#166 Advanced English Vocabulary Native Speakers Use — Spring Cleaning
Where I live, March is the introduction of spring. The time of year when we get itchy to start fresh and get everything organized. And that means it’s the perfect time for advanced english vocabulary native speakers use to talk about spring and spring cleaning.
In this Confident English lesson, you’ll get 13 idioms and other forms of figurative langauge that native speakers use.
Figurative language is creative language that helps us to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful. Idioms, metaphors, and similes are all good examples.
These are the same idioms and advanced English vocabulary native speakes use during this time of year.
Now you can use the same. 🥰
Advanced English Vocabulary Native Speakers Use for Spring Cleaning
Advanced English Vocabulary — When You’re Feeling the Need for a Fresh Start
Usually everything starts with an itch for a fresh start.
To have an itch for something means to have a restless desire or strong interest for something.
Another fun way to say this?
To feel twitchy for a fresh start.
Why do you want to get a fresh start?
You might feel that the winter darkness is weighing you down.
When something weighs you down, it depresses or oppresses you.
I can absolutely say I’m feeling weighed down by winter and I’m ready for the freshness of spring.
Do you feel the same way?
Advanced English Vocabulary — When It’s Time to Focus
You need to get into the right frame of mind.
Your frame of mind is your mental mood or outlook. You get your thoughts and priorities organized in your mind.
Then you might set some goals for cleaning your house, your computer clutter, your social media life, or mental chaos.
Once you have a goal, you need to stick to that goal. To stick to a goal, a routine, or a plan means to continue or be consistent doing something.
Sticking to a goal or being consistent is the key to any success.
And finally, a third way to talk about getting your focus is to get down to brass tacks. My favorite idiom of this lesson.
To get down to brass tacks (or similarly, to get down to business) means to focus on the essentials or the basics.
Eliminate all the distractions. Turn off the chaos.
Advanced English Vocabulary — When It’s Time for Action
There are two verbs we love to use when you’re doing some aggressive cleaning:
To tackle a mess
To attack your mess or closet or clutter
These both mean to deal with something aggressively. You don’t stop until you’re done.
Advanced English Vocabulary — for How You Feel When You’re Finished with Spring Cleaning
After a thorough cleaning, your house will be spick and span.
Spick and span means spotlessly clean and well looked after. I love a spick and span kitchen, don’t you?
Or maybe your house will be so clean you can eat off the floor.
Okay. Maybe not. Eating off the floor is kind of gross.
But doesn’t this create an awesome, clean picture in your mind?
When you have a kitchen or house or computer like that, it will be like a breath of fresh air.
And like the the last snow in winter, when you’re finished with your spring cleaning, the stress and chaos melt away. It slowly disappears.
Feels pretty good right?
❤️ Love this lesson?
Check out my lesson on Advanced Conversation on How to Simplify Your Life — perfect if you’re passionate about simplicity and mindfulness.
Now I’d love to hear from you!
Are you a spring cleaner? Are you itching to get started?
Tell me your favorite example of figurative language from today’s lesson and use it in a sentence.
Or tell me about how you feel when your kitchen is spick and span.
The best place to share with me is in the comments section below.
Have a fantastic week.
– Annemarie
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Hi Annemarie,
I highly appreciate your support for us to teach English through lessons. But I found learning vocabulary through each topic easier for me.
Can you please recommend any websites or links for me to study the vocabulary through topics?
Thank you very much.
Have a great day!
My favourite idioms in this lesson is :- To get down to brass tacks
I am always to get down to brass tacks to those who expand my mind, Learning something new and show me a right path through by which I can make my life meaningful.
I’m glad you’ve found a fun new expression. Let’s fix the sentence just a bit:
“get down to” is a phrasal verb so we don’t need an extra ver with “am.” How could you change this sentence?
Anne, have you ever take advantage of a spring cleaner to make a garage sale? You know, those where you try to get rid of old stuffs.
Great suggestion, Paulo. I have done that before, especially when I was a kid. It was common for the whole neighborhood to offer a garage sale on the same day. What about you?
Spring cleaner is an expression that applies perfectly to me.
From time to time, I try to create new goals to reach. It motivates me.
From the lesson, the expression “stick to that goal” is one that most calls my attention. I loved it.
Speaking on the expression “kitchen is spick and span” I have to say that I love not only when my kitchen is spick and span literally but also all my commitments.
In other words, I love to keep control of all my commitments.
Hi Paulo. Thank you for your comment. To be honest, I’m not a big fan of cleaning, but as I’m seeking a useful way to spend my time during social distancing, it seems to be a great idea. Spring cleaning is a wonderful tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes. I’m glad that you found this lesson useful to you.
Hi Anne-Marie!
I must say the truth: it’s too hard for me to clean everything in my office. Even if I feel twitchy for a fresh start, I can’t finally tackle the mess ! Thank you for your help.
Alexandros
Great use of the word “twitchy” here, Alexandros!!
Hello Annemarie.
I don`t know if the expressions of the lesson only can use for activities of cleaning.
I tried with these examples:
My favorite example of figurative language is: to get down to brass tacks.
I love to get down to brass tacks with my learning English because I can record my voice longer.
I love when my kitchen countertop is spick and span.
My favorite is “spick and span” cuz it sounds so fun and old-fashioned. Haha. I also love the “get down to brass tacks” expression.
Hi Erica. Great choice! Do you want to try using those expressions in your sentences? The practice is the best way to remember new vocabulary.
You’re so right, Eric. It does sound (and is) old-fashioned, but definitely a fun one.
You’re are right its that kind of expression that makes English so attractive.
Hello
My favourite expression or idiom is: My house is so clean you can eat off the floor. It remembers me when I was child and my mother was whith her friends. Fithty years ago women were at home and their best work was to clean houses, cooking the best as they could and when they admired someone said, her kitchen is so clean you can eat off the floor.
Hi Julia, thank you for your comment. Honestly, it reminded me of my childhood and made me smile because my mom’s apartment is always so clean you can eat off the floor. I love this idiom too!
Best,
Tanya
Great example using this expression, Julia!
I’m A spring cleaner. I’m not itching when spring get start. My favourite is gardening, so I love spring 🌸when spring comes in I can clean my garden and plant vegetables, flowers…in my garden.
Hi Lien, thank you for your comment. I love spring too! You’re so lucky to have your garden. This is a fun way to spend your free time!
That sounds lovely, Lien! I’m envious of your garden.