This service for English Language Learners supplements our stories.

You probably know what a secret is: it’s a piece of information that you keep
hidden and don’t tell certain people.

But do you know what an open secret is? Think about the phrase – an open
secret.

Let’s listen to an example of it being used. This is a clip from the story Katie’s
Black Friday. It features Katie – an ordinary girl who’s actually a witch and can
cast magic spells. Can you work out what an open secret means here:

“And how come you’re suddenly such a Miss Know-all about the cards?
demanded Samantha.

“Because I am,” stated Katie firmly. Of course, it’s an open secret that
Katie is a witch, and that she knows a great deal about anything magical
or mystical.

Did you get it? An open secret is a secret that’s meant to be hidden, but is in
fact known by a lot of people. An open secret.

So in the last clip although no-one is meant to know that Katie is a witch, it’s
an open secret, so in fact a lot of people do know. She can’t say that she’s
a witch, but because it’s an open secret, the people she’s talking to already
know why she understands so much about magic.

“And how come you’re suddenly such a Miss Know-all about the cards?
demanded Samantha.

“Because I am,” stated Katie firmly. Of course, it’s an open secret that
Katie is a witch, and that she knows a great deal about anything magical
or mystical.

There are lots of examples of open secrets out there, and it’s a phrase you
often hear when people are talking about politics or military matters.

For example, a government minister might have certain opinions, which can’t
say because they contradict the government’s official policy. So it would be an
open secret what he really thinks.

Think of your own examples of open secrets, and try to use the phrase in
conversation. It’s a really useful expression – an open secret.

This service for English Language Learners supplements our stories.

Hello, I’m Dan and welcome to Catch Phrase from Storynory.

Do you know what it means to draw the short straw? A straw can mean either
a rough, dry plant stalk or a long plastic tube that you might drink from.

But what does it mean when someone says that they drew the short straw?
Have a listen to this clip and see if you can work it out. The general says that
his company drew the short straw and had to stay behind while the other
soldiers escaped:

My orders were to remain behind with my men and hold off the enemy
as long as we could. Someone had to do it, to give the others a chance
to get away, and my company drew the short straw.

Well, drawing straws is a way of selecting someone to do a task that no-one
has volunteered for.

If you want to draw straws, hold a number of straws in your hand, with one
straw that is much shorter than the rest. Make sure that no-one can see which
one is the short straw, and have each person pull out – or draw out – a straw;
the person who draws the short straw is the loser.

It’s a way of randomly choosing which member of the group has to do an
unpleasant job.

Although you can literally draw the short straw, most of the time the
expression doesn’t refer to an actual contest.

It’s commonly used to describe someone who’s been unlucky, or who has
to do something even if they don’t want to. So you might hear someone say
something like: “I’m sorry John; you drew the short straw, so you’ve got to
take out the rubbish.”

Let’s listen to the clip again. The general and his soldiers have to stay behind
and face the enemy because they drew the short straw.

My orders were to remain behind with my men and hold off the enemy
as long as we could. Someone had to do it, to give the others a chance
to get away, and my company drew the short straw.

So here the phrase shows that the general is unlucky; his company drew the
short straw so they have to stay behind while the others escape.

That’s all we’ve got time for today, but thanks for listening, and join us again
for more great English phrases next time.

This service for English Language Learners supplements our stories.

We suggest – after you have listened to the audio, make up a sentence using “Any Rate” and post it in the comment box at the foot of the page.

Hello, I’m Dan and welcome to Catch Phrase, Learn English with Storynory.

In each episode, I explain a phrase from one of the many audio stories that can be downloaded, for free, from Storynory.com.

Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland has some fantastic phrases in English, and today we’re going to be looking at a phrase you hear a lot in English conversation – ‘at any rate’.

Let’s listen to Natasha reading from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In this clip Alice is wondering how to get through the tiny door at the bottom of the rabbit-hole. Listen out for the phrase ‘at any rate’. Do you know what it might mean?

Either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of them.

OK, so in that example, ‘at any rate’ is a synonym for ‘anyway’ or ‘in either case’. So whether it was because the locks were too large or the key was too small, at any rate, Alice couldn’t open the door.

Let’s listen again:

Either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of them.

So at any rate is a good way of saying ‘anyway’ or ‘anyhow’. But it also has different meanings:

Here’s another example of the phrase ‘at any rate’ being used in Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. In this clip, the phrase ‘at any rate’ means ‘at least’, or ‘as an alternative’.

Have a listen. Alice is hoping to find another key, but if she can’t find one, what would she take as an alternative?

She went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes.

So if Alice can’t find another key, at any rate, she’d like to find a book that would tell her how to become smaller; how to fold herself up like a telescope.

Well, that’s it for now, but don’t forget to tune in for more English phrases on Catch Phrase. Or at any rate listen to great English stories on Storynory.com

Thanks for listening!

Introducing our new service aimed at English Language learners.

Hello, I’m Dan and welcome to Catch Phrase, Learn English with Storynory.

In each episode, I explain a phrase from one of the many audio stories that can be downloaded, for free, from Storynory .com.

Rudyard Kipling’s story ‘The Cat that Walked by Himself‘ is a classic of his ‘Just So Stories’ and has some really interesting phrases which are used in everyday English conversations.

For example, here’s the Woman in the story complaining that she’s at her wits’ end, because the baby won’t stop crying. Do you have any idea what ‘to be at your wits’ end’ might mean?

[Clip - I will do so,’ said the Woman, ‘because I am at my wits’ end; but I will not thank you for it.’]

If you are at your wits’ end it means you’re very frustrated and don’t know what to do. It’s what you might say if you’ve tried lots of ways to solve a problem, but none of them have worked.

Let’s hear some examples:

A: I’ve been looking for my keys everywhere and I still can’t find them. I’m at my wits’ end!

B: My nephew and niece are visiting this weekend, and I’m at my wits’ end thinking of ways to amuse them.

In this context, wit means imagination or creativity. So if you’re at your wits’ end, then you can’t think of any more solutions.

Let’s hear the clip again. The woman here is really upset because her baby is crying and won’t be quiet; she’s at her wits’ end and is willing to try anything, even the Cat’s solution, which sounds very strange.

[Clip - ‘O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy and Mother of my Enemy,’ said the Cat, ‘take a strand of the wire that you are spinning and tie it to your spinning-wheel and drag it along the floor, and I will show you a magic that shall make your Baby laugh as loudly as he is now crying.’
‘I will do so,’ said the Woman, ‘because I am at my wits’ end; but I will not thank you for it.’]

So the Cat says that if the Woman pulls a piece of wire along the floor will make her baby stop crying. It sounds very strange, but the Woman has no more ideas; she’s at her wits’ end and will try anything!

I hope you’re not at your wits’ end trying to learn English. Tune in next time for more phrases from Storynory. com.

Thanks for listening and goodbye!

By Dan Walker Smith for Storynory