ESL Podcast 446 - Going to a Home Improvement Store
to fix up - to improve something; to make something better; to repair something; to correct what is broken or needs to be updated
We're going to fix up the office with some new paint and furniture.
home improvement store - a large store that sells the things people need to repair their homes and make them more beautiful and more comfortable
That home improvement store has more than 30 kinds of toilets to choose from!
to split up - to go in two different ways or directions; to begin doing something independently, without another person
We can clean the house more quickly if we split up. You clean the bathrooms and bedrooms, and I'll clean the kitchen and living room.
to divvy (something) up - to divide something between two or more people; to give a part of something to each person
Let's divvy up the toys among the children so that they won't fight over them.
wiring - cables; long, thin pieces of metal that are covered in plastic and are used to move electricity or data from one place to another
There is a lot of wiring behind her desk, connecting the computer, monitor, printer, scanner, Internet service, fax machine, and more.
to install - to put a piece of equipment into a home or another building and connect it to electricity or other pieces of electronics so that it is ready to be used
How long will it take to install speakers in the living room?
electrical department - the part of a store that sells cables, outlets, and other things that are needed to move electricity through a building so that electronics can be used
I'm going to go to the electrical department to see if I can find a new light switch.
lumber - pieces of wood that have been cut into standard sizes, used for building things
I need a piece of lumber that is five feet long and four inches wide.
building materials department - the part of a store that sells things that are needed to build something, such as wood, roofing materials, flooring, and more
The building materials department has everything we need to create a new hardwood floor in the dining room.
pipe - a long, round, hollow piece of plastic or metal that is usually used to carry water from one place to another
There's a hole in the pipe and water is leaking under the sink.
fixture - something that is attached to and sold with a house
I love the light fixtures and ceiling fans in this house!
plumbing department - the part of a store that sells things related to the use of water in a home, such as pipes, faucets, and sinks
When they decided to build a new bathroom in their home, they had to spend a lot of money in the plumbing department.
hardware department - the part of a store that sells tools needed to build things, such as hammers, nails, screws, saws, and more
Could you please go to the hardware department and buy some screws?
tool - something that is used to do something else, usually something that is held in one's hands
I need to get some garden tools, like a shovel and a rake.
weekend warrior - a person who does a lot of work on the weekend, usually either doing a lot of exercise or playing sports, or by working on one's home
Last weekend, I was a weekend warrior, cleaning up the yard and painting our house.
garden department - the part of a store that sells plants and things needed to improve one's yard or garden
The garden department is having a sale on rose bushes.
whatever you say - a phrase used to show that one will agree to whatever another person is proposing, but that one doesn't believe it will be successful
When the little boy said that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 20 years old, I smiled and said, "Whatever you say."
ready, set, go - a phrase used to start a race, telling all the participants to prepare to begin running, also used when one wants to show that an activity or project is beginning
Let's try to clean the whole house in just an hour. Ready, set, go!