Baixe English Idioms and Expressions: A Comprehensive Guide e outras Manuais, Projetos, Pesquisas em PDF para Inglês, somente na Docsity!
ADVANCED 1
Idioms with clothes words
- Feel as comfortable as an old shoe: Very familiar or comfortable, especially in an agreeably unpretentious or unrestrained manner.
- Has got something up her sleeve: To have a secret plans or ideas.
- Pull her socks up: To make an effort to improve your work or behaviour because it is not good enough.
- Such a stuffed shirt: Someone who behaves in a very formal and old-fashioned way and thinks that they are very important.
- Take my hat off: If you say that you take your hat off to someone, you mean that you admire them for an achievement. Idioms related to computers
- Spread like wildfire: If disease or news spreads like wildfire, it quickly affects or becomes known by more and more people.
- Dotcom phenomenon: A company that does most of its business on the internet.
- Silver surfer: An older person who spends a lot of time using the internet.
- Booted up: Turn on something.
- Cog in the machine: A member of a large organization whose job, although necessary, makes them fell as if they are not important. Idioms about travelling / with travel words
- Have got itchy feet: To start to want to travel or do something different. To feel the urge to stray from one’s routine, often by traveling. Primarily heard in UK, Australia.
- Sail through: To succeed very easily in something, especially a test.
- Be in the same boat: To be in the same unpleasant situation as other people.
- A mile a minute: Very quickly.
- Hit the road: To leave a place or begin a journey. Idioms to do with animals
- Look a gift horse in the mouth: Said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered.
- A wolf in sheep’s clothing: A person with a pleasant and friendly appearance that hides the fact that they are evil.
- Be like a fish out of water: To feel awkward because you are in a situation that you have no experienced before or because you are very different from the people around you.
- Have a whale of a time: To enjoy yourself very much.
- Take the bull by the horns: To do something difficult in a brave and determined way. Adverbs of degree
In front of comparative adjectives:
- A bit
- A good deal
- A great deal
- A little
- A lot
- Much
- Rather
- Slightly In front of superlative adjectives:
- By far
- Easily
- Much
- Quite
As and like AS is used to refer to a person’s profession LIKE is only used for comparison or similarity LIKE and SUCH AS can be used to mean FOR EXAMPLE Some verbs can be followed by AS As is normally followed by a subject and verb, while LIKE is followed by a noun or pronoun Clothes: Suit, sweatshirt. Footwear: Boots, sandals, sneakers. Jewellery: Bracelet, earrings, ring, necklace. Headgear: Hood, helmet, cap. Materials: Woollen, leather, cotton. Appearance: casual, smart, elegant, sport.
Phrases Add to: Set addition over something. Cut down: Reduce. Dress up: Wear smarter clothes than usual. Fit in with: Adapt to place. Go out: Go somewhere for entertainment. Keep up with: Understand something that is changing fast. Pull on: Put something on quickly. Put together: Create something by joining or combining different things. Save up: Keep money for something in the future. Slip on: Put something quickly. Stand out: Be easy to see or notice. Take back: Return something. Go ahead: Continue. Go back: Return. Go for: Select. Go in: Enter somewhere. Go on: Accept to do something. Go over: Revise. Go up: Increase. KNOCK-OFF: Imitation Check in: To register at your accommodation. Get away: To go on holiday. Get in: To arrive at the destination. Set off: To begin a journey. Stop over: To stay somewhere for a short time when you are going somewhere else. Booked: To arrange for someone to stay in a hotel. Check out: To pay and leave accommodation. Take off: To leave the ground Preposition of location: Across: From one side to the other side. At: Position at a point. In: Place seen in three dimensions. Into: Entering something. Off: Away from something.
ADVANCED 2
Idioms describing feelings or mood KEEP her CHIN UP: An expression of encouragement to someone who has to bear some emotional burdens. Has/have been ON CLOUD NINE: In a state of extreme, euphoric, happiness. Looks a bit UNDER THE WEATHER: If someone is or feels ill. IN TWO MINDS ABOUT: To be unable to decide about something. Have been IN A DARK MOOD: When someone fells angry, upset, unhappy or discontented. Idioms related to performing arts It TAKES TWO TO TANGO: Said when you want to emphasize that both people involved in a difficult situation must accept the blame. BREAK A LEG: A phrase used due to the superstition that wishing one “good luck” will result in the opposite. This ISN’T OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS: Used for saying that it is still possible for a situation to change. The SHOW MUST GO ON: Said to encourage someone to continue with what they are doing, even if they are experiencing difficulties. Being IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Literally to be positioned in a beam of light, typically while performing on stage. Idioms with sports words You SET THE BALL ROLLING: To do something that starts an activity. THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT: One has the responsibility for further action, especially after someone else previously held responsibility. COME OUT OF LEFT FIELD: To be completely unexpected and often unusual. You need to PLAY THE GAME: Behave according to accepted customs, obey the rules. You keep MOVING THE GOALPOSTS: To change the rules while someone is trying to do something in order to make it more difficult for them.
Idioms related to work GIVING (something) A BLANK CHEQUE: To give someone freedom or permission to act as one wishes or thinks necessary. BUSINESS IS BUSINESS: A phrase that emphasizes business decisions as completely separate from emotions or personal issue. TO WORK OUR FINGERS TO THE BONE: To work excessively hard. Likened to literally wearing the skin off of one’s hands from too much manual labour. To ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP: To do or get ready to do something difficulty, intense, or demanding. To LEARN THE ROPES: To learn or understand the basic details of how to do or perform a job, task, or activity. Mixed Emotions Anxious Happy = Content Scared Uneasy = Tense = Worried = Preoccupied Petrified Delighted = Very happy Pleased = Satisfied Frightened = Terrified Thrilled = Very excited I’m scared/worried/bored + stiff = Completely scared/worried/bored Different Tenses BURST (EXPLODE) BURST BURST BUY BOUGHT BOUGHT CREEP CREPT CREPT DRIVE DROVE DRIVEN GET GOT GOT/GOTTEN HEAR HEARD HEARD HOLD HELD HELD KEEP KEPT KEPT
Example: If I heat water 100 degrees, it boils. First (possibilities, present or future) – when IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, SIMPLE FUTURE (will/won’t + V base form) Example: If I wake up late, I will miss the bus. Second (imaginary situation, present or future) – unreal, imaginary, hypothetical / if, suppose, supposing, imagine, what if, unless, only if, as long as IF + PAST SIMPLE, PRESENT CONDITIONAL (would/wouldn’t + V base form) Example: If I won a million dollars, I would buy a new car. Third (imaginary situation, past) – unreal, imaginary, hypothetical IF + PAST PERFECT, PERFECT CONDITIONAL (would/wouldn’t + have + V3) Example: If I had got a gold medal, I would have been happy. Mixed 1 (present result of a past condition) IF + PAST PERFECT, PRESENT CONDITIONAL (would/wouldn’t + V base form) Example: If you had done what I said, you would be rich now. Mixed 2 (pas result of a present or continuing condition) IF + PAST SIMPLE, PRESENT CONDITIONAL (would/wouldn’t + have + V3) Example: If I were a good cook, I would have invited them to dinner. Vocabulary: Nouns: Attempt, Experiment, Trial and Try. Verbs: Accepted, Gathered, Received and Welcomed. Preposition: By, In, On and To. Adjectives: Delicate, Gentle, Light and Tiny. Preposition Doubtful about Proud of Successful at Trouble for Believe in Good at
Looking forward to Sport vocabulary Ice skates / ice skating Swimming goggles and hat / swimming Shuttlecock / badminton Basket / basketball Squash rackets and ball / squash Rugby ball / rugby Football / football Table tennis bat and ball Baseball bat / baseball Tennis racket and ball / tennis Volley ball / volley Oars / rowing Snowboard / snowboarding Golf clubs and ball / golf Ski poles and skis / skiing Aerobics DO GYM Martial arts DO STUDIO Swimming GO POOL Athletics DO STADIUM/TRACK Basketball PLAY COURT Snowboarding GO PISTE Golf PLAY COURSE Running GO TRACK Football PLAY PITCH (BR/EN) – FIELD (AM)/STADIUM Gymnastics DO GYM USED TO and WOULD Used to As we studied in Advanced Lesson 2 "used to" can be used to express past habit. I used to walk to school.
Idioms with the space words Space cadet: Someone who behaves in a strange way In a blue moon: Not usually The sky is the limit: To have no limits It’s not rocket science: Very easy Be on another planet: To be distracted Idioms to describe people and personality A pain in the neck: Someone who is really annoying and most people can’t stand Quick tempered: Someone who gets angry easily As good as gold: Someone who behaves in a way that others approve A layabout: Someone who is lazy and avoid responsibility A know it all: Someone seems to know everything and annoys other people As hard as nails: Someone who is distant and unfriendly, showing no sympathy, kindness or fear Idioms related to technology Reinvent the wheel: To invest time/money in something that already exists Get/have wires crossed: To have a different understandings of the same situation Be on the same wavelength: To think in a similar way Find my feet: To become familiar and confident with a new situation Light years ahead: Clearly better than the rest Speculation and deduction Well, it could be advertising… Or perhaps it might be for... I think it must be a… It can’t be for… because… Could, might, may: used to speculate for something Must: used to indicate certainty
Can’t/couldn’t: used to indicate certainty in relation to impossible ideas Couldn’t/ could not: also used in questions, sometimes with possibly, to speculate about something Could have, might have, may have: are used to express uncertainty about something in the past Couldn’t have/can’t have: used to express certainty that something in the past was impossible or didn’t happen Must have: used to express near-certainty about something in the past Voice-over: Narration spoken by an unseen narrator Jingle: Little publicity Celebrity: Famous person Verdict: Final decision Brand: Products – Make: Cars/gadgets Cunning: Smart Collocations Huge: Variety, budget, market, picture High: Budget, voice Low: Budget, voice Deep: Message, character, voice Shallow: Message, idea, character Narrow: Idea, picture, view Wide: Variety, market, picture Word formation Use: re-usable Settle: settlement Commerce: commercial Achieve: achievement
Noun: Unpopularity Adverb: Unreliable Noun: Unreliability Adverb: Unreliably Witty Noun: Wittiness Adverb: Wittily Phrasal verbs with take Take account of : To think about, consider. Take after : To resemble one, as in appearance, behavior, attitude, etc. Take out : To remove something or someone from something or some place. Take charge of : To accept the responsibility for something and have control over it Take something for granted : To never think about something because you believe it will always be available or stay exactly the same Take off : when something leave the ground Take turns : To alternate doing something Take (s.o. / s.g.) seriously : To think that someone/something is important and should be given careful attention Get on : To board something Keep on : To make or help someone Look on : To watch some action or activity as a spectator Switch on : To activate, connect or start the function of something Break off : To physically separate from something Make off : leave very quickly, usually in order to escape Put off : to decide to arrange to delay an event or activity until the later time or day Take off : when something leave the ground and begins to fly Work off : when someone get rid (to cause someone to be free from something) of it by doing something energetic Vocabulary
Celebrating Failed Hot Fresh Various Strong Destroying Industrial ADVANCED 4 Idioms related to education With flying colours: you do something very successfully Teacher’s pet: a student in a class who is liked best by the teacher and therefore treated better than the other students Hit the books: to study As easy as ABC: extremely easy Go back to basics: returning to the simple and most important things Idioms related to the workplace Break his back: to work extremely hard Back to the salt mines: it means you have to return back to the workplace* Talk shop: to talk about your job with those you work with when not at work Doing the donkey work: To do difficult and tedious work Nothing ventured, nothing gained: You have to take a risk in order to get something good Idioms with plant words Beating around the bush: to avoid talking about what is important Coming up roses: If something is coming up roses, it is happening successfully Barking up the wrong tree: to be wrong about the reason for something or the way to achieve something As fresh as a daisy: to be full of energy and enthusiasm Shaking like a leaf: To tremble violently with fear or nervousness Idioms with food word
The whole: is not used with plural Examples: I had it all (everything) I don’t miss it at all (nothing) All along (from the very beginning) The best thing of all (everything) All of a sudden (suddenly) For all the stress (despite) All in all (to conclude / all things considered of) Above all (refers to something mentioned before) Countable plural Many – several – a few – very few – a number of – a large/small number of – quite few No countable Much – a little – very little – a great/good deal of – a large/small amount of Countable plural / No countable Some – any – no – most – all – hardly any – a lot of – lots of – plenty of – enough Extra Few and little (not enough) / a few and a little (not many but enough) Backshifts & Time phrases Simple present – simple past Present continuous – past continuous Present perfect – past perfect Is am are – was were Past continuous – past perfect continuous Past perfect – past perfect Simple past – past perfect
Can must will may – could (had to) would might Should would might could – the same Some, any and no Some Some and its compounds – somebody, someone, something, somewhere etc. are normally used in affirmative sentences: There is some wine in the cellar. We have some chocolate cake left from last night. There is someone at the door. Some and its compounds are also used in interrogatives (questions) which are used to make an offer or a request: Would you like some tea? Do you want something to eat? Can you ask someone to come and repair the TV? Any Any and its compounds – anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere etc. are used in interrogative sentences: Has anyone seen my mobile? Do we have anything in the fridge? Not any is used in negative sentences and any and its compounds can be used with words like without, never, rarely. I have never met anyone as rude as you. I did not have any time to speak to Marc. When any and its compounds are used in affirmative sentences there is a different meaning. We can go anywhere you like. = It doesn’t matter where we go. Anyone could have told you that. = I’m surprised you don’t know this. No
