Colloquial English 01-06
Better late than never
Alex: Hey, sorry I’m late to the meeting.
Jordan: No worries, better late than never! Let’s get started.
better to be late than not at all
Alex arrives late to a meeting — maybe he was caught in traffic or just running behind schedule. He apologizes for not being on time, but Jordan isn’t upset. He says, “Better late than never,” meaning it’s still good that Alex showed up. Being late is not ideal, but it’s definitely better than not coming at all.
Let the cat out of the bag
Ryan: So… Guess who's getting a surprise party this weekend?
Zoe: Ryan! You just let the cat out of the bag!
Ryan: Oh no… Pretend you didn’t hear that!
reveal a secret by accident
Ryan accidentally let the cat out of the bag when he revealed a secret — he told Zoe there would be a surprise party for her. It’s no longer a surprise! When he realizes his mistake, he panics and says, “Pretend you didn’t hear that!” — meaning, act like you never heard what I just told you.