Everyday phrases

Here's a chatcast about those "everyday phrases" in common usage in English.
The book I mention is "Red Herrings and White Elephants" by Albert Jack which is available from Amazon.com ISBN 1-84358-129-9
It's surprising how much we use these phrases and expressions in English conversation...
Feedback/comments welcome :-)


Hello everyone,
Today I’d like to talk about "everyday phrases" that we use so often in English. In fact it’s only when we native speaker start to talk with non-native speakers that we start to realise just how much we use these sort of expressions and how much we need them in our everyday speech.
I found a book called "Red Herrings and White Elephants" by Albert Jack (ISBN 1-84358-129-9) which I’m acknowledging as the source of the explanations of my examples today to introduce some of these common phrases. It is available on amazon.com should you wish to buy a copy for yourself. The book is really good as not only does it give us the meaning, but also some of the history behind why we use each expression.
Here are some typical ones. I’ll start obviously with the two in the title of the book:
Red Herring. (BOOK)" This is used to describe something that provides a false of misleading clue"
Example: "That tourist brochure is a bit of a red herring, as the seaside resort it told us was so good was nothing like that when we went there!"
White Elephant (BOOK)"is an expression used to describe something useless that has, or will become a huge burden to those who possess it"
Example: "That car you bought is a white elephant, it is always breaking down and it cost you too much money!"

Here are some more everyday phrases with examples (which are my examples – you won’t find these in the book) There are many more in the book – but I’ve chosen some of the phrases I use a lot in conversation.
"Codswallop" is something worthless, rubbish or nonesense. "That’s codswallop! – you can’t use those scissors to cut wire!" Actually, I also use it to dismiss something as rubbish " You can buy a beer for a 50 pence? Codswallop! Where??
Tarred with the same brush – is to be part of a group regarded as all having the same faults and weaknesses, often unfairly.
"I’d tar him with the same brush – he can’t draw a picture any better than his brother"
"Neck of the woods" is used to imply a person’s neighbourhood. " He’s from the same neck of the woods as that friend of yours" (same town as your friend)
"Bite off more than you can chew" is an expression we use to indicate someone has taken on more than they can cope with or manage
" I’m learning French, German, Spanish and now Chinese. Do you think I have bitten off more than I can chew?"
You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours" Is a saying we use to suggest two people will do each other a favour, or look out for each other so that both benefit from each others’ actions.
"Can you baby-sit for me next Saturday please? You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours – I’ll baby-sit for you next month…"
Take care, let me know if you like these and I’ll record some more for you
See you next time