Friday, 22 June 2012

"Alas, I am dying beyond my means."

"Alas, I am dying beyond my means." said Oscar Wilde, as he sipped champagne on his deathbed. 


Why is this witty?


'Living beyond your means' is an expression used to say that you are spending more money than you have. People who eat out at expensive restaurants, drive expensive cars, go on fancy holidays, buy designer clothes, but have modest salaries, little savings and no other sources of income, tend to live beyond their means.


Example: 'They bought that house beyond their means'
Definition: Referring to a belief that they cannot afford the house - that they can't meet the mortgage payments 


Extract from The New York Times Opinion Pages 'Living Beyond Your Means'


First, the expansion of consumer credit in the United States has allowed middle class and poor Americans to live beyond their means, masking their lack of wealth by increasing their debt. We might think that people who have "zero net worth” have nothing. But in fact, having zero net worth increasingly means owning a lot (cars, televisions, even houses) – but also owing a lot. As a result people with zero net worth, and even negative net worth, can still feel that they are living the American dream, doing “better” than their parents did while keeping up with the Joneses.


Click to read whole article

Word bank: click on the words to discover the meanings

Wednesday, 13 June 2012

What does 'afford' mean?!

The most common meaning of the verb afford is; if you can afford something, you have enough money to be able to pay for it.

Example: I bought a new car earlier this year, so I can't afford to go on holiday (I don't have enough money to pay for a holiday because I spent a lot of money on a car.)

I got a bonus at work, so now I can afford that Gucci bag that I have wanted for ages (before my bonus, I didn't have enough money. Now that I have some extra money, I can buy something expensive)

The word afford usually follows: can, could or be able to

For more meanings of this verb click here.

Sunday, 10 June 2012

Word of the week: witty

Witty (adjective) means clever and amusing.

A witty person can think of clever, funny remarks and comebacks, making people laugh.  (Not usually rude or offensive).

5 witty quotes:

  • Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
  • Never interrupt your opponent while he's making a mistake.
  • It may look like I'm doing nothing, but I'm actively waiting for my problems to go away.
  • Confessions may be good for the soul, but they are bad for the reputation.
  • If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.


Quotes from: www.witty-quotes.com

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Summer Promotion - Get your English on!


Get ready for summer holidays, fun and travel! 

Take advantage of our summer promo of four lessons for the price of two! 

Level test and needs analysis free. Offer valid until July 31st 2012. 

Email us for info: info@englishweb.it