/02/2017
points
In England people say ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ in a heavy rain. In my county we say something that could be literally translated as ‘it’s raining like from a pail’.
10/02/2017 10:50
Watford
4417
In England people say ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ in a heavy rain. In my county we say something that could be literally translated as ‘it’s raining like from a pail’.
15/02/2017
points
Hi Liubomyr
In the UK, we also use the idiom 'raining buckets'. We can say, 'it's raining buckets outside' to mean it's raining a lot. This would be very similar to the idiom you use in Ukraine.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 08:20
Liverpool
594
Hi Liubomyr
In the UK, we also use the idiom 'raining buckets'. We can say, 'it's raining buckets outside' to mean it's raining a lot. This would be very similar to the idiom you use in Ukraine.
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
10/02/2017
points
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights is a person who is much stressed and cannot act rationally. For example: she was like a rabbit caught in the headlights when she got that message.
10/02/2017 10:46
Watford
4417
Like a rabbit caught in the headlights is a person who is much stressed and cannot act rationally. For example: she was like a rabbit caught in the headlights when she got that message.
10/02/2017
points
We may say that the person is like a bull in a china shop is he/she move carelessly, not properly watching what he’s/she’s doing. In my country in the similar idiom we are saying ‘like an elephant in a china shop’. As example I could say: “Watch out! You are like a bull in a china shop in this crowd and pushing people all around”.
10/02/2017 10:37
Watford
4417
We may say that the person is like a bull in a china shop is he/she move carelessly, not properly watching what he’s/she’s doing. In my country in the similar idiom we are saying ‘like an elephant in a china shop’. As example I could say: “Watch out! You are like a bull in a china shop in this crowd and pushing people all around”.
10/02/2017
points
To be like a fish out of water means to feel uneasy in unusual situation or place, to be out of sorts (another idiom). We may say: Andriy Shevchenko was a brilliant player but his style wasn’t fit for the English football so he was fish out of water in the Premier League football.
10/02/2017 10:24
Watford
4417
To be like a fish out of water means to feel uneasy in unusual situation or place, to be out of sorts (another idiom). We may say: Andriy Shevchenko was a brilliant player but his style wasn’t fit for the English football so he was fish out of water in the Premier League football.
10/02/2017
points
It seems that this time I was forgotten to be mentioned amount those who was correct in last podcast’s phrase of the week :)
10/02/2017 09:51
Watford
4417
It seems that this time I was forgotten to be mentioned amount those who was correct in last podcast’s phrase of the week :)
15/02/2017
points
Hi Liubomyr
Sorry about that. I'll give you a big shout-out in this week's podcast :)
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
15/02/2017 08:17
Liverpool
594
Hi Liubomyr
Sorry about that. I'll give you a big shout-out in this week's podcast :)
Rich - The Premier Skills English Team
10/02/2017
points
I think that this week’s phrase is to ‘**** **’.
10/02/2017 08:46
Watford
4417
I think that this week’s phrase is to ‘**** **’.