89 B, Shamma Cottage

Devakottai

Karaikudi

Tamil Nadu – 630201

2nd January, 2022

The Manager

Fabloe Cloth Company

Katargam

Surat – 395003

Subject: Business enquiry for bulk purchase of fabrics

Sir/Ma’am,

I am writing in regard to our intention to buy cloth materials in bulk. I

came across your store, and we had a talk with your supply manager in
this regard.

I own a boutique that sells customised clothing, and I am in need of

materials that would be suitable for sarees, salwar suits and lehengas. I
am looking for crepe, georgette, double georgette, linen, cotton, silk
cotton, jute, brasso silk, and chiffon materials. It would be a great help if
you could send me the colours and patterns available in these categories
and also the pricing details for each. I would also like to know if it is
possible for you to customise colours and patterns for me.

Once I have a look at the different patterns and colours you have, I will let
you know the ones for which you can send me samples. I will meet you in
person to discuss the final pricing and the quantity of different fabrics I
need. Feel free to contact me in case of any questions.
Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Signature

ALWIN ROY

142 C, Blue Bird Apartments

Firefly Lane

Adugodi

Bangalore – 560027

05/01/2022

The HR Manager

Ellys Academy

Whitefield

Bangalore – 560066

Subject: Enquiry regarding the job opening for the post of English
Language Trainer

Sir/Ma’am,

With reference to the mail I received dated 28/12/2021; I would like to

enquire about the job opening for the post of English Language Trainer at
your esteemed institution.

I have completed my post graduation in English Literature. I have

experience working as an English Teacher for two years and as an English
Language Trainer for a year. I have been looking for opportunities to work
with an organisation like yours that associates with different institutions
and trains their students. I would like to know more about the job role and
other related details. Kindly send me a brochure so that I can learn more
about your organisation and the activities you carry on.

I hope to hear from you soon and would also like to meet you in person for
an interview on a suitable date. I am enclosing a copy of my updated
resume for your kind perusal.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Signature

SAJITHA RAVINDRAN

Sender’s Address

_____________

_____________

_____________

Date

Receiver’s Address

____________

____________

____________

Subject: ________________________________

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

Body of the Letter

Paragraph 1 – Introduction and Purpose of Writing the Letter.

Paragraph 2 – List of items required with the quantity in bullet points or
tabular columns.

Paragraph 3 – Concluding paragraph stating when you expect the delivery

of items and thanking them for their service.

Complimentary closing – Yours sincerely, Sincerely, etc.

Signature of the sender

NAME in block letters

Order Letter Examples

Have a look at the following order letter samples to get an idea of how to
write order letters.

Purchase Letter Format – Order for Books

Aditya Public School

23/108, G K N M Street,

Sivananda Colony

Coimbatore – 641026

3rd January, 2022

The Manager

56, Cheran Book House

Town Hall

Coimbatore – 641033

Subject: Order for CBSE textbooks

Dear Sir/Ma’am,

I am writing to you to place an order for CBSE textbooks. As per our

discussions yesterday, we are glad to have you as our distributor.

The books and the required quantity are as follows:

S. No. Subject Class No. of Copies

1. Science Class 6 – 10 500

2. Social Science Class 6 – 10 500

3. Maths Class 8 – 10 300

4. English Class 6 – 10 500

5. Hindi Class 6 – 8 350

6. Sanskrit Class 6 – 8 350

7. English Supplementary Texts Class 6 – 10 500

The prices for the books were discussed in the meeting, and we have
received a quotation that is feasible. The manager has promised to deliver
all the books within 7 working days. I would also like to order some books
for the library once I receive these books.

Kindly find attached the cheque (cheque number: 356xxxxxxxxxxxx652)

dated 03/01/2022 for Rs. 5,000 as an advance payment for the order.
Please feel free to contact us in case of any clarifications.

Thanking you
Sincerely,

Signature of the sender

SOORAJ SANTHOSH

Contact number : 9999

Email id : name.name@email.com

Attached documents: Cheque

A copy of the quotation

Business Order Letter – Purchase of Stationery

Supplies
12 B, HSR Layout

Koramangala Phase II

Bangalore – 560003

December 18, 2021

The Sales Manager

Craft Cottage

Saibaba Colony

Coimbatore – 641021

Subject: Requirement for stationery supplies

Dear Sir/Ma’am,
I have received the items you sent on 10th December, 2021. I appreciate
the prompt and hassle-free delivery. All the items are in good condition. I
would like to order a few more items that I had missed mentioning during
my previous purchase.

Kindly find the list of required supplies below.

 Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint 60 ml (5 each)

 Silver Argent

 Vandyke Brown

 Camel Artists’ Acrylic Colour 40 ml (3 each)

 Black

 Antique Gold

 Antique Bronze

 Titanium White

 Crimson Red

 Portrait Pink

 DMC Little hearts 100 gm

 Gold Glitter Foam Sheets (10)
 Yellow Foam Flowers (40)
 B-7000 Multi-purpose adhesive (1)
 Artline Calligraphy Water Resistant Pen (Black) (1 each)

 1.0

 2.0

 3.0

 4.0

I request you to send these items as soon as possible, if possible

tomorrow, as I require them immediately. I am attaching the screenshot of
the payment I made online for the above-mentioned stationery supplies,
including the shipping charges. Please feel free to contact me if you have
any queries.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.

Sincerely,

Signature of the sender

ANCY LIJO

Sample Order Letter – Response to the Order Letter

from the Buyer
The Sales Manager

Craft Cottage

Saibaba Colony

Coimbatore – 641021

19/12/2021

Ancy Lijo

12 B, HSR Layout

Koramangala Phase II

Bangalore – 560003

Subject: Confirmation of order no. 1492

Dear Ma’am,

We thank you for your purchase of Order No. 1492, dated December 18,
2021, for different stationery supplies. We have received your payment.
The order is being packed and will be dispatched on the 19 th of December,
2021, as per your request. We have carefully packed every item
separately and hope that it will reach you latest by the 22 nd of December,
2021.

The bill and shipping details of your order have been attached to this
letter. We thank you for trusting us and look forward to serving you in the
future.

Yours sincerely,

Signature of the Sales Manager

SUDHI RANJITH

Sales Manager

Craft Cottage

Contact information

Phone: 12345

Email: name.1245@email.com

Union is Strength
Once an old farmer lived in a village. He had three
sons. They used to quarrel amongthemselves. The
farmer was much worried about them. Once he fell
ill. He sent for his sons.He asked them to bring a
bundle of sticks. When the bundle was brought.
He asked them tobreak it one by one. They all
tried their best but could not break the heavy
bundle. Upon this.The farmer untied the bundle
asked each son to break a single stick. In this way,
they brockall the sticks in no time. The farmer said,
“My
 sons, remember that united you stand like
thebundle but divided you fall like the sticks
”
.Moral: 1. United you stand; divided we fall.2.
Union is strength.

The Hare And The Tortoise Story With Moral Lesson

This is a tale of a tortoise and a hare. The tortoise was mocked for being
slow-moving, and the hare challenges it to a race. The hare leaves the
tortoise behind and being very confident of its triumph, falls asleep
midway. Once he wakes up, he finds that his competitor, crawling slowly
but steadily, has arrived before him.

We offer the best of learning materials for children in our Kids

Learning section including essays, poems, colourful Maths and English
Worksheets, easy trivia questions, GK questions, NCERT Solutions, etc.
Come and fall in love with learning in a fun way!

1. “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” – Dalai Lama

2. “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” – John
Lennon
3. “Get busy living or get busy dying.” – Stephen King
4. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West
5. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they
were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas A. Edison
6. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or
things.” – Albert Einstein
7. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
– Babe Ruth
8. “In order to write about life first, you must live it.” – Ernest
Hemingway
9. “We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from
life.” – William Osler
10. “Life comes from the earth, and life returns to the earth.”
– Zhuangzi
Reflections on life
1. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that
you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
2. “In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes
on.” – Robert Frost
3. “If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself.” – Rick
Riordan
4. “Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles
predominating.” – O. Henry
5. “Three things in life – your health, your mission, and the people you
love. That’s it.” – Naval Ravikant
6. “Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it
feels to you.” – Michelle Obama
7. “You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” – Michael Cunningham
8. “Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy
and meaningless.” – Maxime Legacé
9. “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at
the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'” – Mary Anne
Radmacher
10. “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives
fully is prepared to die at any time.” – Mark Twain

Good thoughts in English

Reading good thoughts makes you feel positive and happy.

1. “Be around people who make you want to be a better person, who
make you feel good, laugh, and remind you what’s important in life.”
– Germany Kent
2. “The most beautiful smile belongs to those who make others smile”
– Mahnoor Tahir
3. “The best sleeping pill is a clear conscience.” – Dada J. P. Vaswani
4. “World without poetry is like a lover without a rose” – Shiny
5. “Remember that we will not be here forever. Good thoughts, good
ideas, and good deeds have a chance to live for a very long
time.”- Debasish Mridha
6. “The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very
much.” – William Hazlitt
7. “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at
change.” – Wayne Dyer
8. “For the great doesn’t happen through impulse alone and is a
succession of little things that are brought together.” – Vincent Van
Gogh
9. “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch
excellence.” – Vince Lombardi
10. “You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what
you really need.” – Vernon Howard
Wisdom from great minds
1. “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
2. “To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate
the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.” – T.S. Eliot
3. “When I hear somebody sigh, ‘Life is hard,’ I am always tempted to
ask, ‘Compared to what?'” – Sydney J. Harris
4. “We pass through this world but once.” – Stephen Jay Gould
5. “Live out of your imagination, not your history.” – Stephen Covey
6. “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.”
– Søren Kierkegaard
7. “Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge –
meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is
love – enjoy.” – Sai Baba
8. “Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want
to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” – Roy T. Benett
9. “Don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries, and grudges. Life is
too short to be unhappy.” – Roy T. Benett
10. “Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments.” – Rose
Kennedy

Read: Top 13 thoughts in Hindi | Strong motivation for robust

goals.

Thoughts related to education

1. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those
who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
2. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin
Franklin
3. “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle
4. “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has
learned in school.” – Albert Einstein
5. “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather make a man
a more clever devil.” – C.S. Lewis
6. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John
Dewey
7. “A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.”
– Mark Twain
8. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small
people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too,
can become great.” – Mark Twain
9. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change
the world.” – Nelson Mandela
10. “Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with
ardour and diligence.” – Abigail Adams
 11. “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything
new.” – Albert Einstein
12. “Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia
13. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to
fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Maimonides
14. “Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to
educate themselves.” – Ernest Dimnet
15. “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to
freedom.” – Oprah Winfrey
16. “All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners. Looking for
new skills, insights, and ideas. If they’re not learning, they’re not
growing and not moving toward excellence.” – Denis Waitley
17. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
– John Dewey
18. “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.
Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” – Henry Ford
19. “Every artist was at first an amateur.” – Ralph W. Emerson
20. “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open
one.” – Malcolm Forbes

Thoughts for success

1. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall
behind you.” – Walt Whitman
2. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue
that counts.” – Winston Churchill
3. “For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a
certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a
way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t
end.” – Michelle Obama
4. “If you make your internal life a priority, then everything else you need
on the outside will be given to you, and it will be extremely clear what
the next step is.” – Gabrielle Bernstein
5. “Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell
them to put some sunglasses on.” – Lady Gaga
6. “Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.” – Margaret
Mitchell
7. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West
8. “I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.” – Louise Hay
9. “Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.” – Les Brown
10. “A secret to life: Know that none of this matters, and yet… live as
if every single moment does.” – Kamal Ravikant
11. “Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.” – Jim Rohn
12. “Things are beautiful if you love them.” – Jean Anouilh
13. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what
kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall
14. “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”
– Herman Melville
15. “If you say you can or you can’t you are right either way.”
– Henry Ford
 16. “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau
17. “All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and
holding on.” – Havelock Ellis
18. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re
going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
19. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
– George Bernard Shaw
20. “Love your family, work super hard, live your passion.” – Gary
Vaynerchuk

Friendship thoughts in English

1. “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”
– Helen Keller
2. “A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my
memory fails.” – Donna Roberts
3. “Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.” – Jean de La Fontaine
4. “Some people arrive and make such a beautiful impact on your life,
you can barely remember what life was like without them.” – Anna
Taylor
5. “One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand
and to be understood.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
6. “How beautiful it is to find someone who asks for nothing but your
company.” – Brigitte Nicole
7. “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not
something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning
of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” – Muhammad Ali
8. “Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who
will force you to lever yourself up.” – Thomas J. Watson
9. “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until
they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is
born.” – Anais Nin
10. “Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the
friends we choose.” – Tennessee Williams

Morning thoughts in English

Calm places and morning thoughts decides your whole day enthusiasm.

1. “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” – Karen
Lamb
2. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
– Steve Jobs
3. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we
fall.” – Confucius
4. “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” – Ralph
Marston
 5. “A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” – Karen
Lamb
6. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
7. “Just one look at you and I know it’s gonna be a lovely day.” – Bill
Withers
8. “I’m walking on sunshine, and don’t it feel good!” – Katrina and the
Waves
9. “Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning, and you’ll start to see a
big difference in your life.” – Yoko Ono
10. “Waking up early, connecting with nature, and having my quiet
time are priorities to me, and they are non-negotiable.” – Darnette
May

Idiom Meaning Usage

A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at as part of a

first sentence

A dime a dozen Something common as part of a

sentence

Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, as part of a
usually because it is sentence
uncomfortable

Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to by itself
come at all

Bite the bullet To get something over with as part of a

because it is inevitable sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Break a leg Good luck by itself

Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a

sentence

Cut somebody some Don't be so critical as part of a

slack sentence

Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order as part of a

to save time or money sentence

Easy does it Slow down by itself

Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a

sentence

Get something out of Do the thing you've been as part of a

your system wanting to do so you can move sentence
on

Get your act together Work better or leave by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

Give someone the Trust what someone says as part of a

benefit of the doubt sentence

Go back to the Start over as part of a

drawing board sentence

Hang in there Don't give up by itself

Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a

sentence

It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself

Let someone off the To not hold someone responsible as part of a

hook for something sentence

Make a long story Tell something briefly as part of a

short sentence

Miss the boat It's too late as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

No pain, no gain You have to work for what you by itself

want

On the ball Doing a good job as part of a

sentence

Pull someone's leg To joke with someone as part of a

sentence

Pull yourself together Calm down by itself

So far so good Things are going well so far by itself

Speak of the devil The person we were just talking by itself

about showed up!

That's the last straw My patience has run out by itself

The best of both An ideal situation as part of a

worlds sentence

Time flies when You don't notice how long by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

you're having fun something lasts when it's fun

To get bent out of To get upset as part of a

shape sentence

To make matters Make a problem worse as part of a

worse sentence

Under the weather Sick as part of a

sentence

We'll cross that bridge Let's not talk about that problem by itself
when we come to it right now

Wrap your head Understand something as part of a

around something complicated sentence

You can say that That's true, I agree by itself

again

Your guess is as good I have no idea by itself

as mine
Common English idioms &
expressions
These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You
may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native
English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context
is appropriate.

Idiom Meaning Usage

A bird in the hand is What you have is worth more by itself

worth two in the bush than what you might have later

A penny for your Tell me what you're thinking by itself

thoughts

A penny saved is a Money you save today you can by itself

penny earned spend later

A perfect storm the worst possible situation as part of a

sentence

A picture is worth 1000 Better to show than tell by itself

words

Actions speak louder Believe what people do and not by itself

than words what they say
Idiom Meaning Usage

Add insult to injury To make a bad situation worse as part of a

sentence

Barking up the wrong To be mistaken, to be looking for as part of a

tree solutions in the wrong place sentence

Birds of a feather flock People who are alike are often by itself
together friends (usually used negatively)

Bite off more than you Take on a project that you as part of a
can chew cannot finish sentence

Break the ice Make people feel more as part of a

comfortable sentence

By the skin of your Just barely as part of a

teeth sentence

Comparing apples to Comparing two things that as part of a

oranges cannot be compared sentence

Costs an arm and a leg Very expensive as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Do something at the Do something without having as part of a

drop of a hat planned beforehand sentence

Do unto others as you Treat people fairly. Also known by itself

would have them do as "The Golden Rule"
unto you

Don't count your Don't count on something good by itself

chickens before they happening until it's happened.
hatch

Don't cry over spilt milk There's no reason to complain by itself

about something that can't be
fixed

Don't give up your day You're not very good at this by itself
job

Don't put all your eggs What you're doing is too risky by itself
in one basket

Every cloud has a silver Good things come after bad by itself
lining things
Idiom Meaning Usage

Get a taste of your own Get treated the way you've been as part of a
medicine treating others (negative) sentence

Give someone the cold Ignore someone as part of a

shoulder sentence

Go on a wild goose To do something pointless as part of a

chase sentence

Good things come to Be patient by itself

those who wait

He has bigger fish to fry He has bigger things to take by itself

care of than what we are talking
about now

He's a chip off the old The son is like the father by itself
block

Hit the nail on the head Get something exactly right by itself

Ignorance is bliss You're better off not knowing by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

It ain't over till the fat This isn't over yet by itself
lady sings

It takes one to know You're just as bad as I am by itself

one

It's a piece of cake It's easy by itself

It's raining cats and It's raining hard by itself

dogs

Kill two birds with one Get two things done with a by itself
stone single action

Let the cat out of the Give away a secret as part of a

bag sentence

Live and learn I made a mistake by itself

Look before you leap Take only calculated risks by itself

On thin ice On probation. If you make as part of a

Idiom Meaning Usage

another mistake, there will be sentence

trouble.

Once in a blue moon Rarely as part of a

sentence

Play devil's advocate To argue the opposite, just for as part of a

the sake of argument sentence

Put something on ice Put a projet on hold as part of a

sentence

Rain on someone's To spoil something as part of a

parade sentence

Saving for a rainy day Saving money for later as part of a

sentence

Slow and steady wins Reliability is more important by itself

the race than speed

Spill the beans Give away a secret as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Take a rain check Postpone a plan as part of a

sentence

Take it with a grain of Don’t take it too seriously as part of a

salt sentence

The ball is in your court It's your decision by itself

The best thing since A really good invention as part of a

sliced bread sentence

The devil is in the It looks good from a distance, by itself

details but when you look closer, there
are problems

The early bird gets the The first people who arrive will by itself
worm get the best stuff

The elephant in the The big issue, the problem as part of a

room people are avoiding sentence

The whole nine yards Everything, all the way. as part of a

sentence
 Idiom Meaning Usage

There are other fish in It's ok to miss this opportunity. by itself

the sea Others will arise.

There's a method to his He seems crazy but actually he's by itself

madness clever

There's no such thing Nothing is entirely free by itself

as a free lunch

Throw caution to the Take a risk as part of a

wind sentence

You can't have your You can't have everything by itself

cake and eat it too

You can't judge a book This person or thing may look by itself
by its cover bad, but it's good inside

Familiar English idioms & proverbs

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by
native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday
conversation. If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they
are a better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those
expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.
Idiom Meaning Usage

A little learning is a People who don't understand by itself

dangerous thing something fully are
dangerous

A snowball effect Events have momentum and as part of a

build upon each other sentence

A snowball's chance in hell No chance at all as part of a

sentence

A stitch in time saves nine Fix the problem now because by itself
it will get worse later

A storm in a teacup A big fuss about a small as part of a

problem sentence

An apple a day keeps the Apples are good for you by itself
doctor away

An ounce of prevention is You can prevent a problem by itself

worth a pound of cure with little effort. Fixing it later
is harder.

As right as rain Perfect as part of a

Idiom Meaning Usage

sentence

Bolt from the blue Something that happened as part of a

without warning sentence

Burn bridges Destroy relationships as part of a

sentence

Calm before the storm Something bad is coming, but as part of a

right now it's calm sentence

Come rain or shine No matter what as part of a

sentence

Curiosity killed the cat Stop asking questions by itself

Cut the mustard Do a good job as part of a

sentence

Don't beat a dead horse Move on, this subject is over by itself

Every dog has his day Everyone gets a chance at by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

least once

Familiarity breeds The better you know by itself

contempt someone the less you like
him

Fit as a fiddle In good health as part of a

sentence

Fortune favours the bold Take risks by itself

Get a second wind Have more energy after as part of a

having been tired sentence

Get wind of something Hear news of something as part of a

secret sentence

Go down in flames Fail spectacularly as part of a

sentence

Haste makes waste You'll make mistakes if you by itself

rush through something
Idiom Meaning Usage

Have your head in the Not be concentrating as part of a

clouds sentence

He who laughs last laughs I'll get you back for what you by itself
loudest did

Hear something straight Hear something from the as part of a

from the horse's mouth person involved sentence

He's not playing with a full He's dumb by itself

deck

He's off his rocker He's crazy by itself

He's sitting on the fence He can't make up his mind by itself

It is a poor workman who If you can't do the job, don't by itself

blames his tools blame it on others

It is always darkest before Things are going to get better by itself

the dawn
Idiom Meaning Usage

It takes two to tango One person alone isn't by itself

responsible. Both people are
involved.

Jump on the bandwagon Follow a trend, do what as part of a

everyone else is doing sentence

Know which way the wind Understand the situation as part of a

is blowing (usually negative) sentence

Leave no stone unturned Look everywhere as part of a

sentence

Let sleeping dogs lie Stop discussing an issue as part of a

sentence

Like riding a bicycle Something you never forget as part of a

how to do sentence

Like two peas in a pod They're always together as part of a

sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Make hay while the sun Take advantage of a good as part of a

shines situation sentence

On cloud nine Very happy as part of a

sentence

Once bitten, twice shy You're more cautious when by itself

you've been hurt before

Out of the frying pan and Things are going from bad to by itself
into the fire worse

Run like the wind Run fast as part of a

sentence

Shape up or ship out Work better or leave by itself

Snowed under Busy as part of a

sentence

That ship has sailed It's too late by itself

Idiom Meaning Usage

The pot calling the kettle Someone criticizing someone as part of a

black else he is just as bad sentence

There are clouds on the Trouble is coming by itself

horizon

Those who live in glass People who are morally by itself

houses shouldn't throw questionable shouldn't
stones criticize others

Through thick and thin In good times and in bad as part of a

times sentence

Time is money Work quickly by itself

Waste not, want not Don't waste things and you'll by itself
always have enough

We see eye to eye We agree by itself

Weather the storm Go through something as part of a

difficult sentence
Idiom Meaning Usage

Well begun is half done Getting a good start is by itself

important

When it rains it pours Everything is going wrong at by itself

once

You can catch more flies You'll get what you want by by itself
with honey than you can being nice
with vinegar

You can lead a horse to You can't force someone to by itself

water, but you can't make make the right decision
him drink

You can't make an omelet There's always a cost to by itself

without breaking some doing something
eggs

Absence
makes the
heart grow
fonder

MEANING Being away from

someone or
 something for a
period of time
makes you
appreciate that
person or thing more
when you see them
or it again

“I used to hate going

to my aunt’s house,
but now I kind of
EXAMPLE
miss it. Absence
makes the heart
grow fonder.”

Actions speak louder

PROVERB
than words.

What you do is more

MEANING
2 important than what you say

“Don’t just tell me you’re

going to change. Do it!
EXAMPLE
Actions speak louder than
words.”

A journey of a thousand
PROVERB miles begins with a
single step

You must begin something if

you hope to finish it;
MEANING something that takes a long
time to finish begins with
3 one step

“If you want to lose weight,

you need to stop eating
junk, and you need to start
EXAMPLE exercising. Today. Not
tomorrow. A journey of a
thousand miles begins with
a single step.”

4 PROVERB All good things must

come to an end
 Everything ends; good times
MEANING
don’t last forever

“I wish this vacation would

go on forever. It’s too bad
EXAMPLE
that all good things must
come to an end.”

A picture is worth a
PROVERB
thousand words

An image can tell a story

MEANING
better than words
5 “I wasn’t sure that he loved
her, but then I saw them
EXAMPLE hugging at the airport. A
picture is worth a thousand
words.”

A watched pot never

PROVERB
boils

If something takes time to

do, it doesn’t help to
MEANING
constantly check on it. You
just have to give it time.
6 “I know you think he’s going
to be a great guitar player
one day, but stop criticizing
EXAMPLE him so much. He just started
taking lessons two weeks
ago! A watched pot never
boils.”

7 PROVERB
Beggars can’t be
choosers

If you’re in a bad situation

and someone offers to help
MEANING you, you have to take
whatever they give you and
shouldn’t ask for more

EXAMPLE “I was unemployed, and

 they offered me a job
cleaning prison toilets. I
didn’t like the job, but I
accepted it. Beggars can’t
be choosers.”

Beauty is in the eye of

PROVERB
the beholder

What is “beautiful” is
MEANING
8 different for each person

“I think their house is ugly,

but they seem to like it.
EXAMPLE
Beauty is in the eye of the
beholder.”

PROVERB Better late than never

It’s better to finish

MEANING something late than to
9 never do it at all

“Hello, Mr. Jameson. Here is

EXAMPLE my final essay. Better late
than never, right?”

Birds of a feather flock

PROVERB
together

People who are similar

MEANING
10 spend time together

“I think we all started

hanging out because we all
EXAMPLE
liked anime. Birds of a
feather flock together.”

11 PROVERB
Cleanliness is next to
godliness

It’s good to be clean. God is

MEANING clean, and you should be
too.

EXAMPLE “Go take a shower before

 your date. You know what
they say; cleanliness is next
to godliness.”

Don’t bite the hand that

PROVERB
feeds you

Don’t make someone angry

or hurt someone who is
MEANING
12 helping you or paying for
you

“You had a fight with your

boss? Are you stupid? Don’t
EXAMPLE
bite the hand that feeds
you.”

Don’t count your

PROVERB chickens before they
hatch.

Don’t expect a positive

MEANING result before you actually

13 see it

A: “This idea is going to

make me millions of
dollars!”
EXAMPLE
B: “Whoa. Let’s slow down.
Don’t count your chickens
before they hatch.”

Don’t judge a book by its

PROVERB
cover

Don’t judge someone or

MEANING something by appearance

14 alone

“Racism is still a problem

today, and it will continue to
EXAMPLE be that way until we learn
not to judge a book by its
cover.”
 Don’t put all of your eggs
PROVERB
in one basket

Don’t put all of your hopes

MEANING and resources into one goal

15 or dream

“I know you really want to

be an actor, but don’t you
EXAMPLE think you’re being financially
irresponsible? Don’t put all
of your eggs in one basket.”

Don’t put off until

PROVERB tomorrow what you can
do today

If you can do something

today, do it. Don’t wait until
MEANING
tomorrow; don’t
16 procrastinate.

“You have 6 hours of free

time now. You should start
on that final psychology
EXAMPLE
assignment. Don’t put off
until tomorrow what you can
do today.”

Don’t put too many irons

PROVERB
in the fire

Don’t try to do too many

MEANING things at the same time;

17 focus on one thing at a time

“No wonder you’re

exhausted. You’re trying to
EXAMPLE work 4 jobs at the same
time! You have too many
irons in the fire right now.”

18 PROVERB Easy come, easy go

MEANING When you make money

quickly, it’s very easy to lose
 it quickly as well

“I won $200 at the casino,

and then I spent it on a very
EXAMPLE expensive meal for me and
some friends. Easy come,
easy go.”

PROVERB Fortune favors the bold

People who are brave and

who take risks are more
MEANING successful than people who

19 are do things safely all the

time

“It’s a risk, but the reward

could be great. I say you go
EXAMPLE
for it. Fortune favors the
bold.”

God helps those who

PROVERB
help themselves

Don’t just wait for good

things to happen to you.
MEANING
Work hard to make them

20 happen

“If you want a better life,

you can’t just sit on your
butt thinking about it. You
EXAMPLE
have to work to make it
happen. God helps those
who help themselves.”

21 PROVERB
Good things come to
those who wait

If you are patient, good

MEANING
things can happen

EXAMPLE “I know you’re hungry, but

stop being so impatient. We
just ordered our food. Good
things come to those who
 wait.”

Honesty is the best

PROVERB
policy

It’s always better to tell the

MEANING
22 truth than it is to lie

“If you want people to trust

you, you need to be honest
EXAMPLE
with them. Honesty is the
best policy.”

Hope for the best,

PROVERB
prepare for the worst

In any situation, be
optimistic about the result,
MEANING
but always be ready for the
worst outcome
23 “We’re going on vacation
next week. It’s supposed to
rain a lot, so we’re bringing
EXAMPLE our umbrellas and a bunch
of board games. Hope for
the best, prepare for the
worst.”

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix

PROVERB
it

If something is already
MEANING working well, don’t try to
24 change it or improve it

“Why are you trying to

upgrade your PC again? It
EXAMPLE
was working fine before. If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

25 PROVERB
If you can’t beat ’em, join
’em

MEANING If you can’t change

someone’s behavior or
 opinion, sometimes it’s
better or easier to do what
they want to do

“I told Mark that we needed

to study, but he kept playing
video games. Eventually I
EXAMPLE
gave up and just played
video games too. If you
can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

If you play with fire,

PROVERB
you’ll get burned

If you get involved in

something dangerous or

26 MEANING beyond your abilities, you

will probably experience
negative consequences

“Don’t make him angry. If

EXAMPLE you play with fire, you’ll get
burned.”

If you want something

PROVERB done right, you have to
do it yourself

Don’t depend on someone

MEANING else to do a good job; do it
yourself
27 “I asked my roommate to
wash the dishes, but they
ended up super filthy! I
EXAMPLE guess it’s true what they
say: if you want something
done right, you have to do it
yourself.”

28 PROVERB
Keep your friends close,
and your enemies closer

MEANING If someone is your enemy,

treat them like a friend so
you can be ready if they
 ever try to betray you

“We don’t trust each other,

but we have to be nice to
each other because we work
for the same company. I’m
worried about him stealing
EXAMPLE
my promotion, so I’m going
to keep being nice to him.
Keep your friends close, but
your enemies closer, and all
that.”

PROVERB Knowledge is power

The more you know, the

MEANING more powerful you can be in
different areas of your life

29 “When we were kids, our

parents taught us how to
swim. That knowledge
EXAMPLE helped me to save my
cousin’s life when he was 5
years old. Knowledge is
power.”

Laughter is the best

PROVERB
medicine.

When you’re in a difficult

situation, laughing can make
MEANING
it easier to get through that
30 situation

“I’m sorry to hear about

your dog. Want to watch a
EXAMPLE funny movie? Sometimes,
laughter is the best
medicine.”

31 PROVERB Like father, like son

MEANING Said when a son is similar to

his father; also, “Like
mother, like daughter”
 “Ryan started playing
hockey at a very young age.
EXAMPLE
He’s just like his dad. Like
father, like son.”

PROVERB No man is an island

No one is truly capable of

living alone. We need
MEANING
32 human connection to be
healthy

“You can’t just abandon

EXAMPLE your friends and family. No
man is an island.”

People who live in glass

PROVERB houses should not throw
stones

Don’t criticize someone if

MEANING you’re not perfect either;
don’t be a hyprocrite

33 “Why are you always

bothering her about being
addicted to her phone?
You’ve been smoking for 20
EXAMPLE
years and haven’t been able
to give it up. People who live
in glass houses should not
throw stones.”

PROVERB Practice makes perfect

The more you do something,

MEANING the better you will become
34 at it

“Don’t give up on learning

EXAMPLE the violin. Practice makes
perfect.”

35 PROVERB The early bird gets the

worm
 People who wake up early or
MEANING who get to places early have
a better chance of success

“I got to the ticket office

before anyone else. I got
EXAMPLE front row seats to the show!
The early bird gets the
worm.”

The enemy of my enemy

PROVERB
is my friend

If someone whom I don’t like

doesn’t like someone else
whom I don’t like, we can
MEANING
act like friends and unite
against the other person
36 (common in war)

“I don’t like you, you don’t

like me. But I think we can
agree that we both HATE
EXAMPLE Daniel. Let’s work together
and get him fired! The
enemy of my enemy is my
friend, right?”

The grass is always

PROVERB
greener on the other side

People always want what

MEANING
they don’t have

37 A: “I’m jealous of all the free

time my single friends
have.”
B: “Yeah, but your friends
EXAMPLE
are probably jealous of you
too in some ways. The grass
is always greener on the
other side.”

38 PROVERB The pen is mightier than

the sword
 If you’re trying to convince
someone of something,
MEANING words and ideas are
stronger than using physical
force (common in politics)

“We must avoid this war and

use diplomacy to solve our
EXAMPLE
problems. The pen is
mightier than the sword.”

There is no place like

PROVERB
home

Your home is the most

MEANING comfortable place in the
39 world

“What a tiring vacation! I’m

glad to be back in my own
EXAMPLE
bed again. There’s no place
like home.”

There is no such thing as

PROVERB
a free lunch.

Nothing is free. Even the

MEANING things that are free have a

40 hidden cost

“His bank gave him $50 for

free, but he had to commit
EXAMPLE to opening a credit card
account. There’s no such
thing as a free lunch.”

There is no time like the

PROVERB
present

Don’t wait to do something.

MEANING
41 Do it now.

“Why don’t you stop talking

about needing to call your
EXAMPLE
mom? Just CALL her! There
is no time like the present.”
 The squeaky wheel gets
PROVERB
the grease

The person who complains

MEANING in a situation is more likely
to get something.

42 A: “I just don’t understand

why she’s received so many
promotions, and I’m still at
the bottom of the
EXAMPLE
company!”
B: “She complains a lot. The
squeaky wheel gets the
grease.”

PROVERB Time is money

Don’t waste your time or

other people’s time; also, if
43 MEANING you can use your time to
make money in some way,
you should do that.

EXAMPLE “Hurry up! Time is money!”

44 PROVERB
Two heads are better
than one

It’s easier to do something

MEANING
as a team than by yourself

“I’m stuck on this project.

EXAMPLE Can you help me out? Two
heads are better than one.”

45 PROVERB
Two wrongs don’t make a
right

Trying to get revenge on

MEANING someone who has hurt you
will only make things worse

EXAMPLE “I know she made you

angry, but did you have to
steal her phone? Two
 wrongs don’t make a right.”

When in Rome, do as the

PROVERB
Romans do

When you are in a new place

or situation, try to act like
MEANING
46 the majority of people in
that place or situation.

A: “You’ve been eating a lot

of bread and cheese on this
EXAMPLE
Paris vacation.”
B: “Hey, when in Rome.”

When the going gets

PROVERB tough, the tough get
going

When a situation becomes

MEANING difficult, strong people don’t
give up; they work harder
47 “My great grandfather
survived the Great
Depression. You know the
EXAMPLE phrase, ‘when the going
gets tough, the tough get
going?’ That was my great
grandfather.”

48 PROVERB
Where there’s smoke,
there’s fire

If something seems wrong,

it probably is; also, there is
MEANING
usually some truth to a
rumor

EXAMPLE “Matilda came to school with

a black eye today. She cried
when I asked her about it
after class and didn’t want
to say anything about her
parents. I don’t want to
speculate too much, but
 where there’s smoke,
there’s usually fire.”

You can lead a horse to

PROVERB water, but you can’t
make him drink it

You can try to help someone

by giving good advice, but
MEANING
you can’t force them to

49 accept it or follow it

“She tried to help her

brother find a job by
improving his resume, but
EXAMPLE he didn’t do anything with it.
I guess you can lead a horse
to water, but you can’t make
him drink it.”

You can’t always get

PROVERB
what you want

Don’t complain if you don’t

MEANING
get what you want

50 A: I really wanted to see that

movie, but I didn’t have
enough money last week
EXAMPLE
B: It happens. You can’t
always get what you want,
right?

1.
1. jostle: push roughly
2. slight: small and thin
3. daunting: frightening, Scary
4. teenager: a person who is in his teens
5. aspiring musician: a person who wants to be a musician
6. Profoundly deaf: absolutely deaf.
7. gradual: in phases
8. conceal: to hide
 9. Specialist: a doctor specializing in a particular part of the body.
10. Deteriorated: worsened, reduces
11. Urged: requested
12. impaired: weakened
13. pursue: to follow

1. xylophone: a musical instrument with a row of wooden bars of different

lengths
2. percussionist: a person who plays the drum, the tabla, etc, a person who play
different musical instruments
3. potential: quality or ability that can be developed
4. youth: Young people, people like who are in college or high school
5. orchestra: group of musicians
6. auditioned: gave a short performance so that the director could decide
whether she was good enough
7. orchestral work: group performance, performing in a group of musicians
8. Solo: to perform single, alone.
9. most sought after: most popular, in demand
10. intriguing: fascinating and curious
11. flawlessly: without a fault or mistake
12. lilt: a way of speaking like we say accent
13. tingles: causes a slight pricking or stinging sensation
14. resonances: echoes of sounds
15. workaholic (informal): a person who finds it difficult to stop working
16. enormous – big
17. accomplished: achieved
chapter 3
1. a figure to be feared: a person to be feared
2. Glad sense of relief: feeling relaxed
3. Fainter and fainter: to lessen or reduce
4. slip down: come down quietly and unwillingly
5. Stutter: to stammer, to speak with pauses
6. given it up: stopped doing it
7. Trying so hard: making a lot of efforts
8. Wretched: unhappy, sad
9. on the brink of suicide: about to commit suicide
10. suicide: kill oneself
11. Snoring: the sound produced by some people when there are asleep.
12. Gravely: seriously.
13. Laboriously: with lot of effort or difficulty.
14. Wandered into: went into, by chance
15. Scraps: small pieces of cloth or paper etc that are not needed.
16. Hue and Cry: angry protest.
17. The damned thing: used to express anger at something.
18. shadowed room means that as it was dark, there was a light outside the room
which was making shadows in the room.
19. a sad little pattern refers to the sad atmosphere in the room.
20. Bedclothes Refers to the sheets, the top sheets that you cover yourself when
you are sleeping.
21. Clung: to attach yourself to something.
22. Nightmare: a bad dream.
23. A Butcher is a person who cuts animals, who cuts meat.
24. tucked up: covered up nicely in bed
25. Snuggled: moved into a warm, comfortable position, close to another person

Chapter 4
 1. destined: fate, a predetermined set of events that has to happen in the future
2. freak: a word used disapprovingly to talk about a person who is unusual and
doesn’t behave, look or think like others
3. Uttered: spoke
4. amateur: doing something for personal enjoyment rather than as a profession,
something which is your hobby and you do it as a past time.
5. pupil: student
6. regimentation: order or discipline taken to an extreme
7. Stifled: unable to breathe; suffocated
8. Left the school for good: left school forever.
9. liberal: willing to understand and respect other’s opinions
10. Walrus is a shape of Moustache.
11. ally: a friend or an associate
12. philistines: a word used disapprovingly to talk about people who do not like
art, literature or music
13. To be at odds means to be in the opposition of someone, to be against
someone.
14. patent: a document which gives the rights of an invention to an inventor
15. absolute: measured in itself, not in relation to anything else
16. unravelling: starting to fail
17. faltered: became weak
18. deflected: changed direction because it hit something
19. Nobel Prize was based on the will of the famous Swedish scientist, a scientist
who belongs to Sweden, Alfred Nobel. It was established in 1895 and the first
Nobel Prize was given in the year 1901.
20. Emigrated: leave one’s own country in order to settle permanently in another
21. in an uproar: very upset
22. missive: letter, especially long and official
23. visionary: a person who can think about the future in an original and
intelligent way

book 2
1.
 1. Feeding-trough: a large container for feeding animals
2. Tonga: horse cart
3. Anglo-lndian: a person relating to both britain and india
4. Pickled: food that is preserved in vinegar
5. scooping up: lifting
6. Peg: a hook
7. Ornamental: decorative
8. Naked: uncovered
9. Wrenched: broke
10. Socket: attachment
11. Shreds: cut into thin slices
12. Sociably: in a friendly manner
13. Abode: home
14. Turnstile: a mechanical gate consisting of revolving horizontal arms
fixed to a vertical post, allowing only one person at a time to pass
through

1. Annoyance: to anger someone

2. Vain: an unsuccessful attempt
3. Quadruped: an animal which has 4 feet
4. Fare: ticket price
5. To get his own back (idiom): to take revenge
6. Prodded: pushed
7. Stable: building set apart and adapted for keeping horses
8. Halter: a strap or loop placed around the head of a horse or other animal,
used for leading or tethering it
9. Haunches: back
 10. Hauled him: pulled him out
11. Spite: a desire to hurt, annoy or offend someone
12. Chattered: the sound made by the monkey

Top

Chapter 3 – Iswaran the Storyteller By RK Laxman

1. Supervisor: a person whose job is to check the work of all the other people
2. Bachelor: a person who is unmarried
3. Makeshift: temporary
4. Quarry: mine
5. Asset: advantage
6. Anecdote: A short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
7. Desolate: uninhabited, empty
8. Conjure up: to gather or create with magic
9. Zinc sheet shelter: a temporary place to live with the roof made of metallic
sheets
10. Muttering: speaking in a low voice
11. Dozing off: falling asleep
12. Narrative flourishes: detailed descriptions
13. In thrall: The state of being in someone’s power
14. Arched: curved
15. Gesture: A movement of hands for head to indicate something
16. Deserted: empty
17. Enormous: huge
18. Timber: wood that has been processed for commercial purposes
19. Hauled: transported
20. Prologue: an introductory speech
21. Elaborate: detailed
22. Tusker: an elephant
23. roam about: move around
24. Stamping: hitting with force
25. Emulation: Effort to match or surpass a person by imitation or copying
26. Outskirts: outer area
27. helter skelter: here and there
28. Panic: sudden fear causing unthinkable behaviour
29. Grunted: Made a loud sound
30. Depredations: Attacks which are made to destroy something
31. Hypnotize: to influence, control or direct completely as by personal charm,
words or domination
32. Mastering: putting together
33. whacked: hit noisily
34. Collapsed: fell
35. rapt attention: completely fascinated or absorbed by what one is seeing or
hearing
36. pick up the thread of the story: would not restart the story from where he left
in order to arouse curiosity
37. veterinary doctor: a doctor who specializes in treating animals
38. Summoned: called
39. Shrug: to raise one’s shoulders slightly and momentarily to express doubt,
ignorance, or indifference
40. Credible: able to be believed; convincing
41. Inimitable: Unique Auspicious: good
42. Delicacies: tasty food
43. Spirits: souls of the dead
44. Ancestors: elders of the family
 45. culinary skills: related to cooking
46. Garish: something which is too colourful and fancy that it is disliked
47. Supernatural: related to ghosts and spirits
48. Reverie: a state of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts; a daydream
49. Shrivelled: wrinkled and shrunken
50. Foetus: unborn baby
51. Figment: production
52. Sulk: be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or
disappointment
53. Vicinity: nearby area
54. Moan: crying sound
55. Prowling: searching
56. guttural: sound produced in the throat; harsh sounding
57. Wailing: crying sound
58. Feline: relating to cats or other members of the cat family
59. Panting: breathing heavily
60. Ghastly: causing horror and fear
61. auto suggestion: subconscious adoption of an idea which one has originated
oneself
62. Grinned: smiled broadly
63. Resolving: deciding
64. haunted place: visited by ghosts
65. Spine: back bone
66. Resolving: deciding
67. Handed his papers: resigned

Top

Chapter 4 – In the Kingdom of Fools

[A Kannada folktale from A.K. Ramanujan’s Folk Tales
from India]
1. Idiots: the people who are not intelligent
2. Till: here, to cultivate land for farming
3. Stirring: moving around
4. guru: saint
5. amazed: shocked and surprised
6. duddu – money in Kannada language
7. pursuing: follow
8. ancient trade: refers to theft there
9. summoned – To call upon someone
10. Bricklayer: is a person who lays the bricks and built the walls
11. Goldsmith is a person who makes ornaments out of gold.
12. scoundrel: a dishonest person
13. accusation: to blame someone
14. bailiffs: a law officer who makes sure that the decisions of a court are obeyed.
15. stake: a post with a sharp, pointed end used to pierce through something
16. execution: an official killing of someone
17. impaling: to push a sharp pointed post through something
18. decree: order
19. scrape: a difficult situation that one has got into
20. clamour: to Insist on something
21. Ascetic life is the life of a sanyasi, a strict life, life of discipline
22. postpone: to put off something for a later time
23. disguised: a different appearance in order to hide one’s identity
24. panic: fright
25. persuade: convince