Vocabulary practice · Episode 141

Review the useful expressions from the episode

Study the episode’s central expressions with English definitions, nuance and examples, plus reviewed support-language versions where available.

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A short study session

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  1. Choose one expression. Read its definition, nuance and examples.
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  3. Return to the episode. Listen for the expression in its original context.

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Vocabulary from the episode

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Expression 1

come out on top

to succeed or win after a difficult situation or competition

Nuance: An informal idiom that focuses on the final positive result after difficulty, uncertainty or competition.

Despite all the difficulties, he came out on top in the end.

Three teams were competing, but ours came out on top.

Expression 2

pay off

to produce a good result after effort, patience or investment

Nuance: Here it is an intransitive phrasal verb about effort bringing a reward; it does not mean paying a debt.

All that hard work finally paid off.

Her patience paid off when the perfect job appeared.

Expression 3

go places

to become successful and achieve impressive things in the future

Nuance: Usually said about a promising person. It predicts future success rather than literal travel.

She is talented and clearly going places.

That young designer will go places if she keeps taking risks.

Expression 4

with flying colours

very successfully, especially in a test, examination or challenge

Nuance: A vivid idiom for doing much better than merely passing. British spelling uses colours; American English uses colors.

He passed the exam with flying colours.

The new system passed every safety test with flying colours.

Expression 5

retrieval practice

a learning method in which you actively recall information instead of simply rereading it

Nuance: A term from learning science. Quizzes, flashcards and predicting an answer can all be forms of retrieval practice.

Retrieving information from memory strengthens learning.

I use short quizzes as retrieval practice after each lesson.

Expression 6

be likely to

to have a good chance of doing or experiencing something

Nuance: Likely expresses probability, not certainty. It is followed by an infinitive: be likely to arrive, change or happen.

She is likely to arrive late because of the traffic.

Prices are likely to rise again next month.

Expression 7

What a relief!

an exclamation used when worry, pain or difficulty has ended

Nuance: The pattern What a + noun! gives an emotional reaction. Relief is the relaxed feeling when a feared problem no longer exists.

What a relief that we finished on time!

You found my passport—what a relief!

Expression 8

That must be difficult

an empathetic way to infer that another person’s situation is probably difficult

Nuance: Must expresses a confident deduction here, not an obligation. The phrase acknowledges another person’s experience without claiming complete knowledge of it.

That must be difficult, living so far from your family.

Starting again in a new country must be difficult.

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