INTENTIONS AND PROPOSALS AND DECISIONS

• Intentions
• I intend to
• My purpose is
• What I  want to do in  this proposal
• I would suggest the following plan...
• The principal objective of...
• To aim  at / for
• A goal
• to have your  heart set on...
• Decisions
• To make up your mind
• The lesser of two evils
• If I was in your shoes...
• I don't know  which way to turn to
• By hook or by crook
• One way  or another
• Take it or leave it
• To play the devil's advocate
• To take the  bull by the horns
• To take the plunge
• Solutions
• To put into action
• To put into place
• To sort out
• To come up with
• Given  the  problem
• In view of the concerns raised...
• It's clearly vital  that
• If the center is to develop, it's...
• A low-cost option  would  be...
• a recipe for disaster
• It's clear that our customers...
• There have been some requests for...
• It's a  means to an end
• GIVE  IT A TRY / A GO/ A  SHOT / A CHANCE
• Results
• Some people go from strength to strength
• To get dessilusioned and let yourdream  go

HOLLIDAYS

• Did you have a good time?
• The countryside
• to go hiking in the hills nearby
• To hang out in the village (in a relax way)
• To do sme sightseeing
• We hit the beaches/ bars (informal)
• A walking tour (you pay for a guide) / to explore by yourself
• We sampled as much ofthe local cuisine
• Surrounded by nice mountain scenery
• a  picturesque and  sleepy ( peaceful / quiet) village
• Some dramatic mountain scenery (impressive)
• Avery cosmopolitan place but a bit overwhelming
• It has stunning beaches
• A fascinating place but it's quite touristy (lost some of its charm)
• the food was out of this world
• Each day was pretty similar
• It is like nowhere I have ever been before
• It's noisy and touristy for my tastes
• I wish it had been less crowded
• It was beautiful in a wild way

TALKING ABOUT YOUR HOUSE

• I live in a  flat in a two story house in the suburbs
• I live on the fourth floor in a fifth storey building
• I live in a two storey terraced house
• A  balcony or a terrace or an  outdoor area
• Spacious
• cosy
• My home is light
• Warm, cool
• It's convenient for the subway
• It's cramped
• noisy even at night
• It's very close to everything
• Do you live in a rented flat / by yourself
• A  quiet neibourhood
• To live
• in the suburbs 
• on the outskirts 
• in the middle of nowhere 
• in the city centre

HOBBIES

I DON'T GET THE CHANCE TO DO it that often
I started playing tennis because I wanted to be healthy/ more flexible /it's really exciting
I really/ absolutely hate going hiking because it's so tiring
My brother got me into it

TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS

• A problem,  
• A trouble
• An issue
• an  ordeal
• An  obstacle
• An impediment
• A pitfall
• A setback
• A snag (unforeseen)

• What's bugging  him?
• What's etaing him?

• to be in dire straits
• I've come up against a brick wall
• I've come up against a stumbling block

• I've been holding the baby
• We are all going to have to face the music
• to be in the same boat

• Situations
• We've been  running up against problems
• to handle / manage / use / utilise
• to  come up with a plan
• to be in a holwe / in a spot / up against it
• One thing led to the other

• to solve problems
• Easier said than done
• to overcome a physical problem
• We solved the problem  at the  eleventh hour by...
• It was all  brushed under the carpet
• It's just a storm in a  teacup
• Is it everything OK with you?
• An amazing determination who has succeded against all the odds
• tobe off the hook ( freed from a difficult situation)
• Give it a go / a shot / a try

• to put a distance between you and the others

• Easy solutions
• things go smoothly
• to wave a magic wand
• It's a piece of cake
• It's child play

SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR HOMETOWN

• What's your town famous for? 
• Some landmarks...
• Is it a sleepy or a bustling city?
• What's good of your city? 
• What was your hometown like some years ago?
• It's almost irrecognisable
• It's much more.... than  it used to be
• It's a bit different nowadays
• It's always something interesting going on
• You can meet people from all over the world
• Small towns have a better sense of community
• It's a great place to live
• I quite like living in...
• I suppose I don't mind living in...
• the cost of living is really high
• It's really crowded
• It's a bit cut off  from the wider world
• It's a real 24 hour city
• Air quality  can be an issue
• It's a  unique place
• the surrounding  area  is quite beautiful

VOLUNTEERING

• Some interesting phrases
• To gain  new skills
• Develop  transfereable skills
• To improve  your CV
• Those who volunteer have a better chance  of a  higher salary and to get a promotion
• Most employers value volunteering on a CV
• to venture out in the world of work
• to meet different  people with different beliefs and values
• Unfoortunately ou cannot learn all in a classroom
• to apply you have been learnt in the real work
• To see first hand  waht professionals do
• volunteeering  can bridge that gap  between  thery and  practise
• Become a fulfilling career
• A new professional setting

• To build a sense of confidence
• Achieve a sense of pride
• to look after the elderly
• You  feel  more important
• Things that couldn't have been achieved without your help
• It's  very  rewarding
• To increase your contacts
• to keep yourself occupied
• To do anything constructive with your time
• It keeps you  mentally and  physically occupied in a positive way

YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE