Stop Saying 'THAT'S NOT GOOD!' Use these alternatives to SOUND LIKE A NATIVE

We often stick one to word or phrase and use it over and over again. "That's not good" is one of them! Learn and use these __ alternatives to diversify your English speech.

My mission is to teach you a lot of different phrases that mean the same thing. I've done videos like "Stop Saying YES," "Stop Saying NO" and today is one of those videos because I'm going to teach you what to say instead of "that's not good."

(1) IT LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED
The Brits have a reputation for being too polite and indirect — for saying something that sounds quite polite but actually meaning something quite harsh. This phrase is a good example of that. If someone says “This leaves a lot to be desired,” it sometimes means “This is truly the worst thing I have ever seen.” But it’s polite.

(2) IT COULD BE BETTER
This phrase is a bit more positive and encouraging.
It’s like saying “Hey, it didn’t work out this time, but try again — you’ll do it better!”

(3) IT'S NOT UP TO SCRATCH
We usually use this one when we’re talking about the quality of someone’s work. It’s about meeting a target or expectation. So you can say: “The report’s not up to scratch. Do it again, please.”

(4) THIS JUST WON'T DO
This is similar to “not up to scratch.”
Example: "You’re late again! It just won’t do!"

(5) THAT'S NOT OK
You know that feeling when someone crosses the line — when they do something unfair or something that makes you feel uncomfortable? Maybe it was something boring and work-related, like when the boss decided not to give anyone any bonuses, even though the company did really well this year. Or when your friend’s new colleague starts talking about nonsense racist theories and has clearly been spending too much time in the parts of the internet full of mad people. Then you can definitely say “That’s not OK.” It’s a way of standing up for a moral position.

(6) THAT SUCKS
Yep. It sucks that you can’t go to the movie theater because you promised to look after your sister’s 4 children. However, don’t use this in formal situations — it’s very casual.

(7) IT'S CRAP
Be careful with this one: it’s rude, direct and very informal — but fine to use with friends.

Time codes:
0:00 Why "that's not good" is not the best option
1:53 Polite British alternative
3:32 The most encouraging alternative
4:00 Use this when talking about the quality of someone's work
4:29 This just won't do!
5:03 When someone crosses the line...
5:30 A very casual alternative
6:10 The most direct alternative

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[linguamarina]

Time codes:
0:00 Why "that's not good" is not the best option
1:53 Polite British alternative
3:32 The most encouraging alternative
4:00 Use this when talking about the quality of someone's work
4:29 This just won't do!
5:03 When someone crosses the line...
5:30 A very casual alternative
6:10 The most direct alternative

[tanishayadav]

Marina u r such a great teacher i have ever seen
I just wanna say loads of love from india 🇮🇳🇮🇳

[muhammadfurqanhameed]

You are teaching us nice alternatives .
That's what i love about your videos .

[hazmathzal]

Hello Marina,
Thank you so much for this amazing content.

[adhesive]

I’m doing my English essay right now and this vid is gonna be significantly useful! ❤️

[dollygogoi]

Finally, I find this channel which I'm really searching for! 😉

[nadeevnimsath]

You're are the best English teacher I've ever seen in my life🥺🥺Thank you for the teaching us English 🇺🇸 I'm from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰

[miratulyanizulkilfi]

How I end my day, a content before bed time, never spending time on something like this unless at LinguaMarina channel, love you Marina 🥺♥️

[jayanthasanjeewaperera]

Hello marina I am a Sri Lankan. I like your channel it really useful for me THANKS SO LOT😄😄

[nandkishore]

Marina you are the best teacher for english in the world
Love from india🇮🇳

[Bini]

Marina mam l'm from India and l'm 15 years old.Your teaching style attract me towards better English.
Thanks🤗🤗.

[abrarahmad]

Your way of teaching is absolutely awesome, keep it up girl.

[shrutichouhan]

I've been watching your videos since 6 months but every single video have different content and I just love watching your video 🙂

[VijayKumar]

You are the real teacher dr Marina
Thanks

[ashmeetkaur]

I just love the way she teaches. This lockdown gave me chance to learn from such a great teacher. My English teacher at school was really surprised to see me using such a good vocab and it's all because of u Marina mam..
Loads of love from 🇮🇳🇮🇳

[LanguageswithErman]

How to learn new words in English.👇⁣
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1. No random words⁣
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We remember what is relevant to us. Making lists or index cards with random words is not usually an effective way to remember and use these words later. Word lists and index cards are great for revisiting vocabulary you have already learned, but to make a new word stick in your mind, try linking it with something meaningful to you.⁣
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2. Learn in chunks and scripts⁣
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We retain words better when we learn them in small ‘chunks’ (i.e. small phrases that combine several words) and ‘scripts’ (i.e. typical dialogues). For example, instead of memorising the phrasal verb ‘to come up with’, memorise it as part of the phrase ‘to come up with an idea’. ⁣
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3. Use your inner voice⁣
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Learning is essentially an internal process. To learn a word, you need to get into the world of your inner voice. Try the following: listen to a word/phrase once, now listen to it inside your head, then say it inside your head, then say it aloud. Record yourself saying it and listen to the recording. ⁣
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4. Visualise what the word or phrase looks like⁣
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Drawing what the word means, either on paper or in your imagination, will help you recall the meaning of the word whenever you hear it. This method works well with idioms, such as 'to keep one’s mouth shut' (informal), meaning, 'to not talk about something.⁣
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5. Create mnemonics⁣
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Try to create a funny phrase or story that will strengthen the connection between the word and its meaning (known as a mnemonic).⁣
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6. Use spaced repetition⁣
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Repetition fixes new words in your memory. However, repeating them a hundred times over the course of one day will not be as effective as repeating them a few times over a period of several days or weeks (i.e., spaced repetition).⁣
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7. Dive deeper into etymology⁣
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Before you look up the word in the dictionary, try to guess what it means. Look at its root, suffixes and prefixes. If you know a few languages, you will start recognising new words that share roots. ⁣
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8. Challenge yourself with word games⁣
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The perception of a challenge stimulates the brain. Games that help you discover new meanings and new words are a fun way to expand your vocabulary.⁣
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9. Write it down⁣
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Writing down a new word (or, ideally, a sentence using the new word) helps fix both its meaning and spelling in your memory. Make the sentences true about you or someone you know.⁣
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10. Speak it into reality⁣
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It is not easy to actively recall a new word or phrase in the moment, even if you have tried hard to memorise it. To change this, record yourself speaking for two to four minutes without stopping. You could describe the world around you, or give your opinion on a particular topic.

[anjushandilya]

Thank you so much Marina... Very helpful video🥰❤

[vishnuverma]

Love you linguamarina 😍😍😍 Thank you for teaching.

[makeupwithrenzee]

I am an English Major during college, but I am surprised there are still a lot of things I need to know that weren't able taught in school. Thanks for saving me teacher Marina!

[saidknaan]

Thank you marina best teacher i will never seen before