A drop in the ocean

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For checking the transcript: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379282

A drop in the ocean 

A very small amount compared with what is needed.

Example

Imagine you’re learning English.

Today, you learn one new expression.

Then you look at everything you still don’t know and think,

“One expression? That’s just a drop in the ocean.”

But tomorrow you learn another.

And another.

Months later, you’re having conversations you once thought were impossible.

Transcript

Have you ever decided not to do something…

because it seemed too small to matter?

Maybe you wanted to send someone a message. Learn one new English expression.

Or simply tell someone how much you appreciated them.

Then you thought, “What’s the point? It’s only a drop in the ocean.”

Hello everyone, and welcome to Daily English. Today’s expression is:

A drop in the ocean. One more time: A drop in the ocean. In American English, you’ll also hear:

A drop in the bucket. But I’m going to stick to a drop in the ocean cause I find it more beautiful

But anyway, both expressions mean:

A very small amount compared with what is needed.

You may have heard this expression in discussions about the environment. For example, someone might say:

“Recycling one bottle is just a drop in the ocean.”

Or:

“One person can’t solve climate change. It’s just a drop in the ocean.”

In other words, the action seems too small to make a meaningful difference.

But as you’ll see today, we use this expression in many other situations as well.

Let’s look at some examples.

Imagine someone close to you has recently lost a loved one.

A week later, you think about sending them a message.

Then you stop yourself.

“They’ve probably received hundreds of messages already.”

It feels like your message would be just a drop in the ocean.

But often, it’s after everyone else has moved on that people need kindness the most.

Imagine you’re learning English.

Today, you learn one new expression.

Then you look at everything you still don’t know and think,

“One expression? That’s just a drop in the ocean.”

But tomorrow you learn another.

And another.

Months later, you’re having conversations you once thought were impossible.

This expression can remind us of something important.

We often decide not to act because we think our contribution is too small. But we usually judge it from our own perspective.

To us… it was one message. One compliment. One lesson.

To someone else… it may have arrived at exactly the right moment.

The truth is, we rarely see the full impact of our small actions because that impact happens in someone else’s life—not our own.

 Now it’s your turn.

Can you think of a small act of kindness someone once showed you…

that they probably don’t even remember? Perhaps you’ve done the same for someone else without ever knowing it. Or can you think of anything else that you didn’t do because you thought it was a drop in the ocean?

Please don't forget that one of the best ways to activate your vocabulary is using an expression or word in a personal context. If we connect a word or expression to our emotions, we are more likely to remember them later.

Thank you for being here with me today. Have a lovely, amazing day. Take care and see you tomorrow