how many years; how long; what year
maintenance; preservation; improvement
reserve; spare; preparation; preliminaries
to be unable to; to find difficult (unpleasant, awkward, painful) to do; to serve two or more functions or roles simultaneously; to contain (or combine) two or more features; to work in two or more jobs simultaneously (positions, etc.); to do alongside
standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert
preference; priority; precedence
plans; arrangement; schedule; program; programme; expectation
what; you-know-what; that thing; whatsit; whachamacallit; (not) at all; (not) in the slightest
treatment; service; handling (of a machine, tool, etc.); operation; treating as; treating like
as soon as possible; as quickly as possible; speedily; without delay; ASAP
to learn; to acquire knowledge; to carry; to wear (clothes, etc.); to put on
to put; to place; to leave (behind); to establish (an organization, a facility, a position, etc.); to set up; to appoint (someone to a certain position); to hire
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
confirmed as completed; everything must go (e.g. in a sale)
here; this place; this point; here; these past ... (e.g. three years); these last ...
part; portion; amount; worth (as in "two days' worth"); one's means; one's place; one's duty
intensely; severely; strictly; tightly; compactly; closely
to go to and from (a place); to go back and forth between; to go to (school, work, etc.); to attend; to circulate (e.g. blood, electricity); to be communicated (e.g. thought)
stipulation; prescription; provision; regulation; rule
to permit; to allow; to forgive; to pardon; to exempt (someone) from; to remit; to acknowledge
just because; even if; even though
absence; disregard; indifference
to succeed; to relieve; to take the place of; to substitute for; to be exchanged; to change (places with)
together (with); at the same time; in a lump
to scold; to chide; to rebuke; to reprimand
distant look; faraway look
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
yes; yeah; hum; hmmm; oof
grateful; thankful; welcome; appreciated; evoking gratitude
to say something is all right; to give the all-clear (e.g. to do something)
a long time (since the last time); first in a long time
to forget; to leave carelessly; to be forgetful of; to forget about; to forget (an article)
enjoyable; fun; pleasant; happy; delightful
student (esp. a university student)
as usual; as always; as before; as ever; still
something like ...; things like ...; someone like ...; the likes of ...
war situation; progress of a battle
even so; all the same; nevertheless; yes, but ...
only; merely; approximately; about; just (finished, etc.); as if to; (as though) about to
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon