12 English Phrasal Verbs and Idioms for Learning & Improving 4 skills | Lesson 1 – Intermediate Level

1. to eat in/to eat out: to eat at home/to eat in a restaurant

  • Example: I feel too tired to go out for dinner. Let’s eat in again tonight.
  • Ex: When you eat out, what restaurant do you generally go to?
2. cut and dried: predictable, known beforehand; boring

  • Ex: The results of the national election were rather cut and dried; the Republicans won easily.
  • Ex: A job on a factory assembly line is certainly cut and dried.
3. to look after: to watch, to supervise, to protect (also: to take care of, to keep an eye on)

  • Ex: Grandma will look after the baby while we go to the lecture.
  • Ex: Who is going to take care of your house plants while you are away?
  • Ex: I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on my car while I’m in the store.
4. to feel like: to have the desire to, to want to consider

This idiom is usually followed by a gerund (the –ing form of a verb used as a noun).

  • Ex: I don’t feel like studying tonight. Let’s go to a basketball game.
  • Ex: I feel like taking a long walk. Would you like to go with me?
5. once and for all: finally, absolutely

  • Ex: My daughter told her boyfriend once and for all that she wouldn’t date him anymore.
  • Ex: Once and for all, john has quit smoking cigarettes.
6. to hear from: to receive news or information from

  • Ex: To hear from is used for receiving a letter, telephone call, etc., from a person or organization.
  • Ex: I don’t hear from my brother very often since he moved to Chicago.
  • Ex: Have you heard from the company about that new job?
7. to hear of: to know about, to be familiar with; to consider

  • Ex: The second definition is always used in the negative.
  • Ex: When I asked for directions to Mill Street, the police officer said that she had never heard of it.  Byron strongly disagreed with my request by saying, “I won’t hear of it!”
8. to make fun of: to laugh at, to joke about

  • Ex: They are making fun of Carla’s new hair style. Don’t you think that it’s really strange?
  • Ex: Don’t make fun of Jose’s English. He’s doing the best he can.
9. to come true: to become reality, to prove to be correct

  • Ex: The weatherman’s forecast for today’s weather certainly came true.
  • Ex: Everything that the economists predicted about the increased cost of living has come true.
10. as a matter of fact: really, actually (also: in fact)

  • Ex: Hans thinks he knows English well but, as a matter of fact, he speaks very poorly.
  • Ex: I didn’t say that. In fact, I said quite the opposite.
11. to have one’s way: to arrange matters the way one wants (especially when someone else doesn’t want to same way) (also: to get one’s way)

  • Ex: My brother always wants to have his way, but this time our parents said that we could do what I wanted.
  • Ex: If Sheila doesn’t get her way, she becomes very angry.
12. to look forward to: to expect or anticipate with pleasure

This idiom can be followed by a regular noun or a gerund.

  • Ex: We’re greatly looking forward to our vacation in Mexico.
  • Ex: Margaret never looks forward to going to work.

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