General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to
Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose
of an argument.
Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”
2. In other words
Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different
way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on
a point.
Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in
the water.”
3. To put it another way
Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used
in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording
a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance.
Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die
without the sun.”
4. That is to say
Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to
your explanation, or to be more precise.
Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”
5. To that end
Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to”
or “so”.
Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate
with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant
sounds and their possible meanings.”
6. Moreover
Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information
in support of a point you’re making.
Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling
evidence in support of…”
7. Furthermore
Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra
information.
Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”
8. What’s more
Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”.
Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this
hypothesis.”
9. Likewise
Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with
what you’ve just mentioned.
Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in
favour of this point of view.”
10. Similarly
Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”.
Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work,
because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a
tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”
11. Another key thing to remember
Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to
remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”.
Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between
humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during
the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”
12. As well as
Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”.
Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”
13. Not only… but also
Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something
that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of
information.
Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to
reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the
Order of the British Empire.”
14. Coupled with
Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time.
Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling
view of…”
15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…
Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one
after the other.
Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly,
Y. And thirdly, Z.
16. Not to mention/to say nothing of
Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra
information with a bit of emphasis.
Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to
mention its impact on the country’s economy.”
17. However
Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve
just said.
Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different
conclusion.”
18. On the other hand
Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of
the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something
else, or an opposing opinion.
Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On
the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less
straightforward picture of what happened that day.”
19. Having said that
Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”.
Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that
suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said
that, the archaeology tells a different story.”
20. By contrast/in comparison
Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and
contrasting pieces of evidence.
Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By
contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”
21. Then again
Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion.
Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then
again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”
22. That said
Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”.
Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That
said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”
23. Yet
Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea.
Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone
agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”
24. Despite this
Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a
point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence.
Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite
this.”
25. With this in mind
Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge
of something else.
Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not
always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today,
which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s
look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”
26. Provided that
Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or
just “providing” to mean the same thing.
Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we
bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”
27. In view of/in light of
Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else.
Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better
understanding of…”
28. Nonetheless
Usage: This is similar to “despite this”.
Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking
for its day.”
29. Nevertheless
Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”.
Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”
30. Notwithstanding
Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”.
Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an
important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human
mind.”
31. For instance
Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for
instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”
32. To give an illustration
Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”
33. Significantly
Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be
immediately apparent.
Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent
in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”
34. Notably
Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be
used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the
first of these ways of using it).
Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”
35. Importantly
Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”.
Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this
work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more
favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”
36. In conclusion
Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an
essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview.
Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”
37. Above all
Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and
the main takeaway from the essay.
Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”
38. Persuasive
Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find
most convincing.
Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial
gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following
Mozart’s death.”
39. Compelling
Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above.
Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”
40. All things considered
Usage: This means “taking everything into account”.
Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”
How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are
any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the
comments below!

Common Idioms List：Set 1

Common Idioms Definitions

It cost me an arm and a leg to take my trip to Very expensive

Australia.

I was over the moon when he asked me to marry Extremely pleased or

him. happy

You are taking your IELTS test next week?? Aren’t Doing or starting
you jumping the gun. You’ve only just started something too early
studying.

He comes round to see me once in a blue moon. Happening very rarely

He’s got a chip on his shoulder. Feeling inferior or having

a grievance about
something
I reckon getting a band 7 in IELTS will be a piece Very easy
of cake! I’m very good at English.

The money sent by comic relief to help poverty in A very small part of
Africa is just a drop in the ocean. They need far something much bigger
more than this.

Getting a low score the first time I took IELTS Something positive that
was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to study isn’t recognized until later
extremely hard so I got a much better score the
next time.

We have to actually do something about global It’s better to actually do

warming. Actions speak louder than words. something rather than
just talking about it

I bumped into Jenny in town the other day. It's a Meeting someone you
small world. would not have expected
to

Set 2

Common Idioms Definitions

Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS again. Back to When an attempt to do something

the drawing board! fails and it's time to start all over
again using different methods

I hate my job so much I can’t bare going to Having two very bad choices.
work, but if I quit I don’t think I can get
another job. I’m really stuck / caught (note: stuck/caught can be
between a rock and a hard place. omitted)

I have to bite my tongue so I don’t say Wanting to say something but

what I really think of him! stopping yourself.

Come on, cut to the chase. We haven’t Leave out all the unnecessary
got all day! details and just get to the point
Are you putting all of your savings into that Putting all of ones resources into
company? Don’t put all your eggs in one one possibility
basket.

Try not to worry about it. Every cloud has Believing that every bad situation
a silver lining. has a positive side / eventually
leads to something good

It was difficult when I moved to another To become comfortable in what

country but I eventuallyfound my feet. you are doing

My parents are very fixed in their ways. Not wanting to change from the
They won’t start using the internet. normal ways of doing things

I think he got up on the wrong side of To refer to someone who is

the bed this morning. He is in a terrible having a bad day
mood.

My mother will always go the extra mile to Doing much more than is required
help people. when doing something

Set 3

Common Idioms Definitions

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. Say exactly the right thing
That’s the reason he didn’t get the job.

Today’s going so badly. If it’s not one When everything seems to be

thing, it’s the other. going wrong

I just said it in the heat of the moment. I Saying or doing something

was angry. I know I shouldn’t have. suddenly without thinking about it

Keep an eye on him. I think he may cheat Watch someone or something

in the exam. carefully
Have you heard? John down the road Died
has kicked the bucket.

I don’t want to argue with him again. It’s Avoid a conflict

better to let sleeping dogs lie.

I told him what gift you have bought him for Tell someone something that you
his birthday. Sorry, I didn’t mean to let the were not supposed to
cat out of the bag.

Don’t tell her what you really think of her if Hurt or upset someone who is
she’s helping you with your English! helping you
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

I’m not sure which party he is going to vote Not making a firm decision
for. He’s sitting on the fence. between different choices

Everything she does is very over the top. Excessive

She can’t just have a few drinks – se has
to get really drunk.

Set 4

Common Idioms Definitions

Let’s keep studying for IELTS. Practice Continuously doing something to

makes perfect. improve

Don’t get upset about what he said. He’s Joking around

just pulling your leg.

Sorry but I think I’ll take a rain check on To decline an offer that you will
that. take up later

As a rule of thumb, I don’t study at Principal that is strictly adhered /

weekends. I spend the time with my family. kept to
I can smell a rat. He said he has a PhD To sense that something is not
but he can’t even remember which right
university he studied at.

She’s the spitting image of her mother. To look exactly like someone else

The ball's in your court now. What are Telling someone it's now their
you going to do? turn to make a decision

Unfortunately I think he’ll be studying for For a very long time

IELTS until the cows come home. His
English is very poor.

It was all tongue-in-cheek. He didn’t really Something said in humour rather

mean what he said. than seriously

She’s feeling under the weathertoday so Unwell

she won’t be going to work.

Set 5

Common Idioms Definitions

We've had some big disagreements over the Things from the past that are not
years, but it’s all water under the bridge now. important anymore
We get on fine.

You are what you eat so it’s better to have a If you eat bad food, you’ll be
healthy diet. unhealthy, if you eat good food, you’ll
be healthy

You can’t judge a book by its cover. I need to The belief that outside appearances
get to know him before I decide what he is like. do not reveal what someone or
something is really like
We're really working against the clock now. We Not having enough time to do
must hurry. something

Why are we bothering? We're flogging a dead Attempting to continue with something
horse. Our online business is making no money, that is finished / over
so we should move on and do something else.

I bent over backwards to help him. I hope he Doing all you can to help someone
appreciates it.

So you have the IELTS test today?? Break a leg. Good luck

Ok, I'm playing devil's advocatehere, but if To put forward a side in an argument
marijuana is legalized, isn't it more likely young that may not be your own in order to
people will smoke it? show the counter-argument / ensure
all sides are discussed

Hold your horses! We haven't won anything yet. Telling someone who is getting ahead
of themselves to wait / be patient

Annoying or irritating somebody

She is driving me up the wall. She won't stop
talking.

List of Idioms and Their Meanings

The following list of idioms will be in alphabetical order, with an explanation
and contextual example provided for easier comprehension.
actions speak louder than words
 Definition: Refers to the idea that it’s better to do something than
just talk about it.
 Example: “He always tells his girlfriend that he loves her, but he never
actually does anything nice for her. Someone should teach him that actions
speak louder than words.”
add fuel to the fire
 Definition: Something that worsens an already bad situation.
 Example: “I wanted to intervene when they were yelling at each other,
but that would have just added fuel to the fire.”
all bark and no bite
 Definition: Being verbally threatening, but unwilling to do anything
significant.
 Example: “He keeps threatening to shut down our paper after we ran that
 article about him, but I don’t think he will. In my opinion, he’s all
bark and no bite.”
at the drop of a hat
 Definition: A willingness to do something right away.
 Example: “Our boss expects us to show up in her office at the drop of
a hat, even when we’re in a meeting with clients.”
beating around the bush
 Definition: Avoiding the main issue.
 Example: “I kept trying to steer the conversation back to his alibi,
but he wouldn’t stop beating around the bush, bringing up things totally
off-topic.”
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
 Definition: It’s better to have a small, secured advantage than the
possibility of a bigger one. It’s better to stick with what you have than
risk it for something greater.
 Example: “Someone offered me $100 to buy my old TV. I was hoping to
sell it for $200, but I have a feeling this is the best offer I’ll get
for a while, and I need that money now. A bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush, right?”
blessing in disguise
 Definition: Something good and beneficial that did not initially seem
that way.
 Example: “It was raining so hard that our cab was late, and we were
late to our reservation at the restaurant. Turns out everyone who ate
there that night got food poisoning. I guess the bad weather was a blessing
in disguise!”
break a leg
 Definition: Something you say to someone you want to wish luck on.
 Example: “Is tonight your big performance? Break a leg!”
chip on your shoulder
 Definition: When someone is upset about something that happened a while
ago.
 Example: “He has a chip on his shoulder from years of being bullied as
a kid.”
come hell or high water
 Definition: Possible obstacles in your path.
 Example: “I promise you, come hell or high water, we are going to make
it to your party tonight!”
cry over spilt milk
 Definition: Complaining about a loss or failure from the past.
 Example: “She was mad that he broke her vase, but it was an accident,
and there’s no use crying over spilt milk anyway, so she forgave him.”
cut to the chase
 Definition: Skip the irrelevant parts, and go straight to the main point.
  Example: “Why don’t you just cut to the chase, and tell me where you
hid my phone!”
hit the nail on the head
 Definition: Do or say exactly the correct thing.
 Example: “I really hit the nail on the head when I guessed they were
getting married.”
piece of cake
 Definition: Something that is easy to understand or accomplish.
 Example: “My math homework last night was a piece of cake! I finished
it ten minutes.”
slap on the wrist
 Definition: A mild punishment, such as a scolding.
 Example: “The cop pulled me over for speeding, but it was my first time
so she just gave me a slap on the wrist.”
spill the beeans
 Definition: Tell a secret.
 Example: “My three-year-old spilled the beans about the surprise
birthday party we were planning.”
taste of your own medicine
 Definition: When someone receives the same treatment, usually negative,
that they gave someone else.
 Example: “That kid is always beating up other kids on the playground.
I wish someone would give him a taste of his own medicine.”

51 Of The Most Beautiful Sentences In Literature

2. "In our village, folks say God crumbles up the old moon into stars."

3. "She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there
leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.

4. "I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart; I am, I
am, I am."

6. "Beauty is an enormous, unmerited gift given randomly, stupidly."

7. "Sometimes I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the
lives I'm not living."

8. "What are men to rocks and mountains?"

10. "'Dear God,' she prayed, 'let me be something every minute of every
hour of my life.'"
11. "The curves of your lips rewrite history."

12. "A dream, all a dream, that ends in nothing, and leaves the sleeper
where he lay down, but I wish you to know that you inspired it."

14. "As Estha stirred the thick jam he thought Two Thoughts and the
Two Thoughts he thought were these: a) Anything can happen to
anyone. and b) It is best to be prepared."

15. "If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving one be me."

16. "And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good."

18. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are
dreamt of in your philosophy."

19. "America, I've given you all and now I'm nothing."

20. "It might be that to surrender to happiness was to accept defeat, but
it was a defeat better than many victories."

22. "At the still point, there the dance is."

23. "Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her
laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering."

24. "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart."

26. "The pieces I am, she gather them and gave them back to me in all
the right order."

27. "How wild it was, to let it be."

28. "Do I dare / Disturb the universe?"

30. "She was lost in her longing to understand."

31. "She was becoming herself and daily casting aside that fictitious self
which we assume like a garment with which to appear before the world."

32. "We cross our bridges as we come to them and burn them behind
us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell
of smoke, and the presumption that once our eyes watered."

34. "The half life of love is forever."

35. "I celebrate myself, and sing myself."

36. "There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one
of the lights, the light of all lights."

37. "Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet."

38. "I could hear the human noise we sat there making, not one of us
moving, not even when the room went dark."

39. "I would always rather be happy than dignified."

41. "I have spread my dreams under your feet; / Tread softly because
you tread on my dreams"

42. "It frightened him to think what must have gone to the making of her
eyes."

43. "For poems are like rainbows; they escape you quickly."

45. "I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare
of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping
away unannounced in the middle of the night."

46. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past."

47. "Journeys end in lovers meeting."

49. "It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember
that."

50. "Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt."

51. "One must be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words
have the power to change us."

List of most useful essay quotes

I’ve compiled a list of easy-to-digest quotes that should help you write the perfect essay.
Bookmark this page NOW for future reference.
The following quotes from great thinkers have been selected based on their relevance to
common GRE essay topics and for their ease of usage.
1. The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance – Socrates
2. A people that value its privileges above its principles soon loses both – Dwight D.
Eisenhower
3. In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is
– Yogi Berra
4. A little inaccuracy can sometimes save a ton of explanation – H.H Munro
5. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a
touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction – E. F.
Schumacher
6. A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes
individually – Abba Eban
7. Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good – Mohandas
Gandhi
8. Whatever government is not a government of laws, is a despotism, let it be called what
it may – Daniel Webster
9. Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will
find a way around the laws – Plato
10. Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth
doing – Theodore Roosevelt
11. It is dangerous to be right, when the government is wrong – Voltaire
12. The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to
protect its free expression should be our first object – Thomas Jefferson
13. No nation is fit to sit in judgment upon any other nation – Woodrow Wilson (28th U.S
President)
14. The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work – Emile Zola
The world is full of educated derelicts – Calvin Coolidge
15. A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a change to get its pants on –
Winston Churchill It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the
dog – Mark Twain
16. Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire, the other is to
get it – Socrates
17. If women didn’t exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning – Aristotle
Onasis Men are not disturbed by things, but the view they take of things – Epictetus
18. As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see than about what they can – Julius
Caesar