09-Jul-2025

Greetings from Fluent & Fearless,

Welcome to the very first issue of the Fluent & Fearless Weekly — your new go-to newsletter for making sense of all the weird, wonderful, and occasionally nonsensical corners of the English language. Whether you’re a multilingual pro, freelancer, student, or just someone who’s tired of second-guessing “there,” “their,” and “they’re” — this one’s for you.

ESL Word/Phrase of the Week

English Phrase: “On the fence”

Meaning: You haven’t made up your mind. You're undecided.
Example Sentences:

• “I was on the fence about joining that online course, but then I saw the discount.”

• “He’s on the fence about moving abroad for work.”

Quick Tip:
If you’re genuinely sitting on a fence while reading this… get down. But if you feel like you're stuck deciding, now you’ve got the phrase to say so.

• “Yo estaba indeciso sobre inscribirme en ese curso en línea, pero luego vi el descuento”.

• “Él no se decide si mudarse al extranjero por trabajo”.

Highlighted Language Mistake of the Week

Mistake: “I am agree.”
Correct: “I agree.”

Why?
“Agree” is a verb, not a mood. You either agree, or you don’t. You don’t be agree. (Unless you're trying to invent a new verb tense. In which case… bold move.)

Examples:

• ✅ “I agree with your point.”

• ❌ “I am agree with your point.”

How to Fix It:
Imagine “agree” is an action, like “run” or “cook.” You wouldn’t say “I am cook,” right? Same idea.

Punctuation Tip of the Week

Spotlight: The Oxford Comma

What is it?
It’s that extra comma before “and” in a list:

• “Tea, biscuits, and gossip.”

Why it matters:
Without it: “I dedicate this book to my parents, Lady Gaga and Harry Styles.”
With it: “I dedicate this book to my parents, Lady Gaga, and Harry Styles.”
Big difference, yeah?

Do You Have to Use It?
Not always. But it’s handy when clarity matters. Or when you want to avoid awkward family conversations.

Featured Story of the Week

Why English Idioms Are a Headache (But Worth Learning Anyway)!

Let’s be honest, a lot of English idioms make no sense.

You “kick the bucket” and suddenly you’re dead. You “spill the beans” and now everyone knows your secret. You “break the ice” but it’s not even winter.

So why do native speakers use them all the time?

Because idioms are like shortcuts to sounding fluent, they carry emotion, humour, and cultural meaning that textbooks just can’t teach.

Take “throw a spanner in the works”, sure, you could say “it caused a problem,” but the idiom paints a much more vivid picture. It tells you not just what happened, but how messy it felt.

The problem? Idioms can’t always be translated word-for-word. They often confuse learners because their meanings are not literal.

So, what should you do?

Start small. Learn the most common idioms in the situations you use English, at work, online, or in casual chats. Don’t try to memorise 200 idioms in one weekend. Pick 3–5, learn how they’re used, and try slipping them into conversation (just don’t force it, nothing weirder than misused idioms).

In short: idioms might be a headache, but once you get used to them, they’re your secret weapon for sounding fluent, clever, and culturally tuned in.

Cultural Corner – Idiom/Slang of the Week

Idiom: “Throw a spanner in the works”

Meaning: Something’s messed things up. Usually last minute.

Example:

• “Everything was going smoothly until the boss threw a spanner in the works with a ‘quick change’.”

US Equivalent: “Throw a wrench in the works.”
But let’s be honest, “spanner” just sounds more dramatic. More British sitcom panic moment.

Reader Poll / Puzzle / Comment

Brain Teaser:
What 5-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

Answer: Short.
(Add “-er” and voilà — “shorter.” See what we did there?)