Home&House

WELCOME PHRASES

welcome to our house

an expression said by a host or hostess when greeting guests and bringing them into the house.

Andy: Hello, Sally. Welcome to our house. Come on in.

Sally: Thanks. It’s good to be here.

You are more than welcome.

You are very welcome to be here. Please make yourself at home. You are more than welcome.

receive someone with open arms and welcome

someone with open arms

1. Lit. to greet someone with arms spread wide to hug someone. His mother greeted him with open arms at the door.

2. Fig. to greet someone eagerly. I’m sure they wanted us to stay for dinner. They received us with open arms.

welcome someone or something back

to greet the return of someone or something.

We are delighted to welcome you back to our house.

Home&House idioms

Go home to get beauty sleep

Jamie needs to get up early. We’d better let her go home to get her beauty sleep.

Run home to mama

Running home to mama means one is giving up something important like marriage to return to a comfortable place.

Whenever Paul gets hurt, he runs home to mama.

Close to home

When something is uncomfortably near or real, it’s close to home.

John’s remarks about distracted drivers hit Mary close to home because her mother died in a car accident.

Until the cows come home

A herd of cows does what it wants on its own schedule. There’s no predicting their actions. They will return from the pasture in an indefinite period of time.

Mark told Miranda he would love her until the cows came home.

The lights are on, but nobody’s home

This humorous idiom does not mean that one has gone out and left the lights on. It traditionally means someone is attractive but not very smart.

The male model was handsome but stupid. His lights are on, but nobody’s home.

A home away from home

Some people have vacation homes, and other people have places that they know intimately.

Mike goes to Baltimore every weekend. It’s his home away from home.

It’s nothing to write home about

If something is particularly boring or mundane, it is nothing to write home about.

The meal was okay, but it was nothing to write home about.

Home is where the heart is

In this case, a home is an intangible location based on emotions, when individuals who follow their hearts, or it can describe individuals who wish to return to their beloved home.

Josephine decided to travel to China with her boyfriend.

After all, home is where the heart is.

Topical vocabulary

Living room

1. coffee table 2. rug 3. floor 4. armchair 5. end table 6. lamp 7. lampshade 8. drapes/curtains

9. sofa/ 10. pillow 11. ceiling 12. wall 13. wall unit 14. television 15. stereo system 16. speaker

17. loveseat 18. plant 19. painting 20. frame 21. mantel 22. fireplace 23. fireplace screen 24. picture/photograph 25. bookcase

Tell about your living room.

In my living room there’s _________.

Dining room

1.(dining room) chair 2.(dining room) table 3.china cabinet 4.china 5.chandelier 6.buffet

7.salad bowl 8.pitcher 9.serving bowl 10. serving platter 11.table cloth 12. candlestick

13.candle 14.centerpiece 15.salt shaker 16.pepper shaker 17.butter dish 18.serving cart

19.teapot 20.coffee pot 21.creamer 22.sugar bowl

In my dining room there’s _________.

Bedroom

1.bed 2.headboard 3.pillow 4.pillowcase 5.fitted sheet 6.flat sheet 7.blanket 8.dust ruffle

9.bedspread 10.comforter/quilt 11.footboard 12.blinds 13.night table/nightstand 14.alarm clock 15.clock radio 16.chest of drawers

17.mirrow 18.jewelry box 19.dresser/bureau 20.twin bed 21.mattress 22.box spring 23.double bed 24.queen-size-bed 25.king-size-bed 26.bunk bed

27.trundle bed 28.sofa bed/convertible sofa 29.day bed 30.cot 31.water bed 32.canopy bed 33.hospital bed

Kitchen

1.dishwasher 2.dishwasher detergent 3.dishwasher liquid 4.faucet 5.kitchen sink 6.(garbage) disposal 7.sponge 8.scouring pad 9.pot scrubber

10.dish rack 11.paper towel holder 12.dish towel 13.trash compactor 14.cabinet 15.microwave (oven) 16.kitchen counter 17.cutting board 18.canister

19.stove/range 20.burne 21.oven 22.potholder 23.toaster 24.spice rack 25.electric can opener 26.cookbook 27.refrigerator 28.freezer

29.ice maker 30.ice tray 31.refrigerator magnet 32.kitchen table 33.placemat 34.kitchen chair 35.garbage pail

Bathroom &laundry

1.plunger 2.toilet 3.toilet tank 4.toilet seat 5.air freshener 6.toilet paper holder 7.toilet paper 8.towel brush 9.toilet rack 10.bath towel 11.hand towel

12.washcloth/facecloth 13.hamper 14.bathroom scale 15.shelf 16.hair dryer 17.fan 18.mirror 19.medicine cabinet/chest 20.bathroom sink

21.hot water faucet 22.cold water faucet 23.cup 24.toothbrush 25.toothbrush holder 26.soap 27.soap dish 28.soap dispenser 29.water pick 30.vanity 31.wastebasket

32.shower 33.shower curtain rod 34.shower head 35.shower curtain rings 36.shower curtain 37.bathtub/tub 38.drain 39.rubber mat 40.sponge 41.bath mat/bath rug

Outside the house

1.lamppost 2.mailbox 3.front walk 4.front steps 5.front porch 6.storm door 7.front door 8.doorbell 9.(front) light

10.window 11.(window) screen 12.shutter 13.roof 14.TV antenna 15.chimney 16.garage 17.garage door 18.driveway

19.gutter 20.drainpipe 21.deck 22.back door 23.doorknob 24.screen door 25.side door 26.satellite dish 27.patio

28.lawnmower 29.barbecue/outdoor grill 30.lawn chair 31.tool shed