Idiom Meaning Usage

A blessing in disguise a good thing that seemed bad at first as part of a sent
A dime a dozen Something common as part of a sent
Beat around the bush Avoid saying what you mean, usually as part of a sent
because it is uncomfortable
Better late than never Better to arrive late than not to come at all by itself
Bite the bullet To get something over with because it is as part of a sent
inevitable
Break a leg Good luck by itself
Call it a day Stop working on something as part of a sent
Cut somebody some Don't be so critical as part of a sent
slack
Cutting corners Doing something poorly in order to save as part of a sent
time or money
Easy does it Slow down by itself
Get out of hand Get out of control as part of a sent
Get something out of Do the thing you've been wanting to do so as part of a sent
your system you can move on
Get your act together Work better or leave by itself
Give someone the Trust what someone says as part of a sent
benefit of the doubt
Go back to the Start over as part of a sent
drawing board
Hang in there Don't give up by itself
Hit the sack Go to sleep as part of a sent
It's not rocket science It's not complicated by itself
Let someone off the To not hold someone responsible for as part of a sent
hook something
Make a long story Tell something briefly as part of a sent
short
Miss the boat It's too late as part of a sent
No pain, no gain You have to work for what you want by itself
IDIOMS
Present Simple:

Stacy is a singer. She loves to sing. She is in a band. She

sings in the band. She is the lead singer. Sometimes she plays
the piano.

Chad is Stacy's boyfriend. He is also in the band. He stands

next to Stacy. He plays the electric guitar. Sometimes Chad
sings with Stacy.

Dean is Chad and Stacy's friend. He is also in the band. He

stands next to Chad. He plays bass guitar. Dean does not sing.
He does not like to sing.

The band practices three times a week. They mostly perform

at nightclubs. Sometimes they sing at weddings. They are a
very good band.

Present Continuous:

Now the children are at school. Amy is sewing. She is

practicing. She is sitting on a bench. She is sitting near
Timmy.

Timmy is at school too. Timmy is studying. He is sitting behind

his desk. He wishes he could play with the other children.

John and Susan are also at school. They are playing outside.
They are picking flowers for their teacher. John is carrying his
hat. Susan is wearing a bonnet.

At this moment, Sarah is walking by the door. She is helping

the teacher. She is carrying textbooks to the shelf.
Paragraph Structure.

The topic sentence

In most cases, the first sentence of a paragraph is the topic sentence. The topic
sentence tells you what the paragraph will be about. From a good topic sentence,
you should be able to predict the content of the paragraph.

The support sentences

The topic sentence is followed by the support sentences. Support sentences expand
on the topic sentence. The material in the support sentences should be presented in
a systematic way. Order of importance, chronological order, order of operations or
space order are most frequently used.

The concluding sentence

The concluding sentence summarises the main point of the paragraph. It often re-
states the idea in the topic sentence using different words. Not all paragraphs have a
concluding sentence.

2. Checklist for writing a paragraph

Step 1 – Write the topic sentence

The best starting point for a paragraph is a topic sentence. If you are writing the
paragraph in response to a specific question, this should not be a difficult task
because the wording of the question will assist you.

Step 2 – Brainstorm

Once you have written the topic sentence, you need to think of ideas to support it.
Try brainstorming. Jot down anything that relates to your topic sentence: facts,
details or examples. This might only take a few minutes, but it is an important part of
the writing process.

Step 3 – Plan

Brainstorming will probably provide you with more ideas than you require. Read over
what you have written, and cross out those ideas which do not obviously relate to the
topic sentence. Arrange the remaining ideas in the order you wish to present them in
your paragraph.

Step 4 – Write the first draft

The first draft should include all the ideas in your plan. It is a good idea to use every
second line if you are writing the first draft on paper. This makes revision and editing
much easier. Once you have finished writing the first draft, think about what you have
written. You might consider a concluding sentence. Write one if you think it is
necessary to complete the paragraph.
Step 5 – Revise and edit

Revising and editing your paragraph means rethinking and rewriting. It may involve
making additions or corrections, rewriting sentences or rearranging details. Ask
yourself the following questions

Step 6 Step 7 Step 8

Is the topic sentence clear and relevant?

Do the facts, details and examples explain/develop the topic sentence? Is there
enough support?
Is the material presented in a systematic way?
Does one sentence lead smoothly to the next?

– Check grammar, spelling and punctuation – Write the final draft

– Proofread your paragraph
WEEK 1.
Academic world list (AWL) 1

Urgent
Plot
Estate
Tranquility
Sprawl
Intrusion
Caress
Retain
Perverse
Immerse
Sordid
Dilemma
Heroine
Witness
Apprehensive
Admirably
Rebuff
Liberty
Unforeseen
Alibi