12 English Phrasal Verbs and Idioms for Learning & Improving 4 skills | Lesson 5 – Intermediate Level

• Ex: With prices so high now, I’ll have to do without a new suit this year.
• Ex: As a traveling salesperson, Monica can’t do without a car.
• Ex: It’s a shame that so many poor people in the world have to go without basic necessities of life such as nutritious food and suitable shelter

• Ex: The students on the football team were ranked according to height, from shortest to tallest.
  Ex: According to my dictionary, you are using that word in your essay incorrectly.

This idiom is used when the occurrence of an event seems inevitable or unavoidable.

• Ex: We are bound to be late if you don’t hurry up.
• Ex: With the economy improving now, their business is bound to make more money this year.

• Ex: In the dark, I couldn’t tell for sure whether it was Polly or Sarah who drove by.
• Ex: I now for certain that Gene will move back to Washington next month.

This idiom is usually used when someone is mistakenly perceived. A noun or pronoun must separate the idiom.

• Ex: Because of his strong, muscular body, I took him for a professional athlete. As it turns out, he doesn’t play any professional sports.
• Ex: What do you take me for — a fool? I don’t believe what you’re saying at all.

• Ex: You can try out the new car before you decide to buy it.
• Ex: I can let you try the computer out for a few days before you make a decision.

• Ex: The construction company had to tear down the old hotel in order to build a new office building.
• Ex: The owners had to tear the house down after it burned down in a fire.

• Ex: Tom tore up the letter angrily and threw all the pieces into the trash can.
• Ex: He told the lawyer to tear the old contract up and then to prepare a new one

This idiom is usually followed by the adverb well. (In Lesson 6 this idiom has the meaning to review, as in the second sentence of the second example below.)

• Ex: The teacher’s organized lessons always go over well with her students.
• Ex: The comedian’s jokes weren’t going over well; the audience wasn’t laughing much at all. I think that the comedian should go over his material more carefully before each act.

• Ex: We ran out of gas right in the middle of the main street in town.
• Ex: It’s dangerous to run out of water if you are in an isolated area.

This idiom is used to describe the true character of a person.

• Ex: James sometimes seems quite unfriendly, but at heart he’s a good person.
• Ex: The Fares often don’t see eye to eye, but at heart they both love each other very much

• Ex: We were about to leave the house when the phone rang.
• Ex: I’m sorry that I broke in. What were you about to say?