Real English doesn’t move one word at a time — it flows in ready-made chunks that native speakers grab without thinking. This collection of around 1,200 phrases and expressions covers the everyday combos you’ll hear in casual chats, work emails, and weekend plans. No dusty textbook lists, just the real stuff that helps you sound more natural from day one.
Each entry in the interactive table gives you a clear meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy-to-read US IPA so you can nail the pronunciation. There’s a play button right next to every phrase — tap it to hear the audio, because your ears need training too. When you’re ready to study offline, a free PDF download button sits below the table.
Words are handy, but phrases are what you actually say out loud. Our free chunk‑based English lessons help you speak in whole expressions — start with Lesson 1 — First Greetings and see how quickly conversations click.
- English Vocabulary hub
- Learn English guide
- Most Common Phrasal Verbs
- Cambridge Dictionary — phrasal verbs & phrases
English Phrases Quiz
Think you’ve already got a handle on common phrases? Try the quick quiz below to see how many you really know.
Common English Phrases and Expressions
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (number) cents. | Use this pattern to state an amount of money in cents. | 50 cents. |
| (number) days ago. | Refers to a time in the past measured in days. | Three days ago. |
| (number) dollars. | Use this pattern to state an amount of money in dollars. | 20 dollars. |
| (number) hours ago. | Refers to a time in the past measured in hours. | Two hours ago. |
| [Month] (day). | States a specific date. | October 10. |
| [Place A] is very different from [Place B]. | Use this pattern to compare two places, saying they are not similar. | Tokyo is very different from Osaka. |
| A few. | A small number of something. | How many apples do you want? A few. |
| A little. | A small amount of something. | How much sugar do you need? A little. |
| A long time ago. | Far in the past. | A long time ago, dinosaurs lived on Earth. |
| A one way ticket. | Ticket for travel in one direction only. | I need a one way ticket to Chicago. |
| A round trip ticket. | Ticket for travel to a place and back. | I'd like a round trip ticket to London. |
| About (number) kilometers. | Use this pattern to give an approximate distance in kilometers. | About 5 kilometers. |
| absolutely | Used to strongly agree or emphasize. | Absolutely, I'll help you with that. |
| Across from the post office. | On the opposite side of the post office. | The bank is across from the post office. |
| after you | Polite way to let someone go first. | After you, please go through the door. |
| All day. | Throughout the entire day. | I've been working all day. |
| all right | Indicating agreement or that something is okay. | All right, let's start the meeting. |
| Am I pronouncing it correctly? | Asking if your pronunciation is right. | Am I pronouncing it correctly? Please correct me. |
| And you? | Asking the same question back to someone. | I'm fine, and you? |
| Anything else? | Asking if there are additional items or requests. | I'll have coffee. Anything else? |
| anyway | In any case | Anyway, let's go. |
| Are there any concerts? | Are there any musical performances happening? | Are there any concerts this weekend? |
| Are they coming this evening? | Will they arrive tonight? | Are they coming this evening for dinner? |
| Are they the same? | Asking if two things are identical. | These two shirts look alike. Are they the same? |
| Are you afraid? | Asking if someone is scared. | Are you afraid of spiders? |
