Essential English Expressions for Daily Communication

This guide covers useful English expressions organized by topic and situation.

A/B Expressions (Both, Neither, Either)

Both A and B

Not only A but also B
- Not only is she smart, but also hardworking.

A as well as B (emphasizes A)
- The manager as well as the employees attended the meeting.

Neither A nor B

Neither A nor B + verb
- Neither John nor Mary was at the party.
- Neither of you guys knows the answer.

Either A or B

Either A or B
- You can have either tea or coffee.
- Either you study or you fail.

Not A but B

Not A but B
- It's not about the money but about the principle.

Conjunction Expressions

Cause and Effect

because / due to
- The event was cancelled due to rain.
- Due to A, B (more concise than "because of")

Emphasis

Above all - most importantly
- Above all, we need to focus on quality.

Last but not least
- Last but not least, I'd like to thank my family.

Most importantly
- Most importantly, stay safe.

Time Expressions

gradually - slowly over time
- The figure declined gradually.

over the past few years
- Sales have increased over the past few years.

at the latest - no later than
- I should complete the task today at the latest.

Quantity Expressions

one at a time - individually
- Please enter one at a time.

Many/A lot of/Several
- a number of issues
- many challenges
- several options

Approximately
- roughly 100 people
- nearly completed
- almost finished

Request Expressions

Asking Permission

Would you mind...
- Would you mind if I smoke?
- Would you mind closing the window?
- Would you mind my smoking? (formal)

Suggesting

Why not give it a shot?
- You should try it. Why not give it a shot?

Asking for Help

I'm wondering if someone could give me a hand
- I'm wondering if someone could give me a hand with this project.

I've been struggling to...
- I've been struggling to get it worked out.

Comparison Expressions

A compared with B
- You are smart compared with me.
- The new model performs better compared with the old one.

Demonstrative Expressions

such a [noun]
- It is no use learning such a thing.
- I've never seen such a beautiful sunset.

Obligation Expressions

be supposed to - expected obligation
- People are supposed to be quiet in the theater.
- I was supposed to go to school yesterday.
- You're not supposed to park here.

Question Expressions

what kind of - asking about type
- What kind of man are you?
- What kind of employee do we have to hire?
- What kind of food do you like?

“Get” Expressions

When someone else does something for you:

I get my hair cut (someone cuts it for me)
I got this job done by him.
I got the file from him.

Meeting Expressions

It's been a while - long time no see
- Hey! It's been a while. How have you been?

Shopping Expressions

Can I try this on?
- Excuse me, can I try this on?

I'm just looking around
- "Can I help you?" "No thanks, I'm just looking around."

It's affordable
- The price is reasonable. It's quite affordable.

Workplace Expressions

“Thank you for your hard work” equivalents

Leaving work: Take care!
After a call: Have a good one!
Genuine appreciation: Thank you for your hard work, I really appreciate it.
Ongoing work: Keep up the good work!

Contact information

For more detailed information, please either contact our office or visit our website.

Praise Expressions

You are a natural - born with talent
You are gifted - naturally talented
- Wow, you're a natural at this!
- She's gifted in mathematics.

Similar Words Differentiation

Stock vs Stack

Stock: A pile of things stored (stock market = many people investing)
Stack: An organized pile (like a stack in programming)

Transfer vs Transmit

Transfer: Moving location (transfer money, transfer flights)
Transmit: Sending through a medium (transmit data, transmit signal)

Like vs Such as

~와 같은 (like, such as)
- like A (informal)
- such as A (formal: information such as names and addresses)

Many vs Much vs A lot of

Many: countable (many books)
Much: uncountable (much water)
A lot of/Lots of: both (a lot of books, a lot of water)

Grammar Tips

A/An Usage

The choice depends on sound, not spelling:

- a European (starts with 'y' sound)
- an honest person (silent 'h')
- an MBA (starts with 'em' sound)
- an umbrella (starts with vowel sound)

Study Tips

Context matters: Learn expressions in context, not isolation
Practice speaking: Repeat expressions out loud
Use flashcards: Review regularly
Watch English media: Notice how expressions are used naturally
Keep a phrase journal: Write down new expressions you encounter

Mastering these expressions will make your English sound more natural and fluent!