To fly off the handle
When you say that someone “flies off the handle” you mean that they lose their temper – perhaps suddenly and unexpectedly. Examples: He flew off the handle when I told him I had lost...
Graham's Grammar Posts
Split infinitives
Some people say that it is always wrong to split infinitives with an adverb – that is, to use phrases such as ‘to strictly forbid’ or ‘to fully understand’. Others are more tolerant, and...
What is meant by “thick-skinned”?
“Thick-skinned” is an English idiom used about someone who is not easily upset or insulted: “I don’t mind you criticising me. I’m very thick-skinned”. “It’s all right; she won’t feel insulted. She’s quite thick-skinned”....
Words in British English and American English
English is the main language in many countries and has sometimes developed in different ways in different places. Here are some words that are different in British English and American English: British English American...
What does “precarious” mean?
“Precarious” is an adjective meaning dangerous. It is usually used about a particular situation. If I am walking in the middle of a busy road, I am in a precarious situation. If I only...
Adjectival clauses
An adjectival clause (sometimes called a relative clause) is a clause that modifies (or ‘qualifies’) a noun. As with all clauses it must contain a subject and a verb. Examples: The man, who was...
Adjective phrases
Adjective phrases (sometimes called adjectival phrases) are phrases that do the work of an adjective. The main word in an adjective is usually an adjective. The words of an adjective phrase join together to...
Adjectives from proper nouns
Adjectives that derive from a proper noun have an initial capital letter. Examples: The English language An African country This Russian girl A Parisian cafe The Freudian theory
What’s the difference between “barter” and “haggle”?
A surprising number of native English speakers confuse these two words. They might say, for example: “I like to go to the market and barter”, when they really mean: “I like to go to...
The position of adjectives
Adjectives usually appear immediately before a noun. Examples: A large table. Daniel’s blue book. Her new clothes. The thirsty horse. These are called attributive adjectives. They tell us about the attributes of something. Sometimes...