Phrases and practice

Learn a useful phrase in context, listen to its pronunciation and practise saying it.

• Let us not count our chickens before they hatch; the room is available, but the owner has not confirmed the booking yet.C1 · #2376
• I will say what is bothering me without beating around the bush, but I will try not to assume you mean any harm.C1 · #2377
• Let us take the bull by the horns and discuss the misunderstanding instead of changing the subject yet again.C1 · #2378
• I am not going to throw in the towel after the first unsuccessful rehearsal, but I want to change how I practise.C1 · #2379
• That further change of date was the last straw; we asked for a fixed schedule.C1 · #2380
• In such a tense conversation, I would rather choose my words carefully than repair the impression left by a careless joke.C1 · #2381
• The open ending of this story seems to me to be a deliberate device rather than an oversight by the author.C1 · #2382
• The dry humour of this scene relies on the character's seriousness, so exaggerated laughter would weaken the effect.C1 · #2383
• The footnote explains the historical allusion, but does not impose a single interpretation of the entire dialogue.C1 · #2384
• By smoothing out this character's rambling speech, the translator may unintentionally deprive them of a distinctive voice.C1 · #2385
• In this production, the gesture contradicts the words, so the meaning of the utterance does not come from the text alone.C1 · #2386
• Treat the invitation as an opportunity to take part, not an obligation you have to justify declining.C1 · #2387
• Instead of assuming that quieter people have no comments, let us give them time to prepare a response.C1 · #2388
• I do not want to back you into a corner; you can get back to us with an answer after the meeting.C1 · #2389
• The help will be more useful if it eases the organiser's workload rather than taking over decisions without their knowledge.C1 · #2390
• We can create the shared chronicle together, but let us attribute personal memories to the person who wrote them.C1 · #2391
• Before I take his silence as deliberate disregard, I would rather ask whether the message reached him at all.C1 · #2392
• I need a short walk to clear my head, not to avoid the conversation.C1 · #2393
• I want to finish dealing with this, but I need a moment to catch my breath before returning to it.C1 · #2394
• I understand your curiosity, but I do not want it to turn into checking every private conversation I have.C1 · #2395
• I can listen to you without judging, even if I cannot suggest a solution straight away.C1 · #2396
• Skipping test seams may save time now, but make later alterations more difficult.C1 · #2397
• The description of the exhibit should be concise, but not at the expense of distinguishing its origin from its later use.C1 · #2398
• If we compare only the time spent without considering the scope of the work, we may be comparing apples and oranges.C1 · #2399
• A fair review can be critical while also explaining who may still find the book useful.C1 · #2400
• Let us not put all our eggs in one basket; let us prepare a second meeting venue in case the room is unavailable.C1 · #2501
• The news that the performance was cancelled came as a bolt from the blue, because all the details had been confirmed that morning.C1 · #2502
• We are barely keeping our heads above water with our current workload, so a new project would require additional help.C1 · #2503
• Let us not bite off more than we can chew; let us organise one event this year and see how the team manages.C1 · #2504
• I do not want to bury my head in the sand, but before responding to the accusation, I need to know exactly how it was worded.C1 · #2505
• Presenting two options does not mean that the people affected have already been invited to choose between them.C1 · #2506
• I can approve the listed corrections, but please do not treat that as consent to changes that have not yet been presented.C1 · #2507
• We are not disputing what happened at the meeting, but whether the wording in the note accurately describes the decision made.C1 · #2508
• The two groups approved their own summaries; that did not automatically create a single shared version of the agreements.C1 · #2509
• If the deadline is to stay unchanged, let us establish where the time or support will come from before adding another task.C1 · #2510
• The restored section of the exhibit should be labelled so that visitors recognise the reconstruction, even if it fits the whole well.C1 · #2511
• Colours added to an old photograph help us imagine it, but are not in themselves a record of the scene's actual colours.C1 · #2512
• Removing breaths from a recording can smooth its sound, but also change the perceived rhythm of the utterance.C1 · #2513
• I read the break in the continuity of the scenes in this adaptation as a way of showing the character's memory, not as an accidental editing error.C1 · #2514
• A description for tourists may simplify the language, but should preserve the distinction between a local legend and a documented event.C1 · #2515
• I want to help the child correct a mistake, not replace their work with a ready-made answer they do not yet understand.C1 · #2516
• The offer of a place to stay is meant to make your visit easier, not oblige you to spend the whole weekend with us.C1 · #2517
• Let us attach a description of the person we received the family keepsake from, rather than relying solely on our memory.C1 · #2518
• Your apology matters to me, although that does not mean I will immediately stop feeling the effects of that conversation.C1 · #2519
• I would like to change our routine, but first let us establish who will have to adjust their plans as a result.C1 · #2520
• In the feedback, let us separate language errors from stylistic suggestions so that the author knows what needs correcting and what is a choice.C1 · #2521
• The dictionary example shows how the word is used, but the appropriate register still needs to be checked against the person you are addressing.C1 · #2522
• The criticism of this paragraph concerns how the claim is justified, not an assessment of the author's knowledge in every field.C1 · #2523
• We can study together at different paces if we agree which exercises we do jointly and which separately.C1 · #2524
• In this round, we are practising fluency, so let us note minor mistakes and discuss them after the utterance rather than interrupting at every word.C1 · #2525
• Leaving a task without a named person in charge does not divide responsibility equally; it may lead everyone to expect someone else to act.C1 · #2626
• I need authority to make a decision within this scope, rather than merely permission to collect further proposals.C1 · #2627
• We can keep the agreed deadline if we reduce the scope; retaining both requirements would, however, require additional resources.C1 · #2628
• I appreciate your willingness to help, but I do not want to treat your availability outside working hours as a permanent part of our plan.C1 · #2629
• It is useful to distinguish changing the agreed goal from changing how to reach it; not every adjustment to the way we work requires another discussion of the entire undertaking.C1 · #2630
• The exhibition guides the viewer through selected themes rather than presenting the artist's entire body of work; let us assess it with that intention in mind.C1 · #2631
• The sparse stage design leaves more room for the actors' performances, but may make it harder for some viewers to identify the setting.C1 · #2632
• The translation preserves the meaning of the joke while giving up the wordplay; a note can identify which effect of the original has not been recreated.C1 · #2633
• My disappointment with the ending does not mean I consider the entire novel unsuccessful; I rate the earlier chapters much more highly.C1 · #2634
• Rather than attributing every view of the narrator to the author, let us examine how other voices in the work challenge the narrator's certainty.C1 · #2635
• Your question combines two separate issues; I will answer each one separately so that agreement on one is not read as agreement on both.C1 · #2636
• I am not questioning the need for change, but the way the choice of this particular solution was justified.C1 · #2637
• Let us first formulate a version of the position that both sides consider fair, rather than arguing over a simplified description of it.C1 · #2638
• That comparison helps explain one aspect, but would be misleading if we transferred all its other features as well.C1 · #2639
• I can listen to your reservations without committing to changing my mind immediately; I need time to consider them.C1 · #2640
• Feedback will be more useful if it identifies the point where the message became unclear rather than merely stating that the contribution was disorganised.C1 · #2641
• I want to try to explain the mistake myself first; a ready-made answer will help me only after I have examined my own reasoning.C1 · #2642
• Recognising an expression easily while reading does not yet mean that I can use it in conversation without preparation.C1 · #2643
• Shared assessment criteria do not require an identical speaking style; let us leave room for different ways of expressing ideas clearly.C1 · #2644
• A good follow-up question does not have to suggest the answer; it can draw attention to an overlooked condition.C1 · #2645
• After several unsuccessful attempts, the new idea put wind in our sails and we returned to work with more energy.C1 · #2646
• The allocation of the last places became a bone of contention, although we had agreed the rest of the plan without much difficulty.C1 · #2647
• Let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater: let us improve the unclear instructions instead of abandoning the whole exercise.C1 · #2648
• Your joke added fuel to the fire, because both sides were already upset and took it as another provocation.C1 · #2649
• I do not want to beat around the bush: we do not have anyone to lead tomorrow's meeting.C1 · #2650
• Handing me the task without information about earlier arrangements may lead to repeating work that has already been done.C1 · #2751
• My agreement to take over coordination does not automatically include doing every task that remains unassigned.C1 · #2752
• If we need a decision today, let us also explain the consequences of postponing it instead of relying solely on a sense of urgency to apply pressure.C1 · #2753
• I do not want covering a shift once to be treated as evidence that I am always available at that time.C1 · #2754
• Let us also keep unresolved issues in the note so that a concise summary does not create the impression of complete agreement.C1 · #2755
• The character's later knowledge should not be attributed to earlier choices; at that time, the character had different information.C1 · #2756
• A similar composition in two photographs does not mean they show the same moment; differences in the background may help establish their order.C1 · #2757
• In this story, the silence after the question remains ambiguous; I do not find sufficient grounds to read it solely as agreement.C1 · #2758
• Placing the original and the sketch side by side lets us trace how the idea changed, but the description should specify the stage of work each represents.C1 · #2759
• A surprising ending may encourage a fresh reading of earlier scenes rather than merely invalidating what the reader previously understood.C1 · #2760
• I agree that this argument needs checking, but it does not yet follow that the opposing claim has been confirmed.C1 · #2761
• I suggest separating what we both accept as fact from how each of us explains its significance.C1 · #2762
• You do not have to accept my conclusion to recognise that the question is reasonable; I would like us first to establish what needs explaining.C1 · #2763
• Returning to an earlier question does not necessarily mean withdrawing the agreements; it may follow from noticing a condition we did not discuss before.C1 · #2764
• I want to keep a calm tone, but I do not want politeness to replace stating clearly what I disagree with.C1 · #2765
• When I explain the answer without looking at the model, I find it easier to notice where I lack my own justification.C1 · #2766
• I would like to hear an example of this expression in everyday conversation, because the definition does not yet show which situations it sounds natural in.C1 · #2767
• Two correct answers may require different degrees of independence if one was given after a hint and the other without one.C1 · #2768
• Instead of increasing the number of examples indefinitely, let us check whether each new example adds a meaningfully different use case.C1 · #2769
• I do not expect a flawless first attempt; what matters to me is that later corrections come from understanding rather than merely memorising a ready-made answer.C1 · #2770
• Without dates and authors' names, finding the right note is like looking for a needle in a haystack.C1 · #2771
• The quieter room has a flip side too: it is farther from the bus stop, so some guests will have a longer journey.C1 · #2772
• We are looking for a happy medium between brief instructions and explaining every exception so beginners can start without information overload.C1 · #2773
• Repeating the same argument without getting a response feels like banging my head against a brick wall; I will try phrasing the question differently.C1 · #2774
• Trying to settle the old dispute opened a Pandora's box: further grievances emerged that nobody had intended to discuss today.C1 · #2775