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Idioms & Prepositions

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 Idioms
This is a list of idiomatic expressions containing propositions, which native
speakers use regularly, and which will make your writing much more
natural. However, if they are used inappropriately the examiner will
suspect you have learnt them without fully understanding them. Go
through them one by one. If there are some you don’t feel happy about, do
not worry about them, but do not try to use them in the exam. Concentrate
on the ones you are confident about.

 Out of the blue:  (Informal) Suddenly, unexpectedly, without warning.

Narrative: We were having dinner when, out of the blue, the

phone rang and heard we had won a holiday.

 In the same boat:(Informal) In the same situation, having the same experience. 

Advice: I know what it’s like to be lonely- I was in the same

boat last year when my friends moved away to
another town.

 On the brain: (Informal) Think continuously about (something).

School magazine: At this time of year, for one reason or another, many
of us have exams on the brain!

 Without a break:  (Formal / informal) without stopping, continuously. 

School magazine / Advice: If you spend hours doing revision without
a break, it’ll do more harm than good.

 For a change:  (Formal / informal)(Do) something different. 

Advice: If you’re bored with drinking water, why not squeeze
some fresh orange juice for a change?

 Off colour:    (Informal) Unwell. 

Narrative: I decided to stay at home because I was feeling a bit off
colour.

 In the dark: (Formal / informal) uniformed, ignorant.

Descriptive narrative: We kept her in the dark about the
party because we wanted it to be a surprise.

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 Out of date:    (Formal / informal) Old fashioned. 
Descriptive: I’m sure you’ll find our science labs out of date- we
haven’t had any new equipments for years.
   
 On edge:    (Formal / informal) Tense, anxious, excited. 
School magazine / Advice: … gentle exercise and plenty of sleep should
stop you feeling on edge before the exam.

 At a loose end:  (Informal) Having nothing to do , bored. 

School magazine: Do you think you’re going to be at a loose end during
the long school holidays?

 On the increase:  (Formal) Becoming greater in: size, amount, etc. 

School magazine: The number of cars on the road is on the increase.

 At the latest:  (Formal / informal) No tlater than. 

School magazine: Put your suggestions in the box outside room 12 by
Friday lunch time at the latest.

 Between the lines: (Formal / informal) Understand the true meaning from what is  

implied. 
Advice: Reading between the lines, it seems you are still
feeling lonely.

 On my mind:  (Formal / informal)Thinking about. 

Advice: I’ve had your problem in my mind all day.

 In two minds:  (Formal / informal) Undecided. 

Narrative: I was in two minds whether to stay with my
friend or go for help.

 In the mood:   (Informal)Mentally prepared for something. 

Advice: Don’t try to revise if you’re in the mood of
socialising- you’ll be wasting your time.

 Out of order:  (Formal / informal)Not working/ functioning. Usually relates  

to machines. 
Narrative: We had to use the stairs because the lift is out of
order.
 Out of place:   (Formal / informal) Different, not appropriate for a situation. 
Descriptive narrative: I was the only one wearing jeans, so I felt
very out of place.

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 In pain: (Formal / informal) The feeling you have in your body when  
you have hurt yourself. 
Advice: Remember to do warm-up exercises, or you’ll be in
pain later.

 Out of practice:  (Formal / informal) (To be) less good at doing something than
you were because you have not spent time doing it recently. 
Descriptive: I used to play tennis at school in the past, but I'm
out of practice now.

 At random:  (Formal / informal) In any order.

Descriptive narrative: The winners were picked at random from a
hat.

 In the long run: (Formal / informal) Eventually, in the end.

School magazine / Advice: It may be fashionable to smoke when you
are young, but remember that in the long run you are
damaging your health.
 From scratch: (Informal) From the beginning. 
School magazine / Advice: Make sure you revise all your notes from
scratch.

 Behind the times:  (Formal / Informal) Out of date, unfashionable.

Descriptive narrative: Aunty Mai was there in a hat and gloves!
You know how behind the times she always is.

 Out of tune: (Formal / Informal) Not in harmony. 

Descriptive: You should have heard everyone singing 'happy
birthday'- it was awful- all out of tune.

 In touch: (Formal / Informal)Not lose contact with someone (a friend). 

Descriptive: I'm sending my new phone number and e-mail
address- so please keep in touch.

 Under the weather:(Informal) Unwell (but nothing serious).

Descriptive narrative: I'm sorry to hear you're under the weather.

 Without warning: (Formal / Informal) Suddenly.

Narrative: We were on the way to the theatre when the
driver stopped the bus without warning.

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 Sayings
 All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.  
If you spend all your time working, without having a break and being with other people,
you will have no interest in life and will become a boring person.
To a friend who needs advice on exam revision:
‐ You know what they say, "all work and no play make Jack a dull


boy"

Turn over a new leaf.  

To decide to change the way you think about or do something to introduce an

 
improvement. (Decide to give up fast food in order to feel fitter. Decide to plan your
revision carefully so your results are better than last time).

 Bury your head in the sand.

 If you can't beat them, join them.  

Try to escape from a problem by pretending you are unaware of it.

If everyone around you is doing something which you do not approve of, you can try to
stop them. If they continue in spite of your efforts, then you will be 'the odd one out'- in
other words, left alone. If this happens, you are in the minority, which suggests what
they are doing may not be as bad as you thought. So- why not join them? (Sport /
fitness / relaxation classes / self- defense classes).
To a friend who needs to start a fitness programme:


‐

Every cloud has a silver lining.  

"If you can't beat them, join them"- or so they say. 

No matter how bad a situation may seem, something good will usually result from it.
(The misery of revision / the joy of passing the exam. The misery of being on a diet /
the pleasure of fitting into fashionable clothes.)
To a friend who has moved away and is feeling lonely:
‐ As my grandmother used to say, "every cloud has a silver lining".

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 Description of people
(personality - appearance)
Idioms Meaning Example
Someone who turns out to be Because of the electoral promises he
disappointing, after a promotional made, which so far he has failed to
all sizzle and
campaign which led us to expect
no steak something better, is called all sizzle keep, many people call the new
and no steak. president 'all sizzle and no steak'.

I don't want my son to be friends

To refer to someone as a bad egg
bad egg with Bobby Smith. Bobby's a bad
means that they cannot be trusted.
egg.
A person who is behind the times
behind the has old-fashioned ideas and does Jane doesn't have a mobile phone.
times not keep up with modern life in She's completely behind the times.
general.
A person who calls a spade a What I like about the new manager
call a spade a spade speaks openly and truthfully is that he calls a spade a spade - it
spade about something, especially difficult makes things so much easier for
matters everyone.
To say that someone, for example Her career is just beginning but
an athlete or entertainer, is a class
class act she's already a class act.
act means that they are very good
at what they do.

If you refer to someone as a couch Don't be such a couch potato.

potato, you criticize them for
couch potato There are better ways of spending
spending a lot of time sitting and
watching television. your time than in front of the TV.

A person who is down-at-heel is

someone whose appearance is The down-at-heel student I first
down at heel untidy or neglected because of lack met became a successful writer.
of money.
Someone who is down to earth is
not a dreamer but a realistic and Don't ask Suzy for help. She's fun,
down to earth practical person who has sensible but not very down to earth.
reactions and expectations
When someone, especially a
woman, is dressed to kill, they She arrived at the reception
dressed to kill are wearing very fashionable or
glamorous clothes intended to dressed to kill.
attract attention.

Someone dressed up to the nines Caroline must be going to a party -

dressed up to
is wearing very smart or glamorous
the nines clothes. she's dressed up to the nines.

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 Idioms Meaning Example
face only a This is a humoristic way of saying The poor guy has a face only a
mother could that someone is ugly or
mother could love.
love unattractive.
face that Someone who has a face that You'll recognize him - he's tall and
would stop a would stop a clock has a thin, with a face that would stop a
clock shockingly unattractive face. clock!
old head on This expression refers to a child or When she heard Emily warning
young young person who thinks and her brother to stay out of trouble,
shoulders expresses themselves like an older her mother thought: "That's an old
more-experienced person. head on young shoulders."

A person who does something

stupid or ridiculous which causes If you wear that to school you'll be
laughing stock others to laugh becomes a the laughing stock of the class!
laughing stock.

life and soul of The life and soul of the party is the I'm so glad we invited Emily. She
most lively and amusing person
the party present at an event. was the life and soul of the party.

This term refers to a person who My son and his friends are all
mouse potato spends a lot of time in front of the mouse potatoes - constantly glued
computer. to the computer!

If a person is as nice as pie, they After our argument, she was as

nice as pie are surprisingly kind and friendly. nice as pie!

If someone does not have a hair Angela is always impeccably

not a hair out
out of place, their appearance is
of place perfect dressed - never a hair out of place.

Someone who has a poker face He sat with a poker face all
poker face has an expressionless face that through the show, revealing
shows no emotion or reaction at all. nothing of his thoughts.

has a quick Someone who has a quick temper He makes me nervous - he's got
temper gets angry very easily. such a quick temper.

A person who has a lot of friends

and acquaintances and likes to flit Jessica is constantly out and
social butterfly from one social event to another is about; she's a real social butterfly.
called a social butterfly.

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 Idioms Meaning
Someone who’s considered
A black sheep disreputable by his family/
relatives
too afraid to stand behind
Has no backbone convictions, and backs
down when pressured
A dare devil a daring person
Chicken hearted not brave
does many things, but isn't
A jack-of-all trades very good at any of them
someone whose
A Jeckyll and Mr. personality has two
Hyde different parts, one very
nice the other unpleasant
very successful at their job
A high flyer and soon becomes
powerful or rich
someone who does or
says something that stops
a wet blanket
other people from enjoying
themselves
good at keeping plants
Have green fingers healthy and making them
grow
someone who is always
trying to seem more clever
A smart alec
than anyone else in a way
that is annoying
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Example
He keeps making a nuisance
of himself. What do you
expect from the black sheep
of the family.
What a dare devil!! She
jumped across a ten-foot
chasm
Yes, I'm a chicken-hearted
softie. I never try anything
too risky
"You can't depend on him to
be friendly- he's a Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde.
I don't want to be a wet
blanket, but you really must
play your music more
quietly or you'll disturb the
people next door
I was just admiring your
beautiful plants, Helen. You
must have a green thumb.
Some smart alec in the
audience kept making witty
remarks during my talk
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 Fun & Enjoyment

Idioms Meaning Example

If you go somewhere with Of course I'll be there - with
with bells on bells on, you are delighted
bells on!
and eager to go there.

If something blows away Let's get out of the house. A

blow away the the cobwebs, it makes you
walk on the beach will blow
cobwebs feel more lively and
away the cobwebs!
refreshes your ideas.
If you feast your eyes on As he drove along the coast, he
something, you are
feast your eyes on feasted his eyes on the
delighted and gratified by
beautiful scenery.
what you see.
When something, such as When we got back to the office,
an event, gets into full
In full swing the Christmas party was in full
swing, it is at its busiest or
swing.
liveliest time.
If you are full of the joys of Barbara is full of the joys of
full of the joys of spring, you are happy,
spring at the moment! Has she
spring enthusiastic and full of
got a new boyfriend?
energy.
When his first child was born,
This expression means to Tom invited his colleagues to a
wet the baby's
have drink to celebrate the
head local bar to wet the baby's
birth of a baby.
head.
This expression means
that you are free and able She left college feeling that the
the world is your
to enjoy the pleasures and
oyster world was her oyster.
opportunities that life has
to offer.
A person who is on cloud When the boss announced my
nine is very happy
on cloud nine promotion, I was on cloud
because something
nine.
wonderful has happened.
Someone who is down in Alex has been down in the
down in the
the dumps is depressed or dumps since he failed his
dumps
feeling gloomy. exam.

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 Idioms Meaning
If somebody grins from
grin from ear to
ear to ear, they look very
ear
satisfied and happy.
If you are over the moon
over the moon about something, you are
very happy about it.
If someone has stars in
stars in your eyes their eyes, they are
looking extremely happy.
If you are tickled pink, you
tickled pink are very pleased about
something.
Enthusiasm - Eagerness – Motivation
Idioms Meaning
People who have ants in
ants in one's
their pants are very restless
pants or excited about something
If you go somewhere with
bells on, you are
with bells on
delighted and eager to go
there.
Someone who is very
excited about something,
bounce off the
or full of energy, is said
walls
to be bouncing off the
walls
A person who is bright-
bright-eyed and eyed and bushy-tailed is
bushy-tailed very enthusiastic and full
of energy.
If something causes a
stir, it creates an
cause a stir atmosphere of
excitement or great
interest
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Example
When we saw Paul grinning
from ear to ear, we knew he
had passed the exam.
When she heard the results of
the exam, Caroline was over
the moon!
She had stars in her eyes when
she saw the car she had won.
My dad was tickled pink when
he was asked to announce the
winner.
Example
I wish he'd relax. He's got ants
in his pants about something
today.
Of course I'll be there - with
bells on!
Danny can't wait to start his
new job. He's bouncing off the
walls.
Gary was fantastic. He
arrived bright-eyed and
bushy-tailed at 7am and
worked with us all day.
The arrival of the actress
caused quite a stir in the
village.
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 Idioms Meaning Example

When a person does

everything they are
do nothing by engaged in completely
halves and thoroughly, they are
said to do nothing by
halves.
When she cooks, it's a four-
course meal - she does nothing
by halves!

If you fling yourself into Ever since she flung herself in

an activity, you do it with the anti-pollution campaign,
fling yourself into
a lot of she rarely has a free moment!
energy and enthusiasm

If you go the extra mile, You can count on Tom; he's

go the extra mile you do more than what is always willing to go the extra
expected of you. mile.
A person who is licking
(or smacking) their lips is He was licking his lips at the
lick/smack your showing that they are idea of the money he was going
lips excited about something to make.
and are eager for it to
happen.
If you put your heart (and
soul) into something, Paul was determined to make
put your heart
you are very enthusiastic a success of the project. He put
(and soul) into
and invest a lot of energy his heart and soul into it.
and hard work in it.
If someone is raring to
go, they are very eager The kids can't wait to go
raring to go and enthusiastic about camping. They're raring to go!
the idea of doing
something.

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** Expressions to sound more interesting:

Happiness:
• To be buzzing
• To be on top of the world
• To be thrilled to bits
• To walk on the air
• To be over the moon
• He burst out laughing
 Bouncing off the walls
Scared – frightened – afraid:
 My heart missed a beat.
 I froze.
 So horrified was I that I froze to my spot.
 A shiver ran down my spine.
 Shaking with fear.
 My teeth clattered.
 Nightmares were taking appearance.
 My face turned red, orange, pink and purple.
 My palms sweated.

Rapidly – quickly:
 In a fraction of a second.
 In a drop of a hat.
 At the spur of the moment.

(DO NOT FORGET to check expressions earlier in "Description")

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I. Prepositions:
The following list is of time- related phrases introduced by simple
prepositions. Many of these are often confused. Make sure you know
which propositions to use. Cover them up and test yourself.

Preposition Usage Examples

‐ At six o'clock.
‐ At the crack of dawn.
‐ At the moment.
An exact or specific
time. ‐ At midnight.
At
‐ At Christmas.
For festivals ‐ At Easter.
‐ At weekends.

‐ At the weekend.

‐ On Thursday.
‐ On Monday morning.
A particular day
On ‐ On Christmas day.

A date ‐ On Friday night.

‐ On 3rd September.

Months ‐ In April. -In 1993.

In Years
‐ In the past. -In the future.
And long periods of time
‐ Since January.
‐ Since Monday.

Since A specific time ‐ Since my birthday.

‐ Since 1920.
‐ Since the results came.

‐ For ages. -For years.

For A length of time ‐ For a while. -Forever.

‐ -For six months.

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 Make sure you are totally confident about using these simple expressions. A

small preposition may not seem important but it is essential to be accurate.

Now check through the following list of commonly misused

prepositions:
At By For On
At home By car Go for a walk On the radio
At school By bus Go for a drive On foot
At work By plane Go for a swim On the phone
At university By train Go for a jog On (the) television
At the cinema By bike
At the office By air

The phrases below can be particularly confusing:

 On time:
At the exact time: not early, not late.
The flight from New York arrived on time.
 In time:
Not late early enough.
We had to run to the station, but we were in time for the last train.
 At the beginning / at the end:
These phrases refer to something lasts for a known length of time or has a known
length, such as: a show, a TV programme, a journey, a school term, a book etc.
‐ At the beginning of the detective book/ programme you are made to
think that the murderer is Alan, but his true identity is only reveled at
the end (of the book/ programme).
‐ At the beginning of a formal letter, you write “Dear Sir”, and at the end
you write “Yours faithfully”.
 In the beginning / at first / to begin with:
These phrases indicate a change of situation.
‐ In the beginning, the snow was easy to walk on, but as we moved north
it got deeper and difficult to cross.
‐ At first, I found the food tasty, but after a while, it made me feel sick.
‐ To begin with, we found the heat unbearable, but we soon got used to it.
 In the end / at last:
After sometime, eventually.
‐ Every time I tried Sarah’s number it was engaged- but I got through in
the end.

After what seemed like ages, the lift doors opened at last.

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Verb Preposition

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Ex. 1: Compound prepositions
Fill the gaps in these sentences with suitable phrases from the list below:
“The first is done for you as an example”.
according to ahead of apart from as for
as regards by means of due to except for
in addition to/as well as instead of on behalf of
owing to√
1. The flight was cancelled …owing to..the fog.
2. We had wonderful weather everyday…………….. Sunday.
3. Pollution can only be prevented ……………… international laws.
4. I love all animals ……………… dogs.
5. Tropical forests are being destroyed ………….the demand for hardwood for furniture.
6. ………………. the weather forecast, it’s going to snow.
7. Just a minute I’ll go ………………….you and hold the door open.
8. Hello, I’m phoning ……………….. Mr. Brown. He asked me to give you a massage.
9. People should protect trees ……………… cutting them down.
10. They have two cats …………………..four pet rabbits.
11. …………… pets, I don’t think that people should keep them in small apartments.
12. …………….conversation, I believe that the government should impose controls.

Ex. 2: Using prepositions

Fill the gaps with a suitable proposition from the list below:
about for from in of on with
1. Everyone admires him …… his wisdom and common sense.
2. I agree ……… you ………….the need to improve public transport services.
3. Danny apologised ………not sending us a thank you letter.
4. I don’t approve ………..travelling first class on trains or planes.
5. We all started to argue ……….him ……... his political ideas.
6. I believe ……..government support for public transport services.
7. Everyone can benefit …….a better road system.
8. You can’t blame me ……. your own mistakes.
9. Peter’s always boasting ……..his own achievements.
10. Would you like to borrow a pen …… me.
11. Max is capable …… doing much better work than this.
12. We would like to congratulate you ……… getting engaged.
13. The salesman tried to convince me ……….the advantages of buying the car.
14. There’s no simple cure …….hay fever.

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- 194 -
Ex. 3: Using prepositions
Fill the gaps in these sentences with suitable propositions:
1. How are we going to deal ……..this problem?
2. There’s no such thing as a perfect home- it all depends …..the individual.
3. Bill was engaged …… Liz for two years and then got married ……. Jane!
4. I’ll never forgive Bill ……..the way he treated his fiancée.
5. Our new sofa was uncomfortable so we exchanged it …..a different one.
6. I said I could move the furniture by myself, but she insisted …..…helping me.
7. I hope that our plans don’t interfere ……… your own arrangements.
8. Helen, I’d like to introduce you ….. George, our next door neighbor.
9. George is involved …… politics, his local councilor.
10. Now that George has been elected we all hope …… better things in the future.
11. Are you interested …… local politics, by any chance?
12. Many residents don’t have much confidence …….our new mayor.
13. Some of the tenants are angry about the lack …… car parking spaces in the area.
14. She’s longing ……….…the day when they can move out of the city.

Ex. 4: Using prepositions

Fill the gaps in these sentences with suitable propositions:
1. Sarah quarreled …......Louis ..….... the preparations …….. the party.
2. Eric reminds me …….. Paul McCartney, but they aren’t related ……... each other.
3. You can never rely ……….... Anna to provide you ………….information.
4. The staff are responsible ..…..their boss ….... the decisions they make.
5. You can only succeed ……..passing an exam if you revise carefully …….it.
6. I’ve got plenty of sandwiches, would you like to share them ……….me?
7. The police suspected that the goods had been stolen …..…..the shop, but the receipt
proved that they had been paid ……… .
8. Kate is suffering ……....a bad cold and she wants you to sympathise ………her.
9. At the end of the party, we thanked our hostess ………..inviting us.
10. I’m tired ………..waiting …….Jim to arrive. I object …… his unpunctuality.
11. On behalf of the students and staff, I’d like to welcome you …….our school.
12. Helen worked …… ACME plc. for a year and then she resigned ………the job.

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 II. Phrasal Verbs:
Ex. 1: Fill the gaps with suitable forms of the phrasal verbs below:

‐ DO:
do someone out of do up do with do without
1. Phew, I’m ever so thirsty, I could ……………………..a drink.
2. They’ve just finished ……………….their flat and it looks really nice
now.
3. She was very angry because her rival had ………her …….of the
reward.
4. He had to ……..…sugar in his coffee, because he was on a diet.

‐ Make:
make for make off with make out make up make up for
5. I can’t quite ……….….. if that’s your sister or you in this photo.
6. As you’ve arrived late, you’ll have to ……………….the time you’ve
lost.
7. We were ………the station when the thunderstorm broke.
8. Is this the truth, or are you …………….it ……………..?
9. A dog picked up my sandwich in its mouth and ………….it.

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 Ex. 2: Replace the underlined phrases with the suitable expressions
from the list below:
‐ Make:
Make make do with make out make out make out
make room/way make up to make up make it up
make it up to someone

1. Hundreds of homes will be destroyed to provide space for a new motor way.
……………………
2. I could only just understand what she was trying to say. ………..……………
3. In section 6.3B, we had to invent our own examples. ………..……………
4. They had a big row, but later they become reconciled. ………..……………
5. If there aren't enough pillows, you'll have to manage with cushions. ……..………
6. As he's colour- blind he can't discern the difference between red & green. ……..
7. Thanks for doing me a favour, I'll return the favour another time. ………..………
8. She pretends that she's the only member of staff who does any work. …….……
9. They've got a brand new car, but I'm not sure what brand it is. ………..……
10. They're so well off that people are always trying to gain favour with them.
………………………

‐ Do:
Do away with do up do without do- it- yourself(DIY)
Dos and don'ts over and done with have something to do with
Have nothing to do with

11. One of the most popular adult hobbies is home improvement…………..……….

12. I'll be glad when this affair is completely finished. ……………………..
13. When looking for a flat, there are a number of rules you should be aware of.
……………………..
14. You don't need to have a sofa to sit on, you can manage without one.
………………………
15. It's high time the government abolished nuclear weapons. ….. …………………
16. This newspaper cutting is partly concerned with modern architecture.
………………………
17. What she told me was irrelevant to the subject we were discussing.
………………………
18. He's put on such a lot of weight that he can't fasten his trousers any more.
………………………

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‐ Ex. 3: Get:
(A) Fill each gap with a suitable phrase from the list below:

Get better get ready get rid of get the joke

get someone else to do it get to sleep get the sack
get dark get a headache get home late

1. I'm trying to …………………..……….my cold.

2. I hope you soon ……………………………
3. I …………………………after working all night.
4. She …………………….because her work was unsatisfactory.
5. We ought to go home, it's ………………………….
6. He didn't laugh because he didn't ……………………………..
7. I need plenty of time to ……………………………….before I go out.
8. I ……………………….after the party.
9. I was so excited that I couldn't ………………………….
10. If you can't do it yourself, you'll have to …………………………………for you.

(B) Fill the gaps in these sentences using the phrasal verbs given
below: "The first one is done for you as an example".
get across get at get by get down get on with√
get round to get off get on get out of get through get
together get around/round get on with

1. Please …get on with…your work, I didn't mean to interrupt you.

2. She doesn't ………………………her younger brother, they're always quarrelling.
3. I hope I'll be able to ………………….answering the letters this evening.
4. They managed to ………………doing the work by pretending to be busy.
5. I tried to ………the points ……………to him but he didn't seem to see what I was
…………………..
6. This dull weather is so depressing- it's ………….me …………..
7. However difficult a problem is, there's usually a way to ……………………it.
8. You don't need two hot meals a day. I'm sure you can ……………on one.
9. …………….the bus when you get to the railway station.
10. How are you …………………………with this exercise?
11. I've tried ringing her several times but, I haven't been able to ………………
12. They decided to …………………later in the week for an informal meeting

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‐ Ex. 4: PUT:
Fill the gaps in these sentences, using the phrasal verbs listed
below:

Put away put up put down put forward put through

Put off put on put out/off put back put back
put off put off put on put up with put up

1. It's getting dark, could you …………..the light ………..please?

2. If you want to stay with us, we can ………….you ……….in our spare room.
3. I'm trying to concentrate but if you keep whistling you'll ……………me …………….
4. Don't forget to ………….….the lights ……….….when you leave the room.
5. I'm afraid we'll have to …………..our meeting …………till next month.
6. Since I last stayed at this hotel, they have ………..their prices …………..
7. He has ……………………………..a lot of weight since I last saw him.
8. You'll remember the words if you …………………them …………in your notebook.
9. If you've finished with the book, would you mind …………it ………….on the shelf.
10. I …..….the aspirins ……….…somewhere safe, but now I can't remember where.
11. At the start of summer time we …………..the clocks ………..and at the end we
……….them ……….
12. Mr. Green is on the line, shall I ………..him ……….or ask him to ring back?
13. If you've got a cold, you've just got to …………………………………….it.
14. They had planned to get out but they were ……………………by the bad weather.

Ex. 6: Replace the underlined phrases with the same phrasal verbs
from the list above:

1. Owing to illness the meeting was postponed until a week later.

2. I don't want to inconvenience you in any way.
3. The visiting directors were accommodated in the most expensive hotel.
4. His bad luck discouraged me from starting my own business.
5. Telephone operator: "One moment, please. I'm trying to connect you".
6. The company arranged an exhibition of their new products.
7. It took three hours to extinguish the fire.
8. I will not tolerate this noise any more.
9. Three plans have been suggested for discussion.
10. They have increased the interest rate yet again.

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 Say and don't say:
Don't Say Say

1- liberal, lavish, charitable, free-handed, hospitable, prodigal, bountiful,

open- handed, princely, bounteous, ex. He's very generous with his money.
Antonym:
Generous ✖ mean, selfish, cheap, tight, greedy, stingy, parsimonious, miserly,
(adjective) avaricious, close-fisted
2- magnanimous, kind, noble, benevolent, good, big, high-minded, unselfish,
big-
hearted, ungrudging He was generous enough to congratulate his successor.

Plentiful ✖ small, tiny, meagre, minimal, scanty

1- attractive, stunning(informal), charming, tempting, pleasant, fetching,

gorgeous, pleasing, magnetic, delightful, exquisite, enticing, seductive,
graceful, captivating ,appealing, radiant, alluring, ravishing, comely,
2- wonderful, great, excellent, superb, marvellous, sensational (informal),
Beautiful cracking( Brit. informal), awesome, world-class, first-rate,
adjective Quotations
"Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless;
peacocks and lilies for instance"

"Things are beautiful if you love them"

astonishing, striking, surprising, brilliant, stunning, impressive, overwhelming,

staggering, sensational (informal), bewildering, breathtaking, astounding, eye-
opening, wondrous (archaic or literary), mind-boggling, jaw-
Amazing dropping, stupefying, startling ex. It's amazing what we can remember with a
little prompting.
adjective So remarkable as to elicit disbelief:
astonishing, astounding, fabulous, fantastic, fantastical, incredible,
marvelous, miraculous, phenomenal, prodigious, stupendous, unbelievable,
wonderful, wondrous.

Extremely displeasing to the eye:

hideous, ill-favored, unsightly.
Idiom: ugly as sin.
Extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings:
atrocious, disgusting, horrid, nasty, offensive, repellent, repulsive, revolting,
UGLY sickening, unwholesome, vile.
Having or showing a bad temper:
bad-tempered, crabbed, cranky, cross, disagreeable, fretful, grumpy, ill-
tempered, irritable, nasty, peevish, petulant, querulous, snappish, waspish.
Informal: crabby, mean.
Idiom: out of sorts

1. stride, wander, stroll, trudge, step, march, advance, pace, trek, hike, tread,
WALK
ramble, tramp, promenade, amble, saunter, take a turn, traipse(informal),
verb
toddle, make your way, mosey(informal), plod on

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 think, consider, judge, suppose, maintain, estimate, imagine, assume, gather,
Believe reckon, conclude, deem, speculate, presume, conjecture, postulate, surmise
accept, hold, trust, credit, depend on, rely on, swallow (informal), count on
verb ,have faith in, be certain of, be convinced of, place confidence in,
presume true,

1. (sometimes plural) opinion, thought, idea, belief, thinking, feeling,

attitude,
reckoning, impression, notion, conviction, judgment, point of view,
viewpoint, persuasion, standpoint You should make your views known
to your parents.
2. study, review, survey, assessment, examination, scan, inspection,
look,
scrutiny, contemplation a concise but comprehensive view of basic economics
3. regard, see, consider, judge, perceive, treat, estimate, reckon,
deem, look on, adjudge, think about or of America was viewed as a
land of golden opportunity.
view 4. look at, see, inspect, gaze
noun at, eye, watch, check, regard, survey, witness, examine, observe,
explore, stare at, scan, contemplate, check out (informal), behold, get a
load of(informal)
in view of considering, taking into account, in the light of, bearing in mind,
keeping in mind, mindful of, taking into consideration, taking note of ex.
In view of the
circumstances, his achievement is remarkable.
on view on show, showing, displayed, on display, on exhibition An exhibition
of
contemporary sculpture is on view at the gallery.
with a view to with the aim or intention of, in order to, so as to, in the hope
of She joined a dating agency with a view to finding a husband.

1. unhappy, down, low, blue, depressed, gloomy, grieved, dismal,

melancholy, somber , glum, wistful, mournful, dejected, downcast,
grief-
stricken, tearful, doleful, heavy-hearted, down in the
dumps(informal), cheerless, down in the mouth(informal), low-spirited, sick
at heart. Ex. The loss left me feeling sad and empty.
sad 2. tragic, moving, upsetting, dark, sorry, depressing, disastrous,
adjective dismal, pathetic, poignant, grievous, pitiful, calamitous, heart-
rending, pitiable . Ex. the sad news that he had been killed in a
motor-cycle accident.
3. deplorable, bad, sorry, terrible, distressing, unfortunate, miserable,
dismal, shabby
, heartbreaking, regrettable, lamentable, wretched, to be deplored It's a
sad truth that children are the biggest victims of passive smoking.

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 bray - laugh loudly and harshly bellylaugh - laugh a deep, heartylaugh
howl, roar - laugh unrestrainedly and heartily
snicker, snigger - laugh quietly
giggle, titter - laugh nervously; "The girls giggled when the rock star came into
the classroom"

Verb
cackle - emit a loud, unpleasant kind of laughing
guffaw, laugh loudly - laugh boisterously
chortle, chuckle, laugh softly - laugh quietly or with restraint
convulse - be overcome with laughter
be rolling in the aisles(informal),
Laugh
verb *laugh at something or someone make fun of, mock, tease, ridicule, taunt,
jeer ,deride, belittle, (informal), pour scorn on, make a mock of I thought
people were laughing at me because I was ugly.

*laugh something off disregard, ignore, dismiss, overlook, brush aside,

make light of, While I used to laugh it off, I'm now getting irritated by it.
 
**Quotations
"Laugh and the world laughs with you;"
"Weep, and you weep alone;"
 
Proverbs
"He who laughs last, laughs longest"
- Content(ed), blissful, elated/ joyful, joyous, jubilant, radiant in high spirits, stirred,
delirious, euphoric, ecstatic, overjoyed, rapt, agitated, flurried, hot
Happy/
Examples: *The bride looked truly radiant on her wedding day. *He felt ecstatic
excited when his wife gave birth to their first child. * a mad whirl of pleasure, * there
was something frantic in their gaiety.

Depressed, gloomy, glum, dejected, despondent, dispirited, discontent(ed),

miserable, somber, joyless. Examples:
Unhappy * Everyone has moments when he feels dejected or down. * Eventually I left at six
o'clock feeling utterly dispirited and depressed.

Scared, frightened, terrified, shaken, intimidated, fearful, petrified, panic-

Afraid
stricken, faint-hearted, fretful, aghast, on edge, nervous

Tempestuous, furious, raging, outraged, fuming mad, irritated, provoked, indignant,

Angry
hot under the collar.
Disquieted, disturbed, troubled, apprehensive, anxious, on edge, agitated,
Worried
overwrought :(distraught, upset, frantic, uptight, on edge)
Numerous, innumerable, various, varied, countless, myriad, scores, several
Many / A lot sundry ( all and sundry, means: everybody, collectively and individually: gave free
samples to all and sundry.) piles, heaps
Vantage, blessing, beneficial
Advantage Avail to: of advantage/of use/ of help ( *All our efforts availed us a little. *Nothing
you do will avail.)

Assist, aid, facilitate, support, back, standby, avail, lend a hand, give a hand, "give
Help
someone a leg up".

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 Detriment, drawbacks, limitations, shortcomings.
Disadvantage " have two strikes against one" ( to be at a disadvantage, and thus have less
chance of successfully reaching ones goal, or following through with one's plans.)

Consequence, result, outcome, influence, impact

Effects Repercussions ( a remote or indirect consequence of some action: ** His act had
unforeseen repercussions.)

(A)meliorate, amend, develop, enhance, reform, perfect, hone.

"Turn around" ( improve dramatically.* the tutor turned around my son's
Improve performance in Maths.)
Beautify, embellish ( make beautiful)
Fine-tune, refine, polish (skills/ writing style)
expand: applies to an increase in size, volume or scope( * expanding interests in ...)
Multiply, grow
Jump/leap: sudden increase
Increase
Increase in salary: hike, wage hike
Up-tick: a small increase

- light informal conversation for social occasions

chin-wagging, chit chat, chitchat, chit-chat, gossip, small talk
chat, - an informal conversation
Verb:
tittle-tattle - speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
blabber, piffle, prattle, tattle, twaddle, blab, chatter- express in speech; "She talks a
lot of nonsense"; "This depressed patient does not verbalize"
blather, smatter, babble - to talk foolishly; "The two women babbled and crooned at
the baby"

1. certainly, absolutely, undoubtedly, genuinely, positively, without a doubt,

assuredly, verily, surely. E.g. I genuinely feel that some people are being
unfair.
Really 2. very, particularly, seriously (informal), truly, extremely, terribly, remarkably,
adverb unusually, exceedingly, excessively, eminently, uncommonly.
3. truly, actually, in fact, indeed, in reality, in actuality . Eg: In actuality, my father
didn't love her.

appropriate, befitting, convenient, expedient, fit, proper, tailor-made, useful.

Suitable:
adjective

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