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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Distinguish firsthand confirmation from a rumor passed along indirectly.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode contrasts information received directly from someone with indirect hearsay. “Straight from the horse’s mouth” and “first-hand” signal direct personal knowledge, while “through the grapevine” describes a rumor or message that traveled indirectly.
Cultural note: A person can be a firsthand source without being correct about every detail. In professional or sensitive situations, verify important claims and distinguish what someone witnessed from what they heard.
Keep exploringBefore repeating a claim, ask how close the source is to the event. Practise describing that evidence clearly and without overstating certainty.
Phrase guide · 5 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Explain when information came from someone with personal knowledge.
Meaning
Directly from the person who knows about or experienced the matter.
Tone & use
Informal. Use it for a direct source; it does not guarantee that the information is complete or independently verified.
Example
“I heard the schedule change straight from the coordinator's mouth, so I updated the team calendar.”
Meaning
Based on personal experience or direct observation.
Tone & use
Can describe knowledge, an account, or experience. Also commonly written as “firsthand.”
Example
“The guide shared first-hand experience of working at the wildlife center.”
Talk about news that was passed from person to person.
Meaning
By way of informal, indirect communication or rumor.
Tone & use
Often used when information spreads socially before an official announcement.
Example
“We heard through the grapevine that the café might move, but the owner had not confirmed it.”
Describe why a direct source can still need checking.
Meaning
Believe what someone says without checking independently.
Tone & use
Often used in the negative—“don’t take my word for it”—to invite someone to check for themselves.
Example
“Don’t just take my word for it; compare the published bus timetable with the station notice.”
Meaning
An original record or direct account closely connected to an event.
Tone & use
Common in research and journalism. A primary source provides direct evidence but still needs interpretation and context.
Example
“The historian checked the original letter as a primary source for the date.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
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