Explain some idioms please

[Guest]

Could you explain some idioms. Where and how to use it? We only use them when informal or formal?

It wouldn't take much for me to cancel that trip in fact for two pins I think I will.

Quite honestly I really can't decide which one to choose - I'm what you might say in two minds.

I promise I'll be very quick indeed and I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

I worked out the answer in the end by putting two and two together
I'm sorry I can't accept any other explanation.

My mind is made up and there are no two ways about it.

I honestly wouldn't trust either of them.

They both think the same way and they're two of a kind.

Thanks & B.regards

[Torsten]

Hello,

Let's take this one at a time:

It wouldn't take much for me to cancel that trip in fact for two pins I think I will.

For two pins means for the smallest reason.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A burglar

[Torsten]

[Naufragis]

:D
hello everybody!
i?ve just found your site 2 days ago and find it very helpfull
to refresh my lost english.
deep respect! my studying times are ages away and i have to admit that i?ve
forgotten too much.

i wonder why there?s no further explanation why a specific answer is right - especially with idioms - another not. it seems to me that in the long lines of tests it would make sense to display some further explanation to typical phrases/ mistakes. or if you failed some example takes you to get the right line.
wouldn?t it be usefull? maybe it is too much effort?

sorry for my long-winded start-up, it?s hard for me to find the right words in the hidden english-areas of my brain.

[Torsten]

Dear Naufragis,

Many thanks for your comments and suggestions. I know what you mean by saying there could be further explanations as to why a particular answer is correct. As you can see we have set up a forum where you can ask questions regarding Alan's tests and we will answer them here.
You are very capable of expressing your ideas. People often are afraid of making mistakes when they speak English. Yet, there is only one thing I really would call a mistake and that is not to practise your skills because you think your English is not good enough.
So, keep on asking questions and making comments and you soon will be very confident.

TOEIC listening, photographs: On the farm

[Naufragis]

thank you very much torsten -

it?s quite clear... aren?t you a little bit tricky by " forcing" people with questions to ask???... wonderful!

[Torsten]

At any rate, it seems to work :)

TOEIC listening, photographs: Harvest time

[Naufragis]

hello again,

what is " at any rate" supposed to mean? something like generally? i don?t have a clue about it.

thanks

[Naufragis]

ah!

i suppose it is not related to failure rate, at this rate of working out new figures of speech....?

[Bruce]

Greetings Naufragis,
Welcome to the Forum, glad to have you on board and thanks for your compliments.
Your understanding and writing of English will always be
strictly criticised by yourself because you (and that applies to us all) are looking for perfection in everything you are doing. Self-criticism is always the hardest. Be assured your English is very understandable by us, and the idea is to practice your English on this Forum. Practice makes perfect as we say in English and we are here to help you. We are looking forward to all your questions. Now let?s look at your question about Idioms. In English we say "at any rate" or "in any case" and "anyway".
They all mean basically the same thing.

"at any rate" means - "by any means of measurement",
or - "however you gauge it"

"in any case" means - "in any situation"
or - "however the cookie crumbles"

"anyway" means - "anyway you look at it"
or - "whatever you think"

..... these forms of speech are used to move a conversation forward
when chewing the subject matter over doesn?t result in a conclusion or progress to the next logical step.
Sometimes people get stuck on a subject and this is used to jolt the
conversation along. I hope that clarifies it for you Naufragis.
Best Wishes, Bruce.
_________________
Free English Tests

[Naufragis]

hello everybody again, and hello bruce!#

just arrived from a short five day money making trip, I?m very pleased to see the huge amount of explenations you all gave me. many thanks!

and how joyfull to get an example of bruces? associativ, tie - together word explaining method... thats also to me the best way to circle around a particular idea and surely gives you expressiveness a lot to know as many words as possible.

how about special terms that are related to special interrests?
in my case, I?m going to apply for a grant , a financial support for exchange on studying at the glasgow school of art. though I know vacancies are restricted, I?ll try.

greetings
naufragis

[Naufragis]

and.. in addition to my last posting:

I?m trying to prepare myself for that by reading english books.
has anyone a special tip for me what?s worth to know?

I?ve started reading english on a practical during february and march this jear in the states, mainly because I was in the middle of the Maryland forest far away from any relation to the world outside and kept company only with two dogs for about 3 weeks ( I?m not sure whether they prefer english or german ).
so, to make myself not loosing in total boredom I bought all copies of Harry Potter, read it out and after that borrowed all copies of Harry Potter audiobooks at the local library to which I listen untill right now.
does that completely explain why I?m so keen on differently reading ?

[Torsten]

Hi Naufragis,

So you are preparing for a study at the Glasgow School of Art. Please, do tell us more. Why did you select this particular school? What is your connection to art? Also, what exactly did you do in Maryland?
And yes, reading books in English is an excellent method to increase your word power.

TOEIC listening, photographs: A flock of geese

[Naufragis]

hello torsten,

thank you for aswering so fast.

I'm going to go for that grant because it's hard for me to effort the financial basics in advance for living and spending about half a year abroad from where I'm allowed to earn some money.
that's why I have to try becoming really good at last in my english skills to make a good appearance at the tryouts for that.
I'm studying painting and grafics at the Acadamy of VIsual Arts - german name Hochschule f?r Grafik und Buchkunst -in Leipzig and more and more I'm convinced that an exchange would make improvement at my skills best. not only at language skills but at art working too.
sometimes you struggle with your own ideas so much that you cant see a stict line how to perform better. on the other hand, that Glasgow school of art is as famous for having progressive studying programs as popular to the students who went there, especially to whom from my school.

...

[Torsten]

Naufragis, So you are studying at the Visual Arts Academy - very interesting. What are your favourite majors, fine arts, graphic design or animations? Why did you choose this direction? I take you were on an exchange program in the US?

TOEIC listening, photographs: Going by rail