15 Useful English Expressions with Examples

You can improve your English with these 15 useful expressions. Don't forget to like and share with others.

1.HANDS DOWN = clearly / by a long distance: "Messi is hands down the best player in the world" or "Ice cream is hands down my favorite food"

2.HIT AND MISS = sometimes good, sometimes bad: "The staff at the cafe are very nice but the food is hit and miss." ('Hit or miss' is also ok)

3.GET can be an informal way to say understand: "He tells many jokes but I don't get them" or "I don't get why so many people voted for Trump"

4.LET OFF = don't punish someone: "The police saw me drive through the red lights but they let me off with a warning."


5.A CLOSE SHAVE = when you narrowly avoid a disaster: "My dog was almost hit by the car, it was a close shave."

6.STILL TO COME = will happen in the future: "We have eaten our meal but the dessert is still to come" or "Our best days are still to come"


7.ALL THAT (slang) = a really great, really cool person. We mostly use it like: "He acts like he's all that but he still lives with his mom."

8.FALL ON DEAF EARS = isn't listened to; is ignored: "I told my husband to do more housework but my advice fell on deaf ears."

9.IT SLIPPED MY MIND = I forgot about it: "I was going to buy my wife a birthday present but it totally slipped my mind."

10.How did he take it? = How did he react to bad news? For example: "He cried for days when his dog died, he didn't take it well."

11.Take a STAB IN THE DARK = guess the answer (when you've no idea): "I didn't know the answer, I just took a stab in the dark and wrote 'A'."

12.LOSE THE PLOT = go crazy: "He sold his Ferrari and bought a bicycle. Has he lost the plot?!"

13.If you are IN THE DARK, you don't know about something:

"He met other women while his wife was kept in the dark."

14.“I did well” = I succeeded; I got a good score. 💯

“I did good” = I did acts of kindness.

Do *well* on exams; do *good* to others.

15.PAYBACK can sometimes mean revenge: "He beat me last time we played tennis, but this time I will get payback."