Phrases and practice

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

• In this macramé, repeating the same half of a square knot produces a spiral; if we want a flat band, we need to alternate halves worked from opposite sides.C1 · #5101
• A macramé cord folded in half gives two working ends, but each is only half the original length; let us check whether the materials list allows for that fold.C1 · #5102
• In the macramé plant hanger, let us leave room to remove the pot without cutting any knots, rather than size the upper opening solely around the pot already hanging inside.C1 · #5103
• The instructions for this macramé require twelve cords folded in half, giving twenty-four hanging ends; in the materials list, let us count whole cords rather than each hanging end separately.C1 · #5104
• Let us hang the macramé sample in the same orientation as the finished decoration, since a photograph of the work lying on a table does not show how loose loops will settle under their own weight.C1 · #5105
• For bobbin lace, a list of twenty pairs means forty bobbins; before winding the threads, let us establish whether the instructions count pairs or individual tools.C1 · #5106
• In the bobbin lace description, let us distinguish twisting the two threads of a pair from crossing threads between pairs, since swapping those movements changes the interlacing even if the hands move similarly.C1 · #5107
• For the bobbin lace workshop, let us provide a pillow that holds the pins securely, rather than choose the softest support solely for the comfort of resting our hands.C1 · #5108
• After a break in making bobbin lace, let us first untangle the hanging threads so that an accidental crossing below the pillow is not mistaken for part of the pattern.C1 · #5109
• In the bobbin lace kit, let us also count bobbins whose threads are temporarily set aside; their absence from the current movement does not mean they can be removed from the set.C1 · #5110
• In quilling, let the paper coil relax before gluing its end if the design calls for a loose coil; gluing immediately after winding will fix a different density.C1 · #5111
• Strips of equal width but different lengths produce coils containing different amounts of paper; matching the width alone is not enough for a repeatable quilling sample.C1 · #5112
• For the quilled flower, let us pinch only one side of the round coil to form a teardrop petal; flattening the whole piece would produce a different outline.C1 · #5113
• The opening at the centre of a paper coil may result from the quilling tool used; before calling it careless work, let us compare samples wound with different tips.C1 · #5114
• When framing quilling, let us check the frame's depth, since pressing glass against the raised strips may damage the relief even if the composition's width and height fit.C1 · #5115
• Let us baste the patch intended for sashiko before stitching so that it does not shift with the needle; the decorative pattern does not replace preparing the fabric layers.C1 · #5116
• When examining a sashiko sample, let us compare the stitches visible on the front with the thread lengths on the back; a photograph of one side alone does not explain the needle's whole path.C1 · #5117
• Let us enlarge the sashiko pattern together with the spacing between its lines; merely lengthening the stitches on an unchanged grid alters their proportions relative to the pattern rather than enlarging the whole design.C1 · #5118
• The red thread in this sashiko sample is the maker's deliberate choice; let us not replace it with white merely because that is the contrast we know from other examples.C1 · #5119
• Before pulling the long sashiko thread taut, let us spread out the stitched section of fabric to even out the tension without gathering it into unintended folds.C1 · #5120
• In this Tunisian crochet sample, the forward pass collects loops on the hook and the return pass works them off; let us mark both parts before counting completed rows.C1 · #5121
• The Tunisian crochet instructions for this single-ended hook require a return without turning the work; applying the habit from another technique would put us on the wrong side.C1 · #5122
• The many loops left on the Tunisian hook after the forward pass are an intended stage here, not evidence that the maker forgot to finish each ordinary crochet stitch separately.C1 · #5123
• For the wide Tunisian crochet sample, let us choose a hook with room for every loop in the row; the correct tip diameter is not enough if the rest of the tool cannot hold them.C1 · #5124
• In the note for the paused Tunisian crochet work, let us record that the return pass is only halfway complete, so that we do not start collecting new loops on a partly closed row when resuming.C1 · #5125
• I would prefer us to correct mistakes after each turn; constant interruptions undermine my confidence, even when the advice is sound.C1 · #5151
• If a topic becomes too personal, let us change it without demanding an explanation; practising a language does not oblige anyone to disclose private matters.C1 · #5152
• Let us agree on equal time for both languages, even if conversation flows much more easily in one of them.C1 · #5153
• Your version sounds more natural, but I would like to understand how it changes the tone before replacing my own sentence with it.C1 · #5154
• I do not need every word translated; it would help me more to identify the point where what I am saying becomes unclear.C1 · #5155
• I suggest repeating the scene with a different intention for the character but the same script; this will show how much meaning comes from the delivery alone.C1 · #5156
• The audience laughed at a pause we had not planned; before calling it a successful device, let us see whether it works in the next performance.C1 · #5157
• When our scene partner introduces a new detail, let us try to build on it; ignoring the suggestion leaves them to rescue the scene alone.C1 · #5158
• I can play a rude character, but I do not want to turn participants' genuine personal disclosures into material for a joke.C1 · #5159
• Let us end the scene when its conflict becomes clear, rather than add a punchline simply because we have a minute left.C1 · #5160
• I am making my garden bed available for shared use while I am away; I would still like us to agree separately on which plantings may be changed.C1 · #5161
• Before adding another watering shift, let us check whether we need more helpers or a clearer division of the existing tasks.C1 · #5162
• I am happy to share the harvest, but I cannot promise a fixed quantity every week; our garden does not run on an order schedule.C1 · #5163
• Let us not remove the variety label after the fruit is picked; it should also help whoever takes over the garden bed later.C1 · #5164
• If the shared path is to remain a walkway, let us not leave bags on it, even briefly, without agreeing on who will remove them.C1 · #5165
• I am lending you the drill, but I need it back on Friday morning; the return deadline reflects my plans, not a lack of trust.C1 · #5166
• Let us list the attachments included in the kit before handing it over; later we can distinguish a missing part from one that was never there.C1 · #5167
• If the tool starts behaving differently from when we collected it, let us stop and contact its owner rather than change its settings ourselves.C1 · #5168
• I can show you the basic operation, but I do not want to present a brief demonstration as preparation for every kind of job.C1 · #5169
• A shared booking list helps only if we remove cancelled reservations; having a calendar alone does not prevent equipment being needlessly held up.C1 · #5170
• I volunteer to help at the entrance, provided someone can take over my shift when I need to collect my child.C1 · #5171
• New volunteers do not know the regular team's abbreviations; let us use full task names before allocating responsibility.C1 · #5172
• Rather than ask who else can stay, let us state when the extra shift ends; a specific commitment is easier to decide on.C1 · #5173
• I would like our thanks to include those who worked before the event; their contribution does not disappear because they were absent from the group photo.C1 · #5174
• In the debrief, let us distinguish decisions made on the spot from rules agreed beforehand, so the next group of volunteers does not treat emergency workarounds as standing instructions.C1 · #5175
• Before choosing a copy of the film, let us check whether it has subtitles in the agreed language; its title on the list does not confirm that this version includes them.C1 · #5201
• Let us announce the discussion before the screening so that people who only want to watch the film can plan to leave without feeling they are interrupting the gathering.C1 · #5202
• Let us test the picture from a viewer's seat, not just beside the projector; I want to know whether the subtitles can also be read from the back row.C1 · #5203
• Let us not summarise the ending in the opening question; the discussion leader need not impose their own reading of the finale on everyone straight away.C1 · #5204
• If someone asks for a short break, let us agree together where to pause; I would not want them to return to the room and have to guess what happened while they were away.C1 · #5205
• Let us agree whether we accept clothes needing minor repairs; “in good condition” may mean different things to the person giving an item and the person receiving it.C1 · #5206
• A token for an item handed in does not guarantee finding the right size; let us explain that before accepting clothes, rather than only as people leave.C1 · #5207
• Let us not display the original purchase price on the hanger if it is not meant to affect the exchange rules; that label would suggest a hierarchy we have not agreed on.C1 · #5208
• Bringing more items does not mean someone found anything for themselves; in the summary, let us distinguish the number of clothes handed in from participants' satisfaction.C1 · #5209
• Before the swap ends, let us agree who will take the remaining clothes; agreeing to provide the room does not mean agreeing to store them indefinitely.C1 · #5210
• Capturing the expression matters more to me than reproducing every detail of the clothing faithfully; I would like to agree on that priority before the first sketch.C1 · #5211
• I am sending the photo as a reference for the pose, not the mood; in the portrait I would like to see a calmness this particular photograph does not convey.C1 · #5212
• The picture will hang in a narrow passage, so I will show you the wall before we choose the format; a size that looks good on screen may be overwhelming there.C1 · #5213
• I would like to see the sketch before work on the colour begins, so that any change to the composition does not come up only when the painting is nearly finished.C1 · #5214
• Likeness matters to me, but I am not asking you to remove every sign of age; the portrait should show the person I know, rather than an idealised version of them.C1 · #5215
• Let us give the chapter and the opening words of the passage, not just its page number; participants using different editions should be able to find the same point.C1 · #5216
• Let us agree on a spoiler boundary before the meeting; finishing the book does not automatically give someone priority over those who have reached the agreed chapter.C1 · #5217
• If a question appears in the chat while someone is speaking, let us return to it afterwards so its author need not choose between listening and repeating the message.C1 · #5218
• Let us allow a moment to find the quotation; silence in an online discussion need not mean that nobody has anything left to add.C1 · #5219
• Let us not choose the next book solely on the strength of the most enthusiastic recommendation; let us also ask who can actually obtain it before the next meeting.C1 · #5220
• Let us keep the authors' names beside personal observations even if we combine the entries into one text; a shared journal need not pretend we all experienced the trip in the same way.C1 · #5221
• Let us add the date after checking our notes rather than infer it from the order of the photos; some pictures were uploaded to the shared folder only after we returned.C1 · #5222
• My description of the queue is an impression from one morning, not an assessment of the place throughout the year; let us make that limit clear before turning the note into a general recommendation.C1 · #5223
• Before combining our accounts, let us check whether we mean the same conversation; similar memories are not enough to attribute to one person words we heard from someone else.C1 · #5224
• Let us leave room in the journal for unfulfilled plans if they shaped the trip; the places we actually visited will not by themselves explain why we changed our route so often.C1 · #5225
• Before we bring all the parts together, I would like to repeat my section's entry; singing louder will not resolve my uncertainty about when to begin.C1 · #5251
• Please point to the exact place in the score when we return to a passage; “once more from the beginning” is unclear after several different repeats.C1 · #5252
• I can attend rehearsals, but I have not yet confirmed Saturday's performance; I would not want my presence today to be taken as a commitment to sing in the concert.C1 · #5253
• Before agreeing on the pronunciation, let us check which language version we are using; I do not want to learn one form only to replace it at the next rehearsal.C1 · #5254
• When we work on one section, let us tell the others what to listen for; waiting can be part of the rehearsal if people know what to notice.C1 · #5255
• Let us agree on a signal that ends the recording so that the informal conversation afterwards is not accidentally treated as material intended for publication.C1 · #5256
• If I ask to record a sentence again, let us note which version I choose; having two takes does not tell the editor which one expresses my intention.C1 · #5257
• Let us separate hosting the conversation from keeping time so that the person asking questions need not also interrupt the guest for organisational reasons.C1 · #5258
• Let us mark which questions on the topic list are only backups; I do not want to treat them as mandatory and rush the guest to get through every one.C1 · #5259
• Before announcing a regular series, let us decide who will prepare the next topic; a successful first recording does not replace a division of work for later episodes.C1 · #5260
• I am happy to make the flat available, but I would like to agree separately on using the room where I keep my work materials; the exchange need not include every room.C1 · #5261
• Let us agree on a key handover in case of delay, rather than tie it solely to the planned arrival time; the other person should know how to get in even if the journey takes longer.C1 · #5262
• Let us list which supplies may be used rather than rely on people guessing from an open packet; I prefer a clear agreement to awkward questions after we return.C1 · #5263
• Let us not call an extra bed a separate bedroom if it is in the living room; for people planning a trip together, the difference concerns privacy, not just the number of sleeping places.C1 · #5264
• Before the exchange, let us provide a way to contact each other during the stay, even if all the instructions are written down; a description of the flat will not answer an unforeseen question.C1 · #5265
• Let us agree on consistent ingredient names throughout the menu so that the same ingredient does not appear under different names just because different people wrote the sections.C1 · #5266
• Let us state in both menu versions that the price is for one portion; I would not want the photo's layout to suggest a set that the order does not include.C1 · #5267
• If the side dish is chosen separately, let us put that information beside the dish's name, rather than only in a footnote that is easy to miss while talking to the waiter.C1 · #5268
• Before printing, let us compare the order of entries in both languages so that someone pointing to a dish number orders the same thing whichever version they use.C1 · #5269
• Let us leave room to change the dish of the day in both language versions; when the kitchen introduces a new option, the descriptions should be updated together.C1 · #5270
• In the invitation, let us distinguish an observation plan from a guarantee of seeing particular objects; participants should know what we will do if the sky is obscured.C1 · #5271
• Let us prepare directions for people arriving after dark as well; a point on the map alone will not explain which gate leads into the meeting area.C1 · #5272
• If a queue forms at the telescope, let us explain when people can return; the first look need not be the only chance for someone who needs more time.C1 · #5273
• Let us not infer from silence that everyone recognised the object being pointed out; let us ask participants to describe what they see before moving to the next item.C1 · #5274
• Let us give separate times for the end of the guided session and the planned departure; staying for extra observing should not mean unknowingly giving up the shared journey home.C1 · #5275