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Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

If an event is held no matter whether it rains or the sun shines, it's a "rain or shine" event. Some people say it's raining "cats and dogs" when it's raining very heavily.

These idiomatic expressions "rain or shine" and "cats and dogs" are often called binomial pairs. They are common English phrases that include a pair of words usually joined by "and" or "or". The order of the words are fixed. They're not reversible. In other words, you always say "rain or shine" and not "shine or rain".

Some binomials can be formed by joining two related words, such as "nuts and bolts", "leaps and bounds", "peace and quiet". Others by joining two opposite words, for example, "ups and downs", "love and hate", "more or less".

And you may want to remember one of the best ways to improve your English fluency is to learn this sort of idiomatic expressions.

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Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

I think many of you are familiar with the idiom "When it rains, it pours".

First, let's look at the verb "to pour". To pour in this idiom means to rain heavily. If someone says "it's pouring", it means it's raining very heavily.

When something bad happens, other bad things tend to happen at the same time, or within a short period of time. Then you can use this expression "When it rains, it pours".

For example, you lost your job, your girlfriend left you, and your car got stolen, all in the same week. When it rains, it pours.

According to some dictionaries, this idiom can also be used for something positive. One online dictionary gives this example: After months of looking for a job, I suddenly have three job interviews this week. When it rains, it pours.

Now, would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is similar in meaning to "when it rains, it pours". Ready?

1. Every cloud has a silver lining.

2. It's raining cats and dogs.

3. Trouble never comes alone.

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

Here's another rain idiom for you:

Last summer all residents of Japan received 100,000 yen cash handouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than spending it right away, I guess some people have chosen to save it for a rainy day.

If you save something, mostly money, for a rainy day, you save it for a time in the future when it might be needed unexpectedly. A rainy day fund is essentially another word for an emergency fund.

If you work as a freelancer in particular, you must be ready for a rainy day, because being self-employed means not having steady income or the same amount of income every month. A rainy day here means unexpected expenses or emergency situations.

Now, would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is NOT true. Ready?

When someone says they're saving for a rainy day, a rainy day implies:

1. emergency

2. umbrella

3. something unexpected

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

If an event is held regardless of the weather, it's a "rain or shine" event, as you learned last week. For example, you're planning a barbeque party this coming weekend. And it'll go, rain or shine.

In fact, there're quite many rain idioms in English.

Perhaps one of the most famous rain phrases for Japanese learners is "raining cats and dogs". People say it's raining cats and dogs when it's raining very heavily. Likewise, when it's pouring rain, you can also say "it's raining buckets".

Rain is important. It's vital to all life on Earth. At the same time, rain can ruin your holiday. Let's say, you're having good time, and someone comes in and says "I don't mean to rain on your parade". Be prepared to hear some bad news, because to rain on your parade means to spoil your pleasure.

Now, would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is NOT true. Ready?

You decide to stay in this evening because:

1. It's raining cats and dogs.

2. It's raining buckets.

3. It's raining on your parade.

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

When it rains, some outdoor events and activities, like baseball games, open-air concerts or barbecues, are cancelled or postponed. They are "rained out".

There are other events, however, that won't be cancelled even when it rains. They are "rain or shine" events. For example, you're invited to an outdoor yoga class. The invitation says: All ages and levels are welcomed. Rain or shine. It means anyone can join and it'll be held whether it rains or the sun shines.

The phrase is also used figuratively for "no matter what happens". For example, he is always reliable, rain or shine. You can also say "come rain or shine", instead of just "rain or shine". For example, I'll be there, come rain or shine.

Now, would you like to practice together? Please repeat after me:

The event will be held, rain or shine.

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

When you're watching weather news on TV from the US, especially around this time of year, you're likely to see weather people using the phrase "a chance of rain". Are you familiar with the expression?

Chance of rain is about how likely it is to rain, for example, today in your location.

The word "chance" is sometimes about opportunity, as in not having a chance to say goodbye. But in this case, a chance is a possibility.

Chance of rain is expressed in percentage. For example, when a meteorologist calls for a 60 percent chance of rain, I'll probably take an umbrella. When there's a 20% chance of rain, I think I won't. When it comes to a 40% chance of rain, it's kind of hard to decide.

Anyhow. Would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is TRUE. Ready?

The word "chance", when used to say a chance of rain, means:

1. Weather

2. Opportunity

3. Possibility

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

Today, I'm going to talk about the word "lift".

To lift means to move something from a lower to a higher position. For example, you lift your glass to make a toast. You lift your hand to knock on the door. You lift your shoulders in a shrug. You shouldn't lift the lid to stir the rice while it's cooking. And remember, lift is another word for "elevator".

Now, to lift also means to end a rule or law that stopped someone from doing something. When bans, sanctions, or restrictions are lifted, they're no longer effective.

For example, the recent state of emergency over the COVID-19 for Tokyo wasn't lifted as first announced. Instead, it's extended as expected by many. Everyone's hoping it'll be lifted at the end of the month as planned.

Now. Would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is TRUE. Ready?

When all coronavirus restrictions are lifted, you're likely to feel:

1. Delighted

2. Angry

3. Disappointed

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

I was translating a document and came across this idiom: There's an elephant in the room. Are you familiar with the expression?

Elephants are big animals. In fact, they're the largest land animals on earth. If there's an elephant in the room, it's impossible not to see it. If you don't see it, then that's because you don't want to see it.

So, if someone says there is an elephant in the room, it means there is an obvious problem that people don't want to talk about, because talking about it may be awkward, embarrassing or uncomfortable. For example, you're having a family get-together. Great dinner, great conversation. But you know there is an elephant in the room. Your sister has just separated.

Now. Would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is TRUE. Ready?

If someone says there's an elephant in the room, the elephant refers to:

1. a big animal

2. a big house

3. a big problem

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

When a meteorologist says there's a 70% chance of rain in Tokyo and 60% in Osaka today, it's a little more likely to rain in Tokyo than in Osaka. That said, you'd better take your umbrella with you when you go out, regardless of whether you're in Tokyo or in Osaka, because rain is likely in either way.

Now, let's look at the word "likely". If something is likely, it will probably happen. For example, if rain is likely, it will probably rain.

When an election is near, it's likely that people talk about who is likely to win. If you're smart, diligent, work hard and learn from mistakes, you're very likely to succeed. Otherwise, success is unlikely. It's unlikely that you're successful.

Now. Would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is NOT true. Ready?

If rain is likely,

1. Outdoor events may be cancelled.

2. There's no chance of rain.

3. A rain jacket may be a good idea.

Hi everyone! Thank you for tuning in to Time for English.

Here's a quiz for you: What do the words plumber, bomber and climber have in common? The answer is (that) they all have the silent B in them.

In English, some letters are silent. A silent letter is a letter that is not pronounced in a word, such as the B in plumber, bomber and climber. For example, you spell the word plumber P-L-U-M-B-E-R. You see the letter B in it. But when you say the word "plumber", there's no B sound in it. The letter B just sits between M and E silently.

Likewise, the C in scissors, the D in bridge, the N in autumn, or the W in answer are all silent letters.

There are so many words in English with silent letters. So, be careful when you say or write those words.

Now. Would you like to try a quiz? I'll give you three words. Please listen carefully and choose the one with a silent letter. Ready?

1. Tuesday

2. Wednesday

3. Saturday