Around the Clock to Call It a Day: 4 Time Idioms in 5 Minutes

ENMartin, why are you still working?

ENIt is nearly ten o'clock.

ENBecause tomorrow is important, Julia.

ENYou said that yesterday.

ENYesterday was also important.

ENHave you been working around the clock?

ENNot literally.

ENBut it certainly feels like it.

ENThen perhaps we should call it a day.

ENNot yet.

ENI want to finish before the deadline... not in the nick of time.

ENYou rest once in a blue moon, Martin.

ENThat is an unfair exaggeration.

ENIs it?

ENWelcome to Your English Toolbox and Practice Arena Five-Minute English.

ENI am Martin.

ENAnd I am Julia.

ENToday we are exploring Lesson Two of our free idioms course: Time.

ENThe course gives you a clear path through twenty-five lessons and one hundred useful English idioms.

ENEach lesson uses a natural dialogue, clear explanations, common mistakes, listening and interactive practice.

ENVisit Your English Toolbox dot com slash idioms, or use the direct link to Lesson Two in this episode's description.

ENThe complete course is free.

ENToday's four expressions are around the clock, in the nick of time, once in a blue moon, and call it a day.

ENSo, Martin, why does it feel as if you have been working around the clock?

ENWe are preparing episodes and finishing new Practice Arena exercises.

ENAround the clock means continuously, all day and all night.

ENHospitals provide care around the clock.

ENThere is also an important grammar detail.

ENAfter a verb, there are no hyphens: “The team worked around the clock.”

ENBefore a noun, we normally use hyphens: “They offer around-the-clock support.”

ENGood.

ENNow, I usually finish projects in the nick of time.

ENMeaning just before it is too late.

ENExactly.

ENThe expression creates urgency.

ENFailure was very close.

ENIt is not simply the same as on time.

ENIf I arrive at eleven for an eleven o'clock meeting, I arrive on time.

ENIf I run through the door while it is closing, I arrive in the nick of time.

ENWe say in the nick of time, never on the nick of time.

ENNow tell the truth.

ENHow often do you take a proper break?

ENRegularly.

ENOnce in a blue moon?

ENThat means very rarely or almost never.

ENWe can say, “I order takeaway once in a blue moon.”

ENOr, “Once in a blue moon, Julia admits that I am right.”

ENVery funny.

ENAnd now our final idiom: call it a day.

ENIt means stop working on something for the day.

ENWe have done enough.

ENLet us call it a day.

ENThe pronoun is fixed: call it a day, not call this a day.

ENTime for a quick challenge.

ENSay the best idiom before Martin answers.

ENSituation one.

ENA customer service team is available all day and all night.

ENAround the clock.

ENSituation two.

ENYou reach the airport gate seconds before it closes.

ENIn the nick of time.

ENSituation three.

ENYou visit an expensive restaurant very rarely.

ENOnce in a blue moon.

ENFinal situation.

ENYou have worked enough and decide to stop until tomorrow.

ENCall it a day.

ENNow make one sentence about your own life using one of today's idioms.

ENComplete your sentence aloud.

ENQuick recap.

ENAround the clock means continuously, throughout the day and night.

ENIn the nick of time means just before it is too late.

ENOnce in a blue moon means very rarely.

ENAnd call it a day means stop working for the day.

ENContinue with Idioms Lesson Two, Time, through the direct link in this episode's description.

ENHear the dialogue, practise the grammar, check common mistakes and complete the interactive activities.

ENFour expressions.

ENOne very long working day.

ENAbout five minutes of clear Slow English.

ENAnd now, Martin?

ENNow we can call it a day.

ENExcellent.

ENYou agreed before midnight.

ENJust in the nick of time.