English #Idiom Lesson: Luck out! @ Happy English

Today we will look at an idiom which means being fortunate or suddenly lucky. You can use luck out in both situations. Here’s an example of being suddenly lucky:

  • I lucked out at the train station. I got there late, but the train was also late so I was able to catch it.
  • The show was sold out, but I lucked out at the box office. When I went there, they had a sudden cancellation, so I could get the last ticket.

You can also luck out when you play a game or gamble:

  • Joe lucked out in Vegas playing blackjack.
  • I have never been able to luck out when betting on a horse race.

Have you lucked out recently? Leave a comment and let us know!



English Idiom “Have a ball” from Happy English NY


  

Are you having a ball? Did you have a ball last weekend? If you have a ball, it means that you have a fun, exciting, and interesting time. You can follow this expression with a gerund (verb+ing). Here are some examples:

     -We had a ball at the party last night! Thanks for inviting us.
     -I had a ball sailing last summer, and looking forward to doing it again.
     -Kids always have a ball when their parents are not home.
     -Enjoy your trip to London. Have a ball!

We also use the expression, have a blast to mean the same thing as have a ball.

     -We had a blast at the party last night! Thanks for inviting us.
     -I had a blast sailing last summer, and looking forward to doing it again.

When was the last time you had a ball? What were you doing? Where were you?

English Idiom “Throw someone a Curve” from Happy English NY

  

Have you ever been thrown a curve? If someone throws you a curve about something, it means that you were surprised in an unpleasant or negative way about something. The structure for this idiom is like this:

Throw [someone] a curve (about something)     Here are some examples

     -Angelina’s announcement that she was retiring threw the whole office a curve.
     -Bob threw Betty a curve when he broke up with her.
     -The boss threw me a curve about the new vacation policy.

Similar to this is the idiom throw someone for a loop. If someone throws you for a loop, they say or do something unexpected. While this idiom is usually used for something unpleasant or negative, but it can also be used for something positive:

The structure is [someone / something] threw [someone] for a loop. Here are some examples:

-The boss threw me for a loop when he offered me a promotion to manager.
-Bob threw Betty for a loop when he proposed to her.
-The news about the earthquake certainly threw everyone for a loop.

Have you been thrown a curve recently? Has anyone thrown you for a loop? Let us know!



English Idiom Goof Off! From Happy English NY

Are you a goof off? Do you know someone who is a goof off? If you are a goof off, you are not serious about your work, or lazy, or more interested in playing than working. In this case, goof off is used as a noun.

     -She used to be a goof off in high school, but became a serious student when she go to college
     -Frank is such a goof off. He never finishes his work on time.

We can also use goof off as a verb and it has the same meaning. For example:

     -Angela got fired from her job because she goofed off all time and missed a lot of deadlines.
     -If you keep goofing off, you won’t get into a good university. Turn off the XBOX and go do your homework!

Do you know someone who is a goof off? Did you goof off in high school? Leave us a comment here!