Learn how to use the phrase "cut corners”.
Check out the "Singlish with Josh" YouTube channel and website.

Episode Script:

“He must have cut some corners with this project!”

Welcome to “ESL with Josh” - a podcast that will help you to speak more like a native English speaker. In this episode, we will consider the phrase “cut corners” - what does it mean and how do we use it?

“Cutting corners” is an idiom, which means that this phrase has a meaning unrelated to the words found in it.
”Cutting corners” (as an idiom) does NOT mean using scissors to cut paper.
”Cutting corners” (as an idiom) does NOT have anything to do with corners.

“Cutting corners” DOES mean doing something quicker or cheaper than it should be done.

The phrase was first used in the 1800s to describe carriages turning quickly to save time, and “cutting off the corner”. This act was intended to save time but often resulted in negative consequences. The carriage wheel could hit the curb and cause the carriage to tip over and cause a big problem. The intent was to make the route shorter and arrive quicker, but it often proved that taking the longer, safer route was actually better, and often quicker in the end.

Today, “cutting corners” is used for any situation where someone uses the cheapest, quickest, or easiest way to accomplish something. This implies that the quality of the work will be lower than it would have if done properly. This idiom is used in both social situations as well as in the business world.

Here are a few examples:

• If you want to succeed in this life, you can’t cut corners. You have to put in the work.
• Our boss doesn’t deserve his position. The only reason he was promoted to that role is because he cut corners.
• With travel costs increasing, the concern is that airlines are cutting corners in order to make a profit.
• The company has had to start cutting corners by importing products that they used to produce locally.

Now it is time to take a quiz.
Which of the following sentences use the idiom correctly?

1. When it became known that the accountant was cutting corners, he was fired immediately.
2. This toy fell apart before I even touched it. They must have really sliced corners when they made these things.
3. Can you cut the corners of the sandwich off for me?
4. You should never cut corners when it comes to your health.

What do you think?
The correct sentences are numbers 1 and 4.

Now it’s time for the Joke of the Day
What do you call an expensive belt that is too small?
A huge waist (waste).

Thanks for listening!

If you have any suggestions for future episodes, you can email me at ESLwithJosh@gmail.com.
Be sure to follow this podcast so you don’t miss any episodes.
Also please check out my YouTube channel for more English resources. You can find it at youtube.com/SinglishwithJosh

Thanks for tuning in!

Learn how to use the phrase "lion’s share”.
Check out the "Singlish with Josh" YouTube channel and website.

Episode Script:

“Why should you get the lion’s share of the pizza?”

Welcome to “ESL with Josh” - a podcast that will help you to speak more like a native English speaker. In this episode, we will consider the phrase “lion’s share” - what does it mean and how do we use it?

“Lion’s share” is an idiom, which means that this phrase has a meaning unrelated to the words found in it.
”Lion’s share” does NOT mean that lions like to share things.
”Lion’s share” (as an idiom) does NOT have anything to do with animals.

“Lion’s share” DOES mean the largest portion of something.

The phrase originates from Aesop’s fables. In one of these stories, a lion and 3 other animals go hunting together. Once they succeeded, the lion decided that all four portions would belong to him. Aesop concludes that “one may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoils.” So originally, the “lion’s share” indicated the entire amount of something, but over time the phrase began to refer to the largest and best portion of something.

Today, the idiom is used in sorts of contexts to refer to the largest amount or portion of something.

Here are a few examples:

• At the swim meet, Patrick won the lion’s share of the gold medals.
• The lead actor received the lion’s share of the credit for the show’s success.
• In many cultures, the oldest son receives the lion’s share of the estate.
• Dad spent the lion’s share of our vacation working on his computer.

Now it is time to take a quiz.
Which of the following sentences use the idiom correctly?

1. Why should we split the bill evenly when you ate as much as a lion?
2. My little sister is small but she still always eats the lion’s share of pizza on movie night.
3. This was a team project, but Jerry clearly did the lion’s share of the work.
4. Lionel Messi scored the lion’s amount of Argentina’s goals in the world cup.

What do you think?
The correct sentences are numbers 2 and 3.

Now it’s time for the Joke of the Day
What time should you make an appointment at the dentist?
2:30 ("Tooth hurty")

Thanks for listening!

If you have any suggestions for future episodes, you can email me at ESLwithJosh@gmail.com.
Be sure to follow this podcast so you don’t miss any episodes.
Also please check out my YouTube channel for more English resources. You can find it at youtube.com/SinglishwithJosh

Thanks for tuning in!

Learn how to use the phrase "jump through hoops”.
Check out the "Singlish with Josh" YouTube channel and website.

Episode Script:

“Please don’t make me jump through a lot of hoops!”

Welcome to “ESL with Josh” - a podcast that will help you to speak more like a native English speaker. In this episode, we will consider the phrase “jump through hoops” - what does it mean and how do we use it?

“Jump through hoops” is an idiom, which means that this phrase has a meaning unrelated to the words found in it. ”Jump through hoops” does NOT mean to literally jump through something. ”Jump through hoops” does NOT have anything to do with basketball.

“Jumping through hoops” DOES mean doing a lot of annoying or difficult tasks in order to accomplish something.

Have you ever been to a circus, or seen one in a movie? Many circus acts involve animals jumping through hoops, sometimes hoops that are on fire. Think about this act. There is no purpose in the animal jumping through the hoop, except to entertain others. Often the animals are even threatened with a whip in order to make sure they jump through the hoops.

This is where the idiom comes from. If you have to do multiple annoying or difficult tasks in order to accomplish something, you may feel like you are being treated like a zoo animal. The annoying tasks seem to have no purpose other than entertaining the person or institution that is making you do them.

So, the phrase “jump through hoops” is used often for describing how difficult it was to accomplish something. At times, the idiom is expanded to “jump through a lot of hoops”.

Here are a few examples:

• We had to jump through a lot of hoops to get my father admitted to the hospital.
• With all of the security checks, you have to jump through a lot of hoops in the airport to get onto a flight.
• I jumped through hoops all morning to get this appointment for you, so you better make it on time.
• Hopefully I will get my visa someday. It feels like all I am doing is jumping through hoops for no reason.

Now it is time to take a quiz.
Which of the following sentences use the idiom correctly?

1. If you want to be an actor, be prepared to hop through a lot of hoops in order to land a job.
2. I wish we could get more done. It seems like we are just constantly jumping through hoops.
3. We had to jump through fire to get my father admitted to the hospital.
4. I am tired of jumping in circles to get a passport. I give up.

What do you think?
The only correct sentence is number 2.

Now it’s time for the Joke of the Day
What animal can jump higher than a house? 
All of them. Houses can’t jump.

Thanks for listening!

If you have any suggestions for future episodes, you can email me at ESLwithJosh@gmail.com.
Be sure to follow this podcast so you don’t miss any episodes.
Also please check out my YouTube channel for more English resources. You can find it at youtube.com/SinglishwithJosh

Thanks for tuning in!