Today’s phrase is….
Be nothing short of
Introduce it with some examples:
The view from the boat was nothing short of spectacular.
It’s nothing short of miraculous that no one was hurt in the crash.
The desserts were nothing short of fantastic.
The way he treated you was nothing short of abuse.
The dinner party was nothing short of a disaster.
Lead students to the meaning and use: it’s typically used to emphasise a situation or quality, mostly followed by extreme adjectives, however, it can also be followed by some nouns, like the final two examples above.
You can check for more examples by using Skell, the free version of Sketch Engine.
Put students in pairs or small groups and have them discuss these questions, encourage them to use the expression:
- What’s the most beautiful view you’ve ever seen?
- Describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
- Have you ever been to a particularly disastrous party or meeting?
- Have you ever narrowly avoided having an accident?
Here’s the Quizlet set of all the previous phrases of the day.
