Ask Native Speakers Get Answers to Your Language Questions

Yes, that's right! Something can be "made up of" many things or people. Not just one or two things! Ex: The team is made up of seven members. Ex: The meal tonight is made up of five courses.

Yes, it's a common expression. It simply means that one has time; they are not busy. Ex: I can help you out with moving this weekend. I have lots of time on my hands recently. Ex: Work has been very busy recently, so I don't have a lot of time on my hands.

"Surprisingly" is the adverb related to the word "surprise." It means unexpectedly, or in a way causing surprise. The speaker has used "surprisingly" to warn against paying medical bills that are unexpectedly high. Ex: Surprisingly, the food at the restaurant was better than expected. Ex: The student did not get in trouble for skipping school, surprisingly.

"Bedding" is basically any material that is used to sleep on or in. For humans, bedding usually refers to bed sheets, blankets (also called comforters or duvets), and so on. For animals, like the hamster in this video, it can be straw, hay, or even shredded paper. Ex: I need to change the bedding in the hamster cage. Ex: I bought new bedding for my room. It's super fluffy and warm, so I love it.

"Show up" is different from "show!" "Show up" is a phrasal verb that means to arrive somewhere to join a group of people or for an event or gathering. Usually unexpectedly or quite late. "Show" means to allow or cause something to be visible or a stage performance. Ex: Our dinner guests didn't show up last night. So after an hour we just ate the food ourselves. Ex: Josh showed up to watch our dance rehearsals. => unexpected Ex: We went to the eight o'clock show. The performance was magnificent.

No, it wouldn't! You can definitely use "wake" instead of "wake up" in this sentence. This is because the tone of "wake up" in this sentence isn't very strong, so it works well with "wake". Ex: Penny wakes easily with the sound of traffic outside her window. Ex: Wake up George!! We need to go now.

Yes, the Trobiand Islands' indigenous people's custom of trading non-practical items is called the "Kula ring." It's referring to the process of exchange, and not the items themselves.

You can use the expression "Out of one's mind" to refer to someone who is acting "crazy" or not like themselves. A common synonym is simply "crazy". Ex: I can't believe you bought that car you can't afford, are you out of your mind?

Good question! "Dab" simply means "tap". It is often used to describe applying some kind of liquid or cream, like make-up, ointment, paint, etc. Let me give you some examples. Ex: After I dab on a little more paint, my painting will be finished. Ex: Dab the ointment gently on your wound.

In fantasy and medieval history, a "kingdom" is ruled by a monarchy, whereas a "realm" is the sphere of influence a monarchy has. So a "realm" could be bigger than a "kingdom," but a "kingdom" is also a "realm." However, "realm" can also be metaphorical and abstract and not necessarily refer to a physical area. Ex: The Queen's kingdom is under attack. = The Queen's realm is under attack. Ex: In the realm of truth, nothing is too honest. Ex: His interest is in the realm of spirits and fantasy.