According to Reference.com, Americans eat thirteen billion hamburgers every year, about 3 billion pizzas, and 2 million tons of french fries. Holy moly. 

In the United States, we really do love our American fast food (and our Mexican fast food, Chinese fast food, and all other types of fast foods…). 

That said, not all typical American food is super-unhealthy or purchased at a drive-thru window. American food culture is rather versatile, including a mix of all-American classics, meals passed along from Great Britain, and even traditional foods from other cultures. 

Exploring a country’s food and eating habits is a fantastic way to learn about that country and its people. In this article, I’ll introduce you to:

• Several popular American foods
• Foods that are hard to find outside the United States
• Useful food-related vocab
• Three American recipes to make at home

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1. Must-Try Dishes in U.S. Restaurants
2. Overseas vs. Authentic U.S. Food
3. Unique U.S. Cuisine
4. Food-Related Vocabulary
5. Bonus: American Food Recipes You Can Make at Home
6. Final Thoughts

1. Must-Try Dishes in U.S. Restaurants

Trying out new restaurants is my favorite part of traveling, How about you? In the following sections, I’ll show you a few of the most famous American foods you should try during your travels in the U.S. 

→ By the way, if you do plan on visiting the U.S. soon, there are 30 Travel Phrases You Should Know first!

A- Breakfast

There are so many American breakfast foods that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. While it’s true that many Americans skip breakfast altogether or eat a simple bowl of cereal, there are three breakfast dishes that you need to try during your visit! 

Biscuits & Gravy

I grew up eating my grandma’s biscuits & gravy recipe, so I had to include this one. It’s breakfast comfort food at its finest. 

Biscuits & gravy (sometimes called gravy & biscuits) is exactly what it sounds like: biscuits with gravy. The biscuits can be made from scratch, though they can also be the kind you pop out of a can and put in the oven. The gravy is usually a thick, creamy combination of flour, milk, some kind of animal fat, and meat (sausage is the most popular). 

Biscuits & gravy is especially popular in the southern United States, so do be sure to order this dish while eating out in the southern U.S. Just about any cafe or breakfast chain should have this on the menu.

Eggs & Bacon 

This is another classic American breakfast dish, also named after its sole components. Generally, the eggs are either fried or scrambled, and the bacon is fried in a pan. Growing up, I always ate this breakfast with the eggs fried in bacon fat (very unhealthy, but so good). 

From my personal experience, “eggs & bacon” usually comes with other sides. These can vary based on where you are, but toast, grits, and fresh fruit are common. 

I recommend this dish because it’s simply an American staple and so tasty. 

Chicken & Waffles

This is another popular breakfast item in the south (though it can also be eaten for lunch or dinner). As this recipe continues to grow in popularity throughout the United States, one can find many variations of it. 

Traditionally, the dish, known as “chicken & waffles,” consists of fried chicken, waffles, and maple syrup. Some varieties are made with grilled chicken, a chicken salad mixture, and different kinds of waffles. 

I recommend this dish because of its growing status in the United States, and its increasing availability in breakfast chains across the country. 

B- Lunch / Dinner

Food palates, eating habits, and local ingredients vary widely from one area of the U.S. to another. For this reason, I struggled to keep this list short. Following are some examples of lunch- and dinner-time American food items you need to try next time you’re at a restaurant! 

Cobb Salad

The Cobb salad is a classic American dish, dating back to the 1920s or 1930s. This is a salad that’s generally made with four types of salad greens, tomatoes, bacon, hard-boiled egg, chicken, and cheese (usually Roquefort). 

I recommend this dish because it’s a semi-healthy American food classic, super-tasty, and something you probably won’t find outside the United States. Give it a try (and learn how to make it yourself at the end of this article)! 

Pizza

While pizza is not “classic” American food, the United States does have two very unique takes on this dish: New York-style pizza and Chicago-style pizza.

The New York version is quite similar to the traditional Italian version, with a thin but wide crust, a little tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and sometimes additional ingredients. 

The Chicago version, on the other hand, is very different. It comes in a few different varieties, but its most defining feature is a very thick crust. There are a few different types known as “deep-dish,” “stuffed,” and “party-cut thin-crust.”

Of course, you can always order a simpler pizza from American food chains like Domino’s or Pizza Hut, both of which you can find just about anywhere in the country. 

If you’re surprised at how many pizza varieties the United States has, it’s simply because of our long-time love affair with pizza…

Philly Cheesesteak

The Philly Cheesesteak (also called the Philadelphia cheesesteak), is an all-American sandwich that originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 1930s. The main ingredients in this dish are beef, onion, and cheese, put on some sandwich bread. 

This is a fantastic comfort food, especially if you want some decent American fast food. You can generally order the philly cheesesteak in different varieties, such as one made with chicken instead of beef; there’s even a vegan version. 

Fish Tacos

Fish tacos are most popular in the state of California, so if you plan on visiting Cali, do try its famous fish tacos. 

The content of a fish taco can vary, though it’s generally some kind of fried, breaded white fish topped with cabbage and a special sauce, placed in a corn tortilla. As far as American food goes, fish tacos are actually pretty healthy. 😉

BBQ

Though BBQ is not uniquely American, we do have our own barbeque varieties, and many American neighborhoods smell of barbeque during summer…

The kind of barbeque you can expect to find depends on where in the United States you are. Each region, and each state, has its own special varieties. Generally, a barbeque meal consists of meat (usually pork or beef), which is cooked with smoke from a grill and served (or prepared) with special seasonings or sauces. 

Clam Chowder

There are several varieties of clam chowder in the United States, though the two most popular are New England clam chowder and Manhattan clam chowder. 

The New England variety is often a thick chowder made with milk or cream, and also contains potatoes, clam meat, and onions. The Manhattan variety is quite different, having a tomato base; it’s thought to have been the creation of Portuguese immigrants in the U.S. 

C- Dessert

When on vacation, you can’t skip the dessert. Here are three of the most popular and widespread American desserts. 

Apple Pie

Apple pie is considered the most American food out there (even though it originated in Britain…), so it’s a must. 

Generally, an apple pie consists of a handmade pie crust, in which there’s a sweet apple compote, sometimes with cinnamon and brown sugar. It’s served warm, and more often than not, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  

Banana Split

The banana split is a classic dessert, enjoyed by Americans for many, many years. Despite its simplicity, it never fails to amaze the taste buds! 

A banana split is usually served in a long dessert dish. One or two bananas are split in half, placed in the dish, and covered with scoops of ice cream and other toppings. If you’re into cold, creamy desserts, do try a banana split! (Learn how to make one at home at the end of this article.)

Cheesecake

Not everyone likes cheesecake, but you should definitely give it a try. 

Despite its name, cheesecake is actually more similar to a pie in appearance. It usually has a soft, crumbly crust, and a sweet-sour creamy filling. I don’t know what to compare it to, because it has such a unique flavor and texture. Served cool, it’s very refreshing during the spring and summer! 

2. Overseas vs. Authentic U.S. Food 

It’s no secret that many “American” foods are not purely American. The United States is well-known for snatching recipes and food ideas from other countries, though some of these “overseas” foods were slowly integrated into American culture over time. 

I will note that many “American” foods actually originated from England, and came to the Americas as Europeans began to settle in the present-day U.S. So some foods that even Americans consider authentic may actually have origins in England! 

Below are two lists of food: those brought to America from other countries (mentioned in parentheses), and those that are generally considered authentically American. 

A- Overseas Food

• Burritos / Tacos (Mexico)
  • Americans love Mexican food! We’ve Americanized a lot of it, and we eat it all the time. 

• Hot Dogs / Burgers (Germany)
  • Two of the most American foods are actually thought to have originated in Germany…

• Pizza (Italy)

• Fried Chicken (Scotland)
  • Considering the vast number of fast food chains dedicated to making the best fried chicken, it’s a bit disappointing to learn that our fried chicken likely originated from Scotland (and not the  state of Kentucky). 

B- Authentic Food

Here’s a breakdown of four very popular and well-loved foods that are (supposedly) all-American. 

Meatloaf

It’s a loaf of meat. Usually, ground beef (or turkey) is combined with onions, tomato, and savory spices. Then, it’s placed in a loaf pan (usually used for bread), baked in the oven, and served in slices with various sides. 

Macaroni & cheese

Lovingly called “mac & cheese” or “mac ’n’ cheese,” this is made with macaroni noodles, a variety of cheeses, and sometimes additional ingredients. The ingredients are put in a casserole dish, baked in the oven, and served. 

‘Smores

The word “s’more” (sometimes spelled “smore”) refers to the fact that you’ll always want “some more.” 

S’mores are usually made outdoors, often when camping. A marshmallow (roasted over an open fire until golden-brown or burnt) is placed on a graham cracker, topped with some chocolate, and then eaten like a sandwich with another graham cracker on top. 

Chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are made by mixing flour, sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and chocolate chips together in a bowl, laying out individual portions of the mix onto a baking sheet, and baking them until they achieve the desired consistency. An American favorite. 

3. Unique U.S. Cuisine

Bourbon

Bourbon is an authentically American whiskey, originating around the nineteenth century. While its origins are murky, the state of Kentucky is often credited as being where bourbon originated. 

This type of whiskey is bottled and sold at around forty percent alcohol by volume, and is used both for drinking and cooking (usually in BBQ dishes).

It is exported to other countries, though much of it remains in the United States.

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a favorite condiment to some Americans (and a least favorite to others). We often spread cream cheese over bagels and sometimes use it when cooking or baking creamy dishes. 

Technically, cream cheese originated in Europe, though the United States was the first country to begin its mass production. 

Peanut Butter

I just found out that most countries don’t have peanut butter readily available. I can’t even imagine, because peanut butter is such an American staple. 

Peanut butter is a semi-creamy, semi-solid substance that’s generally made using peanuts and certain oils. 

We use it to make peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and peanut butter cookies, we eat it by the spoonful, and it’s the best part of a Reese’s peanut butter cup.

Thanksgiving Dinner

While this isn’t a single food, and you can find most of the basic Thanksgiving foods in other countries, the entirety of the average Thanksgiving dinner is uniquely American. 

Popular food items for Thanksgiving dinner include:

• Turkey + Ham (usually roasted whole and then sliced)
• Mashed potatoes
• Twice-baked potatoes
• Deviled eggs
• Green beans (or green bean casserole)
• Beans
• Bread rolls
• Sweet potato casserole 
• Ambrosia (fruit salad)
• Pie of all kinds (apple, pumpkin, pecan, berry, chocolate)
• Alcoholic beverages of all kinds
• Other “odd” dishes and desserts

This is just what I could think of off the top of my head! I’m sure there’s more.

Check out our list of Words for Thanksgiving Day in the United States to learn more food names and other useful words! 

Do you have any major feasts in your country? If so, what are the most popular foods eaten for these feasts? Let us know in the comments! 

4. Food-Related Vocabulary

A- Describing Food

This chicken is fantastic!

Here are some common words we use to describe food, from taste to texture! 

	Definition	In a Sentence
Sweet	Tasting of sugar	Banana splits are sweet.
Salty	Containing much salt; tasting of salt	I thought the fish was too salty.
Savory	Containing many flavors, usually complex	I would like a savory steak for dinner.
Rich	Having a strong flavor or texture	The cake was a little bit too rich!
Bland	Having a weak flavor or texture; flavorless	It’s bland; add more salt next time.
Creamy	Having a smooth, silky, or milky texture; containing cream	The sauce is really creamy.
Smooth	Not crunchy; lacking rough or crunchy textures	Keep stirring to get the gravy smooth.
Crunchy	Not smooth; containing rough or crunchy features	I like my peanut butter crunchy.
Spicy	Having a strong spice element	Jill doesn’t like spicy foods.
Mild	Having little or no spice element	The dish was mild.
Greasy	Containing a lot of grease, fat, or oil	Why is the pizza so greasy?
Delicious	Almost synonymous with each other; all positive ways of describing a food or dish	This pie is delicious!
Tasty		The meal you made was really tasty.
Delectable		What a delectable dessert!
Fantastic		This chicken is fantastic!
Wonderful		The breakfast we had was wonderful.
Mouth-watering	Capable of making your mouth water (salivate) in anticipation of eating	Look at that bread, so mouth-watering!
Okay	A word you can use to describe a dish you didn’t like very much, but thought was decent	Dinner was okay, but I liked yesterday’s dinner more.

You can also see our list of the 50 Most Common Adjectives if this list isn’t enough for you. 😉

B- Ordering Food

I’ll have ___, please.

Here are some phrases you can use to order food at a restaurant and effectively communicate with your waiter. 

Phrase	When to use it
Can I see the menu?	Use this phrase after you’re seated to ask your waiter for the menu. (But usually, a menu will be provided already.)
Can I see the wine list, please?	If you would like some wine with your meal, you can ask your waiter to see the restaurant’s wine list.
What do you recommend?	In the United States, it’s very common to ask your waiter what he or she recommends. You can do this if you’re not sure what to order, and want to know what’s popular or particularly tasty.
What’s today’s special?	Some restaurants will have a “special” for each day of the week. This is a particular meal or meal combination that you can get for a lower price on that day only.
What is the soup / salad of the day?	Similarly, some restaurants will have a particular soup or salad that they’re serving only on that day. You can order this to go with your meal.
Can we have a bottle of wine with our meal, please?	Are you eating out with your spouse, best friend, or in a large group? In some restaurants, you can ask your waiter to bring an entire bottle of wine to the table (this can get pricey, though!).
Do you have any ___ dishes?	If you have any dietary restrictions or are in the mood for something specific, you can ask your waiter about the menu.  For example, you could ask:  “Do you have any vegetarian dishes?” “Do you have any seasonal dishes?”
Does it contain ___?	This is another useful phrase if you have dietary restrictions.  “Does it contain dairy?” “Does it contain nuts?”
How spicy is it?	If you’re not sure how spicy something will be, it’s always a good idea to ask!
I’m allergic to ___.	If you have a severe allergy to something, it’s good to inform your waiter about it right away, before ordering.  “I’m allergic to shellfish.” “I’m allergic to nuts.”
I will have ___, please.	When you’re finally ready to order, you can use this phrase. Just fill in the blank with the menu item you want!

C- Cooking

Do you enjoy cooking at home? Here are some words for American food staples and food preparation! 

→ Also see our Cooking vocabulary list to hear the pronunciation of these words!

Ingredients and Foods

	Definition	In a Sentence
Ingredient	Something that is used in combination with other things to create a whole entity	I can’t make the cake; I’m missing an important ingredient.
Salt	A seasoning that brings out the flavor in different foods	The soup needs more salt.
Pepper	A seasoning that adds flavor to food; black, and a little spicy	Can you pass me the pepper?
Cooking oil	Any oil that’s used to cook with	Place 1 Tablespoon cooking oil in the pan.
Chicken	The meat from a chicken	Chicken is my favorite meat.
Pork	The meat from a pig	Pork is my least favorite meat.
Beef	The meat from cattle	I love eating beef stew.
Fish	Any kind of fish that’s prepared or cooked for consumption	I think I’ll make fish tomorrow.
Egg	Usually refers to the egg of a chicken, though it can also refer to quail, ostrich, goose, or even fish eggs	Henry cracked the egg into a bowl.
Vegetable	The root, stem, or leaf of a plant that’s used in cooking (or sometimes eaten raw)	What’s your favorite vegetable?
Fruit	The part of a plant that bears seeds	Fruit is very refreshing.
Rice	A type of grain that’s simmered in water until soft	I make rice with almost every meal.
Bread	Made from flour, sugar, and similar ingredients, and baked	How do you bake bread so well?

Preparation and Cooking Methods

	Definition	In a Sentence
Prepare	To get something ready, in this case, the food	I need to prepare dinner.
Set the oven	This phrase is used a lot in recipes, and it simply means to turn on the oven and set it for a specified temperature	Set the oven to 400 degrees F.
Chop	To use a knife in order to cut something, usually into many pieces	Chop the carrots evenly.
Slice	To use a knife to cut something, usually in order to make a thin layer or small pieces of it	Will you slice the turkey, please?
Cube	To cut something into cubes; often used to describe how to cut meat in recipes	Next, cube the chicken breast.
Season	To put seasonings on something	How do you season the salmon?
Stir-fry	To fry several ingredients together in a pan, while stirring often	Stir-fry the veggies in olive oil.
Bake	To cook something by putting it in the oven	Bake the casserole for thirty minutes.
Boil	To get water or another liquid hot enough that it bubbles rapidly	Bring the water to a boil.
Simmer	To let something cook on low heat, usually in a hot liquid	Let the meat simmer.
Let cool	Some recipes are best served after cooling; this phrase is sometimes used in recipes when this is the case	Let cool before serving.

Cooking Utensils and Tableware

	Definition	In a Sentence
Stove	Usually a surface on top of an oven, containing burners used to cook food	Turn on the stove, please.
Oven	A cooking device used to cook, bake, or roast food at a specific temperature by placing the food inside	Put the dough in the oven.
Pot	A cooking utensil that’s usually deep, and used for meals that contain a lot of liquid (soups/stews) or to boil water	Fill the pot with water.
Pan	A cooking utensil that’s usually shallow, and used to cook foods that don’t require much liquid; especially popular for stir-frying or sauteing.	Coat the pan with olive oil.
Spatula	A utensil used to handle food with while it’s hot or still cooking; it usually has a flat, slightly curved end, with or without slots in it	Stir the veggies using a spatula.
Cutting board	Food is placed on a cutting board to be cut, chopped, or sliced	On a large cutting board, chop the tomatoes.
Colander	A utensil that’s shaped like a bowl and has many holes in it; used to drain something of liquid, usually noodles	Drain the noodles with a colander.
Bowl	A dish with raised sides, usually with a round shape; often used to hold soups, stews, salads, and other meals that are best eaten from a bowl	Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
Plate	A shallow or flat dish that food is often served on	Serve the meal on a plate.
Spoon	A utensil that’s used for eating food that’s liquidy (like soup) or of a semi-liquid nature (like yogurt)	I dropped my spoon on the floor.
Fork	A utensil that’s used for eating solid foods; it contains prongs at the end to stab food with	This fork is dirty.
Knife	A utensil that’s used for cutting food, either during preparation or during consumption	Can you get me another knife?

→ Check out our Kitchen and Food Utensils & Tableware vocabulary lists to learn even more words and listen to their pronunciation.

5. Bonus: American Food Recipes You Can Make at Home

Do you want to try American food, but don’t yet have a trip planned? No worries! Here, I’ll show you how to make American food yourself at home.

A- Biscuits & Gravy

Makes 8 servings, and ready in 15 minutes. 

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce can of refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits (or you can make your own!)
• 9.6 ounces of crumbled pork sausage 
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 ½ cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bake the biscuits according to the package directions.

2. Cook the sausage in a large pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour. Gradually add in the milk, and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Split the biscuits in half. Spoon the gravy equally over each set of biscuit halves (there should be 2 halves per plate). 

This recipe is adapted from one on Allrecipes.com. You can read the original recipe (and some rave reviews) if you need more guidance.

Enjoy! 

B- Cobb Salad

Makes 4 to 8 servings, and ready in 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of bacon, chopped
• 4 large eggs
• Kosher salt
• 2 6-ounce chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
• Zest in wide strips, and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Pepper, freshly ground
• 2 avocados
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large head Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, cut into pieces
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, stirring until crisp (15 to 20 minutes). Drain on paper towels.

2. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them to about 1 inch in cold water. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover; remove from heat, and let stand about 10 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water to cool. Peel the eggs while under running cold water, and then peel and chop them; season with salt. 

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the following ingredients: chicken, lemon zest and juice, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by ½ inch. Over medium heat, bring it to a bare simmer (do not boil) and cook for about 7 minutes; the chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of it reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Move the chicken to a cutting board and let cool for about 5 minutes.

4. While the chicken rests, make the dressing. In a serving bowl, whisk the following ingredients together: vinegar, shallot, mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt. Next, whisk in the olive oil until emulsified (blended), and season with pepper. Dice the chicken. In a separate bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.

5. Halve, pit, and dice the avocados. Season the tomatoes with salt. Add Bibb and romaine lettuce to the serving bowl, on top of the dressing. Arrange the bacon, eggs, chicken, avocados, tomatoes, and blue cheese atop the salad in rows. To serve, toss the salad and season with salt and pepper. 

You can check out this recipe on FoodNetwork.com! 

C- Banana Split

Makes 1-2 servings (a single banana split), and ready in 15 minutes. 

Ingredients:

• 1 banana (split lengthwise)
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 1 scoop chocolate ice cream
• 1 scoop strawberry ice cream
• Chocolate syrup
• Marshmallow creme
• Whipped cream
• Chopped, lightly toasted nuts
• 3 maraschino cherries

Notes:

1) The ingredients in italics are for garnish, and are optional. You can remove any of these ingredients, or even add your own that aren’t listed! 

2) If it seems like too much to buy three different tubs of ice cream, you can just buy Neapolitan ice cream. This is ice cream that’s a blend of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors. 

Directions:

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Place the banana slices against the sides of a long, narrow dish.

3. Place the ice cream scoops in a row between the banana slices.

4. Drizzle vanilla and strawberry ice cream scoops with chocolate syrup.

5. Spoon some marshmallow creme over the chocolate ice cream scoop.

6. Now add the whipped cream, nuts, and cherries.

This banana split recipe is originally from TheSpruceEats.com. Check it out! 

6. Final Thoughts

You’ve reached the end of this massive article, congratulations! 

Which of the must-try American foods I listed do you want to eat first, and why? Are there any foods I forgot to mention that you’ve already tried, and think other readers would enjoy? Let us know in the comments! 

If you want more detailed articles like this one, fun and educational video/audio lessons, and exceptional vocabulary-learning tools, create your free lifetime account with EnglishClass101.com today. We look forward to having you and helping you reach your English-learning goals!

Until next time, happy learning from the EnglishClass101 family.

Why are people drawn to quotes? I think it’s because a quote can do one of two things: 

1) Put our existing feelings and opinions into words

2) Help us see things from new perspectives

These are things that everyone needs from time to time, and the quotes that resonate with us may stay with us forever.

In this article, we’ll show you the best English quotes for students of the language! These are quotes that will inspire you, make you think, or make you smile. We’ll explain each quote in detail, so you can understand their background and meaning.

Enjoy!

Table of Contents

1. Quotes About Success
2. Quotes About Creativity and Inspiration
3. Life Quotes in English
4. Quotes About Time
5. Love Quotes in English
6. Quotes About Family
7. Quotes About Friendship
8. Quotes About Food
9. Quotes About Language Learning
10. Final Thoughts

1. Quotes About Success

We all want to be successful, but not everyone agrees on what success is or how to get there. Here are some motivational quotes in English about success from some very successful people.

→ When you finish reading these, you can also visit our vocabulary list for the Top 11 English Quotes About Success for more!

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”

Author: Warren Buffet

This quote means that the things we do today will impact the future for someone else. It also refers to the fact that the things we have today were given to us (or “planted”) by those who came before us. 

“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”

Author: David Brinkley

If someone throws a brick at you, it’s going to hurt. In this quote, the “bricks” represent negativity or obstacles that other people give you. To be successful, you can’t give up when others don’t believe in you. Instead, you need to keep going, using that negativity to build yourself up toward success. 

“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” 

Author: David Frost

The most successful people are those who do what they love, or who are fighting for a cause they believe in. Everyone wants to be successful in one way or another, but you can’t get there by simply striving for perfection. You need to enjoy what you do!

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Author: Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was a famous American inventor, particularly known for his work in creating a functional light bulb. It took him a lot of time—and many failures—to get it right. 

This quote suggests that he refused to accept defeat, and rather thought of his “failures” as mistakes that would drive him forward toward progress. If you find 10,000 ways that won’t work, it must mean that you’re 10,000 tries closer to finding what will work. 

“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” 

Author: Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was the United States’ First Lady from 1933 to 1945, and is known for her social work during this time. 

This fascinating quote means that people who only gossip or talk about things that happened will never get as far in life as those who discuss ideas. In other words, to be successful, one must look at the bigger picture and not be distracted by things that don’t really matter.

“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” 

Author: Reba McEntire

In this witty quote from American celebrity Reba McEntire, the “wishbone” refers to hope, the “backbone” refers to strength and courage, and the “funny bone” refers to a sense of humor. As long as you have these three things, you can make it through any tough situation stronger than before.

“A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” 

Author: Unknown

Diamonds are formed by putting coal under lots of pressure. This quote plays with words to explain how the same thing can happen to people. Sometimes, “pressure” (a bad or stressful situation) can make you a better, more beautiful person (like the coal becomes a diamond). 

“The best is only bought at the cost of great pain.” 

Author: Colleen McCullough

This quote is from Colleen McCullough’s novel The Thorn Birds. This novel focuses on the many painful sacrifices that we must make in order to achieve the thing most important to us. Without making these sacrifices, one can never reach their ultimate goal.

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” 

Author: Leonardo da Vinci

The Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous historical figures today, and for good reason. He accomplished many things in a number of fields, particularly in science and the arts. 

This is a longer quote, but the message is simple: In order to achieve great things, you have to make them happen. It’s easy to let life happen to you and make excuses for why you can’t do things. But if you’re serious about achieving your life’s ambitions, you’ll do something about it. 

2. Quotes About Creativity and Inspiration

Do you consider yourself to be the creative type? Below is a list of quotes about creativity and inspiration to help you keep going on your latest creative project! 

→ Also, read through our vocabulary list of the Top 10 Inspirational Quotes in English!

“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” 

Author: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was a notable twentieth-century artist and poet, best known for founding the Cubism art form—so he certainly has the authority to speak on creativity! 

Children tend to be very creative and imaginative by nature, and are often drawn toward making things. However, many adults lose the creativity they once fostered as children. According to Picasso, it’s important to maintain that creativity, even as you age. 

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” 

Author: Thomas Edison

This quote means that inspiration isn’t nearly enough to bring a project to fruition; you need to act upon that inspiration, and work really hard to make it come alive. 

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” 

Author: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is well known for her involvement with the Underground Railroad in the United States, which was a secret organization working to free African-American slaves during the nineteenth century. 

This quote is meant to inspire anyone with a dream to work toward it. You can always use the tools you have available to you to make a positive change.

“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.”  

Author: Ray Bradbury

Bradbury explains that in order to successfully complete a creative endeavor, you need to do it. Thinking too much can hinder your creative process, and keep you from putting your ideas to work.

“Some men see things as they are and say why—I dream things that never were and say why not.” 

Author: George Bernard Shaw

Creativity isn’t bound by what we see or what we know already; creativity can stretch much farther than that. To create something worthwhile, it’s important that you don’t keep yourself tied to the world you know. Explore new ideas and bring them to life! 

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” 

Author: Albert Einstein

According to Einstein, creativity happens when you use your knowledge in a way that’s entertaining for you! 

3. Life Quotes in English

What is life? Why do we exist? How can we make our lives the best we can? 

No one knows for sure, but the English quotes about life below offer insight from a few notable people (and characters).

“Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re going to get.” 

Author: Forrest Gump

This may be one of the most iconic American quotes ever, and it originates from the movie Forrest Gump. To provide context, we see the main character (Forrest Gump) trying to sell boxes of chocolate in a park, and he sits beside someone on a bench to tell them his life story. He opens with this line. 

In a box of chocolates, there are usually a variety of different chocolate pieces and you don’t know what kind you’ll have until you take a bite. Life is the same way; you don’t know what your life will hold until you experience it, piece by piece.

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” 

Author: Stephen King

This quote means that you can either start living your life to the fullest, or you can simply exist until the day you die. 

“Life is trying things to see if they work.”

Author: Ray Bradbury

As you live your life, you experience many things and make constant decisions. Sometimes these decisions work out well for us; other times, they make things worse or have no effect at all. Life is comprised of these decisions and experiences. 

“I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” 

Author: Nathan Hale

This is another iconic quote, said by American soldier Nathan Hale during the time of the American Revolutionary War. When he said this, he meant that he loved his country so much that he would die for it again if he could. 

“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” 

Author: Dolly Parton

We all find ourselves dissatisfied with our lives at some point. When this happens, it’s important to remember that we’re not stuck on that “road”; we can always do things to start making our lives better. 

“What comes easy won’t last long, and what lasts long won’t come easy.” 

Author: Unknown

In life, the best things are those that we earn through lots of hard work. When we try to get these good things without hard work, they’re not going to be worthwhile.

“Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” 

Author: Unknown

This is a great quote to remember, especially on the toughest days. It’s important to remember that even when everything is falling apart, there’s at least one good thing that you can still appreciate. 

“Every day above ground is a good day.”

Author: Unknown

Similar to the quote above, this one means that you should appreciate something about every day. As long as you’re “above ground” (alive), your day can’t really be that bad, can it?

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” 

Author: Mark Twain

When you’re born, you’re brought into existence; when you discover what you’re meant to do with that existence, it gives your life meaning and purpose.

4. Quotes About Time

Now, let’s look at some of the best English quotes about time, one of life’s greatest mysteries.

“Time and tide wait for no man.”

Author: Geoffrey Chauncer

Here, “tide” refers to the ocean’s waves, and how they shift according to the moon’s pull. This quote is basically saying that time and nature’s cycles will go on, whether you’re ready for it or not. So use your time wisely!

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” 

Author: C.S. Lewis

If you’ve ever done something you regretted, or wish that a certain part of your life had been different, you know how it feels to wish that you could go back in time to change things. This quote is saying that while going back is impossible, you can do things today that will make your future better.

“For age is opportunity no less / Than youth itself, though in another dress / And as the evening twilight fades away / The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.” 

Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This is from one of my favorite poems, by renowned nineteenth-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 

Sometimes, it can feel like time is slipping away, and we’re afraid that as we get older, we’ll lose opportunities. But at the same time, age and the passing of time can bring new opportunities that we didn’t have before. 

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

Author: Steve Jobs

It’s easy to live your life based on other people’s opinions, or to compare yourself to other people. But by doing this, you’re robbing yourself of the ability to live your own life, how you want to.

“Forever is composed of nows.” 

Author: Emily Dickinson

We only have this moment to live in. “Forever” is made up of every moment a person has experienced. In other words, every moment you have is infinitely important and valuable; enjoy each moment, and make the most of your time.

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

Author: William Penn

How many times have you said “I need more time,” or “There’s not enough time”? After all, time and tide wait for no man…

We all wish that we had more time, but we also tend to use the time we do have poorly. This quote is basically saying that instead of wishing for more time, we should make better use of what time we have.

“There’s only one thing more precious than our time, and that’s who we spend it on.” 

Author: Leo Christopher

We spend time with the people who are important to us, and we even spend time doing things for them. If we’re willing to spend time on them, they must be very precious to us.

5. Love Quotes in English

Are you a hopeless romantic? In a serious relationship with the love of your life? Just reading this section because it’s here? Let’s have a look at some popular love quotes in English! 

→ Of course, you can also read our vocabulary lists for the top English Quotes About Love and Break-Up Quotes.

“The best feeling is when you look at him and he is already staring.”

Author: Unknown

Have you ever had this experience? It’s nice to know that the person you love thinks about you as often as you think about them. 

“Thank you for always being my rainbow after the storm.”

Author: Unknown

This is something sweet you can say to your significant other (or even a best friend). Just like a rainbow after a storm, the person we love is something beautiful we can look forward to after a bad time. 

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” 

Author: William Shakespeare

It’s tempting to think of love as a smooth, straight path where everything is perfect. But this is never the case. 

Every serious relationship is going to have bumps along the way, and every couple will eventually run into problems. But this is the test of true love.

“Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.” 

Author: William Congreve

You may be wondering how this is a love quote… Well, this is something that some women say jokingly, perhaps even to their significant other. It’s basically saying: If you make a woman angry, you’d better watch out! Sometimes you hear this quote used in other contexts too, like politics, to underscore a woman’s ferocity or toughness. 

“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”

Author: Robert Frost

Have you ever been completely in love with someone, and wish they would return your feelings? According to poet Robert Frost, this is a sign that you really love someone. 

“Years of love have been forgot in the hatred of a minute.” 

Author: Edgar Allen Poe

To end this section on English love quotes, here’s a more depressing aspect of love we often overlook. I think this quote actually has two meanings. 

On the one hand, we should be careful of how we treat the person we love. Hurting someone badly enough, even if you’ve loved each other for years, can be enough to make them leave. 

On the other hand, we should also be careful about how we respond when someone we love hurts us. It’s easy to become angry, even to the point of hate, so we should be careful not to let that anger disrupt all the love there was before.

6. Quotes About Family

We may not always get along with our families, but family is still an essential aspect of life. Here are some popular English sayings and quotes about family! 

→ If you want even more quotes, read our vocabulary list for the Top 10 Quotes About Family. You can also learn how to talk about your family in English!

“Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” 

Author: David Ogden Stiers

If you’ve ever seen the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch, you’re probably familiar with this one. It basically means that you should never abandon your family, because each family member is precious.

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” 

Author: Michael J. Fox

Nothing should ever be as important to you as your family; without your family, you have nothing.

“You can’t choose your family.”

Author: Unknown

This is a very common quote in the United States. People usually say it to express that we don’t always get along with our family members, but there’s nothing we can do to change who our family is. We’re stuck with them, so we should make the most of our familial relationships. 

“Family is like a batch of brownies; you always have a few nuts.”

Author: Unknown

Brownies are a favorite chocolate dessert for many Americans, and some people make them with nuts baked inside. “Nut” is also a word we use to describe a person who’s a little crazy or not quite right in the head. People jokingly (and lovingly) use this quote to describe the fact that every family has a few people who are kind of crazy. 

“Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.” 

Author: Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Let’s admit it: We all tend to act differently at home with our family than we do anywhere else. And it’s not always a good thing. 

This quote means that the love of family is so strong that your family will put up with you when you’re at your worst. 

7. Quotes About Friendship

If you’re lucky enough to have a best friend or a close circle of friends, you’ll love these friendship quotes in English! 

→ And here’s our vocabulary list on the Top 10 English Quotes About Friendship.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”

Author: Walter Winchell

True friends are special. Like family, a good friend will stay with you during your worst times, when everyone else would simply leave. 

“Friends are born, not made.” 

Author: Henry Adams

A lot of people use the phrase “making friends” when they talk about becoming friendly and developing relationships with people. But a friendship isn’t something that’s made; it’s something that needs time to grow before being “born.” In a sense, friendship is a precious living thing, not an object.

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” 

Author: Michael Corleone (The Godfather character)

Why should you keep your enemies closer than your friends? Because this way, you can keep an eye on them, gain their trust, and get the upper hand! 

“There’s not a word yet for old friends who’ve just met.” 

Author: Jim Henson

Have you ever met someone, and instantly felt a friendship connection? Or have you ever sat down to talk with your best friend of many years, and reflected back on your first meeting? I think that’s what Jim Henson was talking about here. 

“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” 

Author: Ed Cunningham

In the United States, it’s very common to ask how someone is, and not really listen to their answer (if you give them time to answer, at all!). 

You know that someone really cares about you when they wait to hear what you have to say. 

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” 

Author: Elisabeth Foley

Even when you’re far away from your closest friends, a true friendship allows you to stay in each other’s lives no matter what comes.

“Some souls just understand each other upon meeting.” 

Author: N.R. Hart

If you’ve ever known right away that someone was going to be a good friend, you’ve probably experienced this feeling—like two puzzle pieces clicking together. 

8. Quotes About Food

Our list of English quotes wouldn’t be complete without some words of appreciation for good food. This section is for the foodies, the cooks, and anyone who appreciates a good meal. 

“People who love to eat are always the best people.” 

Author: Julia Child

I think this quote from the famous cooking teacher Julia Child says it all. 

“Let food be thy (your) medicine and medicine be thy (your) food.” 

Author: Hippocrates

This quote from Hippocrates (the Greek “Father of Medicine”) means that the food you eat should be good for you, like medicine is when you’re sick. In a sense, food and medicine are similar to each other in nature. A  good diet can keep you healthy and even make you feel better.

“I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.” 

Author: W.C. Fields

If you’re looking for funny quotes in English that are also relatable, here you go. Usually when someone “cooks with wine,” it means that they use it as an ingredient when cooking. Here, Fields plays with words to explain that “cooking with wine” means he drinks it while cooking. 

“Eating is so intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life.” 

Author: Maya Angelou

This quote from Maya Angelou expresses the opinion that eating with someone is a major occasion. Cooking for another person, in particular, is a sign of friendship and care. 

“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” 

Author: Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

This quote basically means that what a person eats can say a lot about them. A more popular variation of this quote is the expression: “You are what you eat.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

To end this section, a quote from famous fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien. 

There are things much more important in life than gold (wealth), and recognizing those things will make you and the people around you happier. In this case, Tolkien uses food, cheer, and song as examples. 

9. Quotes About Language Learning

These quotes are perfect for any language-learner who needs a bit of motivation. No matter where you are in your language-learning journey, these words are sure to make you feel refreshed and ready to keep going.

→ Check out our list of the Top 10 Quotes About Language Learning for more!

“Language is wine upon the lips.” 

Author: Virginia Woolf

This quote refers to the beauty of language, and how sweet it can be when used well. 

“Any time you think some other language is strange, remember that yours is just as strange, you’re just used to it.” 

Author: Unknown

Starting to learn a new language is very daunting, and in many cases, we’re not used to how that language works. It’s tempting to believe that a new language is impossible to learn, and give up. But by remembering that your language is weird too, you’ll be more motivated to continue learning that new language.

“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” 

Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Our native tongue is something that comes natural to us, and oftentimes, it’s something that we’re forced to learn as we grow up. It’s not until you learn another language that you start to understand language itself. 

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.”

Author: Benjamin Lee Whorf

You may be familiar with the concept that language can influence the way someone thinks about the world. But it can go even farther than this; language can also limit what you’re able to think about, and by learning a new language, you can broaden your horizons! 

“If any language scratches your mind, that language is going to disappear as soon as you reach the threshold of the school door. But if that language scars your mind, it will last forever.”

Author: Safir Kassim Boudjelal

This quote means that in order to really master a language, you can’t just stop after the basics. You need to go all-in, and make sure that what you’re learning leaves a scar in your mind! 

10. Final Thoughts

In this article, you read several English quotes on life and love, learning and food. We hope that these quotes inspired you, resonated with you, made you laugh, and gave you even more reasons to keep learning English! 

What were your favorite quotes from this article, and why? What are some popular quotes in your language? We look forward to hearing what you have to say! 

Finally, if you want to make sure that you get an English “scar” in your mind and expand your world, check out EnglishClass101.com and everything we have to offer! Free resources and vocabulary lists are waiting for you, and by creating your free lifetime account today, you’ll get access to tons of fun and effective lessons. 

We look forward to having you. 😉

If you plan on doing business in the United States, it’s crucial that you learn the most common English business phrases and what they really mean. This information will make it possible for you to succeed in any field and form closer bonds with your coworkers! 

In this article, we’ll be discussing phrases you can use in a variety of work- and business-related situations. This includes, but isn’t limited to: 

• Job Interviews
• Business Meetings
• Business Phone Etiquette & Phrases

→ If you don’t have time to read through this article right now, we recommend that you check out our short vocabulary lists on Phrases for Doing Business Successfully and Words for the Workplace.

Table of Contents

1. Before We Begin…
2. Business Communication Phrases You Need
3. Final Thoughts

1. Before We Begin…

Before looking at our list of business English phrases, there are a couple of things you should be aware of.

A- A Note on Niceties

In the United States, one of the most important aspects of business communication is niceties. In this case, a nicety is basically a way of sounding polite when you speak with others in your office or workplace. For example, saying things like “Excuse me,” “Please,” and “Thank you,” are extremely important in day-to-day interactions. Watch for these types of words as you read through this article. 

In addition, you’ll find it helpful to note the differences between informal and formal speech for the workplace, though we won’t go too much into this. Oftentimes, when you speak to a boss, client, or coworker, it’s good to use longer phrases that contain “polite” words in them. For example:

Informal speech might look like this: “Can we talk later?”
Formal speech for the same sentence might look like this: “I would like to discuss ___ with you later, if you’re available.”

Note the additional words in the formal version, and how they create a sense of respect for the other person and their time. This is what you should aim for in most of your workplace interactions.

B- Idiomatic Business Phrases and What They Really Mean

There are many English business phrases you may hear in the office or during a meeting, and have no idea what they mean! Here are some of the most common business- and work-related idioms and what they mean. 

• Win-win situation. A win-win situation refers to a situation where both sides “win,” meaning that they each benefit from a decision. This term is often used in negotiations.

• Win-lose situation. In a win-lose situation, one side benefits from a decision, while the other side does not (or even loses something). This term is often used in negotiations.

• Running out of steam. When a person is “running out of steam,” it usually means that they’re tired or low on energy/creativity. When a thing or project is “running out of steam,” it usually means that it’s slowing down or not doing as well as it once was.

• Deadline. A deadline refers to a due date, or the last possible date at which something needs to be accomplished.

• Take a breather. When someone “takes a breather,” it means that they’re taking a break from something or taking time off from work or a project. 

• Off the ground. When you get something “off the ground,” it means that you’ve made it good enough that it can continue to do well in the future. For example, if you get a business “off the ground,” it means that you’ve helped that business do well for the long-term.

• Red tape. This refers to a hindrance, something that makes it difficult to complete a task or achieve a goal. 

• Get the ball rolling. When you “get the ball rolling” on a new project, etc., it means that you’ve started or initiated with the goal that it will quickly gain momentum (like how a ball continues to roll for a while after you’ve set it into motion). 

• Go the extra mile. To “go the extra mile” means to do more than what’s expected of you. There’s a story in the Bible of Jesus having told his disciples: “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” This is thought to be where the term originated from. You can read more about this idiom’s origins on Grammarist. 

• Cut corners. When you “cut corners,” you do things as simply and easily as you can, even at the expense of quality. This is usually considered a negative thing.

• Pitch in. When you “pitch in,” it means that you do your fair share of work in a team project. 

• Start from scratch. When you start something “from scratch,” it means that you start it from the very beginning. This can refer to starting a brand-new project, or undoing everything you’ve done on a project and starting over.

• Green light / Red light (something). When something is “green lighted,” this means that the thing has been given permission to start or continue. When something is “red lighted” it means the exact opposite. You may hear phrases like “It was given the green light,” when talking about permission.

• Behind / Ahead of / According to schedule. The phrase “behind schedule” means that something isn’t going to get done on time, usually by a set deadline. The phrase “ahead of schedule” means that you’ve actually gotten more done than you needed to. When something goes “according to schedule,” it means that the project or assignment will be done exactly on time.

• Put into action. When you put something “into action,” it means that you’re executing based on an idea, concept, or plan; taking the first steps. You may hear phrases like “It’s time to put our plan into action,” or “You need to put your training into action.” 

• Tasked with. When you’re “tasked with” something, it means that you’ve been assigned with a responsibility. For example, if you’re “tasked with” writing a report, you’re expected to get that report done.

• Outsource a task. When you “outsource a task,” it means that you’re giving a task to someone else,  usually someone who’s not a part of your company. For example, your company may “outsource” its advertising to a more prominent advertising company to save time or money.

• Wrap up / Sign off. These two phrases are both used usually at the end of a meeting. When you “wrap (something) up,” it means that you’re in the process of ending it. When you “sign off” in the workplace, it can mean that you’re leaving a discussion or leaving work for the day, depending on the context.

• 24/7. When something happens “24/7,” it means that it happens all the time (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week).

• Bottom line. This one can actually have two different meanings, depending on the context. Usually, the phrase “bottom line” is used during negotiations, and it refers to the least amount of something (money or another benefit) that a negotiator is willing to settle for. In other contexts, it can be a way of saying “in summary” or of showing that what the person is about to say is the most important aspect of their speech.

• Brainstorm. When you “brainstorm,” it means that you’re thinking of as many possibilities or ideas as possible in a short amount of time. You can imagine yourself working your brain so hard it’s almost like a storm is going on up there. 

• Network. In this case, “network” can have two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a group of different companies or organizations that work together toward a common goal. As a verb, it refers to the act of meeting new people in your field of work in order to advance by knowing people. 

Now you should be familiar with the most common business English expressions! To learn a few more idioms, study our vocabulary list on the Essential English Idioms That Will Make You Sounds Like a Native Speaker! 

2. Business Communication Phrases You Need 

A- Nailing a Job Interview

Before you can use the rest of the phrases in this article, you need to have a job! Here are some common business phrases in English that you can use during your job interview.

Greetings

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is ___.”

“I’m here to interview for the ___ position.”

Interview Questions	Interview Answers
“What can you bring to the table?” (How can you benefit the company?) “What is your greatest strength/weakness?”	“I’m a skilled ___.” “I’ve been (doing) ___ for ___.” “I earned my diploma in ___.” “I worked for ___ from ___ to ___, doing ___.” “My greatest accomplishment was ___.” “My greatest strength/weakness is ___.”

Asking Your Interviewer to Repeat a Question

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I’m sorry, can you please repeat your question?”

Thanking Your Interviewer

“Thank you for your time and consideration.”

“Thank you for your time, it was nice meeting you.”

Here’s an example conversation using some of these phrases:

Greeting: Mr. Thomas: “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Mr. Thomas.” Kara: “It’s nice to meet you too. My name is Kara Smith.“ Interview: Mr. Thomas: “What can you bring to the table?” Kara: “I’m a skilled technician. I worked at Google from 2012 to 2016, doing tech work. “Mr. Thomas: “I see. What is your greatest weakness?” Kara: “I’m sorry, can you please repeat the question?” Mr. Thomas: “Of course. What is your greatest weakness? Kara: “My greatest weakness is that I sometimes give up too easily.” Thanking Your Interviewer: Mr. Thomas: “Thank you for coming down to complete the interview. I’ll call you soon to let you know what we decide.” Kara: “Thank you for your time and consideration. It was nice meeting you.”

→ Learn some more words related to workplace skills. They’ll be very useful for your job interview!

B- Interacting with Your Coworkers

In the workplace, you’ll most likely need to interact with your coworkers on a daily basis. In this section, we’ll cover some common English business phrases for different situations.

Introductions

“I would like to introduce myself.”

You can say this to begin introducing yourself to your new coworkers.

“I’m ___ [first and last], and I’ll be working with you.”	Next, you can say this. In the blank, you simply put your first and last name.
“I’m Mary Reynolds, and I’ll be working with you.”

“I would like to introduce ___.”	You can say this when you’re introducing your coworkers to another person. For example, a new coworker who you’re training for the job. In the blank, just put their first and last name.
“I would like to introduce Kyle Thomas.”

“This is ___, and he/she will be working on this project now.”	In the blank, simply put the name of the new coworker you’re introducing.
“This is Charlotte Reyes, and she will be working on this project now.”

→ We have an entire article about How to Introduce Yourself as well as a vocabulary list of 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself. Take a look!

Asking for Help

“Excuse me, can you help me with something?”

The “excuse me” at the beginning is a polite way to get your coworker’s attention. Use this phrase to ask for help on a task.

“Hi Mr./Mrs. ___, I have a question about ___. Can you please help me?”	Usually, you use “Mr.” or “Mrs.” in front of a person’s last name if they are superior to you in the workplace, especially your boss or supervisor. Some workplaces are less formal, though, and you can use the person’s first name in this case.  In the first blank, put the person’s name or last name. In the second blank, say whatever it is you have a question about.
“Hi Mr. Washington, I have a question about the new computer software. Can you please help me?” OR “Hi Joseph, I have a question about this assignment. Can you please help me?”

“Hi ___, sorry to bother you. Can you please help me with ___?”	This is very similar to the phrase above, though the wording is a bit different. “Sorry to bother you,” is a polite phrase that shows respect for the other person’s time.  In the first blank, put the person’s name (or Mr./Mrs. with the last name). In the second blank, say whatever it is you need help with.
“Hi Elizabeth, sorry to bother you. Can you please help me with this phone call?”

Making Apologies

“I apologize for ___.”	“I apologize for,” is a formal and polite way of saying that you’re sorry for something. In this apology phrase, say the thing you’re sorry for in the blank. Additionally, you can add an explanation afterwards to let the person know why or how it happened.
“I apologize for not finishing this assignment on time.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience. It won’t happen again.”

When you “inconvenience” someone, it means that you did something that hindered progress or made life more difficult for the other person.  For example, if you forgot to mail out some important letters for your company, you could tell this to your boss when they ask you about it.  Saying that “it won’t happen again,” means that you’ll work harder in the future to do a better job.

“___. I’m so sorry.”	In this one, you simply state the thing that happened (or that you did), and then say that you’re sorry about it.
“I forgot the flash drive for the presentation. I’m so sorry.”

→ Learn more Common Ways to Say Sorry with EnglishClass101.com.

Giving Thanks

“Thank you for your help with ___.”	If a coworker has helped you with something, it’s important to thank them for it. In the blank, simply say whatever it is they helped you with.
“Thank you for your help with that presentation.”

“I appreciate your ___.”	In the United States, people love to hear that you appreciate them or something that they did. In this phrase, simply fill in the blank with what you appreciate your coworker for.
“I appreciate your patience while I learn the systems here.” OR “I appreciate your help earlier.”

“Thank you for doing thorough work. You’ve exceeded my expectations.”

This is something you might say to an employee who works under you or a new coworker. It lets them know that you recognize their hard work, and that you’re pleased with it.

→ Here are the most Common Ways to Say Thank You.

Making Complaints

You can really complain about anything, and there’s no specific format that’s used for complaints in the workplace. Here are a few examples of complaints you may hear from coworkers once you’ve gotten to know them more.

“I can’t believe we have to work overtime this week!” OR “I can’t believe I have to work on Christmas!”

Most employees don’t like being made to work overtime (or on weekends/holidays). Thus, many complaints you hear may have to do with this.  When someone says “I can’t believe ___,” when complaining, it usually means that they think it’s unrealistic or unfair.

“The meeting this morning was so boring.”

Business meetings are often considered boring, especially if nothing important was accomplished. This is a common complaint you’re likely to hear in the workplace.

“I just don’t have enough time to finish the project.”

Deadlines can be stressful for many people. Sometimes, employees or coworkers  may feel like they weren’t given enough time to finish something, so this is another complaint you’ll probably hear sometimes.

→ Learn how to complain like a native English-speaker with our Making Complaints vocabulary list.

Arranging Social Activities

In the United States, it’s not uncommon for coworkers to spend time with each other outside of work. Here are a few business English small talk phrases you can use if you want to build a relationship with a coworker (or coworkers) outside the workplace. 

“Are you doing anything after work today?”

This is an “opener” question. It’s something you ask a coworker before you suggest they do something with you. Usually, this would be asked near the end of the work day.

“What are your plans for this weekend?”

This is another opener question, used much the same way as the first one. However, this one indicates that you would like to do something over the weekend (not after work that day).

“I’m going to ___ this weekend. Would you like to join me?”	If your coworker doesn’t have any plans, you can ask them this question. In the blank, you can put an activity.
“I’m going to see a movie this weekend. Would you like to join me?”

“We’re going for drinks after work today. Do you want to come with us?”

A common after-work activity, especially on a Friday night, is to go get drinks (or food) somewhere as a group. You can use this phrase to ask someone if they would like to join the group that night.

C- Sounding Smart in a Meeting

Here’s a list of business English phrases for meetings to help you express your opinion, make a suggestion, or even give someone an assignment. 

Giving Opinions

Giving your opinion is a cornerstone of productive communication in meetings. 

“I think that ___.”	Saying “I think that ___,” is a polite way to begin stating your opinion on something.
“I think that we should follow through with the new budget proposal.”

“It seems to me ___.”	By saying “It seems to me ___,” you’re showing that you believe something to be true, but that you’re not assuming you’re correct. This is a polite way of stating your opinion without excluding the thoughts of others.
“It seems to me that we’re in agreement here.”

“This is only my opinion, but ___.”	This phrase is similar to the one above, but is a little bit more humble-sounding. The word “only” indicates that you don’t think too highly of your opinion, and that you respect the opinions of others as well.
“This is only my opinion, but I’m not comfortable with that idea.”

“Based on the information, I think ____.”	This is a good way to phrase your opinion in reference to what others have said already. It shows that you were paying attention to them, and that you’ve formed a conclusion with that info.
“Based on the information, I think we should increase production.”

→ For more information on this topic, sign in to your EnglishClass101.com account and listen to our lesson about Expressing Your Opinion in English!

Making Suggestions

If your supervisor or one of your coworkers wants to hear your suggestions on something, you can use one of these phrases. Don’t be afraid to speak up! 

“It might be a good idea to ___.”	Here, the phrase “it might be” makes your suggestion sound more humble.  The phrase “a good idea” refers to a course of action that you think would be beneficial.
“It might be a good idea to decrease the quota for next month.”

“I recommend that we ___.”	This phrase can be used the same way as the one above. However, this phrase also shows a greater degree of certainty and confidence.
“I recommend that we make the workspace more open.”

“Maybe we should ___.”	This is a good phrase to use if you want to introduce a new idea and add to the conversation, but you’re not very confident in your suggestion. It gives your boss and coworkers an idea to think about, and add onto.
“Maybe we should discuss this next Monday.”

“The company may benefit from ___.”	If you’re discussing how to improve a certain aspect of your company, this is a useful phrase to start with.
“The company may benefit from closing one of our locations.”

Agreeing or Disagreeing

It’s completely normal to sometimes disagree with someone during a meeting. To express your agreement or concern, you can use these phrases.

“I concur with ___.”	“Concur” is a more formal word for “agree.” In most business settings, you can use either word.  In the blank, you can either the name of the person you agree with, or the idea that you agree with.
“I concur with Olivia.” OR “I concur with that idea.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

This is a simple phrase you can use to show support for a coworker’s idea or proposal.

“You have a good point, but ___.”	This is a polite way of slightly disagreeing with someone. It shows that you approve of most of what they said, but you think they missed something or gave bad information somewhere.
Coworker: “The company may benefit from closing one of our locations.” You: “You have a good point, but I think that’s a bit extreme under the circumstances.”

“You have a good point. I completely agree.”

If you completely agree with what someone said, you can voice your support with this phrase.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with you.”

If you really don’t agree with what someone said, you can use this phrase. Saying “I’m sorry, but,” at the beginning makes it sound a little more polite.

In a business meeting, it’s usually important to back up what you’re saying with more information, or to explain your reasoning. This is often done with the word “because.” Here’s an example:

“I think that’s a good idea, because it will help the team work more effectively.”

Making Negotiations

Negotiating can be a stressful procedure, but with these useful phrases, you can feel a lot more confident in your abilities! 

“If we can’t ___, then maybe we can ___ instead.”	This phrase is useful for suggesting a compromise or alternative.  In the first blank, put a certain course of action (that you can’t do). In the second blank, put a course of action that you can do instead.
“If we can’t increase the budget, then maybe we can lower costs instead.”

“If we ___, then they get ___ and we get ___.”	This phrase is useful for talking about what will happen if a certain course of action is taken.  In the first blank, put the course of action. In the second blank, put what the other party (such as another company) will get as a result. In the third blank, put what your company will get as a result.
“If we share our resources, then they get more manpower (employees) and we get more supplies.”

“It’s a win-win situation.”

As mentioned earlier, a win-win situation is where both parties can benefit from a decision. The last example we looked at is a great example of a win-win situation because both sides get something good.

“Can we talk about / explore alternatives?”

If the conversation doesn’t seem to be going your way, you can use this phrase. When you say this, it means that you want to talk with the other party about how you could do something differently, or make a better plan.

Giving Presentations

Have you been asked to present in front of your supervisor or clients? Here are a few useful business English phrases for presentations.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is ___, and I work for ___.”	When you’re giving a presentation, especially in front of people who don’t really know you, it’s standard to introduce yourself. This is a great phrase you can use to do so.
“Let me introduce myself. My name is Lily Godfrey, and I work for Super Great Company Name.”

“I would like to start by saying ___.”	Having a short intro line can help you ease into the rest of your presentation. This is one way you can do this.
“I would like to start by saying that I’m honored to be here.”

“The first point I would like to address is ___.”	When beginning your presentation, this is a handy phrase you can use.
“The first point I would like to address is the recent budget cuts.”

“Does anyone have a question or concern so far?”

After you’ve covered one or two points, you may want to ask your audience if they have questions or concerns. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

“Thank you for your time, I would like to conclude here.”

At the end of a presentation, it’s polite to thank your audience for their time, and to let them know you’re done speaking.

Reporting to Supervisors

Sometimes, supervisors expect for you to give them updates on your progress during a meeting.

“I would like to update you on ___.”
“I would like to update you on our progress with the new marketing campaign.”

“I wanted to let you know about ___.”
“I wanted to let you know about a new software problem we’re facing.”

Giving Assignments

If you’re in a position to do so, you can give tasks and assignments to other people in the meeting. 

“___, can you please ___?”	You can use this phrase to ask a specific person to accomplish a specific task. Note the use of the word “please,” here.  In the first blank, say the person’s name. In the second blank, simply say the task you want that person to complete.
“Susan, can you please start on those reports?”

“I’ll leave you in charge of ___.”	This phrase is similar to the one above, but it’s a bit more firm. When someone is “in charge of” something, it means that they are responsible for getting that thing done.
“I’ll leave you in charge of sending out the emails.”

“Can you please have this done by ___?”	Use this phrase to give someone a deadline for a task.
“Can you please have this done by next Friday?”

D- Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails

In many workplaces, answering the phone, taking messages, and responding to emails is a regular part of day-to-day work. Here are some useful business phone etiquette phrases and a few phrases for work-related emails.

Answering a Work Phone

“Hello, you’re speaking with ___. How may I help you?”	When you answer the phone, it’s common to say “hello,” followed by information about who they’re talking to. Then, ask why they’re calling or how you can help them.  Depending on where you work, there may be different rules for how to answer the phone. Some companies prefer that you give the caller your first name, while others prefer that you call yourself a representative of the company.
“Hello, you’re speaking with Robert. How may I help you?” OR “Hello, you’re speaking with a [company name] representative. How may I help you?”

“Hello, this is ___ from ___. May I ask your reason for calling today?”	Another common way to answer the phone is by saying your name and the company you work for.
“Hello, this is Tiffany from [company name]. May I ask your reason for calling today?”

→ For more inspiration, look at our vocabulary list of Useful Phrases for a Phone Call!

Taking Messages

“I’m sorry, ___ isn’t here. Can I take a message?”	If the person the caller wants to speak with isn’t available, you can use this phrase.  When you “take a message,” it means that you relay  what the caller says to the unavailable person.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Locke isn’t here. Can I take a message?”

“Thank you. ___ will contact you shortly.”	You can say this phrase after the caller has given you a message for the unavailable person (in this case, Mr. Locke).
“Thank you. Mr. Locke will contact you shortly.”

“Could you please repeat that / speak more slowly?”

It can be difficult to understand people over the phone. If you need the caller to repeat something, you can use this phrase.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that, could you please repeat?”

You can use this phrase exactly the same way as the one above.

Putting Someone on Hold

Depending on where you work, it may be common practice to put people on hold for short periods of time while you gather info for them. Here are some useful phrases:

“I’m sorry, but may I put you on hold for just a second?”

You can use this phrase before putting someone on hold. Make sure that the other person is okay with being put on hold, first, though (otherwise, you may seem rude).

“I’m going to put you on hold for a minute. I’ll get back to you quickly.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above, but is more of a statement than a question.

“Hello, I’m back. Are you still there?”

When you take the person off hold, you can use this phrase to make sure they didn’t hang up.

Ending Conversations

Depending on the type of phone call, there are a few different ways you can politely end the discussion.

“Thank you for your time. Have a nice afternoon.”

This is a fairly generic phrase that you can use to end most phone conversations.

“Thank you for reaching out. We will see you then.”

This one is used mainly after someone has made an appointment (such as a dentist appointment or an appointment to have their car repaired).

“Thank you for your call. We hope we answered your questions.”

You can end a call with this phrase if the caller asked you questions about something, and you were able to help them.”

Addressing / Greeting in Emails

As time goes on, emails are becoming more and more important in the workplace. Here are some examples of how you can address a business-related email:

“Mr./Mrs. ___,”	Using “Mr.” or “Mrs.” followed by the person’s last name is a formal and polite way of beginning a business email.
“Mr. Harrison,”

“___,”	In slightly less formal instances, you can simply use the person’s first name followed by a comma.
“Carol,”

“Hi ___,”	If you’re sending an email to a coworker you’re familiar with, or if your company has a more laid-back policy for emails, you can say “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.
“Hi Rene,”

“This email is for ___.”	If you’re sending a formal email, especially if it contains important or sensitive information, you can say “This email is for,” followed by the person’s first and last name. In some situations, you can also put a more generic term in the blank, like in the second example (if you’re sending a mass email).
“This email is for Loletta Roberts.” OR “This email is for the new IT crew members at [company name].”

Wrapping Up an Email

“Thank you for your time.”

If you sent a long email, it may be a good idea to thank the reader for their time.

“You can contact me (or ___) with any questions.”

It’s common to include a line like this one near the end of your email. It lets the reader know that they can contact you if something wasn’t clear. You can also opt to include your email address or phone number here.

“Best / Sincerely ___.”	At the very end of your email, you sign off. Two of the most common signing off words are “Best” and “Sincerely.” Put a comma after the word you choose, hit the enter key once, and then put your first and last name.
“Sincerely,Timothy Gourd“

→ Learn more about writing business emails with our lesson 10 Expressions for Business Emails.

E- Going on a Business Trip

Business trips can be great fun, but they also require a new set of vocabulary and phrases in some cases. Be prepared with the phrases below.

Booking a Hotel or Buying Tickets

“I have a reservation.”

When you arrive at your hotel, you can tell the person at the check-in desk that you have a reservation. (If the check-in person asks you if you have one, you can simply add “Yes” to the beginning of this phrase.)

“I would like a room.”

If you haven’t made a reservation, you can tell the hotel staff that you would like a room.

“A return ticket to ___, please.”	If you need to buy a ticket for travel, it’s best to ask for a “return ticket.” This means that your ticket will allow you to go to your destination and return. In the blank, just say the place you want to go.
“A return ticket to Chicago, please.”

→ To prepare for your hotel stay, study our vocabulary list At a Hotel.

Sharing Itinerary with Coworkers

An “itinerary,” is basically an outline or summary of what to expect during your trip. The actual content can vary, but it will usually contain information about the business side itself, as well as non-work activities the group may participate in.

“Have you all checked your itinerary?”

You can use this phrase to ask if the group has checked their itinerary. An “itinerary” is basically a schedule or overall plan of what will be achieved during the business trip (usually printed out).

“On ___, we’re going to ___.”	You can use this phrase to discuss certain details about the itinerary.
“On Tuesday, we’re going to meet with our new clients.”

“We all need to be back here by ___.”	This is a useful phrase if you’re on a tight schedule. It lets the other group members know what time you need to be back together (usually referring to the hotel or another important place).
“We all need to be back here by nine-thirty.”

“Tonight, we’ll eat at ___.”	If your business trip is very schedule-oriented, your group may end up eating at specific places for the duration of the trip. This is a phrase you can use to talk about meal plans.
“Tonight, we’ll eat at the Chinese restaurant across the street.”

Meeting Partners or Clients

“It’s good to finally meet with you.”

It’s considered polite and respectful to let the other person (or people) know that you’re glad to be meeting them.

“I’m so glad you could make it here safely.”

Using this phrase shows that you care about the other person’s safety, and is a sign of respect.

“I hope you had pleasant / safe travels.”

This phrase is similar to the one above, but is generally used only if you know the other person traveled a long distance or in hazardous conditions.

Checking In or Out of Hotel

“I’m almost ready to check out.”

If it’s your final day at the hotel, you can let the person at the desk know that you’re almost ready to check out. This isn’t mandatory, but is considered polite.

“I’m ready to check out now.”

Once you’re packed and ready to leave, you can say this to the person at the desk to let them know.

“Thank you for the room. Here is my key.”

When checking out of a hotel, it’s a good idea to let the person know that your room was nice and you enjoyed your stay.

Thanking Partners or Clients

“Thank you for meeting with me/us.”

It’s polite to let your partners or clients know that you appreciate their effort to meet with you.

“Thank you for your time.”

Further, you can use this phrase to let them know you value their time, and appreciate that they spent it with you and your team.

“It was a pleasure meeting with you.”

This is a good parting phrase, and it shows that you enjoyed meeting and talking with them.

3. Final Thoughts

We covered a lot of material in this article, but trust us when we say your career in the United States will be better for it. Once you cut through the red tape of language barriers, you’ll be glad you went the extra mile in your English studies. 

→ To learn more about how to work in the United States, you can read our article on How to Find a Job in the USA!

If you’re running out of steam and need some inspiration, EnglishClass101.com has you covered:

• Top 10 Inspirational Quotes
• How Do You Motivate Yourself When Learning a Language?
• Why Your Worst Days are the Best Days to Study English

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about English business phrases now. Are you ready to put them into action? Are there any phrases or situations we missed? We look forward to hearing from you, and will do our best to help you out. 

Happy English learning!

Huge, cheering (and jeering) crowds. Coffee tables and countertops laden with dozens of deliciously fatty, greasy foods. Several cases of beer located in key positions throughout the household. People dressed in football jerseys and wearing paint on their faces…

Can you believe that all of this is for a single sports game? And it happens every year. 

In this article, you’ll learn about Super Bowl Sunday in the United States, from its origin to modern-day traditions. Enjoy!

1. What is the Super Bowl?

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most-awaited days of the year for fans of American football. On this day, the football season culminates in the championship playoffs, when the two best teams from the NFL’s two conferences compete. Hardcore fans are willing to pay big for tickets to see the game in-person at the stadium, and each moment of the game is televised for the general U.S. population to watch. The Super Bowl is the most-viewed televised event in the country, and it also airs in many other countries. 

One thing that keeps the game so popular among fans and the general population alike is its unique elimination system. Leading up to the Super Bowl, there are fourteen teams who compete for their chance to take part in the Big Game. Rather than playing a double-elimination series of games, a team drops out after losing one game—this makes the Super Bowl and the games leading up to it very high-stakes and far more exciting to watch. 

In order to understand the significance of the Super Bowl in the United States, we need to go back a few decades…

Super Bowl History

In 1920, the most famous football league in the country was formed: the National Football League (NFL). For many years, it enjoyed quite a bit of fame and fortune as the only major football league in the U.S. But in 1960, the NFL had to face a new challenger: the American Football League (AFL), which grew to be so popular that the two leagues ended up battling for viewers. 

The following year, the AFL invited the NFL to play in a World Playoff game where the winning team from each league would play each other. The idea was initially declined, but came to fruition a few years later in 1967 to reflect a merger of the two leagues (today called the NFL, which is composed of two conferences). 

From that point on, the Super Bowl continued to grow in popularity. Today, it’s one of the most widely celebrated events each year. 

→ Of course, not everyone is crazy about football. See our vocabulary lists on Olympic Sports and the Top 10 Summer Sports, and let us know which sports are your favorite!

2. When is the Super Bowl Each Year?

Every year, Super Bowl Sunday takes place on the first Sunday in February. Here’s a quick list of this event’s date for the next ten years.

• 2021: February 7
• 2022: February 6
• 2023: February 5
• 2024: February 4
• 2025: February 2
• 2026: February 1 
• 2027: February 7
• 2028: February 6
• 2029: February 4
• 2030: February 3 

3. Super Bowl Sunday Traditions

Super Bowl Sunday has become a massive tradition in the United States! 

Super Bowl festivities involve gathering with family, friends, and sometimes other members of the community to watch the championship game. People may invite family and friends into their home to watch the game, though bars, restaurants, community centers, and even churches tend to be packed and loud on this day! 

There are many types of people you’ll find at a Super Bowl party. No matter where you are, the true football fans will be clustered around the television (or televisions), cheering for their favorite team—and probably yelling insults at the other team when they score. In more laid-back settings, you might find people sitting around a table playing card games or talking, and still others constantly going to and from the kitchen to load their plates with more food. And, of course, you’ll find a few people who are just there for the free beer. Depending on the size of the get-together, there may be other activities going on in the background: horseshoe tournaments, chili cookoffs, foosball matches, cornhole games, and the list goes on. 

A fun aspect of watching the game is the Super Bowl halftime show. During the halftime show, famous singers or bands do a major live performance in front of the live audience. This is a way of getting more people to watch the game, and it makes the experience more exciting. In 2020, the two main performers were Shakira and Jennifer Lopez; in 2021, The Weeknd will be performing. 

Finally, many people tune in to watch the game just to see the famous Super Bowl commercials. Because so many people are watching the game on this day, many companies spend lots of money making their best commercials of the year to show during the game. These commercials are known for their overall high quality and for being unique, funny, or emotional. 

4. Typical Super Bowl Snacks

Do you know what Thanksgiving and Super Bowl Sunday have in common? People eat tons of food on both of these days! In fact, Thanksgiving is the only day on which people eat more than they do on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Some of the most common foods include buffalo wings, pizza, hot dogs, nachos, chips & dip, charcuterie-style foods (cold meats and cheeses), chili, casseroles, sandwiches, burgers, all kinds of snack foods, and a variety of sweets such as cookies and brownies. 

People are also known to drink a lot of alcohol on this day, with beer being the most popular beverage.

→ Let’s be honest; most Super Bowl foods aren’t very good for you. How many of the foods above can you find on our list of the Top 10 Foods That Will Kill You Faster?

→ While you’re at it, you can also learn the names of other popular U.S. Drinks.

5. Vocabulary You Should Know for the Big Game

There is a lot of terminology related to the game of American football. Here’s a quick list of words and phrases you should know before watching. 

• Stadium [n]
  • This is an enclosed outdoor area with green turf (or grass) where the game is played. 

• Football [n]
  • This refers to American football, which differs from ‘football’ in other countries (which we call ‘soccer’).

• Touchdown [n]
  • A touchdown is when a player from one of the teams gets the football to the end zone on the other team’s side of the field. 

• Defense [n]
  • A team playing defense tries to keep the other team from scoring.

• Championship [n]
  • A championship game is a game played between two winning teams to decide who the ultimate winner is that year.

• Offense [n]
  • A team playing offense tries to get past the other team’s defense in order to score. 

• Line of scrimmage [n]
  • This is the place on the field where the football gets hiked at the beginning of each play.

• Score [n]
  • The score is how many points each team has.

• Kickoff return [p]
  • A kickoff return is when a certain member of the defensive team catches the ball kicked by the offensive team and runs it toward the end zone. 

• Interception [n]
  • An interception is when a member of the offensive team throws the football toward a teammate, and a member of the opposite team catches it. 

• Super Bowl halftime show [p]
  • The Super Bowl halftime show is when a very famous singer or band performs at the game’s halfway point. 

• Recover a fumble [p]
  • To recover a fumble means to regain control of the football after it has been lost by a member of either team. 

• Tackle [n]
  • A tackle refers to a move in football where a member of one team physically hinders the member on the other team who has control of the ball. 

• Playoffs [n]
  • For the NFL playoffs, each of the two conferences has its best seven teams compete in a single-elimination format. The two best teams then compete in the Super Bowl. 

• Special teams [n]
  • Special teams are players on each team who are neither offensive nor defensive, and who are only on the field for kicking plays. There are kicking teams, punting teams, and long-snappers.

• Quarterback [n]
  • The quarterback is the leading player of the offensive team, responsible for the majority of forward passes and for calling the play.

• Receiver [n]
  • The receiver (also called the wide receiver) is the player on the team who is typically responsible for catching passes or blocking. 

• Linebacker [n]
  • Linebackers are defensive players positioned behind the line of scrimmage and behind the defensive linemen. 

• Running back [n]
  • The running back is an offensive position most often responsible for receiving handoffs, as well as for blocking and acting as a receiver. 

• Field goal [n]
  • A field goal is when the football is kicked by the player in possession of it and goes through the goal. 

• Forward pass [n]
  • A forward pass refers to when one player passes the ball to another player on their team who is closer to the goal. 

• Pass interference [n]
  • A pass interference is a foul move that involves a player of one team physically interfering with a pass made by a member of the other team. 

• Rush [n]
  • In offense, a rush is when the player with the football runs toward the goal without making a pass. In defense, a rush is when a player on the defensive team runs to stop the rushing offensive player. 

• Get Ready for the Super Bowl! [s]
  • This is a generic phrase used to make people more excited for the upcoming Super Bowl game, usually on game day. 

Don’t worry if some of these terms are confusing to you. There are many people in the U.S. who aren’t familiar with them either! You can hear the pronunciation of each word and phrase on our Get Ready for the Super Bowl! word list. 

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed our article on Super Bowl Sunday in the United States and that you gained some new insight into American culture. Do you watch the Super Bowl game in your country? Or maybe you prefer a different league or sport? We would love to hear from you in the comments! 

If you’re interested in learning even more about American culture and holidays, we highly recommend the following pages on EnglishClass101.com: 

• How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the United States
• How to Celebrate Star Wars Day: May the Fourth Be With You
• The Fourth of July: Independence Day in the United States
• Learn English with the Best Netflix Series & Movies!
• How to Read Body Language in the United States

In addition to culture- and lifestyle-based materials, we provide detailed English lessons that are designed to be both fun and effective. Fine-tune your English reading, writing, and speaking skills with our numerous pathways and vocabulary lists, and check back frequently for new blog posts on key English topics. You’ll be speaking native-level English before you know it.

Happy learning from the EnglishClass101.com team!

It’s important to learn how to say goodbye in English because this is a crucial conversational skill to have as a new learner. In any language, saying goodbye at the end of a conversation or when leaving a group is polite. It lets the other party know that you respect them, and it makes your leave less abrupt.

In this article, we’ll go over a number of ways to say goodbye in English. We cover the most common words and phrases for a variety of situations, so you’ll never have to leave awkwardly again! 

→ Before you continue, we recommend that you read our articles on How to Say Hello in English and How to Confidently Introduce Yourself.

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English
2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation
3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture
4. Final Thoughts

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English

In the United States, there are two goodbye words you’re going to hear often. These are:

“Goodbye“	This one is more formal, but it’s still casual enough to use with friends and family.
“Bye“	This means the exact same thing as “goodbye,” but is shorter and a little bit less formal.

If you only learn a couple ways to say goodbye in English today, it should be these. 

2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation

Now, let’s move on to more specific English phrases for goodbye. In the following sections, I’ll give you words and phrases to say goodbye based on the situation or context. I’ll also provide examples for each one, so you can see how to use them.

A- Formal

Here are some formal ways to say goodbye in English. These are fairly versatile, and you can use them in most situations that call for formal language.

“Thank you for your time.”

You can use this phrase in formal situations, after someone has offered you their time or helped you with something. This is also common after meetings or appointments. Keep in mind that you can use this phrase in both spoken and written communication. 

Example:

You: “Excuse me, how can I set up a bank account here?” Bank Clerk: “I can help you with that over here.” [After your account is set up…] You: “Thank you for your time.”

→ Here’s some Useful Vocabulary You Need at the Bank! 

“I enjoyed our talk.”

This is something someone would say after talking with a client, patient, or anyone else in a more formal environment. 

Example:

A therapist is finishing a session with a patient. Therapist: “I enjoyed our talk. See you again this time next week.” Patient: “Thank you. See you then.”

“It was a pleasure speaking with you.”

This is something a client may tell a customer, especially in more formal or regulated environments, such as a bank or other financial institution. 

Example:

A financial adviser has just finished talking with a client. Financial Adviser: “It was a pleasure speaking with you.” Client: “Thank you, you too. See you next month.”

“I look forward to our next meeting.”

People often use this phrase when they plan on seeing the other person (or people) again in a formal environment. 

Example:

A man has just had a consultation with an interior decorator to do some work on his house. Man: “I like your qualifications. Can you start next week?” Decorator: “Of course, thank you. I look forward to our next meeting.”

“Thank you for scheduling your appointment. We’ll see you then.”

This is a common way of saying goodbye in formal situations, especially when a customer or client is leaving.

Example:

You have just scheduled a dentist appointment. Desk Clerk: “Thank you for scheduling your appointment. We’ll see you then.” You: “Thank you. See you then.”

B- Making Arrangements for Another Meeting

We’ve covered how to say goodbye in formal situations, but what about when things are more laid-back? Here are some English goodbye phrases you can use to plan another meeting with a friend.

“See you later.”

This is a very common phrase to use when you’re about to part ways with a friend (or group of friends). It means that you plan on seeing them again, but you’re not sure exactly when. 

Example:

You and a group of friends just got done watching a movie at the theater. You’re about to leave for home. You: “I need to go home now. See you later.” A Friend: “Bye. See you later.”

“Catch you later.”

This phrase has the exact same meaning as “see you later,” but is significantly more casual. 

Example:

You see one of your friends at the grocery store, and start talking to them. After a few minutes, you need to end the conversation. You: “Thanks for the talk. Catch you later.” Friend: “You too.”

“See you around.”

This one is very similar to the two phrases above. 

Example:

You’re about to go home after chatting with someone at your book club.  You: “Well, see you around.” Other Person: “Thanks, you too.”

“See you tomorrow.”

When you say “See you tomorrow,” it means that you actually plan on seeing them tomorrow, usually because you set a date with that person. 

Example:

You see a friend at the library, and start talking with them. You decide to make plans together. You: “Are you free tomorrow?” Friend: “Sure. Do you want to get coffee?” You: “That sounds good.” Friend: “Great. See you tomorrow.”

“See you at eight.”

In this phrase, you can replace “eight” with any other time. This is used in situations similar to the one above.

Example:

You want to confirm what time you and your friend will get coffee tomorrow. You: “What time should we meet for coffee?” Friend: “How about ten?” You: “Sure. See you at ten.”

“See you in a couple weeks.”

This is something you would say to someone if you plan on meeting with them in a couple of weeks. You can replace “a couple weeks” with any other extended time period.

Example:

Your mother just called to let you know she’ll be coming for a visit next month.  Your Mother: “I’ll be coming down there next month to see you.” You: “No Mom, please don’t.” “I look forward to it. See you next month!”

Additional Note

Most of the phrases in this section can also be used as a question. For example, if you want to confirm when you’ll be seeing someone next, you can say the relevant phrase as a question.

Example:

You’re making plans to see an old friend. You: “Maybe we can go see the hockey game together.” Friend: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” You: “Great! See you next weekend?“ Friend: “Yep, at nine o’clock sharp.”

→ Want more useful phrases? Check out our list of the Top 10 Conversational Phrases! 

C. Seeing Someone Off

It can be painful to say goodbye to someone you care about, especially when you know they’ll be gone a long time, or are going somewhere far away. Here are some special goodbye phrases you can use for situations like this.

“Take care.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to take care of themselves while they’re gone.

Example:

Your best friend is about to leave on a plane for another country during her vacation.  You: “Have fun and take care.” Friend: “Thank you, I will.”

“Drive safe.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to drive safely, especially if you know they’ll be driving a long distance or in dangerous driving conditions.

Example:

Your boyfriend or girlfriend is going to drive several hours in bad weather for an important meeting.  You: “It’s supposed to snow a lot today. Drive safe.” BF/GF: “I promise I’ll drive safely. I love you.”

“Safe travels.”

This one is a more generic goodbye phrase for when someone will be traveling. It means you want them to be safe during their travels.

Example:

Your aunt tells you that she’ll be traveling outside the country for a few weeks.  You: “That sounds like fun. Safe travels.” Aunt: “Thank you.”

“Have a safe trip home.”

You can say this to someone when they’re about to leave for home.

Example:

Your friend is about to head home after spending the day together with you. You: “Have a safe trip home.” Friend: “Thank you, I will.”

“I’ll miss you.”

You can say this to someone you really care about before they leave. 

Example:

Your grandparents are about to leave after a visit. You: “I enjoyed seeing you. I’ll miss you.” Grandparent: “We’ll miss you too.”

“Don’t be gone too long.”

If you’re really going to miss someone after they leave, you can say this to them. It shows the other person that you’ll miss them and look forward to the next time you can see them again.

Example:

Your spouse is going away on a long business trip. You: “I’ll miss you. Don’t be gone too long.” Spouse: “I’ll miss you too. See you next week.”

“Call me when you get there.”

Say this to someone to let them know you care about their safety while traveling. It means that you expect a phone call (or text message) from them when they arrive, so you know they’re safe. This is especially common for a parent or grandparent to tell their child or grandchild.

Example:

You’re about to drive several hours back home after visiting your father.  You: “Thank you for our visit. I should leave soon.” Father: “Thank you. Call me when you get there.”

“I love you.”

Many times, saying goodbye to someone we care about involves saying “I love you,” especially if it will be a while before you see them again.

Example:

You and your mother are about to part ways after a long visit. You: “I enjoyed our visit. I love you.” Mother: “I love you too. Bye.”

“Farewell.”

This goodbye phrase may be a little bit outdated, but some people still say this. It’s basically a way of letting the other person know you want them to be safe while they’re away.

Example:

A large family reunion is coming to an end, and your relatives are beginning to leave. You: “Safe travels. Farewell.” A Relative: “Thank you. Goodbye.”

D. Leaving a Group or Party in a Hurry

It can be very awkward to leave a group of people without saying anything. If you need to quickly say goodbye in English conversations involving a lot of people, there are a few phrases you can use to let people know you’ll be leaving soon.

“I gotta run / fly / jet.”

This is a very informal way of letting people know you’re about to leave, and is fine for any kind of casual gathering. The words “run,” “fly,” and “jet” are pretty much interchangeable, as they all mean that you need to leave quickly. 

Example:

You’re at a potluck lunch with some friends, and suddenly realize you need to leave. You: “I gotta run!” Friend: “Oh, okay. See you later.”

“I’ll need to get going soon.”

This is a slightly more formal and polite way of saying that you need to leave. It’s not really saying “goodbye,” but it’s a way of letting others know you’ll have to go. 

Example:

You’re at a friend’s birthday party, but you aren’t able to stay for very long. You: “I’m so sorry, but I’ll need to get going soon.” Friend: “No, it’s okay. Thanks for coming.”

“I can’t stay much longer.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. 

Example:

You’re spending time with a couple of friends, but you have something else you need to do soon. You: “Sorry, but I can’t stay much longer.” Friend: “Ah, that’s okay. See you around.”

“There’s someplace I need to be.”

You can use this phrase to let others know you need to leave in order to be somewhere else, especially if it’s another responsibility you have. ‘

Example:

You’re at a dinner party with some friends, but you get a phone call about an emergency back at home. You: “Sorry, but there’s someplace I need to be.” Friend: “It’s okay. Good luck.”

“Sorry to leave so soon, but I have to ___.”

With this goodbye phrase, you can actually let others know the reason you need to leave. In some cases, this can make your leaving seem less rude or abrupt. 

Example:

You’re out socializing with some of your coworkers, but you have to leave early to pick up your kids from school. You: “Sorry to leave so soon, but I have to pick up my kids from school.” Coworker: “No worries. See you tomorrow.”

“I’m off.”

This is another slightly informal way of letting others know you need to leave. It’s almost the same as “I gotta run.” 

Example:

You’re about to leave for a get-together with friends, so you let your spouse know when you leave. You: “I’m off.” Spouse: “Okay. Have fun.”

E. Wishing Someone Well

When you’re about to part ways with someone, it’s considered very polite to wish them well, especially if you know the person. Here are some common ways people in the United States do this.

“Have a nice day.”

This is probably the most common way to wish someone well before saying goodbye. It’s just a simple wish for the other person to have a good day from that point on.

Example:

You’re leaving the doctor’s office after a checkup. Receptionist: “Thank you for coming in. Have a nice day.” You: “Thank you, you too.”

“Have a great rest of your ___.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. Here, you can fill in the blank with any amount of time.

Example:

You see your boss at the grocery store, and you start talking with him/her. After a few minutes, you need to leave. You: “I gotta run. Have a great rest of your afternoon.” Boss: “Thank you. You too.”

“Take it easy.”

This one might sound strange, but it’s just a way to wish the other person a good day. More specifically, it means that you want them to enjoy themself and stay safe.

Example:

You see one of your friends while you’re on a walk around the neighborhood, talk with them, and then end the conversation. You: “Bye. Take it easy.” Friend: “Thanks, you too.”

“Have a good one.”

In this phrase, “one” refers to a day. It’s exactly the same as telling someone to “Have a good day,” but it’s a little bit more casual.

Example:

You’re telling a friend goodbye after a short conversation. You: “Bye. Have a good one.” Friend: “Thanks, you too.”

“Well…”

The word “well” is very versatile in English, and in this case, it acts as a transition word. People use it often as a way of leading into a goodbye. Sometimes, the other person will understand the hint and say goodbye themselves.

Example:

You ran into one of your former teachers at the park, and are ending a conversation with him/her. You: “Well…” Teacher: “I should probably be going. Nice talking with you.”

“Well, I’d best get to it.”

This is a good way of politely ending a conversation, especially if you have something you need to do and the other person won’t stop talking.

Example:

You and your neighbor have been talking for almost an hour, and you really need to finish the yard work before it gets dark. You: “Well, I’d best get to it.”

“I won’t keep you any longer.”

If you’re lucky, this is what your neighbor will say to you afterward. It’s basically a roundabout way of saying goodbye.

Example:

You: “Well, I’d best get to it.” Neighbor: “Okay, I won’t keep you any longer. Bye.”

F. Asking Someone to Keep in Touch

When you ask someone to “keep in touch,” you’re letting them know that you want to hear from, or spend time with, them again. Here are a few common parting phrases you can use to do this.

“Keep in touch.”

This is the most straightforward way to let someone know you want to talk again. 

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a new friend after spending the day together.  You: “Thanks for hanging out today. Keep in touch.” Friend: “Of course. Bye.”

“Call me later.” 

You can say this to someone if you want them to call you later.

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a friend, but want to talk with them more later that day. You: “I had fun today. Call me later!” Friend: “Okay, will do. Bye.”

“I’ll call you later.”

This is what you can say when the roles are reversed, or just if you want to call the person later.

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a friend, but want to talk with them more later that day. Friend: “I had fun today. Call me later!” You: “Okay, I’ll call you later. Bye.”

“When can I call you?”

Either you or your friend can ask this, depending on the situation.

Example:

Friend: “I had fun today. Call me later!” You: “Okay, when can I call you?” Friend: “Hmm…anytime after seven.”

“When can I expect your call?”

Again, you can use this one when the roles are reversed.

Example:

You: “I had fun today. Call me later!” Friend: “Okay, will do.” You: “When can I expect your call?” Friend: “Probably sometime after seven.”

“Talk to you later.”

This is very similar to “See you later,” but it actually has more to do with talking to the person.

Example:

You see your neighbor while you’re jogging, and stop to talk with them. After a couple minutes, you end the conversation. You: “Well, I’ll talk to you later.” Neighbor: “Okay. Goodbye.”

“Don’t be a stranger.”

When you tell someone “Don’t be a stranger,” it’s a way of letting them know you want to see and talk with them often.

Example:

You see your cousin for the first time in a couple of years, but need to end the conversation early. You: “Nice talking with you. Don’t be a stranger!” Cousin: “See you around.”

G. Letting Someone Know You Enjoyed Seeing Them

Imagine you’ve just spent the day with your best friend, whom you hadn’t seen in years. You’ll want to tell him or her how much you enjoyed seeing them and spending time together.

“It was nice seeing you / talking with you.”

This is a very common way to say goodbye in English, and you can use it in both formal and informal situations. 

Example:

You’re about to end a conversation with an old high school classmate you hadn’t seen in years. You: “It was nice talking with you.” Classmate: “Thanks, you too. Have a good day.”

“Always nice talking with you.”

This is almost the same as the phrase above, but this one is normally used with people you see from time to time.

Example:

You see your friend’s mom while doing errands, talk for a while, and then end the conversation. You: “Well, have a good day. Always nice talking with you.” Friend’s Mom: “Thank you. Be safe.”

“I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.”

This is something you might say to a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, especially if you were able to learn new details about each other’s lives while talking.

Example:

You and your friend have been talking about her new job, your new house, and more, but you need to end the conversation soon. You: “I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.” Friend: “Me too. See you again tomorrow?”

“We’ll have to do this more often.”

This is something you might say to a friend you really enjoy spending time with, but haven’t been seeing as much lately.

Example:

You and a friend just had lunch together, and are about to part ways. You: “Thanks for lunch. We’ll have to do this more often.” Friend: “I agree!”

“I hope we can do this again sometime soon.”

This one is very similar to the one above. 

Example:

You: “Thanks for lunch. I hope we can do this again sometime soon.” Friend: “Me too!”

H. Goodbye Phrases for Texting or Talking on the Phone

Today, so much of our communication is done over the phone. Here are a few ways you can say goodbye to someone via text or while talking on the phone.

Texting 

Phrase	Situation	Example
BRB (Be Right Back)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a little while, but plan on texting more in a few minutes.	You: “BRB. Dinner.” Friend: “Ok.”
G2g or Gtg (Got To Go)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a longer while, and probably won’t be able to talk anytime soon.	You: “G2g. Very busy.” Friend: “Ok.”
TTYL (Talk To You Later)	Use this when you need to stop texting, but want to text again sometime in the near future.	You: “G2g.” Friend: “TTYL.”
Bye	Use this when ending a text conversation.	You: “Bye.” Friend: “Ok, bye.”

→ For more words like these, check out our English Texting Slang vocabulary list!

Talking on the Phone

Phrase	Situation	Example
“Thanks again. Bye.”	You can use this to end a phone conversation where someone helped you or answered a question for you.	You: “Can you help me close my account?” Person on Phone: “Sure…” — You: “Thanks again. Bye.”
“Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.”	You can use this after talking with a friend or relative on the phone.	You: “Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.” Relative: “Thank you. Nice talking to you too.”
“I’ll see you/talk to you then. Bye.”	You can use this phrase after making an appointment with someone over the phone.	You: “Okay, eight o’clock. I’ll see you then. Bye.” Other Person: “Okay. Bye.”

→ See our vocabulary list Useful Phrases for a Phone Call for even more!

3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture

English has some creative ways of saying goodbye. Keep in mind that the phrases and words here are very informal, and should only be used with close friends or family. 

“Smell you later.”

This is a play on words associated with the phrase “See you later,” and it means the exact same thing. There’s a lot of debate about where the phrase actually came from, but this is the best source I could find. 

Example:

You’re saying goodbye to a close friend and plan on seeing them later. You: “Bye. Smell you later.” Friend: “Okay. Bye.”

“See you later, alligator.”

This phrase has nothing to do with an actual alligator. This fun English slang for goodbye is another play on words, because “gator” rhymes with “later.” In response, many people will reply with “In a while, crocodile.” 

This phrase is thought to have originated from a 1950s song titled See You Later Alligator.

Example:

You: “See you later, alligator.” Friend: “In a while, crocodile.”

“TTFN” (“Ta-ta for now.”)

TTFN stands for “ta-ta for now.” This one is less common, originally used in the UK during WWII. Anyone who knows Disney should get it, though, as the Winnie the Pooh character Tigger says goodbye to his friends this way. (“TTFN! Ta-ta for now!”)

Example:

You’re saying goodbye to your Disney-loving friend. You: “TTFN!” Friend: “Ta-ta for now!”

“Cheerio.”

“Cheerio” is a word that was first used in England to say goodbye. Sometimes, people in the U.S. like saying this as well.

Example:

You: “I should go now. Cheerio!” Friend: “See you later.”

“Adios.”

Adios is the Spanish word for “goodbye,” but it’s pretty common to use this in the United States when saying bye to friends. 

Example:

You: “I should go now. Adios.” Friend: “Okay, bye.”

“Ciao.”

Ciao is the French word for “goodbye,” but like adios and cheerio, it’s sometimes used in the United States when saying bye to friends.

Example:

You: “I should go now. Ciao.” Friend: “Okay, see you later.”

4. Final Thoughts

In this article, we showed you some English words to say goodbye, popular goodbye phrases for any situation, and more. We hope you feel more confident now to start excusing yourself from conversations or wishing your friend a good day. 

This is just the beginning of what EnglishClass101.com has to offer. To learn more words and phrases in English for day-to-day conversations, check out the following pages:

• English Travel Phrases
• Learn How to Confidently Introduce Yourself in English
• How to Make an Apology for Poor English, and More! 
• Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear
• Top 10 English Phrases to Amaze Native Speakers

Remember: Keep practicing, and use English often. With enough practice and determination, you’re sure to get the hang of English conversations and eventually master the language! 

EnglishClass101 will be here with you every step of the way. Happy learning! 

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you say goodbye in your own language. We look forward to hearing from you.

English is currently the third most-spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. It’s also spoken in many countries around the world, making it super-useful to know, even if only at a conversational level. Learning English can also make it easier for you to learn other languages later, if you want to! 

But many people hesitate to begin learning English. This may be because English is often said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. But is this true? 

In this article, we’ll answer the question “Is English hard to learn?” We’ll also show you why you might want to learn English anyway, and how to get started. (If you’re reading this article, we bet you’ve already gotten a great start!)

Table of Contents

1. Is it Hard to Learn English?
2. The Hardest (and Easiest) Parts of Learning English
3. Where Should You Start?
4. Advice for New English Learners
5. Why EnglishClass101.com is the Best Way to Learn English

1. Is it Hard to Learn English?

It depends on who you ask. English is a Germanic language, so people who speak another Germanic language will find English easier than those who don’t. 

When you begin learning English, you may find it helpful to try memorizing the most important spelling and grammar rules early on, as this will make the rest of the process somewhat simpler for you. To give you a head start, try reading these articles on EnglishClass101.com: 

• 100+ English Nouns
• 100+ English Verbs
• 100+ English Adjectives
• Adverbs in English
• Ultimate English Pronunciation Guide

Now, why is English so difficult to learn? Let’s take a look at the hardest and easiest aspects of learning English.

2. The Hardest (and Easiest) Parts of Learning English

Here are a few things that make English a hard language to learn for foreigners. 

Why English is Hard to Learn
Tons of rules and exceptions	Unfortunately, English has a lot of rules, and an exception for every one. Here are just two examples: The “’I’ before ‘E’” spelling rule only works sometimes. Irregular verbs don’t conjugate like other verbs (and we have a lot of irregular verbs).
Contradictions and inconsistencies	“Hamburger” does not come from pigs. “Pineapple” does not have pine or apple in it. The word “hike” can refer to a long walk, an increase in something, and is a term used in football. There are plenty of homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings). For example: “would” vs. “wood” and “meat” vs. “meet.”
Word order and sentence structure	English has a relatively flexible word order and sentence structure, but trying to explain how it works is super-difficult.  Word Order: English word order refers to what order you place words in a phrase. For example, if you have two adjectives describing one noun, which adjective comes first? To native English-speakers, saying “scary big spider” sounds very off. Instead, we say “big scary spider,” just because it sounds “better.”  Another factor that sometimes dictates the order of adjectives in a sentence is what type of adjectives you’re using. Typically, when multiple adjectives are used to describe something, they go in this order:  What you think about the object -> Size or Scale -> Age -> Shape -> Color -> Location -> Material.  For example:  Harry enjoyed the nice (what he thinks about it), hot (scale), cup of Brazilian (location) coffee. Sentence Structure: Sentence structure determines the order of the major components of an entire sentence. English is an SVO language, meaning that in a sentence, the subject comes first, followed by the verb, followed by an object.  For example: Sarah (S) kissed (V) Tom (O).
Word emphasis	While English is not a tonal language, there are many times when the emphasis we place on a word (or in a sentence) makes a huge difference in meaning. Can you tell the difference between these sentences based on which word is bolded? I want to talk to her.  I want to talk to her. I want to talk to her. I want to talk to her. In the first sentence, “I” is emphasized. This means that the speaker wants to speak with her. It also implies that the speaker doesn’t want anyone else to speak with her. There may be a jealous or commanding tone here. In the second sentence, “want” is emphasized. This may indicate that the speaker was told not to speak with her, and is expressing that they want to. There may be a begging or whiny tone here. In the third sentence, “talk” is emphasized. This is how the speaker shows that they only want to talk, especially if others think the speaker has bad intentions. In the fourth sentence, “her” is emphasized. This indicates that the speaker only wants to talk to her. Imagine there are several people in the room the speaker could talk to, but they’re only interested in talking with her—no one else.
Many varieties of English	The United States, the UK, Australia, and other countries with a large proportion of English-speakers have their own differences in vocabulary, phrases, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation!
Idioms	Like many languages, English has lots of idioms. Learning what they mean and how to use them can be difficult for new learners. “Off the beaten path.” “The road less traveled.” “All of a sudden.” “It’s raining cats and dogs.” “Making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Why English is Easy to Learn
Small alphabet	The English language only has twenty-six letters in its alphabet (uppercase and lowercase), compared to thousands of characters in other languages (like Chinese).
Greek and Latin roots	Many English words have Greek or Latin roots, which makes it easier for speakers of similar languages to learn it. (E.g. German, Dutch, French.) In addition, due to increased globalization, English has come to include some words from many other languages as well.
Flexible	Earlier, we mentioned a few ways that English’s flexibility is confusing. However, these flexibilities can be helpful for learners in some cases. (No one will blame you for saying “scary big spider,” because it’s technically okay to say it this way.)
Many learning resources available	Because so many people are trying to learn English, there are plenty of learning resources out there. Better yet, some of these resources are easily accessible wherever you are, such as EnglishClass101’s online lessons and podcasts.
Very accessible	English is a prominent language in many countries, and a large bulk of media today is in English. So there are tons of TV shows, movies, songs, podcasts, and more, that you can listen to in English.

3. Where Should You Start?

We’ve already covered what makes English so hard to learn (and which things about it aren’t so bad). But did you know that regardless of how difficult it is, you can learn it a lot easier by beginning your studies the right way? Here are some tips:

1. Figure out your goals. Why do you want to learn English? What goals will you achieve along the way to really master the language? I recommend making some SMART goals to help you figure this out. It will make your language-learning process a lot more straightforward.

2. Learn as much as you can about the English language. You may find it helpful to begin by studying about English. Where is it spoken? What are its origins? What languages are similar to English? Doing some background research can make English seem less daunting and give you a huge head start! 

3. Start using media in your language-learning early on. If you start with thick textbooks right away and don’t supplement them with something lighter, you’re probably going to quit. Make your learning fun from time to time using media (TV, music, etc.), and you’ll actually retain more information.

4. Explore EnglishClass101.com. More on this later. 😉

4. Advice for New English Learners 

How can you be successful when you first begin learning English? Here are some tips!

• Be patient. It’s important to be patient, both with yourself and with the language-learning process. It takes time, mistakes will be made, and there’s no way around this. But it’s worth the struggle!

• Start with the basics. Don’t overwhelm yourself when first starting out. Focus on the key vocabulary, phrases, and grammar points to begin with, and don’t worry too much about the harder stuff. 

• Focus on specific areas. Once you start learning the basics, you’ll notice areas you’re weaker in. Maybe you’re great at English spelling, but struggle with pronunciation. Or maybe you can read English, but can’t understand it when it’s spoken to you. Find where you struggle, and focus on improving those areas.

• Find a community. You’re not alone in your English-learning journey. Once you begin learning, you’ll become part of a huge number of people doing the same thing. People who are making the same mistakes, achieving the same victories, and getting equally as frustrated as you are. Find a group of English-learners to join, and experience for yourself how much it can help. Our Facebook and YouTube pages are a great place to start!

• Spend time with native English speakers. By spending time with native speakers, you’ll be able to familiarize yourself with the language in a natural, real-world context. 

• Speak more often. Many of our Facebook followers say that they regret not speaking more English from the start. It’s important to remember that mistakes are okay, and that speaking the language sooner rather than later will help you learn faster.

• Define your purpose. Why are you thinking about learning English? What are your goals, both short-term and long-term? Knowing the answers to these questions is going to be an important part of your language-learning journey, and will help you keep going when things get hard.

• Don’t take long breaks from learning. To effectively learn a language, it’s important to be consistent. If you stop learning for several months or years at a time, you’re going to lose a lot of the things you learned.

• Start sooner. The longer you wait to begin learning English, the further behind you’ll be, and the more difficult it will be for you to start. If you start (or continue) learning today, imagine where you’ll be in a few years!

• Confidence is important. Some of our followers on Facebook say that they struggle (or have struggled) with self-confidence in their language-learning. They wish they had been more confident from the start, and rightfully so. While learning a new language can be scary, it’s important to be confident in your abilities to improve and succeed. 

5. Why EnglishClass101.com is the Best Way to Learn English

If you’re ready to start learning English, EnglishClass101.com is the best way to start—and finish—your language-learning journey. Why?

To start, all of our lessons and other learning material are practical and culturally relevant. You’ll learn vocabulary, phrases, and cultural information that you can actually put to use in the real world, starting from day one. 

We provide a variety of lessons for learners at every level. So whether this is your first time getting serious about learning English, or you’ve already been learning for a while, we have something for you. 

With EnglishClass101, you aren’t going to get dull textbooks or confusing lectures. Instead, we provide our students with lessons in many different formats. Videos, audio recordings, fun quizzes, vocabulary lists, and blog posts like this one! 

We always aim to make your learning experience both fun and informative! 

You can find a sense of community on our social media pages, commenting on our lessons and blog, or upgrading to our Premium PLUS plan to use MyTeacher. And we’re always ready to help when you need it. Whether you need encouragement, are experiencing technical issues, or just really don’t understand a lesson, there’s always someone you can reach out to! 

If you’re convinced, and ready to improve your English skills, sign up today and create your free lifetime account. We’ll be glad to have you join our family. 

What are the most common mistakes in English? How can you avoid them or improve your overall English language skills?

In this article, you’ll learn what mistakes you, as an English learner, need to watch out for. Whether you’re getting ready to take an important English exam, or you just had an embarrassing “oops” moment when chatting with your friends, knowing and understanding the most common types of mistakes in English is a must if you want to improve your skills. 

While this won’t necessarily ensure that you avoid these mistakes, it will help you be more effective at monitoring your own progress—both successes and failures. 

Do you make these mistakes in English? Keep reading to find out!

Table of Contents

1. Pronunciation: Common Mistakes in Spoken English
2. Common English Vocabulary Mistakes
3. Word Order Mistakes
4. Most Common English Grammar Mistakes
5. Other Mistakes
6. The Biggest Mistake
7. Final Thoughts

1. Pronunciation: Common Mistakes in Spoken English

First up on our list of English mistakes: pronunciation. Many new English-learners struggle to master this aspect of the language, so I thought I would go over this one first.

1 – Always pronouncing words as they’re spelled

Many learners become confused with English spelling vs. English pronunciation. There are numerous words in English that are spelled very differently from how they’re actually pronounced, which can be very frustrating.

The most common error here usually has to do with “silent” letters. These are letters that appear in a word when written, but aren’t pronounced when spoken. Here are two examples:

	Mistake	Explanation
Knife	Pronouncing the k, as in “k-nife.”	The letter “k” in this word is silent, meaning it’s not pronounced. The word “knife” really sounds like “nife” when spoken,  but needs to be spelled with the “k.”
Gnat	Pronouncing the g, as in “g-nat.”	The letter “g” in this word is silent,  meaning it’s not pronounced. The word “gnat” really sounds like “nat” when spoken, but needs to be spelled with the “g.”

To avoid making this common English mistake, you’ll need to memorize how to spell these words! There’s really no shortcut here.

Other commonly made mistakes in spoken English include incorrect pronunciation of certain paired letters. Here’s a great example: 

	Mistake	Explanation
Elephant	Pronouncing the “p” and “h” separately, by their traditional sounds.	While it makes perfect sense to do this, no one is going to understand you.  In English, whenever the letters “p” and “h” are put together like this, it’s pronounced as one sound, which is the “f” sound.  So “elephant” really sounds like “elefant” when spoken.

When it comes to mistakes like this, the best way to avoid them is to study up on these compound sounds and memorize how they work. It’s difficult even for native English speakers, but once you have it, you have it! 

2 – Not including the last syllable in words

When speaking, it can be difficult to pronounce certain words in their entirety, and many new English learners tend to drop the final syllable of words. But it’s very important to include this final syllable! In English, the final syllable often holds essential information about the word (or even the entire sentence), especially when you’re talking about something that happened in the past or present, or when mentioning a plural noun.

For example, we use the ending -s or -es to indicate that a noun is plural—if you drop this sound, people may end up missing some important information about what you’re saying. 

Important Final Syllable	Mistake	Explanation
-s or -es	Saying “biscuit” instead of “biscuits“	The -s or -es at the end of a noun indicates that it’s plural. If you’re ordering biscuits and don’t make the “-s” sound at the end, the waitress may think you only want one biscuit!
-d or -ed	Saying “help” instead of “helped“	The -d or -ed at the end of a verb indicates that it happened in the past. If you say that you “help” someone, the person you’re speaking with may think you’re currently doing so, even if it really happened in the past.
-ing	Saying “garden” instead of “gardening“	The -ing at the end of a verb indicates the gerund form of that verb. Including or omitting this ending can totally change the meaning of a sentence!

This isn’t a lesson about word endings, but hopefully you can see why it’s important for you to always pronounce the entire word. 

3 – Mispronouncing the “th” sound

Many English learners struggle with the “th” sound in words. This is because there are two ways you can pronounce this sound: harsh or soft.

For example, in the words “that” and “there,” the “-th” sound is harsh. On the other hand, in the word “through,” it sounds softer. 

The best way to avoid this mistake is to memorize which “th” words have which pronunciation. It will also be helpful for you to do a lot of listening! Watch English TV shows, listen to English music with lyrics, and pay close attention to pronunciation when speaking with English-speaking friends. You’ll get the hang of it in no time! 

→ Do you struggle with pronunciation? If so, check out EnglishClass101’s Ultimate Pronunciation Guide! 

2. Common English Vocabulary Mistakes

Some of the most common mistakes made in English have to do with vocabulary. 

English is one of those languages with a huge vocabulary and many words that sound and look very similar to each other. This is often a struggle for native English speakers, and sometimes a nightmare for those learning it as a second language.

In this section, I’ll outline a few of the most commonly confused words with their meanings. Like most things in the English language, you’ll just have to memorize these.

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Its	Possessive personal pronoun.	“That’s a cute dog. What is its name?”
It’s	Contraction of “it is.”	“It’s very gloomy today.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Here	Referring to a place close to the speaker.	“What are you doing here?”
Hear	To sense a sound; to listen.	“Wait! I hear something.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Very	To a great extent.	“Thank you. You’re very kind.”
Vary	To be different from another thing.	“The results may vary.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Affect	To unintentionally produce a change in something.	“The breakup didn’t really affect me.”
Effect	As a verb: To intentionally produce a change in something. As a noun:  1. A change or quality that results from a certain action (or another cause). 2. Special lighting, sounds, or other attributes, such as in a movie.	VERB: “You will effect these changes on Monday” NOUN:  1. “What are the effects of eating too much sugar?” 2. “The effects in The Great Magician were incredible.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Who	Referring to a person performing an action (subject).	“Who are you, and what do you want?”
Whom	Referring to a person that an action was performed upon (object).	“To whom are you engaged?”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Bored	As an adjective: to not be entertained. As a verb: to cause someone to become bored.	ADJ: “I’ve never been so bored in my life!” VERB: “The teacher bored me with that lecture.”
Boring	As an adjective: not fun or entertaining. As a verb: in the process of causing someone to become bored.	ADJ: “This is a boring game.” VERB: “You’re boring me with your technical talk.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Fun	Amusing or entertaining.	“You’re a fun person to be around.”
Funny	Having a sense of humor.	“Roger is really funny, isn’t he?”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
There	Referring to a place far from the speaker.	“Is that your notebook over there?”
Their	Personal possessive pronoun, used to refer to something belonging to more than one person.	“I don’t know what their problem is.”
They’re	Contraction of “they are.”	“They’re out getting breakfast together.”

3. Word Order Mistakes

One of the most common English mistakes for non-native speakers is using incorrect word order. 

English is an SVO (Subject + Verb + Object) language, so English learners whose native language has a different sentence structure tend to make mistakes here. 

Here’s a list of the most common mistakes in English that relate to word order, and how to fix them.

1 – Putting the Subject Before the Verb in Questions

This is an easy mistake to make, and confuses many English learners! After all, English is an SVO language, so shouldn’t the subject always come before the verb? 

Well, this is true in most cases. But in questions, the verb usually comes before the subject. Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Where I can get food?”	“Where can I get food?”
“What I should do?”	“What should I do?”

2 – Putting Adjectives Before Nouns 

This is a very common error for English-learners whose native language puts the adjective after the noun. In English, though, it’s very important to put the adjective before the noun. Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Is the dog brown yours?”	“Is the brown dog yours?”
“She watched the sunset beautiful.”	“She watched the beautiful sunset.”

3 – Incorrect Placement of Other Modifiers

English gets a little more tricky when it comes to the placement of modifiers in sentences. While English is pretty flexible for the most part, there are some situations where modifiers need to be placed a certain way to make sense. Here are just a couple of examples:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
“I eat always oatmeal for breakfast.”	“I always eat oatmeal for breakfast.”	In these two examples, because the modifiers describe the extent of something, they need to come before the verb.
“Josie likes kind of tofu.”	“Josie kind of likes tofu.”
“Do you tomorrow have a meeting?”	“Do you have a meeting tomorrow?”	Here, an adverb of time is used. Usually, adverbs of time come after the verb or phrase being talked about.

→ Don’t worry if this is very confusing to you! It’s even confusing for native English speakers. If you feel like you need more help on this topic, you can read my articles on English Word Order and English Sentence Patterns, or ask us a question in the comments. 

4. Most Common English Grammar Mistakes

The only thing less fun than word order? English grammar! 

There are a few common mistakes in English grammar that can really slow learners down, so I’ll cover some of them here for you. Note that most English grammar mistakes involve verbs, so you may want to pay special attention to this part of speech while studying.  

1 – Using Incorrect Verb Tenses

This may be the most common English grammar mistake that learners make, and even native speakers don’t always get verb tenses right. I’m not going to go into very much detail here, but will briefly cover the basics with a few examples:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
“I sleep well last night.”	“I slept well last night.”	“Last night” implies that the past tense must be used. “Sleep” is present tense, while “slept” is past tense, and therefore correct.
“She went to the mall tomorrow.”	“She will go to the mall tomorrow.”	“Tomorrow” implies that the future tense must be used. “Went” is the past tense of “to go,” while “will go” is the future tense, and therefore correct.
“He cooked dinner right now.”	“He’s cooking dinner right now.”	“Right now” implies that the present tense must be used. “Cooked” is the past tense of “cook,” while “cooking” is the present tense, and therefore correct.

2 – Using the Infinitive Form of Verbs Incorrectly

Closely linked to the mistake above, many English learners struggle with knowing how and when to use the infinitive form of verbs (“to [verb]”). Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Would you like drink a glass of wine?”	“Would you like to drink a glass of wine?”
“Please to go to the store with me.”	“Please go to the store with me.”
“Do you want play chess after dinner?”	“Do you want to play chess after dinner?”
“What would you to like for dessert?”	“What would you like for dessert?”

3 – Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

In English, like in many other languages, it’s important for verbs to agree with the subject. However, unlike in other languages, the only things that need to agree are the number and tense, because English has no grammatical gender. 

It’s very easy to make mistakes in terms of subject-verb agreement, but once you start seeing how it works, you’ll get the hang of it quickly! 

Number

Incorrect	Correct	Additional Notes
“The cat run away.”	“The cat runs away.”	“The cat” and “Willow” are both singular nouns, so the verb needs to reflect that.  Verbs in the singular form take the letter “-s” at the end.
“Willow love anime.”	“Willow loves anime.”
“They enjoys kayaking.”	“They enjoy kayaking.”	“They” is a plural noun, so the verb needs to reflect that.  Verbs in the plural form do not take an “-s” at the end.
“I hopes for a bright future.”	“I hope for a bright future.”	“I” is a singular noun, but it breaks the above-mentioned rules a little.  When “I” is used as the subject, the verb does not take an “-s” at the end.

Tense

Incorrect	Correct	Additional Notes
“Henry take the book from her.”	“Henry took the book from her.”	In this case, the verb “take” needs to be conjugated into the past tense, as it’s implied from the sentence that the action happened in the past.
“I buy a notebook tomorrow.”	“I will buy a notebook tomorrow.”	Here, the verb “buy” needs to be conjugated in the future tense, as it’s implied from the sentence that the action is going to happen in the future.
“Oh no! The oven is explode!”	“Oh no! The oven is exploding!”	This sentence suggests that the action is taking place right now, so the verb needs to take the present form.

→ Learn more about English verb conjugation by reading our relevant article. 

4 – Although ___, but ___.

Another common grammar mistake English learners make is using the sentence structure “Although ___, but ___.” This is incorrect because the word “although” implies the same meaning as the word “but,” so using them together like this is redundant, similar to using a double negative sentence. 

Incorrect	Correct
“Although she was tired, but she went jogging.”	“Although she was tired, she went jogging.” OR “She was tired, but she went jogging.”
“Although the dog was dirty, but he still loved it.”	“Although the dog was dirty, he still loved it.” OR “The dog was dirty, but he still loved it.”
“Although the rain came, but they continued their journey.”	“Although the rain came, they continued their journey.” OR “The rain came, but they continued their journey.”

5. Other Mistakes

There are a few other mistakes that new English learners commonly make. These mistakes don’t fall neatly into specific categories, but they’re still worth mentioning! 

1- Formal vs. Casual

English tends to be pretty flexible when it comes to formal vs. casual speech and writing. Unlike some other languages, there aren’t many different words for varying levels of respect or formality—which might be why it’s so easy to use the wrong level of formality in different situations.

To help you out, here’s a quick breakdown of things to keep in mind:

	Example Settings	Words/Phrases
Formal	Business environments Meeting a friend’s parents or family members Writing school essays Writing business documents	In situations like these, you should do the following: ❖ Use Mr./Mrs./Miss when addressing someone ❖ Always use “please” and “thank you” ❖ Avoid using slang words or phrases ❖ Use complete sentences with proper grammar
Casual	Hanging out with friends Writing personal pieces, fiction, or business-related writing that’s meant to be more casual	In situations like these, it’s okay to: ❖ Talk to people on a first-name or nickname basis ❖ Omit “please” and “thank you” if they’re not really necessary ❖ Use slang words and phrases (as long as they’re appropriate for the people you’re with) ❖ Speak or write in fragments

Whenever you’re in doubt, though, it’s best to use more formal language. If the other party wants you to start speaking more casually with them, they’ll let you know! 

2- Apostrophes 

Apostrophes (‘) even confuse native English speakers! They have a wide variety of uses, and until you’ve been using the language for a while, the rules of usage can seem very ambiguous. 

Essentially, there are two situations when you should use apostrophes:

• To show possession (adding an ‘s)
• To create contractions

Becoming familiar with these rules can help you avoid common English writing mistakes! 

Possession

Example	Explanation
“Mickey’s hamster”	The hamster that belongs to Mickey
“The horse’s mane”	The mane that belongs to the horse
“Jesus’ disciples”	The disciples that belong to Jesus Note here that only an apostrophe is added to “Jesus” instead of an ‘s. This is because it’s a proper noun that ends with the letter “s.” There are some people who will add the entire ‘s to the word, but it’s more common to add only the apostrophe. For more information on this topic, you can visit this page.

Contractions

Example	Explanation
“I’ll go.”	Contraction of “I will”
“He’s a monster.”	Contraction of “he is”
“We’re already late!”	Contraction of “we are”
“Elizabeth shouldn’t’ve done that!”	Contraction of “should not have”

Note that when using contractions, the apostrophe usually takes the place of one of the letters. However, in the last example, you’ll notice two things:

1. There are two apostrophes

2. One of the apostrophes replaces two letters

The reason this contraction has two apostrophes is because it consists of three words combined instead of only two.

The second apostrophe replaces two letters simply because this is how contractions work with the word “have.” When used as part of a contraction, only the last two letters are used. This is another rule you’ll just have to memorize and practice.

3- I.E. or E.G.

Here’s another one that trips up even native English speakers—probably because it’s not actually English, it’s Latin. The abbreviation “i.e.” stands for the Latin phrase id est, which means “in other words.” On the other hand, “e.g.” stands for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, which means “for example.”

You use “i.e.” when you’re going to explain something another way, using different words. You use “e.g.” when you’re going to give an example of something you mentioned, usually to help the reader (or listener) better understand what you’re saying.

Here are some examples:

I.E.	E.G.
“I’m really stuck on the book I’m writing (i.e. I’m almost ready to give up).”	“Lewis is so irresponsible (e.g. he never washes the dishes or vacuums).”
“Penny hasn’t spoken to Joe in months (i.e. they’re relationship is over).”	“Cats have so many fascinating qualities (e.g. they’re very independent).”
“Quinten didn’t show up for the final (i.e. he won’t graduate this year).”	“Do you have any special skills? (E.g. drawing, writing, or singing)”

6. The Biggest Mistake

Whew! We covered a long list of potential English mistakes. But there’s still one more mistake we have to talk about: being afraid of making mistakes.

No one enjoys the embarrassment, frustration, or hopelessness that accompanies a mistake. But mistakes are part of being human, and they can actually be a good thing if you let them! If nothing else, the negative feelings that come with failure will inspire you and drive you to avoid those feelings in the future.

That said, it’s mistakes that help us learn. Someone who never makes mistakes (i.e. they never leave their comfort zone) never learns either, and that person can never grow beyond themselves. 

If you want to overcome mistakes, you have to face them. If you want to master English (or anything, really), you have to be willing to make a few mistakes along the way. When you acknowledge mistakes as the extremely effective learning tools they are, it no longer seems like the end of the world when you make one! 

7. Final Thoughts

Having read this article, you should have a much better idea of the most common mistakes made in English and how to avoid them. On your path to mastering English, it may feel like there’s countless rules and nuances holding you back, but don’t let hopelessness get the best of you! Keep studying, keep practicing, and keep believing in your ability to get better.

→ Read this quick article on the five most common problems English learners face for more information on how to overcome problems and achieve your goals!

EnglishClass101.com has tons of fun and effective lessons for learners at every level. Whether you want to focus on your speaking, listening, reading, or writing skills, we have your back. Sign up today for your free lifetime account, and learn English like never before. 

Before you go, let us know in the comments which of these mistakes you have the hardest time with. Did this article help you with them at all? We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Happy English learning!

Asking questions is one of the most effective ways for getting to know someone on a personal level. People tend to be curious about things, and as social creatures, this often applies to the people around us. Knowing the top ten English questions and how to answer them will help you get to know the people around you, and help them know you better in exchange!

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the most essential English questions and answers for beginners and intermediate learners. For each question, there will be:

• A breakdown of the most popular form of the question.
• A list of alternative ways to ask the question (if any).
• A table of possible answers to common English questions, with examples and additional notes if needed.

Let’s dive in! 

→ If you’re not quite comfortable with your current introduction skills, EnglishClass101.com has an article all about introducing yourself that you can start with.

Table of Contents

1. Question Words in English
2. What’s your name?
3. Where are you from?
4. What do you do?
5. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
6. How long have you been studying English?
7. How are you?
8. What time is it?
9. What are you doing?
10. What’s wrong?
11. What’s the weather like?
12. Final Thoughts

1. Question Words in English

Before I discuss questions and answers in English conversations, I’ll briefly cover an important topic: question words in English. 

In English, there are six main words that we tend to use when asking questions. These are:

• What: Used when asking for information about something.
• Where: Used when asking about location.
• When: Used when asking about time.
• Who: Used when asking about a person or people.
• Why: Used when asking about motive or intention.
• How: Used when asking about the means by which something happened.

We almost always put these words at the very beginning of a question.

You’ll notice that all of these words begin with a “W” except for the last one. When children are learning English, these question words are often referred to as “Five W’s and an H” to help them remember. There are additional question words, but these six are used most often, especially in journalism.

As you read this article, you’ll also see that “what” is the most commonly used question word. This is because it’s extremely versatile, and can be used to ask a variety of question types. 

2. What’s your name?

When you first meet someone, usually the first question they ask is “What is your name?” Before we learn how to answer, let’s break down the question:

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Possessive Pronoun	What You’re Called
What	is	your	name?

As you can see, the question begins with a “question word.” This is the word a person uses to show that they want some kind of information, and they usually go at the beginning of a question. 

The question word is followed by a “to be” verb, in this case, the word “is.” This indicates that the person is inquiring about the status or definition of something.

Next is the word “your,” which is the possessive form of the second-person pronoun “you.” They’re asking about the name that belongs to you, and no one else.

Finally is the word “name,” which is the piece of information the person is after. When you put the question together, they’re basically asking what you are called, or what name belongs to you. 

Alternative Questions

Here are two other ways of asking the same question:

• “What’s your name?” 
• “What can I call you?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

There are four basic sentence patterns you can use to answer this question. In each one, simply fill in the blank with your name. 

Pattern	Answer	Additional Note
My name is ___.	My name is Tom. My name is Alisha.	More formal
You can call me ___.	You can call me Tom. You can call me Alisha.	More formal
I’m ___.	I’m Tom. I’m Alisha.	Less formal
___.	Tom. Alisha.	Less formal

3. Where are you from?

Learning where someone is from can be very exciting, and many people in the United States love to learn about other places. The next question you’re likely to hear is “Where are you from?”

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Pronoun	Preposition Referring to Origin
Where	are	you	from?

This question structure is very similar to the one above. It begins with a question word for location, followed by a “to be” verb and second-person pronoun. The last word, “from,” indicates that the speaker wants to know your original location, or where you lived before. 

Possible Patterns & Answers

The simplest way to answer this question is with the pattern “I’m from ___.” You just need to put the name of your home country in the blank. If you want, you can also include the name of the state, city, or town you’re from, like in the last example.

Pattern	Answer
I’m from ___.	I’m from Norway. I’m from the U.S.A. I’m from Germany. I’m from Lublin, Poland.

→ Not sure what your country is called in English? Check out EnglishClass101’s Vocabulary for Nationalities page! 

4. What do you do?

In the United States, people love talking about their jobs and hearing what other people do for a living. While you’re getting to know someone, you’re going to hear the question “What do you do?”

Question Word	Perform Action Of	Second-Person Pronoun	Perform Action Of
What	do	you	do?

This question begins with the question word “what,” followed by the word “do,” which means to perform an action. Next is the second-person pronoun “you,” also followed by the word “do.”

Alternative Questions

Here are two more ways of asking the same question:

• “What do you do for a living?”
• “Where do you work?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I am a(n) ___.	I am a teacher. I am a programmer. I am a writer. I am an accountant.	Fill in the blank with your job.
I work as a(n) ___.	I work as a teacher. I work as a programmer. I work as a writer.  I work as an accountant.	Fill in the blank with your job.
I work at ___.	I work at the elementary school. I work at Google. I work at home. I work at a large company.	Fill in the blank with your place of work.

→ Check out EnglishClass101’s vocabulary list on Jobs & Work to figure out what your job is called. Alternatively, if you’re looking for work in the United States, we’ve also curated an article on how to find and attain the best U.S. job for you! 

5. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Once a new acquaintance starts getting to know you better, they’ll probably want to know if you have any siblings. A common way to ask this question is: “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

Perform Action Of	Second-Person Pronoun	To Own	Indefinite Pronoun	Male Siblings	Word Referring To Another Possibility	Female Siblings
Do	you	have	any	brothers	or	sisters?

This question has a few more words than the other ones we’ve looked at, and doesn’t begin with a “real” question word. The word “do,” when used at the beginning of a question, is sometimes called a “dummy” question word—it’s a word that can indicate a question despite not technically serving that purpose in English grammar.

When you put the above question together, it shows that the other person is asking if you have siblings. The indefinite pronoun “any” leaves the question slightly open-ended, so you can answer more specifically about how many siblings you have, what gender they are, and even whether they’re older or younger than you.

There are three basic patterns you can use to answer.

Alternative Questions

Here are two other questions in English that basically ask the same thing:

• “Do you have any siblings?”
• “Are you an only child?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I have (a) ___.	I have a sister. I have a brother. I have a younger sister. I have an older brother. I have three sisters. I have one older sister.	You can also indicate whether your sibling (or siblings) is older or younger than you by using the appropriate adjective.
I have ___ and ___.	I have two brothers and one sister. I have three sisters and one brother.	Use if you have siblings of different genders.
No, I don’t. I’m an only child.	–	Use if you don’t have any siblings.

→ Do you need to learn some additional vocabulary to talk about your siblings and family? EnglishClass101 has a word list for you, and a blog post all about family in the United States!

6. How long have you been studying English?

Your conversation partner is very impressed so far with your English speaking and communication skills. They ask “How long have you been studying English?”

Question Word	An Amount Of Time		Second-Person Pronoun		Gerund Form Of The Word “Study”	The English Language
How	long	have	you	been	studying	English?

This is another long question, but it does a better job of following the usual question format. Before we move on to possible answers, please note the words “have” and “been.” Even though there’s a word separating them, it’s important to see how these two words work together. 

When someone says the phrase “have been,” it indicates that something has been going on for a certain amount of time. So, in this question, they want to know the amount of time that you have been studying the English language.

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’ve been studying for ___.	I’ve been studying for one month. I’ve been studying for two years.	Most formal.
For ___.	For five years. For three weeks.	Less formal.
___.	Nine months. A few years.	Least formal.

→ To learn more about how to say dates in English, check out EnglishClass101’s article on this very topic. 

7. How are you?

Congratulations! You’ve officially made a new friend, and you’re getting coffee together a week later. The moment you see each other again, they ask “How are you?”

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Pronoun
How	are	you?

This is one of the most basic English questions that family, friends, and even colleagues ask each other all the time. As you can see above, it’s simply a question word followed by the “to be” verb “are,” and then the second-person pronoun “you.” Basically, they’re asking about your status—how you’re feeling or how your week has been. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “How are you doing?”
• “How have you been?” 

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m doing ___.	I’m doing fine. I’m doing pretty good.	While the word “doing” is used in this answer, it doesn’t refer to a specific action. It instead refers to how you’re feeling or how life is going for you.
I’m ___.	I’m okay. I’m great.	This is basically the same as the above pattern, but shorter.
I’ve been ___.	I’ve been well. I’ve been alright.	Using this pattern indicates that you’re answering about how you’ve been feeling over a longer period of time.  For example, if you haven’t seen someone in a few months, and they ask you this, you’ll tell them how you’ve been over the last few months.

→ Learn how to express what you’re feeling with our relevant vocabulary lists: Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions and Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions.

8. What time is it?

Another very frequent question you’re likely to hear is “What time is it?”

Question Word	The Current Time (Hours/Minutes)	“To Be” Verb	Pronoun Referring to the Word “Time”
What	time	is	it?

In this question, you can see that the question word “what” is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the information being requested (“time”). Next is the “to be” verb “is” and the pronoun “it,” which in this case refers to the earlier-used word “time.” The person is simply asking you for the current time, usually in hours and minutes.

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “Do you have the time?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
It’s ___ o’clock.	It’s twelve o’clock. It’s three o’clock.	Most formal.
It’s ___.	It’s two-thirty. It’s nine-fifteen.	Less formal.
___.	Ten. Four forty-five.	Least formal.

→ For more information on how to tell time in English, be sure to read EnglishClass101’s relevant blog post on the topic. Or, you can simply take a look at our time-related vocabulary list. 

9. What are you doing?

Whether you’re having a casual conversation over text message or a coworker wants to know what task you’re performing, the question “What are you doing?“ is going to come up a lot. 

Question Word	“To Be“ Verb	Second-Person Pronoun	To Be Performing An Action
What	are	you	doing?

The question word “what” begins the question, followed by the to-be verb “are.” Next comes the second-person pronoun “you” and the word “doing,” which refers to an action being performed. The person wants to know what action you’re performing. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “What are you up to?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m ___.	I’m thinking. I’m writing. I’m watching TV. I’m working out.	Simply fill in the blank with the gerund form of the action you’re doing.
Nothing much.	–	Use this if you’re not really doing anything important, or if you don’t feel like sharing what you’re doing. This is a common answer between friends or in other casual conversations.

→ Find your favorite hobbies on our relevant vocabulary list! 

10. What’s wrong?

Have you made a close friend in the U.S.? If so, they may ask you the question “What’s wrong?” if you seem sad or hurt about something, or if something doesn’t seem right. 

Contraction of “What” and “Is”	Upsetting You / Not Right
What’s	wrong?

Because this question is most commonly used between close friends or family members, the contraction “what’s” is almost always used. This is the contraction of the question word “what” and the “to be” verb “is.” Next is the word “wrong,” which refers to something that’s not correct, or something that’s upsetting you. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked like this:

• “Is something wrong?”
• “What’s the matter?”
• “Are you okay?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m ___.	I’m tired. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m stressed.	Simply fill in the blank with an adjective that describes how you feel.
Nothing.	–	You can use any of these three phrases if you don’t feel like talking about what’s wrong, or if there really is nothing wrong.
Nothing’s wrong.	–
I don’t want to talk about it.	–

→ Are you unsure of how to express your emotions in English? Study our vocabulary list on the 21 most common negative emotions. 

11. What’s the weather like?

You’ll most likely hear the question “What’s the weather like?” during a conversation with someone you don’t know very well, especially if you’re trying to get to know each other. 

Contraction of “What“ and “Is“	Definite Article	Referring to Weather Conditions or Climate	A Word Used for Comparison or Description
What’s	the	weather	like?

Like we saw in the previous question, this question begins with the contraction “what’s,” meaning “what is.” Next is the definite article “the,” followed by the word “weather,” which refers to things like temperature and climate. At the end of the sentence is the word “like,” which in this case is a word that’s used for making comparisons or adding a description to something. The person wants to know how you would describe the weather. 

Alternative Questions

Here are two other ways you may hear this question asked:

• “How’s the weather?”
• “What’s the weather like in ___ [the place you’re from]?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
It’s ___.	It’s sunny. It’s rainy. It’s cloudy.	Used for one adjective.
It’s ___ and ___.	It’s hot and humid. It’s cold and dry.	Used for two adjectives.
It’s ___ in ___.	It’s warm in Florida. It’s hot in Indonesia. It’s cold in Russia.	Use this pattern if someone asks you what the weather is like where you’re from.  The first blank is the weather adjective and the second blank is where you’re from.

→ Study EnglishClass101’s list of the 15 most common weather conditions to expand your weather vocabulary. For a more in-depth look at the weather in the United States, read our U.S. Weather article as well! 

12. Final Thoughts

In this article, we covered a mix of common English questions and answers. Some of them are important for new language-learners to master, and others are essential for anyone planning a vacation (or move) to the United States. 

But this is just the tip of the iceberg—there are many more question and answer patterns you should know as you continue learning the language. For detailed lessons on even more essential questions for English-learners, we recommend that you go through our 25 Questions Lesson Series. 

One of the best ways you can prepare to use these questions and answers is to start practicing today! Whether you want to write all of them down on a piece of paper to take with you places, or practice only one a week as much as you can, any amount of real-life usage is going to help you get the hang of it. 

Before you go, why not leave us a comment with answers to some of these questions? We always love hearing from you, and look forward to learning more about you. 

Happy English learning! 🙂

It’s difficult to begin communicating effectively in a new language. There are so many new words, grammar rules to remember, and little nuances that you learn only through years of practice and growth. And, especially for those of us who are painfully shy or afraid of failure, trying out these new words and phrases is asking for a panic attack! 

So where to start?

If you’re ready to start speaking English today and jumpstart your exposure to everyday language, you’re in the right place. 

EnglishClass101.com has prepared a list of eleven English sentence patterns for beginners to get started with. These basic phrases will enable you to express the most important and practical concepts with ease. And you can practice using them every day! 

The best part is that once you have these patterns memorized, you can create hundreds of original, detailed sentences to use with anyone! 

I recommend that you read my article on English Word Order and Sentence Structure before continuing. Some of the sentence pattern examples in this article are more complex, and having a good idea of how word order works first will help you to get the most value from this article! 

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1. A is B.
2. A is [Adjective].
3. I am ___.
4. I want (to) ___.
5. I need (to) ___. / I have to ___.
6. I like (to) ___.
7. Please ___.
8. May I ___? / Can I ___?
9. What is ___?
10. When (is) ___? / What time (is) ___?
11. Where is ___?
12. Final Thoughts

1. A is B.

When you want to link two nouns, use the “A is B” sentence pattern. A is the first noun and B is the noun you’re linking it to. You’re basically saying that the first noun (A) is also the second noun (B).

Simple Examples

“She is my friend.”

“He is my teacher.”

“My grandma is a bookkeeper.”

More Complex Examples

“Peanut butter is my favorite food.”

“That scented candle is a gift from my best friend.”

2. A is [Adjective].

The “A is Adjective” sentence pattern is very similar to the one above. But instead of linking A to another noun, you’re linking it to an adjective that describes it. 

Here are some simple examples:

Simple Examples

“He is hardworking.”

“She is intelligent.”

“The apartment is small.”

More Complex Examples

“Sharon’s dog is really annoying.”

“The dinner I’m going to make next week will be delicious.”

Note the use of “will be” in the last example. “Will be” is the future tense of “is” and is used to imply that something will happen in the future.

→ Learn more about verb conjugation in our dedicated article! 

→ Need to brush up on your adjectives? EnglishClass101.com has a special vocab list to help you out! 

3. I am ___.

This is a versatile sentence pattern you can use to talk about yourself, and one of best sentences in English for a beginner. You can give your name this way, talk about your occupation, let someone know how you’re feeling, or inform someone about what you’re currently doing:

• “I am [name].“
• “I am (a/an) [occupation].“
• “I am [adjective].“
• “I am [gerund form of verb].“

Simple Examples

“I am [Lily].” – Name

“I am [a writer].” – Occupation

“I am [hungry].” – Adjective

More Complex Examples

I am [thinking about the future]. – Verb

I am [excited] for the upcoming holiday season. – Adjective

→ Check out EnglishClass101’s dedicated vocabulary lists for Jobs/Work, Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions, Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions, and the 50 Most Common Verbs! 

4. I want (to) ___.

Use the “I want (to) ___” sentence pattern to let someone know what you want:

Simple Examples

“I want this.”

“I want pie.”

“I want to sleep.”

Note that the word “to” is used after the word “want” when the desire expressed is an action. 

More Complex Examples

“I want to ask you a question.”

“Henry wants to visit his grandparents next month.”

5. I need (to) ___. / I have to ___.

These are some of the most commonly used English sentences used in daily life, and they can be used almost interchangeably. The only exception is “I need ___” if the word “to” is dropped. In this case, the phrase can’t be used to express an action- or verb-related need. (There are also small differences in their technical meanings, but most people won’t care which one you use in conversation.)

Use these sentence structures to let someone know what you need or have to do.

Simple Examples

“I need a vacation.”

“I need to eat.”

“I need to sleep.”

Just like in the previous sentence pattern, note that the word “to” is used after the word “need” or “have” when the need is an action.

More Complex Examples

“I have to use the bathroom.”

“I have to leave very soon.”

6. I like (to) ___.

Use these basic English sentences to describe what you enjoy doing. 

Simple Examples

“I like reading.”

“I like petting cats.”

“I like to drink coffee.”

More Complex Examples

“I like spending time with you every day.”

“I like going on long road trips with my loved ones.”

→ Here’s some more vocabulary to help you talk about what you like to do! 

7. Please ___.

The “Please ___” sentence pattern is the simplest and most effective way to ask someone to do something in a polite and respectful way. Simply say “Please” followed by your request. 

Simple Examples

“Please listen to me.”

“Please help me out.”

“Please follow directions.”

More Complex Examples

“Please pick up dinner on your way home from work.”

“Please show me where the nearest gas station is.”

8. May I ___? / Can I ___?

Use these simple sentences to ask for permission to do something. They can usually be used interchangeably, though there are technical differences. “May I ___?” is usually considered more proper and polite when requesting permission, while “Can I ___?” has more to do with one’s ability to do something.

Simple Example

“May I come in?”

“May I go now?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

More Complex Examples

“May I ask what you’re doing here so late?”

“Can I join you guys at the movie theater tomorrow?”

9. What is ___?

This is a great sentence pattern for getting more information about something or someone. Simply say “What is” followed by the thing you want more information about.

Simple Examples

“What is this?”

“What is your name?”

“What is tomorrow?”

More Complex Examples

“What is the name of that song we were listening to?”

“What is your favorite ___?”

In the last example, fill in the blank with the topic you’re curious about. 

→ If you’re asking about their favorite food, favorite animal, or favorite color, prepare for their answer by studying our relevant vocab lists!

10. When (is) ___? / What time (is) ___?

You can use the sentence pattern “When (is) ___?” when you’re asking about a specific time or date. You can use “What time (is) ___?” if you just need to know the time. 

Here are some examples of how to ask for the time or date.

Simple Examples

“What time is it?”

“When is your birthday?”

“When should I arrive?”

More Complex Examples

“When is the meeting at work next week?”

“What time is the baby shower at your house tomorrow?”

→ Learn how to talk about dates and use numbers with EnglishClass101! 

11. Where is ___?

Use the “Where is ___?” sentence pattern to ask someone where something is. This is an essential phrase to remember if you plan on traveling somewhere you’ve never been to before! 

Simple Examples

“Where is the restroom?”

“Where is the elevator?”

“Where is the store?”

More Complex Examples

“Where is that really good restaurant located?”

“Where is the library you wanted me to visit?”

→ For more helpful words and phrases, check out our Position / Direction vocabulary list or our blog post about giving and asking for directions in English.

12. Final Thoughts

With these common English phrases and sentence patterns, you can communicate effectively about almost anything. It may take a little while to memorize each one and get used to how they work, but once you get there, it will be very much worth it! 

If you need to, feel free to bookmark this page to look at later, or print it out and put it somewhere you’ll see every day. And of course, practice using these sentence patterns in various situations as often as you can. Remember that mistakes are part of the learning process and can actually help you grow more as a language-learner than perfection (or lack of trying!) can.

Did you know any of these sentence patterns already? Which ones are new to you? If there’s anything you’re unsure about or need help with, leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to help you out! 

If you’re serious about mastering English, be sure to create your free lifetime account today on EnglishClass101.com. We make it fun, effective, and as painless as possible! 

Happy English learning! 

Saying that something happened is one thing, but saying how it happened is another. This is where adverbs come in.

But what is an adverb, and why do you need them?

Adverbs provide flair and color to both speech and writing. They allow you to describe occurrences or situations in greater detail. An adverb can provide a key detail in a sentence. 

For example, take the sentence “I slept last night.” In most situations, this is enough information. But what if you want to talk about the quality of your sleep, or how long you slept? To explain this, you could say, “I slept fitfully last night,” or “I slept a long time last night.”

See? By using adverbs, you can give the exact amount of detail people need to read between the lines. If you slept fitfully, it might explain why you’re sleepy or grouchy that day. If you slept a long time, it might explain why you’re so energized and happy.

In this article, you’ll learn all about adverbs in English and how to use them. You can even start practicing right away by using words from our adverbs lists! Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1. What is an Adverb?
2. Adverbs List: The 100+ Most Used Adverbs in English
3. Use of Adverbs in English Sentences
4. Finally…

1. What is an Adverb?

1- Adverb Definition

An adverb is used to describe the manner in which something happened, or the state of a situation/condition. It can add vital information to an otherwise ambiguous sentence. 

Adverbs don’t modify parts of speech, but sometimes sentences are arranged to sound better based on the other words in the sentence. For example, the sentence “I ran quickly” sounds a little better than “I quickly ran,” though both are technically correct.

2- Spotting an Adverb

Adverbs are sometimes called the “-ly” words, because many of them end with the letters “-ly.” However, it’s important to note that not all adverbs have this ending. Also note that adjectives sometimes end with “-ly” as well (grisly, bristly, etc.), so this isn’t a catch-all distinction.

Perhaps the best way to spot an adverb in a sentence is by process of elimination. For example, if you already know what the subject, verb, object, and adjective are, you can see if there are extra words that add detail about how something was done. 

3- How to Make Adverbs in English

Adverbs are usually formed by adding the suffix “-ly” to an adjective. However, there are some exceptions. 

The Basics

1) If the adjective ends with “y,” you must take off the “y” and replace it with “ily.” [Heavy > Heavily; Perky > Perkily; Happy > Happily]

2) For adjectives that end with -able, -ible, or -le, you must remove the “e” and put a “y” in its place. [Understandable > Understandably; Probable > Probably; Believable > Believably]

3) For adjectives ending with “-ic,” simply add “-ally” to the end. [Academic > Academically; Prolific > Prolifically; Basic > Basically] The exception is the word “public,” which simply ends with “-ly.”

2. Adverbs List: The 100+ Most Used Adverbs in English

Now that you know a little bit about adverbs, have a look at our English adverbs list with examples.

1- English Adverbs of Time

1

“Today”	I’m trying a new recipe today.
Meaning: The current day.

2

“Yesterday”	They took a long walk yesterday.
Meaning: The previous day.

3

“Tomorrow”	I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.
Meaning: The following day.

4

“Last [year / month / week]”	Last year / month / week, Tom took a vacation.
Meaning: The previous year, month, or week.

5

“Soon”	Natalie will buy a house soon.
Meaning: In the near future.

6

“Later”	Later, I will read my book.
Meaning: In the future, after an unspecified period of time.

7

“First”	Rick said he got there first.
Meaning: Before anyone/anything else.

8

“Last”	I got there last.
Meaning: After everyone/everything else.

9

“Before”	Kyle kissed his wife before he left.
Meaning: Prior to an action.

10

“After”	After shopping, Spencer ate lunch.
Meaning: Following an action.

11

“Now”	Now, will you tell me what’s bothering you?
Meaning: This moment.

12

“Previously”	Gina had previously gone to the museum.
Meaning: Before; prior to.

13

“Currently”	It’s currently raining outside.
Meaning: Now; at the moment.

14

“Earlier”	She put away her laundry earlier.
Meaning: Before/prior to an action or period of time.

15

“Instantly”	Instantly, Erin knew what happened.
Meaning: Right away; without delay.

16

“Gradually”	He gradually got around to doing his chores.
Meaning: Happening over time, in gradations.

2- English Adverbs of Frequency

17

“Never”	Jack never thought it would happen.
Meaning: Not ever.

18

“Rarely”	Jacqueline rarely stays up late.
Meaning: Almost never.

19

“Seldomly”	Joana seldomly drinks soda.
Meaning: Happening sometimes but not often.

20

“Occasionally”	Liz occasionally makes chocolate cream pie.
Meaning: Not very often.

21

“Sometimes”	Sometimes life is hard.
Meaning: Happening some of the time.

22

“From time to time”	From time to time, she prepares steak.
Meaning: This phrase means the same thing as “sometimes” or “occasionally.”

23

“Now and then”	I like a glass of milk now and then.
Meaning: This phrase means the same thing as “sometimes” or “occasionally.”

24

“Often”	Lily often gets upset with herself.
Meaning: Happening frequently.

25

“Usually”	Michael usually doesn’t like going out.
Meaning: This word describes something that consistently happens the same way.

26

“Normally”	That normally doesn’t happen.
Meaning: This word means the same thing as “usually.”

27

“Always”	I always drink coffee in the morning.
Meaning: This word describes something that happens consistently, without fail, at all times. Additional Note: People sometimes use this word when exaggerating something. For example, “She always nags me!” It’s probably not accurate to say that she always nags. In reality, she probably nags sometimes.

28

“All the time”	Why does he talk about himself all the time?
Meaning: This phrase means the same thing as “always.” It’s used even more frequently than always when exaggerating.

29

“Annually”	Most holidays occur annually.
Meaning: Happening once a year.

30

“Monthly”	We set some money aside monthly.
Meaning: Happening once a month.

31

“Weekly”	Quinten works out weekly.
Meaning: Happening once a week.

32

“Daily”	Al, however, works out daily.
Meaning: Happening every day.

33

“Hourly”	Many people are paid hourly.
Meaning: Happening every hour or by the hour.

34

“By the minute”	They’re selling books by the minute.
Meaning: Happening every minute.

3- English Adverbs of Place

35

“Here”	What do we have here?
Meaning: A demonstrative adverb for something nearby.

36

“There”	He’s all the way over there!
Meaning: A demonstrative adverb for something farther away.

37

“Everywhere”	Everywhere you go, there you are.
Meaning: Literally, “every single place.”

38

“Somewhere”	I want to live somewhere quiet.
Meaning: A place that’s not specific.

39

“Anywhere”	She would follow him anywhere.
Meaning: A place that’s not specific, with no place excluded.

40

“Nowhere”	I can’t find it; it’s nowhere to be found!
Meaning: Not at/in any place.

41

“Inside”	It’s time to go inside.
Meaning: The interior of something.

42

“Outside”	It’s gloomy outside.
Meaning: The exterior of something.

43

“Up”	Hurry, look up!
Meaning: Vertical direction toward the sky.

44

“Down”	Now, look down!
Meaning: Vertical direction toward the ground.

45

“Upstairs”	Can you go upstairs and get something?
Meaning: Higher floor; top of a staircase.

46

“Downstairs”	Mary walked downstairs.
Meaning: Lower floor; bottom of a staircase.

47

“Abroad”	I would love to travel abroad.
Meaning: Covering a lot of area; far from home.

48

“Away”	Please just go away.
Meaning: Covering a lot of area; far from home.

49

“Around”	1) I’ll be around if you need me. 2) Let’s go around.
Meaning:  1) Nearby 2) To curve about something

50

“Home”	Ellen wants to go home.
Meaning: One’s house or place of living. Additional Note: You may be wondering why we’re calling this word an adverb. This is because “home” adds information to the verb “go.” In the example, Ellen doesn’t just want to go (leave)—she wants to go home, specifically.

51

“Nearby”	I hope there’s a restaurant nearby!
Meaning: Close; within the vicinity of the speaker or a specific place/area.

52

“Across”	We must go across.
Meaning: Over or past something.

53

“Next”	Who’s next?
Meaning: Coming immediately after something in sequence.

54

“Above”	I’ll go above, and you stay here.
Meaning: Upward; on top of something.

55

“Underneath”	Let’s take a look underneath.
Meaning: Downward; under something.

56

“North”	Go north.
Meaning: A cardinal direction.

57

“South”	Go south.
Meaning: A cardinal direction.

58

“East”	Go east.
Meaning: A cardinal direction.

59

“West”	Go west.
Meaning: A cardinal direction.

4- English Adverbs of Manner

60

“Slowly”	She slowly got out of bed.
Meaning: In a slow manner; not fast.

61

“Quickly”	Valerie drove quickly.
Meaning: In a fast or hurried manner; not slow.

62

“Carefully”	Pick up the book carefully.
Meaning: Done with caution and care.

63

“Quietly”	Wendy entered the room quietly.
Meaning: In a silent manner; not loud.

64

“Happily”	They happily ate ice cream together.
Meaning: In a happy or joyful manner.

65

“Sadly”	Sadly, Hannah waved her best friend goodbye.
Meaning: In a sad or mournful manner.

66

“Angrily”	Angrily, she threw the bottle across the room.
Meaning: In an angry manner.

67

“Grudgingly”	She grudgingly took the dog for a walk.
Meaning: In a grudging manner. This usually indicates that you don’t want to be doing something, but you are anyway.

70

“Sleepily”	Sleepily, she sat down at her desk.
Meaning: In a sleepy or tired manner.

71

“Easily”	Randy boasted that he could finish the project easily.
Meaning: With ease; with no difficulty.

72

“Really”	1) I really look forward to dinner. 2) I can’t believe he really did that.
Meaning:  1) To a great extent. 2) Actually.

73

“Literally”	I literally can’t do this.
Meaning: Happening in a literal sense; realistically.

74

“Figuratively”	He figuratively compared the two objects.
Meaning: Happening in a figurative sense; not to be taken at face value.

For more information on the differences between “literally” and “figuratively,” check out this useful resource.

75

“Simply”	Bridget simply turned him away.
Meaning: With ease; in an uncomplicated manner.

76

“Badly”	1) My first attempt at badminton went badly. 2) She badly wanted to see him again.
Meaning:  1) Done in a poor manner. 2) To a great extent.

77

“Nicely”	John performed nicely in the play.
Meaning: In a satisfactory manner.

78

“Well”	Linda thought he did well.
Meaning: Good; in a satisfactory manner.

79

“Appropriately”	It’s important to act appropriately in all situations.
Meaning: In a manner that matches the situation or expectations.

80

“Timely”	He made timely work of his model airplane.
Meaning: Without wasting time; quickly.

81

“Wonderfully”	She could dance wonderfully.
Meaning: In a pleasing or exceptional manner.

82

“Beautifully”	Mel painted beautifully.
Meaning: In a lovely or exceptional manner.

83

“Masterfully”	That novel was masterfully put together.
Meaning: With great skill or talent; in an experienced manner.

84

“Dutifully”	Dutifully, he protected the others.
Meaning: In a manner that denotes responsibility.

85

“Bravely”	Karen bravely killed the spider.
Meaning: In a courageous manner.

86

“Stubbornly”	Stubbornly, the child refused to go to sleep.
Meaning: In a manner that indicates an unwillingness to change one’s actions or opinions.

87

“Relentlessly”	She searched for the ingredient relentlessly.
Meaning: Without stopping or giving up; in a constant, determined manner.

5- English Adverbs of Degree

88

“Very”	I’m very excited for the holidays.
Meaning: To a great extent.

89

“Rather”	He acted rather rude.
Meaning: To a great extent; more than expected or desired.

90

“Quite”	She was quite pleased with how it turned out.
Meaning: To a great extent.

91

“So”	Carol was so relieved when he came home.
Meaning: To a great extent. Additional Note: This adverb is often used informally to express something in an exaggerated manner.

92

“Too”	1) Jill got too carried away with the project. 2) I want to go to the beach, too!
Meaning:  1) To a great extent, especially when it’s more than expected or desired.  2) Also; as well; in addition.

93

“Pretty”	Paul was pretty upset.
Meaning: Quite; very.  Additional Note: This is not to be confused with the adjective “pretty,” which means “beautiful” or “lovely.” As an adverb, it’s used to express that something is done (or felt) to a great extent.

94

“Extremely”	Be careful, the plate is extremely hot.
Meaning: Very; quite; to a great extent.

95

“Terribly”	1) She missed him terribly. 2) Joe did terribly on his math test.
Meaning:  1) A lot; very much. 2) In a very poor manner.

96

“Awfully”	I can be awfully shy.
Meaning: To a great extent, especially in a way that’s not desired.

97

“Tremendously”	Nelson was tremendously cautious.
Meaning: To a very great extent.

The following three adverbs are similar to each other and mean the same thing. They’re used interchangeably, and the one you hear most often will depend on where you are in the United States! 

98

“A bit”	He was feeling a bit sick.
Meaning: Not much.

99

“A little”	I’ll have a little dessert.
Meaning: Not much.

100

“A tad“	He was a tad worried.
Meaning: Not much.

Keep in mind that you may also hear combinations of the three adverbs above: “a little bit” and “a tad bit.” These mean the same thing and are also used interchangeably.

101

“Relatively”	The room is relatively dark.
Meaning: To some extent; when compared with something related.  Additional Note: This adverb can be a little difficult to understand. In the example sentence, the room can be considered dark when compared to other rooms nearby that may be lighter.

102

“Slightly”	The measurements are slightly off.
Meaning: Not much; a little.

103

“Somewhat”	She’s somewhat comfortable in her new job.
Meaning: To some extent; not completely.

3. Use of Adverbs in English Sentences

1- Rules

Here’s a basic breakdown of how to use adverbs in English, in terms of placement in a sentence.

• In general, adverbs go at the end of a sentence, after the subject and verb (S + V + A).

• Sometimes, they can go in the middle of a sentence (S + A + V).

• In an imperative sentence, adverbs can occasionally be placed at the beginning of a sentence (A + V) or (A + S).

• On rare occasions, the adverb may be the only word in a sentence, as the context will make it a complete thought (A). This is usually done when using commands or directions.

2- Sample Sentences

1) Bob talks softly. [S + V + A]

2) Paula really loves her job. [S + A + V]

3) Quickly, escape! OR Quickly, Sarah! [A + V or A + S]

4) Carefully! [A]

4. Finally…

You just went over more than 100 adverbs in English. Some of them actually have the same basic meaning! Adverbs really aren’t too difficult to pick up with enough practice and consistent study. Be sure to refer to this adverbs list as often as you need. And try using some of these English adverbs in your next conversation or written assignment! 

If you want to dig into some more adverbs, EnglishClass101.com has a separate vocabulary list on the topic, with relevant images and audio pronunciations! Further, to continue learning about the different parts of speech in English, be sure to check out our other articles:

• What is a Conjunction in English Grammar?
• Learn the Top 100+ Adjectives in the English Language!
• Learn Nouns in English: 100+ Must-know English Nouns
• Pronouns in English: The Ultimate Pronoun List & Guide
• Top 100+ Verbs in U.S. English: Ultimate Verb List & Guide

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