Special use of words and phrases

Words and phrases Meaning/ usage Example

Let alone প্রশ্নই ওঠে না You can not walk let alone run.
What if কি হতো/কেমন হয় / কেমন The earlier bus collided with a truck. What if I had been in it?
হতো
Have to / has to / had বাধ্যবাধকতা বোঝায় You have to wear uniform to attend the class.
to
Had better / would ( বরংভালো) উত্তম The sky is cloudy. You had better stay home.
better কাজটি করা বোঝায়
Had rather / would বরংভালো (উত্তম I would rather die than seek help from you.
rather + ( than) কাজটি করা বোঝায়)
What’s….. like / অভিজ্ঞতা / অনুভুতি What’s it like climbing mountain?
What’s it like ( V+ ing / জানতে চাওয়া হয় What’s the weather like in Kashmir ?
noun)
What does… look like কোন কিছু দেখতে কেমন What does kangaroo look like?
তা জানতে চাওয়া হয়
Lest +( sub+ should + (যাতে/ অন্যথায়) Read attentively lest you should fail in the exam.
V1)
It is high time + (sub+ এটাই উপযুক্ত সময় It is high time we planted trees. It is high time to plant trees.
V2)
It’s about time + (sub+ এটাই উপযুক্ত সময় It is about time you changed your bad habits.
V2) It’s about time we planted trees.
As soon as যেই মাত্র As soon as the exam ended they went on travel.
As long as যতক্ষণ You are safe as long as you are here.
Till পর্যন্ত I will stay here till Monday.
Until যতক্ষণ না I will stay home until the rain stops.
As far as যতদূর As far as I know he is not guilty.
No sooner had …হতে না হতেই No sooner had the teacher entered the classroom than
the students stood up.
Scarcely had …হতে না হতেই Scarcely had we gone out when it began to rain.
Hardly had …হতে না হতেই Hardly had we reached the station when / before the train left.
Provided/ provided যদি Work hard provided you want to succeed in life.
that / providing that
If /had/would that / যদি/ কি--- না If I see him, I will talk to him. Had I seen you I would talk to you.
whether ---- or I don’t know if he will come. I don’t know whether it will
rain or not.
Unless যদিনা Unless you read attentively, you will fail in the exam.
Would you mind অনুরোধ করা বুঝায় Would you mind opening the window?
There কোথাও কিছু থাকা There are many fishes in the river?
So that / in order that যাতে They work hard so that they can succeed in life.
+ ( sub+ can/ could +
V1)
So------ that + ( sub+ এতোই যে --- না He is so weak that he cannot walk.
can not / could not +
V1)
Was born জন্মগ্রহণ করা Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in a poor family.
বুঝায়
Would like ইচ্ছা বোঝায় I Would like to go with you ?
Used to অতীত অভ্যাস বুঝায় I used to walk in the morning.
Be used to / get used অভ্যস্ত হওয়া বুঝায় I am not used to eating such food.
to I got used to living such place.
Be supposed to কোন কিছু করার কথা You were supposed to come at 10:00 am.
বুঝায়
But for ছাড়া But for your help I could not solve the problem.
As if / as though যেন He talks as if he knew everything.
Can not but / could ছাড়া না পারা ( I cannot but walk in the morning.
not but বাধ্যবাধকতা ) I could not but a new phone because my previous one is lost.
In case যদি (জরুরি অবস্থা) Call me in case of your need
With a view to / in উদ্দেশ্য বুঝায় I went to Dhaka with a view to meeting my friend.
order to
About to প্রায় ঘটবে এমন The train is about to leave.
Feel like +( V+ing) ইচ্ছা বুঝায় I feel like swimming in the pond
Either…. Or দুটার যেকোন একটা You can drink either tea or coffee.
Neither….nor দুইটার কোনটাই না I will drink neither tea nor coffee.
Neither of কোনটাই না/ কেউ না Neither of the rooms is empty.
Neither will কেউনা/ কোনটাই না। Karim and Rahim both are busy. Neither will come.
Need/ needn't দরকার / দরকার নাই You needn’t come.
Needn’t have দরকার ছিল না You needn’t have gone there.
Should have কিছু করা উচিত ছিল Sheikh Hasina should have changed her decision
Could have কিছু করতে পারতাম She could have changed her decision
Would have কিছু করতাম I would have changed my decision, if I had been there.
what to /how to / কী করব I don’t know what to do .
where to /…. +( V1)+-- কিভাবে করব ( উপায়) I know how to make tea.
কোথায় যাব I don’t know where to go.
Whatever / whoever যা ই হোক/ যে ই হোক/ যে Confront enemies whatever you have.
however ভাবেই হোক I will help whoever comes to me.
What about / how পরামর্শ চাওয়া হয়( How about we go to picnic.
about কেমন হয়)
When it comes to প্রসংগে/ ব্যাপারে Healthy food is an important factor, when it comes to fitness
Am to / is to / are to / নিয়মিত কোন কাজ করার I don’t give right yeah nothing but sentence you
was to / were to কথা বোঝায়
As to সম্পর্কে বা বিষয়ে I know nothing as to this matter
As per অনুযায়ী I did everything as per year instruction
As usual যথারীতি As usual I woke up and had a morning walk.
At least কমপক্ষে At least 10 people wear present there.
At best বড়জোর At best he can pass the exam, not more than that.
At times / off and on মাঝে মাঝে At times he comes here. Off and on helps me.
Dare সাহস করা I don’t dare ( to) go to graveyard at night.
By the dint of/ by উপায়ে / বলে By didn’t of hard work you can succeed in life.
means of
Come to light প্রকাশিত হওয়া The news came to light in The Daily Star.
Come into force কার্যকর হওয়া। The new law will come into force in the next month.
Cope with মানিয়ে নেওয়া We can cope with any situation easily.
In no time শীঘ্রই I should buy a phone in no time.
Owing to/ due to/ কারণে Owing to high price many people cannot buy this car
because of
Take to heart মর্মাহত হওয়া He took my words to heart.
Tooth and nail প্রাণপণে He tried tooth and nail.
The more --- the more যতো -- ততো The more you read the more you learn
Blow ones own নিজের ঢোল নিজে You don’t need to blow your own Trumpet. I know your
trumpet পেটানো achievement.
At a lose / in a fix / at হতবুদ্ধি / বিভ্রান্ত Now, people are at a lose in Feni. They lost everything to flood.
sea হওয়া

1.complete the following sentences with the phrases given in the boxes.

There What does--- look like What’s --- like Hand better It
Was born Have to / has to Let alone Oh brother As soon as

(a) These kids are fun-loving. They ----play than study.

(b) She is an irresponsible person. You can't trust her with your dog ----with your child.
c) A : ----your new office---?
B: I love it. The environment is very peaceful.
d) The show resumed ---- the power supply was restored. It was a great relief for the spectators.
e)I have to meet my aunt in 15 minutes. I---- go now or I will be late.
(f) The weather is very hot and humid. ------ is expected that it will rain this evening.
(g) ----- goes a proverb that unity is strength. So, we must be united till we reach our goal.
(h) In England, school children-----
wear uniforms. What about Bangladesh?
(i) Shakespeare ---- and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
(j) Son: Dad, ----an Arctic fox --- ?
Father: I've no idea. But you can always Google the term and find out. [Myınensingh Board-
2023]