2025 · VOA Learning English
This speaker is a general-american model. Each line below can be recorded and scored against it.
And now Words and Their Stories from VOA
Learning English. Springtime is a time of renewal and growth.
Many plants end their long winter sleep and form new buds and shoots Beautiful flowers will soon be showing their bright colors.
And the grass will grow thicker and greener again. Some flowers bloom in a very noticeable way but that is not the case with grass.
Imagine you are sitting in a grassy field. And you have only one job to watch the grass grow.
That does not sound very interesting. In fact, it sounds really boring
That idea is what gives us the expression like watching grass grow We use this expression to describe an experience that is uninteresting.
Another good word to describe it is tedious. We use this expression in many situations.
Let’s hear a few examples: After the politician won his campaign, he gave a two-hour long acceptance speech. Two hours!
It was as much fun as watching grass grow I really don’t like watching long sports games.
It’s like watching grass grow Now, grass grows on the ground all the time.
And usually, we don’t give it much thought. If you stand in one place for a long time, the grass will continue to grow under your feet.
For people who are always active, always moving, always on-the-go we can say they don't let grass grow under their feet. We can also say beneath their feet
And sometimes we use this expression as a command. Let’s hear some examples: Don’t let the grass grow beneath your feet.
Get back to work. She certainly doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet.
She’s been traveling non-stop for over a year. And that’s all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories
Until next time, I’m Anna Matteo.
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