English in a Minute Series 5 / Phrases with 'speak'

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

GeorgieWe all know the verb 'speak', but do you know any phrases that go with it? Say, "Speak of the devil," when you're talking about someone and then they appear. I heard Sophie's moving to the US. Ah, speak of the devil! I was just talking about you, Sophie. To be on speaking terms with someone means you're in a friendly enough relationship with someone that you can talk. This is often used in the negative after an argument. We had a big disagreement last week so we're not on speaking terms at the moment. If something speaks volumes, then it conveys an idea clearly without using any words. She says she isn't annoyed, but her face speaks volumes. And lastly, if you say something which is quickly shown not to be true, you can say, "I spoke too soon." I'm so lucky it hasn't rained today! Oh dear, I spoke too soon and now it's just started raining. You watching these videos speaks volumes about your dedication to learning English.

Head to out skills page for tips with speaking.

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