Writing English for Speakers of Other Languages
You have chosen to pursue a college education, which is admirable. College classes are rarely easy, and since your native language is not English, you have extra work to do— but you are more to be admired for the extra effort. Interestingly enough, although you have an additional hurdle of writing in English, your study of the language as an English as a Second Language (ESL) learner puts you ahead of most native speakers: (1) you do not automatically learn the bad habits and slang that native speakers assume are correct, (2) you acquire an understanding of the elements of grammar that native speakers rarely bother to learn, and (3) your perspective of communication and your thought processes are different from those of native English speakers, so your writing easily can be more interesting and fresh than that of native speakers, who too often rely on clichés and old, tired phrases. Officially denied (but known by experienced students) is that good, clear writing can cover a multitude of content weaknesses—in other words, even the most austere and reserved of teachers cannot avoid being affected ever-so-slightly toward the positive if the essay he or she is reading is well written and errorless—even if the premise of the essay is that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1992 in the Pinta, the Niña, and the Andrea Doria. The Key to Good Writing in English is Simplicity but The Great Golden Doorway to Good Writing is Rewriting! Do not commit yourself to what you have written, thinking of it as finished. Think of your writing as a block of wood, and you whittle and chip away at it, each time moving closer and closer to a beautiful sculpture. The great thing about writing is that it takes no great physical effort, no tools, no cleanup of shavings and chips, and no bandages from hitting your thumb with the mallet. But although it is easy to do, like anything else, writing does not become art without polish. Good writing requires rereading, rewriting, and constant tweaking. Professional writers set their manuscripts aside for a period of time to allow their thinking to be cleared, then they read the manuscript again. The longer you wait before a reread, the more unfamiliar the manuscript will be and the more objective you can be about its quality. The waiting-time can be days, weeks, or even months—the longer, the better. But as a college student, you have tight deadlines. You do not have the luxury of waiting a long time before rereads. So one does what one can with what one has—college is not professional writing, after all. The point is to reread (and retouch) your manuscripts as often as possible before turning them in.

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Your entry into the university is evidence of a college-level knowledge of English. However, particularly if you have not lived in the USA for long, you may wish to study further into: 1. Confidence in English word order a. Use of articles b. Use of verbs c. Use of transitional expressions d. The passive voice 2. Familiarity with English idioms, slang, and verbal phrases a. Idioms b. Verbal phrases

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Table of Contents
I. Use of Articles ....................................................................4 II. Use of Verbs .......................................................................9 III. Idiomatic Expressions ........................................................11 IV. Verbal Phrases ....................................................................34 V. Use of Transitional Expressions.........................................57 VI. The Passive Voice ..............................................................68

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Use of the Articles A, An, and The
Some languages do not use articles at all. Others use articles differently from the usage in English. Their use in English depends on the nouns they precede and the "focus" of the sentence. While hardly key, strategic elements of communications, articles are some of the earliest language elements taught to children, and native speakers of English seldom use articles incorrectly--errors you may make are therefore noticeable and distracting, particularly in writing. The easiest definition is between a and an: they are variations of the same word and their difference is simply that a is used before words that begin with consonant sounds (a stone, a small desert), and an is used before vowel sounds (an intelligent student, an average day). The choice of a or an, though, depends on pronunciation, not spelling. Many words that begin with 'u' are preceded by a instead of an because words like "useful, " "uranium," or "utility" are pronounced with a beginning 'y'—ubiquitous, ukulele, ululate, university, urology, usual, etc. In some words of French origin, the initial 'h' is silent: an heir to the throne, an honorable man, an hour before the bell, etc. Think of a/an and the as photographic lenses. The article the is a telephoto lens, and the words a/an are wide-angle lenses. The use of the means the following noun is a specific item, one of a particular group, perhaps known or understood by the reader. A/an, on the other hand, mean that the following noun is one of a generic group, a universal. To be more specific, articles depend on two ideas: countability and definite/indefinite. Countability This concept refers to people, places, or things that can be counted (one dollar/two dollars, one house/two houses) and those that can not (sand, air, light). Countable nouns can be made plural by adding 's' or some other variation of a plural ending, e.g., pirate(s), difficult(ies), child(ren). A few words are the same in both singular plural, like "deer" and "sheep." Uncountable nouns often refer to food, beverages, substances, or abstractions (information, meat, steel, tea). Some uncountable nouns (but not the abstract ones) can be made countable by adding a count reference in front of them (a bunch of celery, six blocks of ice, two gallons of milk, three grains of sand, a bar of soap). You will find no clear-cut distinction between countable and uncountable nouns. Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable even without adding count references. For example, as an uncountable noun, experience refers to abstract knowledge or skill gained by observing or participating in events. As a singular or plural countable noun (experience/experiences), "experience" refers to a particular instance of participation in events. Similarly, the uncountable noun "glass" is a substance made from silicates; a glass (singular) is a drinking utensil; and glasses (plural) are plastic, shell, or metal frames containing lenses that correct imperfect vision.

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Beware that nouns countable in your native language may be uncountable in English, and vice-versa. For example, soap is countable in Spanish but uncountable in English. Be aware of these differences, and they probably will not cause much difficulty. The simplest solution is to memorize some of the most frequently occurring uncountable nouns (see below) and look up others in a dictionary if you are not sure whether they are countable or uncountable. Not all dictionaries indicate whether nouns are countable or uncountable, so find one that does. Common Uncountable English Nouns Food and Drink bacon, beef, beer, bread, broccoli, butter, cabbage, candy, cauliflower, celery, cereal, cheese, chicken, chocolate, coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit, ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil, pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea, water, wine, and yogurt Nonfood Substances air ,cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, ice, leather, paper, petroleum, plastic, rain, rubber, silver, snow, soap, steel, wood, and wool. Abstract nouns advice, anger, beauty, confidence, courage, employment, fun, happiness, health, honesty, information, intelligence, knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction, truth, and wealth Miscellaneous biology, clothing, equipment, furniture, homework, jewelry, luggage, lumber, machinery, mail, money, news, poetry, pollution, research, scenery, traffic, transportation, violence, weather, and work Definite/Indefinite A definite noun refers to something specific, known to both the writer/speaker and the reader/listener. For example, if John needs to drive somewhere, he might ask his father, "May I use the car?" He uses the definite article "the" because both he and his father know which car John is referring to (the family car). But later John might say to his friend Eleonore, "The pet shop has a guinea pig named Popo." He uses the indefinite article "a" because he knows which guinea pig he saw, but Eleonore does not. The Definite/Indefinite Consideration has four possibilities (only one of which requires a definite noun). If both the speaker (or writer of a written communication) and the listener (or reader) do not know precisely what is being talked about, the indefinite article will be used. If both do know precisely, the definite article will be used. For example, Indefinite article: "I saw a guinea pig named Popo."—the writer/speaker knows specifically what is being referred to; the reader/listener does not

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Indefinite article: "I understand your grandmother broke a $100,000 Chippendale table."—the writer/speaker does not know specifically what the table looks like although the reader/listener does know. Indefinite article: "I need to find a new career."—the writer/speaker does not know exactly which career; neither does the reader/listener. Definite article: "May I use the car?"—both the writer/speaker and the reader/listener know exactly which car is referred to

To qualify as a definite article, consider if the noun: (a) Has been previously mentioned—The pet show had a guinea pig named Popo . It was black and white and tan, and when I reached for it, the guinea pig scampered away . (b) Has a superlative adjective—The fastest car in the race is a Ferrari . (c) Describes something unique (a person, place, or thing)—The earth revolves around the sun once every 365 days . (d) Is clear from the context or situation—Close the door . Choosing the Appropriate Article In order to choose the appropriate article for a noun, you first need to decide whether the noun is singular. One way to determine this is to ask yourself whether you could put the number "one" in front of it. For example, you can say "one experiment," but not "one knowledge" or "one examples"; therefore, "experiment" is singular, whereas "knowledge" is uncountable and "examples" is plural. The use of the means what follows is already known to the reader, usually because it has been mentioned earlier (or it is about to be described) or it is a community institution or facility. The is not used before a singular noun meaning a general category, e.g., nature, hope, evil, and so on. The presence of a/an means what follows is a universal, a generic, or one of a large group. A/an is not necessary if that word is plural (An ant can be a pest. Ants can be pests.) Examples:

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An unknown lake is not a good place to go swimming. This means any lake in the world that is unknown is a bad place for swimming. The unknown lake is not a good place to go swimming. This means that we are referring to a set of lakes we know of, and the unfamiliar lake in the series is a bad place for swimming. A car dealer in town may drop prices because of increasing gasoline prices. The dealer will feel the necessity to trim prices to stay competitive. The dealer first mentioned is unspecified, any of the dealers in town. The second dealer is the specific one qualifying as the one defined in the first sentence. The car dealer in town may drop prices because of increasing gasoline prices. The meaning would be that the town has only one car dealer, so the article in the second sentence would automatically be "The." A person interested in politics may become a legislator, but only one of the thousands may become the President. A person is a generic term for "anybody." A legislator is one elected office among many. The office of the President, on the other hand, is a singular case. "The" appears before "thousands," meaning the specific group (out of the millions in the country's population) who are interested in politics. Try these and identify the meaning you intended: 1. A/The university is close to my house. a. A university is close to my house means you are describing your house, and the identity of the university is not important. b. The university is close to my house means your house is near the university that has already been mentioned earlier or is otherwise known to the reader. 2. A/The Wine has become a/the connoisseur's drink. a. A wine has become a connoisseur's drink implies a sort of surprise, since the type or brand of the wine appears to be unimportant; therefore, the message of the sentence is that wine has become a preferred drink, and the implication is that this is unexpected. "A connoisseur's" means the writer is referring to any and all connoisseurs. b. The wine has become the connoisseur's drink means a particular sort or brand of wine known to the reader (perhaps from local vintner) has become popular. "The connoisseur's" appears at first glance to refer to a specific connoisseur (perhaps a famous gourmet in the town), but modern advertising often directs the focus of "the" past the adjective "connoisseur's" to "drink", meaning "the drink," meaning, literally, "the drink of connoisseurs," meaning the singular, specific drink preferred by connoisseurs. 3. Microwaves can't penetrate metal, so a/the food cooked in a pan in a microwave oven doesn't cook properly. a. …a food cooked in a pan…implies any food one would choose would not cook successfully in a pan in a microwave. b. …the food cooked in a pan…implies that the food in question is one that has already been mentioned, perhaps earlier in the passage. Center for Writing Excellence University of Phoenix 7

4. Ajax Bank's Online Banking Service is a/the convenient way to take control of your finances. a. …a most convenient way…implies there are several convenient ways, and Ajax Bank's service is only one of them. This would not be as effective in an advertising pitch. b. …the most convenient way…means that Ajax Bank's service is the only convenient way. 5. The emergency exit is a good way to get out of the building, but we used the steps. a. The emergency exit…implies that there is only one b. An emergency exit…would imply that there is more than one—or even that there is none, and one is needed c. …a good way to get out of the building…implies that it is generically a good way d. …the good way to get out of the building…implies that it is the only good way or at least the best way e. …the building…implies that the writer and the reader both understand the building under consideration f. …a building…would imply that the discussion is about principles of emergency exits using a generic building as the example g. …the steps…implies that the writer and the reader both know which steps are under discussion h. …a steps…implies that the building has several sets of steps, and we used one of them.

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Use of Verbs
Verb Endings Those who speak some English dialects and nonnative English speakers sometimes leave out verb endings required by standard English: The –s ending of a verb is required when • The subject of the sentence is a singular noun (boy, car, house, etc.), an indefinite pronoun (everyone), or the pronouns he, she, or it • The verb's action occurs in the present.

The school form asks [not ask] for a complete address. The instructor speaks [not speak] frequently during registration. A cowboy often rides [not ride] a horse for several days.

The –d or –ed ending of a verb is required when • • • The verb's action occurred in the past The verb form functions as a modifier The verb form combines with a form of be or have

The accused man's lawyer asked [not ask] for more time. The personnel involved [not involve] should be punctual. The restaurant's food is supposed [not suppose] to be the best. This small tailor shop has acquired [not acquire] a great reputation.

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Beware that computer grammar and style checkers will miss errors of these types. If English is not your native language, and your papers are marked with errors of these types, you may need to edit your writing specifically for these problems. Infinitives The basic form of the verb in English consists of two words, "to" and the verb itself, which is called an "infinitive": to eat, to dance, to run, to consider, to play, etc. A verb with the suffix "ing" becomes a noun called a "gerund": eating, dancing, running, considering, playing, etc. The problem is that in many languages infinitives and gerunds are interchangeable, but in English infinitives and gerunds may follow some verbs but not others and may have different meanings after a verb: The card player stopped to play.—the gambler has paused at the saloon to test his luck The card player stopped playing.—the gambler has decided to end the game.

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Idiomatic Expressions
Idiomatic expressions can be problems for non-native speakers because the meaning of the phrase is not literally what the words mean. Also known as "colloquialisms," the only true way to learn them is one by one. A poor man's _____: Something or someone not as good as others is "a poor man's version. A writer who uses exotic locations but is not very convincing would be a poor man's Ernest Hemmingway. About-face : One who changes his or her mind completely is said to have done an aboutface. Above board : If things are carried out legally and properly, they are said to be done "above board." Achilles' heel : A person's weak spot is his or her Achilles' heel, so-named because of the Greek hero Achilles, who was invulnerable everywhere on his body except his heels. Acid test : Proves whether something is good and effective or not. Across the board : Something that applies to everybody applies across the board. Albatross around your neck : An albatross around the neck refers to a problem resulting from a past action that continues to keep one from being successful. Alter ego : A very close and intimate friend, from the Latin phrase that literally means "'other self." An old flame : A person with whom one once had an emotional, usually passionate, relationship—a person still looked on with fondness and affection. Apple of your eye : Something or someone very special to you. Costs an arm and a leg : Something very expensive. As the crow flies : The shortest possible distance between two places. As well as : In addition to At loggerheads : People who are arguing and cannot agree on anything are at loggerheads. At the drop of a hat : To do something immediately. Center for Writing Excellence University of Phoenix 11

AWOL : AWOL stands for Absent Without Leave, a military term used when someone is missing without telling anyone, without permission. Axe to grind : A grievance, resentment, or something for which one seeks revenge that is an ulterior motive, a hidden agenda behind an otherwise innocent activity. Babe in the woods : A naïve person. Baby boomer : Someone born between 1945 and 1965, when the US population was growing rapidly. Back burner : An issue on the back burner has low priority. Back to square one : Starting from the beginning again. Backseat driver : An annoying person fond of giving advice to a person performing a task, particularly when the advice is incorrect or unwelcome. Bad egg : A person who cannot be trusted. A Good egg is the opposite. Bad taste in your mouth : If something is wrong or bad about what you are considering, it is said to leave a bad taste in your mouth. Ball is in your court : If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step, as in tennis.. Ballpark figure : A ballpark figure is a rough or approximate number to give a general idea. Banana republic : A small country with a single crop or resource, governed badly by a corrupt elite. Baptism of fire : A first experience of something unpleasant, usually also a learning experience. Baldfaced liar : One who displays no shame about lying even if he or she is exposed. Bark is worse than his or her bite : Someone who when angry may shout but does not take further action. Barking up the wrong tree : Acting on a complete misunderstanding. Basket case : Something so bad or damaged that it cannot be remedied.

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Bat an eye : To show emotion—usually used in the negative, e.g., The car was stolen, but he did not bat an eye. Be that as it may : A phrase used to indicate that while one may accept the truth in a concept, one's opinion remains the same, e.g., America was discovered in 1492. Be that as it may, the Native Americans were here long before that. Bean counter : An accountant. Beat around the bush : To avoid being specific; to speak around the topic without actually being concise. Beat a dead horse : To try to raise interest in an issue that no one supports anymore or to attempt to attain something that is unattainable. Beck and call : Someone who does everything for you, no matter when you ask, is at your beck and call. Below par : Something that is not up to standard or to feel in poor health. Below the belt : Something unexpectedly cruel or unfair--like the illegal boxing punch. Between a rock and a hard place : An awkward position in which one must choose between unpleasant alternatives. Between the devil and the deep blue sea : A dilemma or a difficult choice. Read between the lines : To find the real massage in what is said or heard, a meaning not available in literal interpretation of the words. Beyond a shadow of a doubt : Absolutely no doubts remains. [Cliché: avoid this term]. Beyond belief : Behavior almost impossible to accept. Beyond the pale : Activity too extreme to be acceptable morally or socially. Big Apple : New York City Big cheese : The boss. Bird's eye view : A situation from which a situation can be seen and understood clearly. Bit player : Someone with a small or unimportant role.

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Bite the bullet : In the days before anesthetics, doctors sometimes had a patient bite down onto a bullet to withstand the pain. The phrase means to accept or face unpleasantness because it cannot be avoided. Black sheep : Someone who does not fit into a group or family because of significant behavior or character differences. Blessing in disguise : Bad luck or misfortune which results in something positive. Blood is thicker than water : Family relationships are stronger than friendships or business relationships. Blow your stack : Lose your temper. Bolt from the blue : Something unexpected and sudden. Bone of contention : An issue always causing tension and arguments. Bone to pick : An issue about which one is annoyed, about which one wishes to confront another. Born with a silver spoon : Born into a rich family. Bottom line : In accounting, the line showing net income—the conclusion. Get down to brass tacks : To begin to deal with the real business. Break even : To have neither profit nor loss. Break the ice : To overcome initial shyness or embarrassment meeting someone for the first time. Bring the house down : To do something so popular and spectacular that it is acclaimed and praised vigorously. Burn the candle at both ends : To live life at such a hectic pace that overexertion can affect health. Burn the midnight oil : To stay up very late working or studying. Bury the hatchet : To make peace with someone (to stop arguing and/or fighting). By the book : To do something exactly as it is prescribed. By the skin of your teeth : To manage to accomplish something only barely, coming very near to failing. Center for Writing Excellence University of Phoenix 14

Call a spade a spade : To speak frankly, making little or no attempt to conceal opinion or spare the feelings of the listener/reader. Call the shots : To be in charge and tell people what to do. Can of worms : An action that creates serious problems is opening a can of worms. Can't hold a candle : A comparison meaning that if X can't hold a candle to Y, Y is tremendously better. "___" up your sleeve : Anything up your sleeve is a surprise plan or idea you are holding back until the appropriate time. Chew the fat : To talk at leisure with someone. Chickenfeed : Something small or unimportant. Chip off the old block : Someone who closely resembles one or both of the parents in character. Clean bill of health : To have a clean bill of health means nothing is wrong; everything is fine. Clean slate : To start with a clean slate means nothing bad from the past is taken into account. Cliffhanger : Something in which the result is so close that it cannot be predicted and will be known only at the very end. Close but no cigar : To be close to success but not actually there. Cloud nine : To be on cloud nine is to be extremely happy. Cock and bull story : Something completely unbelievable. Cold feet : To have cold feet is to lose courage to act. Cold turkey : To stop suddenly and without ameliorating actions. Collateral damage : Accidental or unintended damage or casualties. Corner a market : To be dominant in an area and unlikely to be challenged by other companies.

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Couch potato : An extremely idle or lazy person who chooses to spend leisure time lying in front of the TV eating a diet mostly junk food. Crash a party : To go somewhere you have not been invited. Crocodile tears : To pretend to be upset or affected by something. Cut to the chase : To get to the point or the most interesting or important part of something without delay. Cut to the quick : To be very hurtful and upsetting. Cutting edge : At the forefront of progress in the area of specialization. Dark horse : Someone who is a bit of a mystery. Dead as a Doornail : A person, process, or activity that is lifeless. Dead heat : A tie; two things finishing with exactly the same results. Dead in the water : Something not going anywhere or making any progress. Derring-do : To have derring-do is to show great courage. Devil's advocate : Someone who adopts a position he or she may not believe in just for the sake of the argument Die is cast: Literally the singular of "dice." The phrase means to throw one die—in so doing, it cannot be called back. The phrase's colloquial meaning is that a decision has been made that cannot be altered, and fate will decide the consequences. Dog days : Very hot summer days. Dog-eared : A book that is in bad condition, with page tips bent like dogs' ears, torn pages, and so on. Doggy bag : What a restaurant calls the package of the food you have not eaten for you to take home. Doldrums : Literally a section of the Caribbean Sea in which winds rarely blow. To be in the doldrums means to be depressed. Something in the doldrums is not making any progress. Doormat : A person who does not stand up for him or herself and gets treated badly.

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Down for the count : To have lost a struggle, like a boxer who has been knocked out and is down for the referee's count of one to ten.. Down in the dumps : To be depressed. Draw a blank : To seek for something without getting any useful information. Draw the line : To set limits of is acceptable. Dressed to the nines : To be dressed in one's very best clothes. Dyed in the wool : To have very strong opinions that will not be affected by what others think. Eager beaver : A person who is extremely keen. Easy as pie : Something very easy Eat crow : To admit that one was wrong about something. Egg on your face : To look foolish or embarrassed. Elbow grease : Hard physical work. Elbow room : Working space. Eleventh Hour : At the last moment. Even keel : To be balanced. Every Tom, Dick and Harry : A phrase meaning "nearly everyone." Eye for an eye : Retributive justice, in which the punishment equals the crime. Face the music : To accept the negative consequences of something done incorrectly. Fairweather friend : A friend always present when times are good but who leaves when problems occur. Feather in your cap : A success or achievement that may help in the future. Feeling Blue : To feel blue unwell, depressed, or unhappy. Feet on the ground : Practical and realistic. Fifth wheel : Something unnecessary or useless. Center for Writing Excellence University of Phoenix 17

Fighting chance : A reasonable possibility of success. Fingers and thumbs : To be "all fingers and thumbs" is to be clumsy and not very skilled with the hands. Fire on all cylinders : Going as well as possible. Fishy : Something that is suspicious or untrustworthy. Fit as a fiddle : In perfect health. Flash in the pan : Something very noticeable but not long-lasting. Flat out : Working as hard and fast as possible. Flesh and blood : Blood relatives, especially the immediate family. Flowery speech : Full of lovely words but possibly lacking substance. Fly off the handle : To become very angry. For a song : Very cheap. For kicks : Done purely for fun or thrills. For my money : In my opinion. For the time being : A phrase indicating that an action or state will continue into the future but is temporary. Foregone conclusion : A result foreseen before the process is complete. Foul play : Criminal activity. Fourth estate : The media, especially newspapers. Freudian Slip : To use the wrong word accidentally and in so doing reveal what one is really thinking. From the horse's mouth : Something heard directly from the person concerned or responsible. From the word go : From the very beginning. Full Monty : The real thing, not reduced in any way. Center for Writing Excellence University of Phoenix 18

Get on your soapbox : To speak pretentiously about a subject one feels strongly about. Get out of bed on the wrong side : To wake up and start the day in a bad mood for no real reason. Get the ball rolling : To start something so that it can start making progress. Get the green light : To be given necessary permission or authorization. Ghost of a chance : A very slim chance or no chance at all. Give someone a piece of your mind : To criticize strongly and angrily. Give up the ghost : To die. Go against the grain : To do things in an unconventional manner, especially if the methods are not generally approved. Go Dutch : To pay equal shares for a purchase. Gone to pot : To deteriorate and fail to function. Gone to the dogs : To have gone very wrong and lost all good qualities. Good egg : A person who can be relied on. Bad egg is the opposite. Good time : To travel faster than expected. Goody two-shoes : A self-righteous person who makes a great deal of his or her virtue. Grass roots : Ordinary people, those at the bottom of a hierarchy, often used to refer to voters. Graveyard shift : The very late night work schedule. Gravy train : To find an easy way to make lots of money. Grease monkey : A mechanic. Grease someone's palm : To bribe someone to do something. Greased lightning : Adjective meaning to move very rapidly. Great guns : Adjective meaning to do very well.

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Great unwashed : The working class. Great white hope : Someone expected to be a great success. Greek to me : Phrase meaning "I do not understand." Green light : Approval to do something. Green thumb : A talent for gardening. Green-eyed monster : Strong jealousy Greenhorn: Someone lacking relevant experience and knowledge for the job or task Grey area: An area in which there is no clear right or wrong. Guinea pig : One taking part in an experiment. Gung Ho : To support something blindly and without thinking about the consequences. Hammer and tongs : To argue fiercely. Hand to mouth : Someone who is very poor and needs whatever little money available to cover expenses. Hard of hearing : Someone a bit deaf. Hatchet job : Criticism that destroys someone's reputation. Rue the day : To bitterly regret what has been done. Head in the clouds : To have unrealistic, impractical ideas. Head over heels in love : To be passionately in love and intoxicated by the feeling. Headstrong : To be obstinate and not to take other people's advice readily. Heart of gold : Someone who is genuinely kind and caring. Heaven knows : A reply meaning one has no idea how to answer. Heavenly bodies : The stars and planets. Hedge your bets : To avoid risking everything on one opportunity but to try more than one thing.

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