8 Wonderful ADVANCED IDIOMS - Cambridge English speaking exam preparation (FCE, CAE, CPE)

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Idioms are useful and fun to include in your active vocabulary, not only for the speaking paper of the Cambridge English exams but also for your general English. The advanced idioms and phrases I teach in this video are used in real, everyday English, so... start practising!!!
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Share your own examples in the comments!
Ben Gill
English Teacher
Website: ttpenglish.com
Book recommendations for Cambridge English exam preparation (B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency)
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0:00 We really use these idioms!
0:33 Make no bones about it
1:29 No-brainer
2:21 Much of a muchness
3:35 Twist someone's arm
4:32 Stick to your guns
5:41 Take sth as gospel
6:14 Take sth with a pinch of salt
7:00 A different kettle of fish
#advancedenglish #advancedenglishvocabulary #c1advanced #b2first #c2proficiency #learnenglish #englishlesson

[@albapeeriago]

My own example: When it comes to trying new foods, my brother is a different kettle of fish. In fact, you can't twist his arm to taste anything unusual, but if it's pizza, it's a no-brainer 😂😂😂

[@rosagonzalez6604]

😆👏

[@soniazip1599]

New foodS?

[@albapeeriago]

@@soniazip1599 Yes, I do believe it’s correct. However, I think we only use it when we talk in an informal situation.

[@vanessadimarco158]

Listen to your examples is easy. To make a new one on my own is another kettle of fish. Many people said that learning English grammar is easy and that you only have to start talking, but I take their suggestions with a pinch of salt. Sometimes we argue about it and both sides try to twist each other arms but usually everyone stick to their gun and we decide to agree to disagree. Thank you Ben, useful and enjoyable as usual

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Nicely done!

[@alicheema3561]

Watching others speaking english fluently is one thing, but speaking yourself is an a different kettle of fish. Hurra! I did it.

[@SantiagoSarmiento1]

Me gusta más estos formatos de videos, qué los que son enfocados en solamente el examen. Un abrazo Ben

[@jonyer1980]

I concur. Most of us don´t give a sh..... about Certification papers of Cambridge.

[@franrobles1318]

​@@jonyer1980 Yeah, but the channel is aimed to exams.

[@franrobles1318]

​​@@jonyer1980 I mean, if you are taking an exam, THIS IS THE CHANNEL you have to watch.

[@kalinaluz1106]

Thank you, Ben! Learning few idioms was a lovely way to start my Monday! Have a wonderful week yourself!

[@izabelcristinabello9508]

I make no bones about it, your videos are truly useful. No-braner it’s a life saver for teachers like me. Cheers from Brazil, Ben!! Thank you 😊

[@mihaicaragheorghe5217]

Great video as always!Congrats!

[@mody3351]

Making decision about learning english is easy, but doing it is another kettle of fish. It''s difficult to choose one channel to learn from, they are all much of a muchness. But, I will make no bones about it, your channel is the best channel on KZbin for learning english, it's no-brainer for many viewers. My friends were fiercely trying to convince me to not take your lessons as gospel, but I sticked to my guns and I keep watching your videos. In the end I twisted their armes and they started watching your videos as well. As you can see I used all idioms you did mention in the video. One more thing: it is sometimes good to not believe something completely :)

[@NikitaKovalenko-mw5ld]

Thank you for these fantastic idioms, Ben!

[@leyrepaniagua7821]

What an amazing teacher you are, Ben!

[@elizavetasavina8117]

Really fantastic idioms I haven't come across of previously) Thanks, Ben!

[@e-classesconcarloscastillo4260]

Thanks Ben. I really appreciate your help. I want to attain the C2 level and your videos come in handy.

[@tamar503]

They were awesome. Thank you.❤

[@lovedby.JesusChrist]

I really enjoyed this video! 😊 Thank you.

[@emanoelpaulino1935]

Keep doing nore videos like that ben ,love all of those idioms

[@sofinahir8899]

Love your content! It's so difficult to find a good explanation for idioms! 😅 hope to see more of this content soon 😊

[@D.D.8]

thank you!

[@shyster3618]

Awesome!!!

[@javifontalva7752]

Teachers like you are very few and far between! Good job mate! Pip pip! Cheerio

[@user-cc2ux9ew1r]

Ben, greetings from Morocco. Hope you are well. Many thanks for your time as well as your lessons

[@mohammadmirmiran3547]

Well-explained🙏🙏🙏

[@oksanapolyanskaya8258]

Thank you so much!I love your videos!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks, Oksana. Glad you like them!

[@gdi6572]

Thank you for this amazing lesson!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

My pleasure!

[@monicas.701]

My heartfelt thanks !!!!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

My pleasure 🙂

[@satyamkaskar1034]

Thank you Ben ! I would like to know why "No-brainer" is grammatically incorrect. Anyways, your videos are always helpful and teach something new. Also your charm and willingness to learn new always attract me.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

"No-brainer" is grammatically correct as a noun in itself, but not at two separate words.

[@user-vm1cu1dw9p]

I always take your tips as a gospel! Perfect!😊

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Perfect!

[@khalidmohammed7720]

Thank You Very Much Ben

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome!

[@julioabbadie9828]

Interesting idioms that work out very well with exámenes.Julio retired teacher from Dolores Argentina

[@gladysdasilva6878]

Hi Ben! Thanks once more...😊

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

My pleasure!

[@maq2010movie]

I am using these idioms I was not familiar with, to prepare my speech for Toastmasters International, tomorrow night. It is a fictional letter to my daughter, who actually moved from Italy to Brussels to become a lindy hop dancer. She wanted to go there, she was sticking to her guns and off she went! I’ll make no bones about it: I miss her so much! 😊

[@carlosmoraes7798]

Amazing video!!!

[@bmak0526]

Thanks

[@user-vk3vz8pk6u]

For me, it's a no-brainer that this channel is a great way to boost your knowledge! I make no bones about it! These videos help me a lot! When you're preparing for the CAE exam, you might tackle with a lot of information that is much of a muchness but this one is really helpful. For this reason, I'll even try to twist my students' arms to subscribe but it might be complicated since they're always sticking to their guns! Still, I don't judge them since taking everything with a pinch of salt is OK when living in the era of up-to-date technology.

[@zobrowkowiec4731]

Thank you very much

[@15015.]

Great video, Ben, thanks a million! Is make no bones similar to beat about the bush?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Similar, but not the same

[@user-sm3tk2qm3o]

It's like frankly speaking

[@lizardwhispererfivehead3552]

Saw your catch 22 video & I was hooked 😂 I love learning from English Accent (ed) people ❤😂🧐

[@user-xc2oe9ur9e]

Thank you for the video 😊

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

My pleasure 😊

[@sofiyaostrovska8382]

Your videos are absolutely fantastic!! Interesting, well-structured and tremendously useful. Do you have conversation lessons not aiming exams? Thank you!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks! No, I'm afraid I don't have general conversation lessons at the moment.

[@sofiyaostrovska8382]

Thank you for your reply! Possibly, in future...@@tothepointenglishwithben.

[@danielamoraes4656]

I've read a book in English recently, and I came across this idiom "take sth with a pinch of salt". Many thanks for all these tips, they are really helpful! 😊

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great! It's quite a common idiom so very useful

[@SabineHamer-mr7pm]

My example: I twisted my boy friends arm to learn Englisch with me. Helpful and useful as always. I love idioms because they help you speak more fluently and that in turn makes you more self - confident. Thank you Ben for this idioms.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Good stuff! And you're welcome 🙂

[@jonyer1980]

En español sería "Eso ya es harina de otro costal" if we´re refering to a different kettle of fish. "Take it as a pinch of salt" sería algo así como "Lo cojo con pinzas" which means you partially believe in a skeptical way some facts but really the whole story.

[@edilsonluizpereira2421]

Hello Ben! All the idioms you've been teaching us are useful. I am sure I will use one of them in any moment of my life, actully I have already done it. I used some in my C1 exam and I got a good mark in the speaking paper.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great... well done, Edilson!

[@edilsonluizpereira2421]

Gracias!@@tothepointenglishwithben.

[@vikitoth7859]

I make no bones about it, i relish collecting really english idioms. I could write, it is difficult to choose the best english chanel, they are much of a muchness, but it is not true, if you really want to be on the ball and pass your exams with flying colours you have to visit Ben's lessons. He is one of the best teachers. I have never been able to do an english exam, but now i decided to do at least a basic one, I'm going to fight to the bitter end. It's utterly helpful, that some teacher speak slowly, so i can understand and follow the lesson. Thank you.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great! 👏

[@letshigh99]

That's exactly why 0:27 - 0:32 I like your channel. you never give bulls*** intel like other youtubers do in this realm

[@emanoelpaulino1935]

Ben make more videos like that please

[@TheArthur1180]

Here are some sentences I've come up with in order to use some of the idioms learnt: • I will make no bones about the fact that I simply can't stand your boyfriend. He is so annoying! • I wasn't really keen on cooking dinner, but she twisted my arm. • When push comes to shove, the most important thing is sticking to your guns. Thanks for the lesson, Ben!

[@franciscopontesvelasco4315]

Can u use "swings and roundabouts" the same way that Much of a muchness

[@valeriovassallo221]

in order to better memorise these idioms it could be helpful to try to explain concisely how they originated

[@vanessadimarco158]

Hi Ben, I heart this idiom "to be at six and seven" to mean caothic. I wonder if It's still in use nowadays? Thank you and have a great day

[@Theman_3000]

I'm native, but I didn't know some of these lol. I've never heard of 'make no bones about' and 'much of a muchness'. Learn something new every day lol.

[@letshigh99]

Cuz you're not from UK

[@valeriovassallo221]

"with a pinch of salt" seems to be the english translation of the latin expression "cum grano salis" which is often used by highly educated italian speakers

[@johnsenglishpage]

Instagram influencer here, I’m coming for you Ben 😂

[@nicolavirdis8104]

"Another kettle of fish" in Italian is like "un altro paio di maniche"

[@fuenmonzo]

Is there any phrasal verb that means convince?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

To talk round. "I was against the idea until he talked me round."

[@fuenmonzo]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Thank you!!!

[@aram5642]

I've been using "a kettle of fish" by itself as a description of a total mess or a difficult situation. But that's another can of worms.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃

[@souadbenayada4140]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@janaosman4550]

I have just got my CAE exam results and it said pass at grade C , i know i passed the exam but is it a good grade though, am i considered an "achiever" ?

[@janaosman4550]

I mean is getting grade A MUCH BETTER or it doesn't matter?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Passing the CAE exam is a great achievement, whatever the score. Congratulations! Most companies and institutions simply ask for a C1 certification although some may ask to see your specific grade.

[@riccardosavio8273]

Does "to take something as gospel" have the same meaning as "to take things at face value"?

[@ericban842]

thank you very much. I always take social networkks influencers with a pinch of salt. it's a no brainer 😂😂😂

[@valeriovassallo221]

In some cases native speakers may be not completely aware of the origin of some idioms

[@nicolavirdis8104]

The phrase "to take something with a pinch of salt" probably derives from the Latin "cum grano salis"😀

[@franciscopontesvelasco4315]

Despite the fact that they were leaning on me I stuck to my guns, I dag my heels in

[@javifontalva7752]

That's a horse of a different colour.

[@ramonoblanca-rojo5433]

Oh, Ben, ets una meravella, pero escolta: -I'll make no bones about it: I hate Cambridge exams. But, i'ts no-brainer, if I'm watching this is 'cause I need to take one... I did consider taking IELTS instead of CPE but at the end of the day, they're all much of a muchness, aren't they? Ok, I won't try to twist your arm, if you think IELTS s best, stick to your guns, go for it. I have read stuff about the IELTS being easier, but I won't take any personal opinion as gospel... we're all different learners, people with different agendas.... so you need to take all those reviews with a pinch of salt.. Overall, I think I’ll stick to Ben materials and videos for my prep…. If I follow all his advice though it is another kettle of fish… ;-) Moltes gràcies, Ben.

[@saeid9800]

Is the idiom "take the bull by the horns" still used? If yes, what does it mean? Thank you.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, it's still used. It means to be decisive in a difficult situation

[@saeid9800]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Thanks for the answer.

[@marylkap6498]

Anything blue matches your eyes, you know?☺️ No need to response 😘

[@fleurblanche7642]

He makes no bones about the following : he is determined at all costs to to bridge the gap and do the proficiency level. This is much of a muchness, concerning her recent behaviour towards hum As to this it is an entirely different kettle of fish Take it as gospel and stick to your guns,Î make no bones about it

[@usamaali1066]

Hang in there.... Stick to your guns I bet you will succeed this time 😊

[@soniazip1599]

Why would ypu say "on the internet", not "in the internet"???

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Because "in the internet" is incorrect,

[@Eagle81623]

My sister used to take everything new as gospel,to the contrary me,who i'm not such a lot gullible person, therefore i used to be sticked to my guns. PANOS

[@franciscopontesvelasco4315]

Would u like to get paid as much money as Messiah? No brainer lol.

[@amiryazdani2318]