Float on air in your IELTS preparations with these expressions

I was in a session the other day when a student and I came across the expression "on air". For those of you who are not aware of this phrase, this refers to the moment in live radio or television transmissions when the broadcast begins. It is typically signified by a red light being activated, that tells the disc jockey or TV host that recording has commenced and that their every word from this point on will be recorded.

Besides being a fascinating part of speech in and of itself, the word "air" itself is contained within some weird and wonderful expressions in the English language. Here is a brief list of some of those, with a quick explanation and an example to show how they work:

1) a breath of fresh air - something new and exciting

Example: Her approach was a breath of fresh air, when compared to how things had been done previously.

2) up in the air - something that is undecided

Example: It seems as though the decision on who to appoint next week is still up in the air.

3) air guitar - a form of invisible imaginary instrument

Example: After she won, she played air guitar to show her positive emotions about the victory.

4) to be full of hot air - a person whose words are meaningless

Example: Despite his comments about the economy, one look at his tax records showed his own business claims were full of hot air.

5) to air an opinion - to speak up about a point of view

Example: In the recent debate, both of the candidates were encouraged to air their opinions.

6) airtime - the amount of times a song is played on the radio

Example: The popular music charts used to be solely defined on the amount of airtime they received.

7) out of thin air - something stated without any clear evidence or preparation

Example: As part of the presentation, he seemed to quote random statistics out of thin air.

8) in the air - a feeling that something is about to happen

Example: Phil Collins once sang that he could feel it coming in the air tonight.

9) airs and graces - to act in a way that is higher than one's social status

Example: If they continue to put on airs and graces, nobody in our village will want to talk to them any more.

10) clear the air - to resolve an argument

Example: The main task facing a marriage counselor is to help a couple clear the air, if that is at all possible.

To find out more about how you can float on air with your IELTS preparation, reach out directly at [email protected] to find out more!

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