Real, everyday American English — The Idioms Americans Actually Use (Part 2). You hear 40 phrases Americans actually use, each spoken clearly with a natural-speed repeat, the stressed syllable marked, and a short note on when to use it. Then take the matching quiz. Phrases in this episode (CAPITALS = the beat): That's a whole other story. [thats uh HOHL UH-thur STOR-ee.] Long story short, we missed the flight. [LAWNG STOR-ee SHORT, wee MIST thuh FLYT.] Here's the deal. [HEERZ thuh DEEL.] Don't get me wrong, I like him. [DOHNT GET mee RAWNG, eye LYK him.] Just so you know, they close at five. [just soh yoo NOH, thay KLOHZ at FYV.] For what it's worth, I'd say yes. [fur WUT its WURTH, eyed SAY YES.] Between you and me, he's leaving. [bee-TWEEN yoo un MEE, heez LEE-ving.] Let's not reinvent the wheel. [lets NAHT ree-in-VENT thuh WEEL.] No pressure, take your time deciding. [NOH PREH-shur, TAYK yer TYM dee-SY-ding.] Yeah, that's in the ballpark. [YEH, thats in thuh BAWL-pahrk.] I think you're a little off base there. [eye THINGK yer uh LIH-dul AWF BAYS thair.] That question came out of left field. [that KWES-chun KAYM OWT uv LEFT FEELD.] Somebody's gotta step up to the plate. [SUM-bah-deez GAH-duh STEP UHP tuh thuh PLAYT.] Her presentation was a home run. [hur preh-zen-TAY-shun wuz uh HOHM RUN.] The interviewer threw me a curveball. [thee IN-tur-vyoo-ur THROO mee uh KURV-bawl.] I struck out with both landlords. [eye STRUK OWT with BOHTH LAND-lordz.] Let's cover our bases before Monday. [lets KUH-vur owr BAY-siz bee-FOR MUN-day.] Sorry, I dropped the ball on this. [SAH-ree, eye DRAHPT thuh BAWL ahn this.] The ball's in your court now. [thuh BAWLZ in yer KORT NOW.] Getting the visa was not a slam dunk. [GEH-ding thuh VEE-zuh wuz naht uh SLAM DUNGK.] They put on a full-court press. [thay PUUT ahn uh FUUL-KORT PRES.] Let's punt on that till next quarter. [lets PUNT ahn that til NEKST KWOR-tur.] …and more in the episode