Use in the long run for eventually, in the short term for the near future, and time flies when time seems to pass quickly.
How soon, and how far ahead
Not ""The diet is hard now, but in the short term you'll be much healthier."" — say ""The diet is hard now, but in the long run you'll be much healthier."". In the short term refers to the near future, so a benefit that arrives after a long time needs in the long run.
Try it: Sofia: Training new staff is expensive. Mateo: True, but ___ it saves money. Choose the words for the blank. (in the long run / in the short term / time flies) Answer: in the long run — In the long run means eventually, so it fits a cost now and a benefit later.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
in the long run
Repairs we skip now will cost a lot in the long run.
in the short term
In the short term, a basic website is enough.
time flies
The summer is almost over; time flies.
Waiting and staying flexible
Play it by ear: decide as you go. Bide your time: wait patiently for the right moment. Once in a blue moon: very rarely.
Not ""We have no plans yet, so we'll bide our time this weekend."" — say ""We have no plans yet, so we'll play it by ear this weekend."". Bide your time needs a goal you are waiting for; with no plan at all, the idiom is play it by ear.
Try it: Lani: Have you written your speech for the toast? Ethan: Not a word. I'll ___ on the night. Choose the words for the blank. (play it by ear / bide my time / once in a blue moon) Answer: play it by ear — Play it by ear means to decide as you go, with no fixed plan.
Try it: Which sentence uses its idiom correctly? (I see my old classmates once in a blue moon. / I see my old classmates once in a blue sky. / I see my old classmates in a blue moon once.) Answer: I see my old classmates once in a blue moon. — The fixed idiom for very rarely is once in a blue moon, and its words stay the same.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
play it by ear
Nobody has picked a movie yet; we will play it by ear.
bide your time
/baɪd jʊr taɪm/
She bided her time and asked for a raise once the project succeeded.
once in a blue moon
/wʌns ɪn ə blu mun/
He only calls once in a blue moon, so it was a surprise.
Rushing, late and soon
Against the clock: in a rush. Just around the corner: very soon. Call it a night: stop for the night. Better late than never: late beats never.
Try it: Ira: The parcel finally arrived, two weeks late. Ethan: Well, ___. Choose the words for the blank. (Better late than never / Call it a night / Against the clock) Answer: Better late than never — Better late than never means doing something late is better than not doing it at all.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
against the clock
The crew had only an hour, so they worked against the clock.
just around the corner
Exams are just around the corner; start revising now.
call it a night
It is past midnight, so we should call it a night.
better late than never
He finished his degree at fifty; better late than never.
What are the common mistakes?
Incorrect
Correct
Why
"The diet is hard now, but in the short term you'll be much healthier."
"The diet is hard now, but in the long run you'll be much healthier."
In the short term refers to the near future, so a benefit that arrives after a long time needs in the long run.
"We have no plans yet, so we'll bide our time this weekend."
"We have no plans yet, so we'll play it by ear this weekend."
Bide your time needs a goal you are waiting for; with no plan at all, the idiom is play it by ear.