熟练地运用英语的一个重要方面就是学习并掌握英语本族者常用的生动、的活泼的习语。
1. after you.你先请。这是一句很常用的客套话，在进／出门,上车得场合你都可以表现一下。 (好象现在女士不愿意你这么做，特别是那些女权主义者，我还记得这么一段话：一个女士对一个让她先行的男士说：you do this because i am a woman?那个男士回答说：i do this not because you are a woman but because i am a man!i love this guy!
2. i just couldn’t help it.我就是忍不住。想想看，这样一个漂亮的句子可用于多少个场合？下面是随意举的一个例子：
i was deeply moved by the film and i cried and cried. i just couldn’t help it.
太棒的句子了，我爱死它了。：）
3. don’t take it to heart. 别往心里去，别为此而忧虑伤神。生活实例：
this test isn’t that important. don’t take it to heart. 安慰人的超级句子。
4. we’d better be off.我们该走了。it’s getting late. we’d better be off .
5. let’s face it. 面对现实吧。常表明说话人不愿意逃避困难的现状。
参考例句：i know it’s a difficult situation. let’s face it, ok?
很棒啊，年轻人犯错误，上帝都会原谅，remember?但是犯了错误，你必须面对他，let’s face it,或者是：let’s face the music.
6. let’s get started.咱们开始干吧。劝导别人时说：don’t just talk. let’s get started.
let’s get started.
let’s start.
let’s do it right now.
let’s hit sth.
let’s rock&roll.
let’s put our hands on sth.
7. i’m really dead.我真要累死了。坦诚自己的感受时说：after all that work, i’m really dead.
8. i’ve done my best.我已尽力了。
这句话，很有用，失败有时难免，但是你要是可以说，i’ve done my best.or i spare no efforts.就不必遗憾，毕竟，man supposes,god disposes.
9. is that so?真是那样吗？常用在一个人听了一件事后表示惊讶、的怀疑。
10. don’t play games with me!别跟我耍花招！
11. i don’t know for sure.我不确切知道。
stranger： could you tell me how to get to the town hall?
tom: i don’t know for sure. maybe you could ask the policeman over there.
12. i’m not going to kid you.我不是跟你开玩笑的。
karin： you quit the job? you are kidding.
jack: i’m not going to kid you. i’m serious.
13. that’s something. 太好了，太棒了。
a: i’m granted a full scholarship for this semester.
b: congratulations. that’s something.
14. brilliant idea!这主意真棒！这主意真高明！
15. do you really mean it? 此话当真？
michael：whenever you are short of money, just come to me.
david: do you really mean it?
16. you are a great help.你帮了大忙
17. i couldn’t be more sure. 我再也肯定不过。
18. i am behind you.我支持你。
a: whatever decision you’re going to make, i am behind you.
19. i’m broke.我身无分文。
i am penniless.
20. mind you!请注意！听着！(也可仅用mind。)
模范例句：mind you! he’s a very nice fellow though bad-tempered.
21. you can count on it.你尽管相信好了，尽管放心。
a：do you think he will come to my birthday party?
b: you can count on it.
22. i never liked it anyway.我一直不太喜欢这东西。当朋友或同事不小心摔坏你的东西时就可以用上这句话给他一个台阶，打破尴尬局面：oh, don’t worry. i’m thinking of buying a new one. i never liked it anyway.
23. that depends.看情况再说。 (on sth)
例：i may go to the airport to meet her. but that depends.
24. congratulations.恭喜你，祝贺你。
25. thanks anyway.无论如何我还是得谢谢你。当别人尽力要帮助你却没帮成时，你就可以用这个短语表示谢意。
26. it’s a deal.一言为定
harry： haven’t seen you for ages. let’s have a get-together next week.
jenny: it’s a deal
电影里经常听到，it’s a deal,that is a good deal.或是两个人打算达成某个协议或是做成某个生意会说：deal? deal!