Vocabulary practice · Episode 70

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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  1. Choose one expression. Read its definition, nuance and examples.
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Vocabulary from the episode

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Expression 1

to hit it off

to immediately like each other and get along well from the very first meeting

Nuance: Hit it off captures the instant chemistry of a great first encounter — there is no effort, no awkwardness, just an immediate connection. Common in dating, friendship, and professional contexts. Very natural in spoken English.

They hit it off immediately — by the end of the first coffee they were already planning a second meeting.

She and her new English conversation partner hit it off so well that they still speak every week two years later.

Expression 2

to keep someone in mind

to remember someone and think about them, usually with the intention of contacting them or involving them in something later

Nuance: Keep someone in mind is warmer than 'remember someone' — it suggests you are holding them in a positive mental space, often as a potential future connection. Very common in professional and romantic English contexts.

He kept her in mind for weeks after their first meeting — he couldn't stop thinking about the conversation.

She kept her English teacher in mind long after the course ended and reached out again three years later.

Expression 3

to strike up a conversation

to start talking to someone you do not know — to initiate friendly social contact

Nuance: Strike up a conversation is the social initiative verb. Many English learners find this difficult because it requires confidence in the language and cultural awareness of when it is appropriate. In English-speaking contexts (particularly the UK and Australia), there are specific situations where striking up a conversation with a stranger is normal: waiting in queues, on trains, at events.

Striking up a conversation with a stranger in English is easier than you think — start with an observation.

She struck up a conversation with her seatmate on the train and they ended up talking for the entire journey.

Expression 4

to make small talk

to engage in casual, light conversation about unimportant topics — typically to build social comfort before more meaningful exchange

Nuance: Make small talk is the social lubricant skill. In English-speaking cultures, small talk is expected and valued — it is not seen as wasting time but as building social connection before getting to the point. Topics like weather, the weekend, sport, and commuting are classic small talk territories. Many non-native speakers find small talk harder than formal discussions.

Small talk is a cultural requirement in English-speaking workplaces — learn it as a skill, not a formality.

She used to avoid office social events but once she learned to make small talk, she found them genuinely enjoyable.

Expression 5

to build rapport

to create a sense of trust, connection and mutual understanding with another person

Nuance: Build rapport is the relationship foundation verb. Rapport is not friendship — it is the feeling of ease and connection that makes communication flow. In professional English, building rapport is a deliberate skill: asking about the other person, mirroring their energy, showing genuine interest. Without rapport, communication feels transactional.

Build rapport before getting to the point — a brief personal exchange makes professional conversations warmer.

She quickly built rapport with clients by remembering small personal details from previous conversations.

Expression 6

to stay in touch

to maintain regular contact with someone — especially after an initial meeting or after a period of separation

Nuance: Stay in touch is the relationship maintenance phrase. After meeting someone at an event or in a class, staying in touch is what converts a single encounter into a real connection. In professional English, it often involves an explicit invitation: 'let's stay in touch' or 'let's connect on LinkedIn'. Following through separates good networkers from those who just collect contacts.

Stay in touch after meeting someone interesting — send a brief message the next day to keep the connection alive.

She made a point of staying in touch with everyone she met at the conference and several became long-term collaborators.

Expression 7

to have something in common

to share interests, experiences, values, or characteristics with another person

Nuance: Have something in common is the connection phrase. Finding common ground is one of the fastest ways to build connection with someone new. In English-speaking social situations, noticing and naming common ground — 'I studied that too', 'I grew up there as well', 'we both work in that field' — is a social skill that moves conversations from polite to genuine.

Find what you have in common with someone early in a conversation — it builds trust and keeps things flowing.

They discovered they had so much in common that what started as a five-minute chat lasted two hours.

Expression 8

to reach out to someone

to make contact with someone — especially to offer help, ask for something, or renew a lapsed connection

Nuance: Reach out to someone is the modern networking phrase. It has largely replaced 'contact' in professional English, with a slightly warmer connotation — reaching out implies initiative and genuine interest rather than just a transactional exchange. You reach out to a mentor, a potential collaborator, or someone you lost contact with.

Reach out to people whose work you admire — a thoughtful message often gets a warmer reply than you expect.

She reached out to a former classmate working in her target field and it led to an unexpected job opportunity.

Expression 9

to make a good impression

to cause someone to think positively about you — typically through your behaviour, manner, or communication

Nuance: Make a good impression is the social performance phrase. First impressions happen within seconds and are disproportionately shaped by non-verbal cues — eye contact, posture, handshake — as well as by the fluency and warmth of initial communication. For English learners, making a good impression in a second language is a genuine achievement.

Make a good impression in English by smiling, making eye contact, and speaking clearly rather than quickly.

She focused on making a good impression at the interview not by speaking perfectly but by being warm and specific.

Expression 10

word of mouth

the passing of information, recommendations, or opinions from one person to another through conversation

Nuance: Word of mouth is the organic information sharing phrase. In professional and social contexts, word of mouth is often more powerful than advertising — people trust personal recommendations. For language learners, building a reputation through word of mouth — 'she is really good at her job', 'he is someone worth knowing' — depends on the quality of their communication.

Word of mouth is the most powerful form of professional reputation — communicate well and it takes care of itself.

Her work spread by word of mouth among the English-speaking community and she did not need to advertise.

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