Unit 13 Communicating

Drop someone a line to mail a letter to someone

▪ Larry dropped Angela a line so that she would know where he moved.

▪ Why don’t you drop me a line some time to let me know how you’re doing?

Dash off to write a quick letter or note to someone

Also: get off

GRAMMAR/USAGE NOTES: These idioms are separable, and are used when something is written in a hurry or at the last possible moment.

▪ Mrs. Sato dashed off a note to ger husband before heading to work.

▪ San got off a birthday card to his brother with no time to spare.

Hear from to receive a letter or phone call from someone

▪ Have you heard from Marco since he left on his trip?

▪ It’s so good to hear from you again, Bernice!

Be in touch (with) to have contact or communication with someone

Opposite meaning: be out of touch (with)

USAGE NOTE: Both idioms can also be used with the verbs keep and stay.

▪ Don’t worry. I’ll be in touch with you early tomorrow morning.

▪ My high school friends and I have kept in touch over the years through correspondence.

▪ Just because you’re moving, it doesn’t mean that we can’t stay in touch.

▪ While camping alone in the mountains, Yoshio was out of touch with everyone.

Get in touch with to contact, to reach

Also: get ahold of, touch base with

GRAMMAR NOTE: The word base can be either singular or plural.

▪ My office assistant can get in touch with me in an emergency.

▪ Do you know how to get ahold of Fred? I’ve lost his number.

▪ The Madisons asked their daughter to touch base with them often while away at school.

Get back to to contact someone again

Also: get back with

▪ As soon as I receive more information about the party, I’ll get back to you.

▪ The manager said that she’d get back with the salesperson as soon as she had decided what furniture to buy.

Talk a mile a minute to talk very quickly

Also: speak a mile a minute

▪ Some TV and radio commercials are difficult to understand because the people are talking a mile a minute.

▪ When you visit a foreign country and don’t know the landuage, everyone seems to be speaking a mile a minute.

Bend someone’s ear to talk for a long time without much iterruption

Also: talk someone’s ear off

USAGE NOTE: These idioms are used when someone is being forced to listen.

▪ Ali kept saying that it was late, but the visitor bent his ear for over two hours.

▪ Gow could Mark talk my ear off like that when ge knew I was sick?

Yackety-yak meaningless noise or uninteresting conversation

▪ All I heard was a lot of yackety-yak when I entered the crowded room.

▪ When someones bends you ear, you can say that it’s just a bunch of yackety-yak

juck mail generally unwanted information sent through the mail by businesses

▪ Some people don’t mind looking at junk mail, while others hate to receive it.

▪ You can be sure that the postal delevery persons don’t like to carry junk mail!