Common American Phrases
Drop-dead gorgeous (1st Common American Phrases)
Our first phrase can be a good alternative for saying “very beautiful/pretty”. For example, when you talk about a celebrity you like a lot, you can say:
- “I really love her, she’s drop-dead gorgeous!”
Gung ho (2nd Common American Phrases)
Here is an interesting phrase: if you say someone is gung ho about something, you actually mean that they’re super enthusiastic about it. For instance, you can say:
- She is really gung ho about that marathon she’s running. (She’s training very hard and really excited about it.)
Heads up (3rd Common American Phrases)
Heads up is an alternative for saying “warning” and used to show alertness about something. When you say this phrase, make sure you pronounce the z sound at the end of the word heads. Let’s practice this phrase with an example:
- I wanted to give you a head[z] up, I think the CEO is coming to the office tomorrow. (I wanted to give you a warning…)
Have a hissy fit (4th Common American Phrases)
To have a hissy fit means “to have an angry outburst”, usually when someone gets super upset about something and reacts childishly. For instance, you can say:
- She had a hissy fit when she got a parking ticket. (She had a sudden burst of anger when she got a parking ticket.)
Filthy rich (5th Common American Phrases)
Our last phrase filthy rich is used for people who are more than just rich. So, you can say filthy rich instead of saying “very wealthy”. For example:
- Jeff Bezos is not rich, he’s filthy rich! (He is more than just rich.)
Great job!
Bottom Line
Learning American English has its own challenges, and improving your speaking and pronunciation skills is one of them. But don’t let them scare you, as long as you practice daily and with determination, you can master these skills sooner than you actually think.
If you want to learn more American English expressions and practice regularly, you need to visit ChatterFox and join our accent reduction class. There are lots of blog posts, videos, accent coaches and online pronunciation courses waiting for you to help you speak even better than a native!