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 |
|---|---|---|
| Every day I get up at (time). | Describes a daily routine of waking up at a certain time. | Every day I get up at 7 am. |
| Every week. | Something happens each week. | We have a team meeting every week. |
| Everyone knows it. | Something is common knowledge to all people. | Everyone knows it's rude to interrupt. |
| Everything is ready. | All preparations are complete. | Everything is ready for the party. |
| Excellent. | Very good; of the highest quality. | Excellent! You got an A on the test. |
| Excuse me, what did you say? | Politely asking someone to repeat what they said. | Excuse me, what did you say? I wasn't listening. |
| excuse me, where is the exit? | Politely asking for exit location. | Visitor: "Excuse me, where is the exit?" Guard: "Straight ahead and turn right." |
| Excuse me. | A polite way to get someone's attention or apologize. | Excuse me, can you tell me where the restroom is? |
| Expiration date. | The date when something is no longer good to use. | Check the expiration date on the milk before drinking it. |
| fair enough | Used to accept a point or situation as reasonable. | You don't want to go? Fair enough. |
| feel free | You are welcome to do something; no need to ask. | Feel free to ask any questions. |
| Fill it up, please. (gas station) | Request to fill the vehicle's tank with gas. | Fill it up, please. I'm going on a long trip. |
| Follow me. | Telling someone to go after you. | Follow me, I'll show you to your seat. |
| For how many nights? | Asking the number of nights for a hotel stay. | For how many nights will you be staying with us? |
| for now | Temporarily, at the present moment. | We'll stay here for now. |
| for real | Really; seriously; truly. | Are you for real? You actually did that? |
| for sure | Definitely; certainly. | I'll be there for sure. |
| for what it’s worth | Used to offer an opinion that may not be important. | For what it's worth, I think you're right. |
| Forget it. | Telling someone to ignore or not worry about something. | Forget it, it's not important. |
| From here to there. | Indicating a distance between two points. | It's about a mile from here to there. |
| from my point of view. | Introducing one's perspective. | From my point of view, this is the best option. |
| from scratch | Starting from the beginning with no prepared materials. | She baked the cake from scratch. |
| From time to time. | Occasionally; not regularly. | From time to time, I like to go hiking. |
| get a grip | Control your emotions or behavior. | Get a grip, it's not that serious. |
| get it | Understand something. | I don't get it; can you explain again? |
