"That implies" means that something suggests or indicates another thing without stating it directly.
// War implies fighting and death.
// Early reports implied that the judge's death was not an accident.
// Yeah, but isn't that implied? - Да, но разве это не подразумевается?
// We saw that implied at the very beginning - Мы видели, что это подразумевалось в самом начале.
// This was implied from the very beginning - Это подразумевалось с самого начала.
guerrilla warfare - engagement in or the activities involved in a war fought by small groups of irregular soldiers against typically larger regular forces. (партизанская война)
War is the armed conflict itself, while warfare is the activity and methods of waging that conflict. Think of "war" as the overall event, like the Iran-Iraq War, and "warfare" as the way it was fought, such as "naval warfare" or "guerilla warfare".
// The nature of the guerrilla warfare meant there were no frontlines as such – the war was everywhere. (The Guardian (2017))
// That is a difference between, say, the last war and this guerrilla warfare.
// One key to the success of guerrilla warfare is to prevent the invading force from being able to distinguish between soldier and civilian.
guerrilla - a member of a small group of soldiers who are not part of an official army and who fight against official soldiers, usually to try to change the government (партизан)
// The guerrillas controlled half the country.
// One man from Colombia told me that a guerrilla group that controlled his area tried to recruit him.
warfare - 1. military operations between enemies;
2. an activity undertaken by a political unit (such as a nation) to weaken or destroy another
// economic warfare
// that troubled household seems to be almost constantly in a state of warfare
// The rise of drones as the next level of modern warfare.
// In the skies over Ukraine, a new epoch in air warfare is emerging: drone-on-drone combat.
debunk - to show that an idea or belief is false; разоблачить, развенчивать
// The study debunks the myth that men are better at math than women.
// They were working hard to debunk that artificiality myth
"fluffy rice" and "sticky rice"
🍚 Fluffy Rice
✅ Meaning:
"Fluffy rice" refers to rice that is light, soft, and not sticky. The grains are separated and airy — not clumped together.
💬 Example:
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I always rinse my basmati rice to make sure it comes out nice and fluffy.
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The rice was perfectly fluffy — not mushy at all.
🧠 Memory Tip:
Think of a fluffy pillow — light and full of air. Fluffy rice = rice that isn’t heavy or stuck together.
🍙 Sticky Rice
✅ Meaning:
"Sticky rice" is soft and sticks together. The grains clump naturally, which makes it easy to eat with chopsticks. It’s often used in Asian cuisine (like Thai or Japanese dishes).
💬 Example:
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We had mango with sticky rice for dessert.
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Sushi is made with short-grain sticky rice.
🧠 Memory Tip:
Sticky = sticks together. Imagine sticky tape — that’s what sticky rice is like!
🗣️ Practice Sentences for You:
Try repeating these aloud:
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I prefer fluffy rice when I cook curry — it absorbs the sauce better.
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Sticky rice is perfect for making sushi rolls.
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I used to think fluffy rice was hard to make, but now I just rinse it and use less water.
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The sticky rice was delicious, especially with coconut milk!
pretentious - if someone or something is pretentious, they try to seem more important, intelligent, or high class than they really are in order to be impressive
// I found Susie unbearably pretentious.
// ...and I know this sounds pretentious, but I actually try to be honest.
// The restaurant is stuffy, pretentious, and ridiculously expensive.
// a pretentious movie
// He has a pretentious style of writing, using four very difficult words where one simple one would do.
// It may seem pretentious to say so but it is ...
Would you be willing to - The adjective “willing” means to be ready, eager or prepared to do something. Note that being willing to do something is not the same as wanting to do it. The idea is just that you don't need to be persuaded.
Generally, “Are you willing to” is how you’d phrase a request of someone that carries with it some kind of perceived inconvenience to them.
// Would you be willing to submit to a paternity test?
- Готовы ли вы пройти тест на отцовство?
// Would you be willing to accept it?
// I have to take my daughter to school. Would you be willing to move our meeting to the afternoon?
// I found this item for less elsewhere. Would you be willing to give me a refund?
- Я нашел этот товар дешевле в другом месте. Вы не могли бы вернуть мне деньги?
your best bet
to talk it all off
on top of all that
take a wild guess
marvel
middle ground
at fault
sidekick
underlying
to factor in
conscientiously
1. Your best bet
Meaning: The best option or course of action in a particular situation.
Examples:
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If you want to get there on time, your best bet is to take the subway.
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It’s raining, so your best bet is to stay indoors today.
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If you’re looking for authentic Italian food, your best bet is that little restaurant on Main Street.
2. To top it all off
Meaning: Used to introduce the final (often worst or most impressive) point in a series of events.
Examples:
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I lost my phone, missed my bus, and to top it all off, it started raining.
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She forgot my birthday, and to top it all off, she acted like it was no big deal.
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The food was cold, the service was slow, and to top it all off, they overcharged us.
3. On top of all that
Meaning: In addition to everything already mentioned (usually used when adding to a list of complaints or difficulties).
Examples:
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He was tired, broke, and on top of all that, his car broke down.
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On top of all that homework, I have to prepare for a presentation tomorrow.
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She’s dealing with work stress and, on top of all that, family problems too.
4. Take a wild guess
Meaning: Try to guess something even if you’re not sure; usually used humorously.
Examples:
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Take a wild guess what happened next!
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Who do you think forgot to lock the door? Take a wild guess.
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I won’t tell you the answer—take a wild guess!
5. Marvel (verb or noun)
Meaning:
As a verb: To feel great surprise or admiration.
As a noun: Something that causes amazement or admiration.
Examples (verb):
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I always marvel at how quickly she learns new things.
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Tourists marveled at the beauty of the ancient temple.
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He marveled that she could stay so calm under pressure.
Examples (noun):
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The Grand Canyon is a natural marvel.
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She's a marvel of patience and kindness.
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Modern technology is a marvel to me.
6. Middle ground
Meaning: A compromise position between two extremes or opinions.
Examples:
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We couldn’t agree on the budget, but we found a middle ground.
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The two parties must find some middle ground to avoid conflict.
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I prefer something between strict rules and total freedom—a middle ground.
7. At fault
Meaning: Responsible for a problem or mistake.
Examples:
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The driver was clearly at fault for the accident.
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I was at fault for missing the deadline.
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No one wants to admit they’re at fault.
8. Sidekick
Meaning: A close companion or assistant, often used for someone who supports the main person.
Examples:
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Batman and his sidekick Robin fight crime together.
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She’s more than just a sidekick—she’s the brains of the operation.
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He always brings his little brother along as his sidekick.
9. Underlying
Meaning: Basic or hidden cause, reason, or layer behind something.
Examples:
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The underlying cause of her headache was stress.
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There’s an underlying message in his speech.
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We need to address the underlying issues, not just the symptoms.
10. To factor in
Meaning: To include or consider something when making a decision or calculation.
Examples:
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We need to factor in travel time when planning the schedule.
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You didn’t factor in the cost of insurance.
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When deciding your budget, don’t forget to factor in food and transportation.
11. Conscientiously
Meaning: In a careful, thorough, and responsible way.
Examples:
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She works conscientiously and always meets deadlines.
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He conscientiously follows every rule.
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The student conscientiously reviewed all her notes before the exam.
📝 Short Story Using the Expressions
Title: “A Monday to Forget”
It was already 8:30 a.m., and I was late for work. Your best bet in that situation would’ve been to call a taxi, but of course, my phone was dead. So, I ran to the bus stop instead.
I got splashed by a passing car, missed the bus by seconds, and on top of all that, I realized I had forgotten my presentation at home.
To top it all off, my boss was waiting right at the entrance when I arrived, looking like thunder.
“Take a wild guess who forgot the client documents,” I muttered to my coworker. He laughed—he already knew it was me.
Trying to stay calm, I took a deep breath and walked into the meeting room. Surprisingly, my boss wasn't angry.
“There’s an underlying issue here,” he said, “You’re overworked. Let’s find a middle ground so this doesn’t happen again.”
That shocked me. I always thought I was at fault for every little mistake.
My sidekick at work, Sarah, gave me a thumbs-up from across the room. She’d helped me so many times that I started to marvel at how she always kept things under control.
Back at my desk, I started planning the week ahead, this time factoring in everything—battery charge, weather, backup files.
I knew I had to do things differently—conscientiously this time.