IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS

Knowledge of idioms is important for the Listening Comprehension

section, especially PART A. These Mini-Lessons contain list of some 300
expressions and their definitions as well as exercises to familiarize you
with most of these expressions. Many of the expressions listed here have
appeared on the LISTENING COMPREHENSION section of TOELF exams in
the past, some of them several times
Notes :
1. If a phrase contains a word in parentheses, that word is used only if
the verb is followed by an noun or pronoun
Example :
Catch up (with)
- You go ahead. Ill catch up later (no noun or pronoun)
- Ill catch up with you later (pronoun)
2. The words one and someone are used to indicate that any pronoun
(or sometimes a noun) can be used in this expression
Example :
On ones own
- How long have you been on your own?
- Toms been on his own for several years
Lesson 1
1. About to
2. Above all
3. Add up
4. All at once
5. All of sudden
6. As a matter of fact
7. As a rule
8. At ease
9. At the drop of a hat
10.
Back out (of)
11.
Bank on
12.
Be my guest
yourself
13.
Be rusty
14.
Beats me
used in response

almost ready to
most importantly
make sense; be logical
suddenly; without warning
all at once; suddenly
in reality; actually
generally; customarily
not nervous; calm
quickly; without any preparation time
withdraw an offer
depend on; count on
do want you want; feel free; help
need practice or review
I dont know; I have no idea (often

15.
16.

to a question)
Better off
in an improved condition
Bite off more than one can chew
taken on more

responsibility than one

17.
18.

can handle
certain to; sure to
stop functioning

Bound to
Break down

for example)
19.
Break in (on)
20.
Break the ice

( a machine,

interrupt
break through social barriers (as at a

party)
21.
Break the news (to) inform; give bad news
22.
Break up
end (a meeting, for example)
23.
Break up (with)
stop being a couple (a bf and gf,
for example)
24.
A breeze
25.
Bring about
26.
Bring up

sth very simple and easy to do

cause to happen
(1) raise (a child) (2) introduce ( a

topic, for
example )
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.

Brush up on
Bump into
By and large
By heart
By no means

review; study; practice

meet unexpectedly; run into
mostly; generally; on the whole
by memory; learned word for word
in no way; not at all

Exercise
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct. The
first one is done as an example.
1. Can you talk now?
No, Im about to go to the grocery store, but Ill call you as soon as
I get back

2. Youre probably too tired to play another game of racquetball,

right?
Im
not

that

tired,

really

____________

______________

_________________ ___________ ________________, Id enjoy another

game
3. Will you support my proposal at the meeting?
Certainly. You can ___________ _______my support
4. I was talking to my aunt when suddenly my cousin George Ann
____________ __________ ________ our conversation
5. I understand Diane lost her job
Yes, but shes actually _____________ ______________. She found a
more interesting job with a higher salary.
6. __________ _____________ ______________, Carlos is very punctual, but
he sure was late tonight.
7. My car__________ _______________ last week, and I had to take the bus
to work until it was repaired.
8. I was taking a quiet walk

last

night

when,

____________

________________ ____________ ___________, there was a loud explosion

9. Kent is _________ _____________fail that class if he doesnt start
studying
10.
They _________ ____________their children to be honest
11.
There were few things I didnt like about Professor Wongs
class, but _________ ___________ ________ I enjoyed it
12.
I think Matthew was cheating on that quiz
That doesnt __________ _____________Why should the best student in
the class cheat?
13.
Can I have another sandwich?
Sure, ______________ ________________

_______________.

made

plenty
14.
Actors and actresses must know their lines ___________
________________
15.
If you dont want to talk about this problems, why did you
__________it ______________?
16.
Many accidents are __________ _____________ by carelessness

17.

Their team won the game, but __________ ____________

_____________ dominated it. It was a very close game.

18.
What a boring party. No one is talking to one another
Maybe we should put on some music and start dancing. That might
_________ ___________ ___________
19.
Have you studied Spanish before?
Yes, but its been years since I took a Spanish class, so Ill need to
________ __________ ___________ it before I go to Venezuela
20.
Youre taking five classes this term?
Yes, and Im having trouble getting caught up. I am afraid I ________
__________ ______________ this time
21.
Youre all packed and ready to go, I see
I could leave ______ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________
____________
22.
Do you know what the name of this street is?
_______ ____________ This is the first time Ive ever been in this
town
23.
Hows that biology class youre taking?
So far, its been ______ ________. Weve just been going over things I
studied last semester
24.
What time did the party____________ last night?
I dont know. It was still going on when I went home
25.
I was awfully nervous when I gave that speech
Really? You hid it well. I though you were completely ______
__________
Lesson 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Call it a day
Call off
Call on
Calm down
Care for

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Catch on
Catch on (to)
Catch up (with)
Check in (or into)
Check out (of)

Stop working for the day; go home

Cancel
Visit
Relax
(1)Take care of
(2)Like; feel affection for
Become popular
Understand; learn
Go as fast as ; catch
Register (at a hotel)
(1)Leave (a hotel)
(2)Take material (from a library,

for example)
Become cheerful; be happy
Contribute
(1)Clarify; make understandable
(2)Become nice and sunny (used

11.
12.
13.

Cheer up
Chip in (on/for)
Clear up

14.
15.

Come across
Come around (to)

to talk about the weather

Meet; encounter
Begin to change ones opinion; begin

Come down with

Come up with
Cost an arm and a leg
Count on
Count out

to agree with
Become sick with (an illness)
Think of (an idea)
Be very expensive
Depend on; rely on; bank on
Eliminate; no longer consider as a

21.

Cut off

factor
Stop; discontinue

22.

Cut out for

example)
Have an aptitude for; be qualified for

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

(a

service,

Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms form the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order form the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. The reception in the garden was _________

_________because of a

thunderstorm
2. Dont get so excited. Just _________ ___________and tell us what
happened.
3. I was looking up some information in the almanac when I _________
____________an interesting fact.
4. I can ______ ____________my car. Its very dependable and never
breaks down.
5. How did you _______ _________ ____________such a strange idea?
6. I arrived in town last night at seven-thirty and ________ _________my
hotel at around eight. This morning I plan to _______ ___________at
about nine
7. Did you rent this videotape?

for

No, I ________ it _________the library

8. You look tired. Why dont we___________ ______________ __________
________ and finish up tomorrow?
9. It wont be too expensive to buy Professor McMilen a present if we
all ________ ______________
10.
If Arthur doesnt pay his electric bill soon, the utilities
company might _______ ___________his electricity.
11.
I dont understand this theorem at all
Talk to Professor Adler. Ill bet she can ________ ___________your
confusion
12.
Who_____ _________your cat while you were out of town?
13.
A good stereo system doesnt have to ________ _________
__________ __________ _________ __________. You can find one for a
reasonable price.
14.
Cauliflower isnt my favorite vegetable. In fact, I dont ______
_______ it at all
15.
Im depressed. I didnt do very well on the first quiz
___________ ___________! That quiz only counted for 10% of the total
grade, and Im sure youll do better on the other tests
16.
How did Eric do in the cross-country ski race?
He got off to a bad start, so he never ________

__________

___________ the leading skiers

17.
Why did Brenda drop out of business school?
She decided she wasnt ______ ________ ___________a career in
business. Shes going to study art instead
18.
This song wasnt very popular when it was first recorded, but
now its starting to ________ _______
19.
Your roommate is still planning to vote for Smithson for
president of the Student Council?
Yes, but Im going to keep talking to him. I think eventually hell
_______ _________ _________ our point of view and vote for Brannigan.
20.
That saleswoman ________ ___________her clients at least once
a month because she thinks personal contact is important

Lesson 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Day in and day out

Die down
Do over
Do without
Down the drain

Constantly
Become less severe; quiet down
Do again; repeat
Not have
Wasted; done for no reason (work,

6.
7.
8.
9.

Dream up
Drop (someone) a line
Drop in (on)
Drop off

for example)
Invent; think of; come up with
Send someone a letter
Visit informally
(1)Leave something (a package,
for example)
(2)Take (someone)

home;

let

someone out of a car

Stop attending (classes, for example)
Very simple; a piece of cake
ones Said of someone who takes more

10.
11.
12.

Drop out (of)

Easy as pie
Eyes
bigger

13.
14.
15.
16.

stomach
Fall behind
Fall through
A far cry from
Fed up (with)

food than he or she can eat

Not move as quickly as; lag behind
Fail to happen
Not similar to; not as good as
Not able to tolerate; disgusted with;

Feel free
Feel like
Feel like a million dollars
Feel up to
Few and far between
Figure out

annoyed by
Do something if one wants
Be inclined to; want to
Feel very good
Feel able to do something; ready to
Uncommon and infrequent
Understand; solve

17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

than

Exercise :
Fill the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list above.
There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change the verb
forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. It took me hours to ________ __________how to record programs on
my DVD player

2. If you could ______________ ____________the laundry on the way to

work, Ill pick it up on Monday
3. What a wonderful masquerade party!
People certainly ____________ _____________some

interesting

costumes, didnt they?

4. Do you _____________ _____________going out tonight?
No, Id rather stay home and read.
5. Why have you __________ ______________in your French class?
I was sick and I missed a few classes. But Im studying hard to
catch up
6. Why do we need to get gas now? We have quite a bit left
This highway goes through some very empty country, and gas
stations are __________ __________ ____________ ____________
7. Howards teacher wasnt satisfied with the work he had done, so she
asked him to __________it ___________
8. Im ______________ ____________ __________my roommates lack of
responsibility. He never pays his bills or his share of the rent on time
9. Isnt your class picnic today?
No, our plans for the picnic _________ ____________
10.
The food at that new restaurant isnt bad
Its all right, but ___________
_______________
______________
___________ its the food at Marios. Now that is a great restaurant!
11.
Ben had to ________ ____________ ______________ the university
because of problems
12.
After blowing furiously all day, the will finally ___________
_______________
13.
Do you

telephone

friends

before

you

visit,

or

just

______________ _________ _________them?

It depends. If therere close friends, I just visit them. If therere
acquaintances, I generally call first
14.
Im tired of the same old routine
I know how you feel. I get tired of doing the same things
____________ ____________ ___________ _____________ _________ too
15.
Ralph really loaded up his tray with food
Hell never eat it all. Ralphs ___________ are __________ ______ his
___________

16.
I need to use a computer for a few hours
__________ __________ to use my laptop computer. I dont need it this
morning
17.
Ive missed James since he moved to Seattle
18.
You

should

___________ him __________ _____________ and let him know how

youre doing. Im sure hed love to get a letter from you.
Lesson 4
1.

Fill in

Write in a blank (on an application

2.
3.
4.

Fill in (for)
Fill one in
Fill out

form, for example)

Substitute for
Provide missing information
Complete (an application form, for

5.
6.

Find out
A fish out of water

example)
learn; discover
Someone not in his or her normal

Fix up
Follow in ones footsteps

surroundings
Repair; renovate
Do
what
someone

7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

For good
For the time being
From out of the blue
Get a kick out of

else

did

(especially parents)
Permanently; forever
Temporarily; for now
Unexpectedly; without warning
(doing Enjoy; have fun doing something

something
13. Get along with
14. Get carried away

Have good relations with

Go too far; do too much; buy too

15. Get in ones blood

16. Get in over ones head

much
Become a habit; become customary
Take on too much responsibility; bite

17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

off more than one can chew

Block; obstruct
Contact
Leave (a vehicle)
Start to be successful
Board ( a vehicle)
Recover from ( a disease )

Get
Get
Get
Get
Get
Get

in the way
in touch with
off
off the ground
on
over

23. Get rid of

24. Get under way
25. Give (someone) a cold shoulder

Discard; no longer have

Begin; start
Act unfriendly toward

26. Give away

ignore
Distribute (for free)

someone;

Exercise
Fill in the blanks in the sentence or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. How did you _________ ____________ where Warren lives?
I Just looked it up in my address book
2. Im interested in the job that was advertised in the newspaper
Fine, Just __________ ____________this application form
3. Dont forget to ________ __________the date on your check
4. Is Agnes still mad at you?
I suppose so. I saw her at a party last weekend, and she just
__________ me _________ _________ ___________
5. Are you moving to Baltimore___________ ______________?
No, just ________ __________ ________ ________. Ill be back here in a
month or two
6. That old paint that you have stored in your garage is a fire hazard
Youre right. I should _________ __________ ___________ it
7. Some companies __________ ____________ free samples of new
products in order to familiarize consumers with them
8. Hows that advanced computer class youre taking, Polly?
Not so good. I cant understand a word that the teacher or any of
the students are saying. I really feel like ___________ ___________
_____________ _____________ _____________
9. Dont you just hate all this graffiti?
It is ugly, isnt it? Ive never understood why people __________
__________ _________ _______ ___________ writing on walls. It doesnt
seem like much fun to me
10.
When the train stopped, a mysterious looking woman in a
black raincoat __________ ___________ the train and found her seat
11.
Maxwells project will be very successful, I think

Oh, I dont know. Im not sure it will ever __________ _____________

____________ ___________
12.
Do you ___________

_____________

___________

your

new

roommate, or do you two argue?

13.
That run-down old house that David bought looks terrific
Yes, hes ___________ it _____________ beautiful, hasnt he?
14.
Has
Edward
________
_______________
______________
_____________ you lately?
No, he hasnt. I dont think he has my new telephone number
15.
Will the concert start soon?
It should _____________ ________________ _____________ any minute
now
16.
Living by the ocean really ___________ ____________ your
__________. Once youve lived here, you never want to leave
17.
This is the last stop. Everyone has to _______________
_______________ the bus here
18.
Professor Dunbar came down with the flue, so her teaching
assistant _____________ _____________ ________________ her for a few
days
Lesson 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Get the hang of something

Give a hand
Give a hand (with)
Go easy on
Go on (with)
Go overboard
Go with

Learn how to do something

Applaud; clap
Assist
Not punish severely
Continue
Do too much; buy too much
(1)Accompany
(2)Look
good
together;
complement ( for example :

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Go without saying
Grow up
Hand in
Hand out
Hang on
Hard to come by

two articles of clothing)

Be clear; be obvious
To mature; to become an adult
Give back to; return
Distribute
Wait
Difficult to find

14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.

Have a heart
Have a hunch
Have a word with (someone)
Have on
Have ones hands full
Have the time of ones life
Hear firsthand (from)

Be compassionate; show mercy

Have an intuitive feeling
Talk to someone briefly
Wear
Be very busy; have a challenging job
Have fun; have a great time
Get
information
directly
from

Hear from
Hear of
Hit it off

someone
Be contacted by; be in touch with
Know about; be familiar with
Become friendly (especially at a first
meeting)
Leave; go away
Wait
Grasp
Not move
Delay

24. Hit the road

25. Hold on
26. Hold on (to)
27. Hold still
28. Hold up
Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Everett was born in the South, but ____________ _______________ in
Michigan.
2. At the beginning of the class, the instructor ____________ ___________
the quizzes and told the students they had ten minutes in which to
finish
3. After ten minutes, the students __________ ____________ their quizzes
to the instructor
4. Have you ever ________ ___________ William Carlos Williams?
I believe so. He was a poet, wasnt he?
5. Hello, is Gina there?
Yes, ___________ ___________ a minute and Ill get here
6. Youre graduating next month, right?
Yes, but Im going to ____________ ______________ _____________ my
studies in graduate school.
7. ________ ____________ while I take your photograph. I dont want the
picture to be blurry.
8. I got stopped by the police for speeding. I have to pay a big fine.

Well, you could talk to the judge and ask him to reduce it. Since
youve never been stopped for speeding before, maybe hell
________ _____________ ____________ you
9. Do you like this blouse?
Yes, but I think the grey silk one would _________ better ____________
your jacket
10.
So, Dave is teaching you how to wind surf?
Yes, and hes such a good teacher that Im already ___________
___________ ____________ __________ it
11.
The audience _____________ the cast a big___________ after their
wonderful performance
12.
Do you think Iris will pass the history test?
That ____________ _____________ ______________.

In

fact,

shell

probably have the best grade in the class

13.
What______________ _______________your flight?
There was a big snowstorm in Denver that delayed a lot of flights
14.
Have you __________ ____________ your flight?
Yeah, I got a postcard from her yesterday. She said shes
_____________ ___________ ___________ _______________ her ___________
and never wants to come home.
15.
Can you _________ me ____________ _____________ ___________
this luggage? Its too heavy for me to carry myself
16.
The wind is starting to blow. Youd better ___________
____________ ____________ your hat.
17.
Oh, you bought that new book by Richard Stone
Yes, but the book is __________ _______________ ______________. I
looked for it in three or four bookstores before I finally found it
18.
Its getting late. Id better _____________ ________________
____________ if I want to get home by midnight.
19.
Can I _______ ____________ ___________ ___________ you now,
Professor Rivera?
Ive got to go to class right now. Drop by my office later, and well
talk then.
20.
You sure bought a lot of groceries

Yeah, I guess I ________ ___________. I should never go grocery

shopping when Im hungry.
Lesson 6
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

In
In
In
In
In
In
In
In
In

a nutshell
favor of
hot water
no time
person

In summary; in brief
In agreement with; supporting
In trouble
Very soon; very quickly
Face to face ( not by telephone,

store
the dark
the long run
the same boat

letter, etc)
In the future; coming up
Not knowing; confused
Over a long period of time
In the same situation; having the

10. Iron out

11. Join the club

same problem
Solve ( a problem)
Have the same problem as other

12. Jump to conclusions

people
Form opinions

13.
14.
15.
16.

evidence
Watch; take care of; look after
Look for
Continue
Know where something or someone

Keep
Keep
Keep
Keep

an eye on
an eye out (for)
on (with)
track of

17. Keep up (with)

18. Kill time

without

sufficient

is
Maintain the same speed as
Spend time doing unimportant things
(before

an

appointment,

for

example)
19. Know like the back of ones Be very familiar with
hand
20. Lay off
21. Learn the ropes

Put out of work

Become familiar with; get used to;

22. Leave out

23. Leave s.o/sth alone

get the hang of

Not include; omit
Not disturb

24. Let someone down

25. Let up

Disappoint
Decline in

intensity

(rain,

example)
Take care of mind
Try to locate
Anticipate (with pleasure)
Investigate

26. Look after

27. Look for
28. Look forward to
29. Look into
Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Will you _________ _________ ___________ _________ my dog while I go
in the drugstore?
2. Kathys daughter has such short legs that she has a hard time
________ _________ __________ the other children
3. The store had to ______ ____________ a number of clerks because
sales were down.
4. You must be anxious to go on your vacation.
I certainly am. Im really ______ ___________ ___________ this trip.
5. Dont _______ _________ __________ . Maybe your jewelry wasnt stolen
after all.
6. I need to find a new apartment.
There might be some vacancies in the building where I live. Ill
______ __________ ________ _______ ________one
7. The company may lose some money now, but ______

___________

___________ __________ this is a good investment

8. Alex complained that no one invited him to any social events and
that he felt _______ ______
9. Can you hurry over here? I need to see you right away
Sure. Ill be there ___________ ____________ ____________
10.
May I help you, sir?
No, Im just looking around and trying to _________ some
____________ until my wife finishes shopping.
11.
Has it stopped raining yet?
No, but its beginning to _____________ _______________ a little
12.
I cant go to Daryls party this weekend. I have to study

for

Guess

were

__________

_______________

_______________

____________. Ive got to study too

13.
Should we stop and spend the night at this motel?
No, lets ____________ _____________ driving for a few more miles.
14.
If you find a baby animal in the woods, dont touch it. Just
_______ it ___________
15.
I _________ all over town _______ her baby while Stella is at
work
16.
Stellas sister ___________ ____________ her baby while Stella is
at work.
17.
If you dont know how to use this software, why dont you ask
Joanne to help?
I did ask her, but Im still ___________ ____________

__________ . I

didnt understand a word she said/

18.
The police are ________ ___________________ the crime.
19.
Did Amanda ever complete her project?
Shes almost finished. She just has a few minor problems left to
________ _________.
20.
Alfred is ________ __________ __________ with his boss because
he didnt finish an important project by the deadline
21.
Has Marilyn gotten used to her new job at the bank yet?
It took her awhile, but I think shes finally ________ ___________
_________there.
22.
Are you ____________ _______________ ___________ this proposal
or against it?
23.
Are you familiar with this neighborhood?
I grew up here, so I ___________ _______________ ____________
___________ __________ my __________
24.
Is your roommate at home now?
I have no idea. I can never ___________ ____________ _____________ his
coming and goings.
I understand that you have a new dean over at the Business
School
25.
Yes, his name is Dean Nishimura. He has a completely
different philosophy of business education from the one Dean

Woodford had, so Im sure that some big changes are ___________

_____________ for us

Lesson 7
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

Look
Look
Look
Look

like
out (for)
over
up

Resemble
Be careful
Examine; read
(1)Find information (especially in

Look up too
Make a fool of oneself
Make a point of
Make ends meet
Make sense (of)
Make up
Make up ones mind
Make way for
Mean to
Mixed up
Music to ones ears
A nervous wreck
Next to nothing

a reference book)
(2)Try to locate someone
Respect; admire
Act embarrassingly
Make a special effort
Balance a budget
Be logical and clear; understand
Invent; create
Decide
Allow space for; provide a path for
Intend to
Confused
Something that sounds pleasant
Someone who is very nervous
Very little (money, for example);

No doubt about it
No harm done
Not at all
Not believe ones ears (or eyes)

cheap
Certainly; definitely
There was no damage done
Not in any way; not to any degree
Be unable to believe what one hears

Not think much of

Odds and ends
An old hand (at)
On edge
On end

(or sees)
Not like; not have a good opinion of
Small, miscellaneous items
An experienced person
Nervous
Consecutively, without a break (days

On
On
On
On

on end, for example)

Easily available
Nervous; anxious
Independent
After reconsidering

hand
needles and pins
ones own
second thought

31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.

On the go
On the tip of ones tongue
On the whole
Out of (sth)
Out of ones mind
Out of order
Out of the question
Over and over
Over ones head

Always busy; always moving

Almost able to remember
In general
Not having something
Insane; illogical; irrational
Broken; not functioning properly
Definitely not; impossible
Again and again; repeatedly
Not understandable ( a joke, for
example); obscure

Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Have you ___________ ______________ this contract yet?
Not yet. Ill try to read it this weekend.
2. I think Ill have the prime rib, waiter.
All right, sir.
Wait, no _________ _____________ ____________ __________, I think Ill
have the chicken.
3. Is this story true, or did you just ________ it _________?
4. You cant get a soda from that machine. Theres a sign on it that
says ________ __________ ___________
5. Sherry ____________ ______________ _____________ her father because
of all the help and good advice hes given her.
6. I dont have much cash ___________ ______________, but I can get
some from an automatic teller machine.
7. What a confusing movie! I couldnt ______________ ____________
_________ it.
8. You did a fine job on this research paper, especially on the
bibliography.
Thanks.
I

________________

______________

______________

_____________ getting the bibliography exactly right. I did it

___________ __________ __________ until it was perfect.
9. Whats Fritzs cousins name?

Its _____________ __________________ _____________ my _____________,

but I cant quite remember.
10.
Hello. Id like to reserve a room for this weekend.
Im afraid thats ____________ ____________ __________ ____________.
The hotel is fully booked this weekend.
11.
Do you have any fresh peaches?
Sorry, Im __________ _____________them. I just sold the last crate of
peaches.
12.
Listen to the roar of the engines
Yeah, its ___________ ____________ my __________ . I just love going to
these car races
13.
The plane was delayed for hours __________ __________. I
thought wed never get off the ground.
14.
Have you finished moving into your apartment?
Almost. There are still a few __________ ___________ ___________ in
my old apartment that I need to move today.
15.
Brad sure is busy, isnt he?
Yeah, hes involved in so many activities that hes always
___________ ____________ ___________
16.
There are so many interesting dishes on the menu that its
hard for me to ______________ my ____________which one to order
17.
If you go into the swamp, __________ ____________
___________alligators.
18.
When will you be informed of the test results?
Not until Monday, so Ill be __________ _____________ ___________
__________ all weekend
19.
Do you know what the capital of South Dakota is?
Im not sure. Lets _______________ it ___________in this atlas
20.
Theyre going to tear down those old warehouses

to

_____________ ____________ _____________ a big new hotel.

21.
I like that painting you bought. Did it cost much?
No, the artist sold it to me for ______________ ________________
_______________.
22.
How was your final exam, Laurie?
A couple of questions were tricky, but __________ _____________
___________ it was pretty easy

23.
Im sorry I knocked that vase over. I didnt mean to.
________ ______________ __________. It wasnt damaged.
24.
I must have been __________ ___________ my __________when I
signed the lease on this apartment. I cant afford this much rent.
25.
He didnt ________ ______________break the plate; it was an
accident.
I didnt know you could play horseshoes so well.
26.
Oh, Im __________ ____________ ____________

__________

horseshoes. Ive been playing since I was a kid.

27.
You must be _________ ___________. This isnt River Street; its
Laurel Avenue.
28.
How long have you been living alone?
Ive been ____________my ___________since I graduated from high
school.
29.
Did you find that lecture boring?
_________ ____________ _____________. In fact, I thought it was
fascinating.
30.
Christine is so funny, she should be a stand-up comic
I suppose, but a lot her jokes go right __________ my ___________. I
just dont get them
Lesson 8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Part with

No longer have; get rid of; not be in

Pass up
Pass with flying colors
Pat oneself on the back
Pay attention (to)
Pick out
Pick up

the company of
Not accept; not choose
Do very well (on a test)
Congratulate oneself
Concentrate on; focus on
Choose; select
(1)Take something from a surface
(for example, a floor)
(2)Go to a location and
someone or sth
(3)Learn
(especially

8.
9.

Pick up the tab (for)

The picture of

get

without

formal training)
Pay for
A perfect example of something

10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

Play it by ear
Play it safe
Point out
A pretty penny
Pull ones leg
Push ones luck

Do something without a definite plan

Choose a cautious plan
Indicate
A lot of money
Joke with someone; make up a story
To continue doing something too

16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

Put
Put
Put
Put
Put
Put

long; to keep taking chances.

Save for later; set aside
Return something to its proper place
Delay; postpone
Begin to wear
Assemble
Tolerate

aside
away
off
on
together
up with

Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Vanessa is allergic to tobacco smoke, so she cant ____________
______________ ___________ smoking
2. That conference you attended in San Diego must have been very
expensive
Yes, but fortunately,

the

company

work

for

____________

_____________ ____________ __________ __________it

3. I asked my teacher to __________ ___________the mistakes that I made
in my essay so that I could correct them
4. What do you want to do tomorrow?
I dont know. Lets just ____________ _____________ __________
__________
5. You should get rid of that old leather jacket
I know, but I hate to __________ ___________it. Ive had it for years
6. How did you learn how to make such beautiful pottery? Did you
take a class in ceramics?
NO, I just _________it___________on my own
7. Can you read that sign?
Just a minute. Let me_____________my glasses____________
8. It took Linda weeks to ____________ _____________that thousand-piece
jigsaw puzzle.

9. This bike cost ______________ ______________ ________________, but I

think it was worth it
10.
I passed the first two quizzes in this class, and I scarcely
studied for them at all
Well, if I were you, I wouldnt ___________my _______________any
further. You should study for the next quiz because its going to be a
lot harder
11.
Ill ____________ __________the laundry that you dropped off at
the cleaners this morning
12.
The child ________ __________ her toys from the floor and then
__________them__________in her toy box
13.
Bert and Mary had to __________ _________their dinner party
until next weekend because Bert wasnt feeling well.
14.
Who _________ ___________that tie for you?
No one. I chose it myself
15.
Are you going to take that job?
NO, I decided to ____________it_________because I dont want to
relocate
16.
_________ _________as I read the directions or you wont
understand what to do
17.
I finally finished collecting all the materials I need to write my
report
Great, but dont be too quick to ____________yourself_____________
_________ ___________. You still have to write the report and then
word-process it
18.
How did you do on your final exams?
Great! I ___________them all _____________ ______________ __________
19.
Im going to ______________this magazine___________for now
and read it later
20.
I wouldnt

believe

word

Lynn

told

________________your_____________
Lesson 9
1.

Right away

Immediately

you.

Shes

just

2.
3.

Ring a bell (with)

Rough it

Sound familiar to
Experience somewhat

difficult

4.

Rule out

primitive conditions
Say
something
is

impossible;

5.
6.
7.

Run a temperature
Run for office
Run into

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Run late
Run of the mill
Run out of
Save ones breath
Search me

13.

me
See eye to eye (with someone) Have

14.

(on something)
See (someone) off

agreement
Accompany (to an airport or train

15.
16.

See to
Serve one right

station, for example)

Take care off; check on; fix
Receive the proper punishment; get

17.
18.
19.

Short for
Show around
Show off

the penalty one deserves

A nickname for
Orient; give a tour
Try to attract attention by unusual

20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

Show up
Shut down
Sign up (for)
Sing another tune
Size up
Sleep on it

behavior
Arrive
Close
Enroll (for a class, for example)
Change ones opinion; feel differently
Measure; estimate
Postpone a decision until the next

Slowly but surely

Snowed under
So far, so good
Sooner or later
Speak ones mind
Speak up

day
Gradually; steadily but not quickly
Very busy
Up until now, there are no problems
At some indefinite future time
Say what one is thinking
Speak more loudly

26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.

or

eliminate
Have a fever
Try to get elected
(1)Meet unexpectedly; bump into
(2)Collide with
Be late; be in a hurry
Ordinary
Exhaust the supply of
Dont bother asking someone
I dont know; I have no idea; beats
the

same

opinion;

be

in

32.
33.

Speak up for
Spell out (for)

Support verbally
Make something very clear; explain
in detail

Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Has John gone back to Minneapolis yest?
Yes, I just ______________him _____________at the airport
2. This pipe is leaking again
Wed better have a plumber ___________ _____________it
3. I was late because I __________ ____________ __________gasoline
4. Write down your ideas ______________ _________________. If you wait to
write them down, you may forget them.
5. When the factory ____________________ ______________, hundreds of
workers were laid off
6. Did you _________ __________ ___________Professor Charmichaels class?
NO, I decided to take Professor Knudsons class instead.
7. Vicki, hows that project youre working on coming along?
______________ _______________ ______________ _____________, but the
tricky part will be next week
8. Have you ever heard of an actor named Anthony Reed?
Hmm I dont think so. The name doesnt ______________ ___________
__________ __________me at all.
9. Frank doesnt take a hint very well, does he?
No, you have to _____________things ________ ____________Frank. He
likes everything crystal clear.
10. Id heard that the clothes in this store were very nice. But I found
them ________________ ______________ ____________
11. Bennet thought those stories Tina told about you were pretty
funny
They werent funny; they were embarrassing. Bennet would be
___________ ____________ ________ if Tina had told that kind of story
about him

12.

Norman doesnt like to _____________ _____________when he goes on

vacation. He prefers to stay at luxury hotels.

13. I dont like to go to parties too early. Id rather __________ ___________
a little bit late.
14. Its expensive to ___________ _____________ ____________these days.
Political campaigns cost a lot of money.
15. So, do you plan to buy this motorcycle or not?
Im still not sure. Can I ____________ ____________ it and let you know
tomorrow morning?
16. Have you seen the campus yet?
Yes, my cousin Melissa is a student there, and she ___________ me
_____________
17. Im collecting money for the Red Cross. I think Ill ask Pat to
contribute
______________your_________________. Pat never contributes to anything
18. Are you going to medical school?
Not this year, but I wouldnt __________it _____________in the future
19. I ______________ ______________my old friend Leslie downtown
yesterday. I hadnt seen her for months.
20. I understand youre learning how to speak Russian.
Yes, and it was really hard for me, especially at first. Now, though, Im
____________ __________getting the hang of it.
21. Your sisters name is Jessie?
Thats what everyone calls her its _________ _________Jessica.
22. Have a busy night at the restaurant?
We werent just busy we were __________ _________! Ive never seen
so many customers!
23. I feel terrible. I have a terrible cold or maybe even the flu
Are you __________ ___________ ____________? If you have a fever, then
you probably have the flu
24. My brother and I agree on most issues, but I sure dont _________
___________ __________ _________ _________him ___________this proposal to
build a new stadium
Lesson 10
1.

Spick and span

Extremely clean; spotless

2.
3.
4.

Stack up against
Stamp out
Stand for

(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)

Stand out
Stay out
Stay out (or up) to all hours
Stay up
Stick with
Stock up on
A stones throw from
Stop by
Straighten up
Stuck with

Compare with
Eliminate; wipe out
(1)Tolerate; put up with
(2)Symbolize; represent
Be noticeable
Not come home
Come home (or go to bed) very late
Not go to bed
Not change; stay with
Get a large supply of something
Not far away from; close to
Visit informally; go to see
Clean up; make tidy
Have something one cannot get rid

(13) Take a break

(14) Take a lot of nerve
(15) Take a lot out of (someone)

of
Stop working for a short time
Require a lot of courage
Be hard on someone; drain energy

(16) Take advantage of

(17) Take after

from someone
Utilize; make use of; exploit
Resemble; look like (especially an

(18) Take apart

(19) Take it easy

older relative)
Disassemble
Relax; calm down

Exercise :
Fill in the blanks in the sentences or dialogs with idioms from the list
above. There will be one word per blank. It may be necessary to change
the verb forms in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
1. Vaccines
2.
3.
4.
5.

have

permitted

doctors

to

virtually

____________

____________ a number of diseases, including smallpox and polio

How late do you usually __________ _______________?
Im normally in bed by eleven on weekdays
How late do you usually _____________ ___________on weekends?
I sometimes dont come home until two or three in the morning.
Do you _________ __________ your mother or father?
I dont think I look much like either one of them
Earl had no trouble ____________ _____________the engine on the lawn
mower, but then he couldnt put it back together.

6. You look a little tired. Why dont you ___________ ___________

_________and finish your homework later?
7. The teacher wont __________ ________cheating. When she caught
one student cheating on the mid-term exam, she gave him a zero on
that test.
8. I tried and tried to find a buyer for this old car.
Looks like youre _____________ ____________it for now
9. My brother is going to invest all his savings in a new business
venture
That ________ __________ ___________ ___________ __________. Id be
afraid to take a risk like that.
10.
I give up. I cant solve this chemistry problem
__________ _______________it. Eventually, youll figure it out.
11.
We have to leave the apartment ___________ ___________
____________. The landlord said that if it wasnt clean when we
moved out, wed lose part of our security deposit.
12.
Don was wearing jeans and a T-shirt while all the other guests
had on formal dinner wear. He really _________ _________
13.
Im nervous about my interview
______ _________ ___________. Youll make a better impression if
youre relaxed.
14.
The fifty

stars

on

____________the fifty states.

15.
Do you _____________

the

American

___________your

flag

_____________

apartment

before

guests ___________ ____________?

A little bit. I dont mind if its a little messy, but I dont want it to
look like a disaster area
16.
My new roommate is from Italy
You
should
___________
________________

____________

this

opportunity to learn some Italian

17.
I just heard on the news that the Florida orange crop was
damaged by the hurricane last week, and that orange juice prices
are going to go way up.

If we had a big freezer, we could __________ ____________

_____________ frozen orange juice now and we wouldnt have to pay
those prices
18.
Do you live near Cecilia?
Oh sure. My apartment building is just _____________ _________
___________ __________ hers.
19.
SO you ran in that ten-kilometer race?
Yes, but it __________ _____________ ______________ ____________
______________ me. I can hardly move.
20.
Tim, youve eaten at both these restaurants how does Chez
Michele __________ _________ ________the Oak room?
Oh, theyre both good. I think the Oak Room has slightly better
food, but the service is better at Chez Michele.