Tuesday, January 19, 2010

right off the bat


Happy New Year everyone! Here we are again after a long break. Our next expression often has to do with quick thinking. Thinking of something to say right off the bat means thinking of something to say right away or right now. Sometimes it's easy to think of an example or a funny story right off the bat. At other times, however, it's not as easy. It's, therefore, quite common to say "I can't think of anything right off the bat." This means that even though there are plenty of examples of certain jokes or inexpensive but great restaurants or other things that you're talking about, you just can't think of any right now.

like this:

A: What's the name of that Thai restaurant on 9th avenue between 48th and 49th?
B: I know which one you're talking about, but I can't think of the name right off the bat.
A: I want to recommend it to Tom and Andrea for their anniversary. The prices are reasonable and the food's really good.
B: I agree. It's very tiny and cozy. I would recommend one of the duck dishes, but I can't remember the name. Have you tried it? It's the one where the duck is really crispy.
A: I can't think of it right off the bat, but I know which one you're talking about. Anyway, I'm sure they'll enjoy it.

Alright folks, I'm glad you're still checking us out. I hope I can get back to posting twice a week. Also watch out for a new and improved version of our website: www.thesmallguidesite.com. It's under development right now. When it debuts, it will have exercises that will allow you to practice the expressions you've learned on this blog. ... and of course, I will make an announcement once it's ready.

Until next time,
Joe

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