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II. What do we call...1. an irritating person who knows everything? 4. the one who gets the best marks? 2. the person who is the teacher's favourite? 5. a person who is very lazy? 3. someone who thinks they are the best and says so?
III. You can also learn idioms by associating them with a key word or words. Here is a work-fork based on to have + head. Use the expressions to finish the sentences below.
1. I'd better write it in my notebook. I have ……………………………..... 2. Ask Martha to check those sums. She has …………………………………... 3. Don't ask me to go up that tower. I'm afraid I don't ………………………………..... 4. She's very sensible and knows what she's doing. She …………………………………... 5. He's quite out of touch with reality. He really ……………………………………...
IV. Which idioms do you think these drawings represent? 1 2 3
V. Try guessing from the context what the underlined idioms mean. 1. Don't get angry with him. His heart's in the right place. 2. Joe's a bit of a square peg in a round hole here. I think he should get a job which suits his character better. 3. A: Hey! I'm talking to you! B: Sorry, I was miles away.
Idioms describing people II Animal names These idioms are based on compound nouns related to animals.
Note also: There was a fly-on-the-wall documentary on TV last night about hospital waiting-rooms. [programme filmed in a real-life situation, sometimes with hidden cameras] People's characters and their actions John's bark is worse than his bite. [he may seem fierce/tough, but he is not really] You don't need to be afraid of him. He wouldn't hurt a fly. [is totally harmless and would never hurt anyone] Larry's really got the travel bug ever since he won that holiday in the Caribbean. [a strong desire to travel (bug here means virus; the original meaning of bug is a small insect)] She's working very hard for her exams. She's really got/taken the bit between her teeth. [has started to work/act in a very determined way (a bit is a piece of metal put between a horse's teeth to control it)] They've given me free rein to do what I like in this new job. [complete freedom (reins are what you hold in your hands to control a horse when riding)] Tim: How did you know I was getting married? Linda: A little bird told me. [said when someone has told you a secret, but you do not want to say who] As soon as the meeting was over, we all made a beeline for the food. We were so hungry! [went quickly and directly to] I always have butterflies in my stomach just before an exam. [feel very nervous] I made a real pig of myself last night, so I'm not going to eat any lunch today. [ate too much] I have so much work to do these days. I'm just chasing my tail trying to catch up. [doing a lot, but it is all pointless / without effect] Exercises Date: 2016-03-03; view: 1015 |
