Once in a while: Sometimes but not often
Usage:
We meet for lunch once in a while.
Spaced out describes someone who is not completely aware of what is happening around them, often because of taking drugs or lack of sleep.
Usage:
I spaced out during most of it.
Peaks and valleys- high and low points
Usage:
This supports the “peaks” and “valleys” demonstrated in the graph.
2007 has been an year of Peaks and Valley.
Not any longer means in the past but not now.
Usage:
She doesn’t work here any longer.
In an effort: To try to achieve something.
Usage:
He’s jogging round the park every morning in an effort to get fit for the football season.
Ages were grouped in an effort to reduce run time.
People are “on the same page” when they look at a problem or a situation in the same way and agree on a course of action.
Usage:
Each of us has been busy with his own projects lately, so I called this meeting today to bring us all together on the same page.
So we are all on [...]
In theory:If something is possible in theory, it should be possible, but often it does not happen in that way.
Usage:
In theory, the journey ought to take three hours, but in practice it usually takes four because of roadworks.
The phrase “All over the place” means to be scattered in a lot of different places in an untidy way.
Some Excerpts:
From TV shows, movies and novels
Prison Break
Amaury Nolasco(Fernando Sucre) used the phrase “all over the place” while talking to Maurice Ripke(Petey Cordero) in season 2, episode 3(Scan) of the popular TV show “Prison Break” as [...]
All the time means continuously.
Some Excerpts
Excerpts from popular TV shows and movies:
The Holiday
The following excerpt is taken from Nancy Meyers’ movie “The holiday” to show the usage of the phrase “all the time”.
Jude Law(Graham Simpkins) used the phrase “all the time” while talking to Cameron Diaz(Amanda Woods), as shown in the following picture.
The phrase “Piece by piece” means one after another.
Some Excerpts:
From TV shows, movies and novels
The Bold and the Beautiful
Katherine Kelly Lang(Brooke Logan) used the phrase “Piece by piece” while she was with Susan Flannery(Stephanie Douglas Forrester) and Jack Wagner(Dominick Payne Marone) in the popular TV show “The Bold and the Beautiful” as shown below: