The One and Only…
Переводчики АлтГУ. Языковые курсы·21 Oct 2025
English is rich with phrases and expressions that incorporate numbers. Here are ten such expressions, each with its unique usage.
- One of these days...
We use this phrase when we haven't decided exactly when to do something, but we're quite certain it will happen. Follow it with going to + infinitive.
Example: One of these days, I'm going to travel around the world. - That's one way of putting it.
This expression is used when we don't fully agree with someone's opinion or viewpoint. It can sometimes come across as a bit dismissive.
Example: I disagree, but that's one way to look at it. - It's one thing to say it...
We use this to indicate that it's much easier to talk about doing something than actually doing it.
Example: It's one thing to sign up for a marathon, but quite another to run it. - One by one...
This is an adverbial phrase used to show that people or things are performing an action individually, not as a group.
Example: The guests filed in, one by one, until the room was full. - I'm not one to complain, but...
People often use this phrase to introduce a complaint while also suggesting that their grievance is more serious than it might seem.
Example: I'm not one to complain, but the service at this restaurant has been terrible lately. - He's got a one-track mind.
We use this to criticise someone for always thinking about the same subject without considering other possibilities.
Example: She's so focused on her career that she has a one-track mind. - A one-off payment.
This refers to an amount of money that needs to be paid only once, as opposed to paying in instalments.
Example: The fee for the course is a one-off payment of $500. - A one-hit wonder.
This term is used to describe a pop singer or band who becomes famous for only one song and then disappears from the public eye.
Example: That band was a one-hit wonder; they never had another hit after their first single. - The one and only (David Beckham)!
This phrase is used to emphasise the uniqueness of a person or thing.
Example: David Beckham is the one and only soccer player who can do that spectacular bicycle kick. - He's a right one!
This expression is used to describe someone who is unusual or eccentric.
Example: He's a bit of a character—he's a right one!
