Everyday Idioms
- Hang in there — keep trying; don’t give up.
- It’s not a big deal — it’s okay; not serious.
- I’m on it — I’ll do it now.
- Run late — be delayed: “Sorry, I’m running late.”
- Heads up — warning/notice: “Just a heads up…”
Casual Slang (Use with Friends)
- Cool / Awesome — great.
- No worries — that’s fine / don’t worry.
- Got it — understood.
- Kinda / Sorta — somewhat: “It’s kinda far.”
- Gonna / Wanna — going to / want to (very casual).
Model Dialogue (Office + Text)
Coworker:
Hey, quick heads up — the client call moved to 2 p.m.
You:
Got it. I’m on it. I’ll join a few minutes early.
Coworker:
Thanks! And nice job on the report, by the way.
You:
Appreciate it! I was running late but finally finished. See you at 2.
— Later (Text) —
Traffic is bad. I might be 5 min late — sorry!
Coworker:
No worries. We’ll wait for you.
Audio coming when backend is ready.
Pronunciation & Reductions
“I’m on it” /aɪm ˈɒn ɪt/
Link “on it” → onit. Keep it short and confident.
“Gonna / Wanna”
Say only in casual speech; avoid in formal emails.
“Kinda / Sorta”
Means “somewhat.” Use sparingly at work; okay with friends.
Politeness & Boundaries
- Use “please/thank you/sorry” often; it’s normal politeness.
- Personal questions (age, salary) can feel private at work.
- Arriving on time shows respect; text if you’re running late.
Texting vs. Email
- Texts: short, casual, fast updates.
- Emails: more formal, full sentences, greetings/closings.
- Slang okay with friends; avoid slang in formal emails.
Micro-Practice
- Write two polite texts using idioms: “heads up”, “running late”.
- Rewrite a slang message into a formal email (no “gonna/wanna”).
- Create 3 sentences with “not a big deal”, “hang in there”, “I’m on it”.