86 Practice Makes Perfect English Conversation
Why don’t...?
Why don’t...? is another way of suggesting an activity to one or more people. This may or may
not include you.Why don’t you study Japanese?
Why don’t we invite the neighbors over?Strengths
Strengths are the positive traits of a person. The negative traits are called weaknesses.Often in a job interview, they ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are.
It’s a good idea to emphasize your strengths.So
So has a number of uses. So many emphasizes that there are a lot.She has so many friends on Facebook, she can’t keep in touch with them all.So + adjective means very.He is so funny—he makes everybody laugh.So can indicate—or ask for—a conclusion as a response to new information.We don’t have enough money to buy a new
house, so we have to get extra jobs.
I don’t want to buy a new dress. So what are you going to wear to the wedding?Not exactly
Not exactly, when used before an adjective or a noun, means not at all.She’s not exactly shy. (She’s aggressive.)
He’s not exactly a stranger. (We know him well.)Hardly can be used with the same meaning.He’s hardly my best friend. (We are rivals.)
It’s hardly rocket science. (It’s not difficult.)From the get-go
From the get-go means from the beginning.He has been enthusiastic about this project from the get-go.
She’s been a pain in the neck from the get-go. Let’s get her off the committee.From time to time
From time to time means sometimes. Other expressions with the same meaning are (every)
once in a while/(every) now and then/every so often/occasionally. These expressions can go
before the subject or at the end of the phrase.I’m not still in love with him, but I think of him from time to time.
She’s not a big football fan, but every once in a while she goes to a game with me.