"Outdoors" - English Vocabulary

The best way of increasing your vocabulary is memorizing the use of words in practical sentences.  Words usually have different meanings in different situations and expressions.  Jennifer is a good teacher because she knows easy way of teaching.  Today's video demonstrates how to connect vocabulary and short expressions with your surroundings.

I’m standing in woods behind my home in Massachusetts because I’d like to share a few expressions that have to do outdoors.  What better place, right?  Let’s start with the first expression. 

‘To be out of woods’

 If you’re out of the woods, you’ve just come out of difficult situation.  Your problems have ended, and if some says to you (that) you’re not out of the woods yet: it means that difficulties will continue or you have more challenges that lie ahead.  Come this way, there is another spot I want to show you. 

This is my neighbor’s garden.  You can see lots of plants and flowers, and they’ve grown quite well.  That’s because she has a green thumb.

‘A green thumb’

If you have green thumb, it means that you have talent for gardening.  You can make things grow well like my neighbor.  Now, these flowers are pretty, but truthfully I prefer roses, and that makes me think of our last expression.

‘A bed of roses’

If your life is a bed of roses, you have a life of ease and comfort, even luxury.  And if a life has no bed of roses, well you have a lot of hardships to deal with.  Understand?  Let’s review.

We’ve had three expressions:  the first was ‘out of the woods’ or ‘to be out of the woods’, which means to come out of difficult situation.  Then, we had ‘a green thumb’ or ‘to have a green thumb’ a talent for gardening or you can make things grow well.  And the last, ‘a bed of roses’ a life of ease and comfort, got it?  Let’s see. 

I have three statements.  I’m going to read them to you, and I want you to tell me which expression completes each one.  OK?  [see the screen]

How did you do?  I’m sure you did just fine.  You know if you have request for different topic, send it to me by email.  Thank you and good bye!