English Learning: Proverbs

Dialogue

Alice: Hey Bob, what’s up?

Bob: Hi Alice! I was just thinking about proverbs. My grandma loves them, but I never quite get them.

Alice: Haha, they can be tricky! Like ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ Do you eat an apple every day?

Bob: No, but I eat a lot of pizza. Does that keep the pizza delivery person away?

Alice: Close! It means eating healthy helps you stay healthy. How about ‘When it rains, it pours’?

Bob: Oh, that’s easy! It means when it rains, it *really* rains a lot, so you need a big umbrella!

Alice: Well, yes, but it also means when bad things happen, many bad things happen at once.

Bob: Oh! So it’s not just about actual rain? My umbrella feels very misunderstood.

Alice: Exactly! Or ‘Don’t cry over spilled milk’.

Bob: So, if I spill my milk, I should just clean it up and not be sad?

Alice: Yes! It means don’t worry about something that already happened and you can’t change.

Bob: Wow, proverbs are deep. I thought ‘Early bird catches the worm’ meant I needed to wake up early to find worms for breakfast.

Alice: Definitely not for breakfast! It means if you start early, you have a better chance to succeed.

Bob: Okay, I think I’m starting to get it. They’re like wise little secrets.

Alice: Kind of! They give good advice. Want to try another one?

Bob: Sure! But please, no more worms.

Current Situation

Proverbs are short, well-known sayings that express a common truth or piece of advice. They are often old and come from many different cultures. For English learners, proverbs can sometimes be difficult because their meaning is not always literal (word-for-word). For example, “When it rains, it pours” isn’t just about the weather; it means bad luck often comes in large amounts. Learning proverbs helps you understand English culture and communicate more naturally.

Key Phrases

• What’s up?: An informal way to ask ‘How are you?’ or ‘What are you doing?’.

  Example: “Hey, what’s up? Long time no see!”

• never quite get them: To not fully understand something.

  Example: “I never quite get why people like that music.”

• can be tricky: Something that is difficult or complicated.

  Example: “Learning a new language can be tricky at first.”

• Close!: Meaning ‘almost correct’ or ‘not quite right’.

  Example: “Is the answer five? Close! It’s six.”

• actual rain: Real rain, emphasizing the literal meaning versus a figurative one.

  Example: “The forecast says rain, but is it actual rain or just a drizzle?”

• starting to get it: Beginning to understand something.

  Example: “After his explanation, I’m starting to get it now.”

• give good advice: To offer helpful suggestions or guidance.

  Example: “My parents always give good advice.”

Grammar Points

1. The Simple Present Tense: We use the simple present tense for habits, general truths, and facts.

• Example: “My grandma loves them.” (habit/fact)
• Example: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” (general truth)

2. Imperatives: We use imperatives to give commands, instructions, or advice. They usually start with a verb in its base form.

• Example: “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” (advice)
• Example: “Clean it up.” (command)

3. The Modal Verb ‘Can’: We use ‘can’ to express ability (what someone or something is able to do) or possibility (something that might happen).

• Example: “They can be tricky.” (possibility)
• Example: “You can’t change.” (inability/impossibility)

Practice Exercises