ESL Teacher Zee's 1 Minute English lesson 33

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Hello everyone, welcome back to our 1-minute English. Today, we're going to learn idioms. So, let's start with the ball is in your court. When the ball is in your court, you must make the next move. So, this idiom comes from tennis and other court sports. When the ball lands in your court, you're the person who must hit it next. Let's have the example sentences. I already sent the documents. Now, the ball is in your court.

[00:00:30]So, the speaker already finished their part by sending the documents. Now, the other person must decide or take the next action. Let's have the next example. We gave them offer, so the ball is in their court now. So, it means the speakers already made an offer. Now, the other group must respond or make a decision. Let's have the second idiom.

[00:00:55]Cut corners. To do something quickly, cheaply, or poorly to save time or money. So, this idiom likely comes from the idea of taking a shortcut by literally cutting across the corner of a road instead of following the full path.

[00:01:12]Let's have the example sentences.

[00:01:15]Some builders cut corners and used cheap materials. So, it means the builders tried to save money or effort by using low-quality materials instead of proper ones. Let's have the last example. Don't cut corners when studying for an exam.

[00:01:32]So, it means the sentence means you should study carefully and completely, not lazily or too quickly. So, that's it for our 1-minute English and see you again next time.