• Ex: Please hold still while I adjust your tie.
• Ex: If you don’t hold that camera still, you’ll get a blurred picture.

This idiom is used when the person has been seen previously but is not known personally. The person must be used to separate the idiom.

• Ex: I have never met our new neighbors; I simply know them by sight.
• Ex: The woman said that she would know the thief by sight if she ever saw him again.

In a question, this idiom is used with what or something. In an answer, something or nothing is usually used.

Example:

• A: What is the matter, Betty? You look very upset.
• B: Yes, something is the matter. I’ve lost my purse!
• A: Is something the matter, Charles? You don’t look well.
• B: No, nothing is the matter. I’m just a little under the weather.

• Ex: Sarah wanted to bring the scheduling problem up at the club meeting, but finally she decided against doing so.
• Ex: One of the students brought up an interesting point related to the subject in our textbook.

The second definition provides a very informal, even rude, meaning that should be used only with close friends. It is sometimes used in a joking manner.

• Ex: While driving in Boston, we got lost and drove many miles in the wrong direction.
• Ex: Todd kept bothering me while I was studying, so I told him to get lost.
• Ex: Lisa joked that she wanted her sister to get lost forever.

• Ex: A big accident held up traffic on the highway for several hours.
• Ex: Deidre is amazed at how well her car has held up over the years.

• Ex: The young couple ran away and got married because their parents wouldn’t permit it.
• Ex: That cat is just like a criminal — it runs away from anyone who tries to come near!

• Ex: Heather ruled out applying to college in Texas because she would rather go to school in Canada.
• Ex: I’d like to watch a good movie on TV tonight, but a ton of homework rules that out.

• Ex: Jacquie is by far the most intelligent student in our class.
• Ex: This is by far the hottest, most humid summer we’ve had in years.

A noun or pronoun must divide the idiom.

• Ex: We are going to the airport to see Peter off on his trip to Europe.
  Ex: When I left for Cincinnati on a business trip, no one came to the train station to send me off.

A noun or pronoun must again divide the idiom.

• Ex: The Johnsons were certain to see their guests out as each one left the party.
• Ex: Would you please see me out to the car? It’s very dark outside.

This idiom derives form reducing it is no wonder that…

Ex: No wonder the portable heater doesn’t work. It’s not plugged into the electrical outlet!

Ex: Jack has been out of town for several weeks. No wonder we haven’t seen him recently The post 12 English Phrasal Verbs and Idioms for Learning & Improving 4 skills | Lesson 7 – Intermediate Level first appeared on Helena Daily English.]]> https://helenadailyenglish.com/12-english-phrasal-verbs-and-idioms-for-learning-improving-4-skills-lesson-6-intermediate-level.html Mon, 28 May 2018 09:43:21 +0000 https://helenadailyenglish.com/?p=217 1. to bite off: to accept as a responsibility or task This idiom is often used when one accepts more responsibility than one can handle alone. It is usually used in the form to bite off more than one can chew. Ex: When I accepted the position of chairman, I didn’t realize how much I […]

• 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?

• Ex: On our trip to Colorado, one of the car tires blew out when it hit a large hole in the road.
• Ex: Little Joey wasn’t able to blow all the candles out, so his big sister helped him

This idiom is always used in a clause beginning with what.

• Ex: What has become of my pencil? I had it ten minutes ago, but now I can’t find it.
• Ex: I wondered what became of you. I looked around the shopping center for two hours, but I couldn’t find you at all.

The second definition of this idiom is impolite in formal situations.

• Ex: During the hurricane, all the store owners shut their shops up.
• Ex: Bob’s sister told him to shut up and not say anything more about it.
• Ex: The student got into big trouble for telling his teacher to shut up.

• Ex: Curtis has got a bad cold. He’s sneezing and coughing a lot.
• Ex: How much money have you got with you right now?

• Ex: She has got to go to Chicago today to sign the contract papers.
• Ex: I have to be back home by two o’clock or my wife will feel ill at ease.

• Ex: Frieda works so fast that no one in the office can keep up with her.
• Ex: You’ll have to walk more slowly. I can’t keep up with you.

• Ex: Democracies provide people many freedoms and privileges. On the other hand, democracies suffer many serious problems such as crime and unemployment.
• Ex: My sister takes after my father in appearance. On the other hand, I take after my mother.

• Ex: Please turn down the radio for me. It’s too loud while I’m studying.
• Ex: Laverne wanted to join the military but the recruiting officer turned her application down because Laverne is hard of hearing in one ear.

• Ex: Let’s go fifty-fifty on the cost of a new rug for our apartment.
• Ex: The political candidate has a fifty-fifty chance of winning the election

• Ex: It is best to break a new car in by driving it slowly for the first few hundred miles.
• Ex: While Carrie and I were talking, Bill broke in to tell me about a telephone call.
• Ex: Peter, it’s very impolite to cut in like that while others are speaking.

Ex: It seems that Charles will never listen to our advice. I suppose it’s a lost cause.

Ex: The police searched for the missing girl for two weeks, but finally gave it up as a lost cause. Ex: Children who have committed several crimes as teenagers and show no sorrow about their actions are generally lost causes 12. above all: mainly, especially

• Ex: Above all, don’t mention the matter to Gerard; he’s the last person we should tell.
• Ex: Sheila does well in all her school subjects, but above all in mathematics. Her math scores are always over 95 percent.

This idiom is usually used with the verbs stay and keep.

• Ex: It’s important for all the players on a soccer team to stay on their toes.
• Ex: We’d better keep on our toes while we’re walking along the dark portions of this street.

• Ex: Juan is getting along very well in his English studies.
• Ex: How is Mr. Richards getting along after his long illness?

• Ex: You’ll have to speak a little louder. Mrs. Evans is hard of hearing.
• Ex: Please don’t shout. I’m not hard of hearing.
• Ex: Listening to loud music too much can make you hard of hearing.

• Ex: I’m glad that we see eye to eye on the matter of the conference location.
• Ex: A husband and wife don’t always see eye to eye with each other, but a good marriage can survive small disagreements.

• Ex: I don’t want to see a movie now. I have in mind going to the park.
• Ex: It’s up to you what we eat tonight. Do you have anything in mind?

• Ex: I didn’t know that Paula doesn’t like vegetables. We should bear that in mind next time we invite her for dinner.
• Ex: Please keep in mind that you promised to call Stan around noon.

• Ex: For once I was able to win a game of golf against Steve, who is a much better player than I am. Dad, for once would you please let me drive the new car?

Ex: The accident happened when a box of firecrackers went off accidentally.

Ex: For what time did you set the alarm clock to go off tomorrow morning?

Ex: Vince went off without saying good-bye to anybody; I hope he wasn’t angry. 9. to grow out of: to outgrow, to become too old for; to be a result of

• Ex: He still bites his nails now and then, but soon he’ll grow out of the habit.
• Ex: The need for the salary committee grew out of worker dissatisfaction with the pay scale

• Ex: If we can’t find a larger apartment soon, we’ll just have to make the best of it right here.
• Ex: Even though the Martinez family is having financial problems, they make the best of everything by enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

• Ex: The rope was two feet longer than we needed, so we cut off the extra length.
• Ex: The operator cut our long-distance phone conversation off after two minutes.

For the second definition, the idiom is usually separated by the pronoun it.

• Ex: The child likes to cut out pictures form the newspaper and to paste them in a notebook.
• Ex: He kept bothering her, so finally she told him to cut it out. However, he wouldn’t knock it off until her larger brother appeared.

• Ex: Someone should tell little Bobby that his shirt is inside out.
• Ex: The high winds ruined the umbrella by blowing it inside out

• Ex: The accident caused on car to turn upside down, its wheels spinning in the air.
• Ex: One of the students was only pretending to read her textbook; the teacher could see that the book was actually upside down.

• Ex: For the second definition, the idiom can be followed by the preposition on and the information that someone is told.
• Ex: You should be careful to fill in the blanks on the registration form correctly.
• Ex: Barry was absent from the meeting, so I’d better fill him in.
• Ex: Has anyone filled the boss in on the latest public relation disaster?

This idiom is very similar to the first definition above. To fill in refers to completing various parts of a form, while to fill out refers to completing a form as one whole item.

• Ex: Every prospective employee must fill out an application by giving name, address, previous jobs, etc.
• Ex: The teenager had some trouble filling the forms out by himself, so his mother helped him.

• Ex: I took advantage of my neighbor’s superior skill at tennis to improve my own ability at the game.
• Ex: Teddy is such a small, weak child that his friends take advantage of him all the time. They take advantage of him by demanding money and making him do things for them.

• Ex: No matter how much money he spends on his clothes, he never looks well dressed.
• Ex: No matter where that escaped prisoner tries to hide, the police will find him sooner or later.

• Ex: After today’s exam, the class will be ready to take up the last chapter in the book.
• Ex: The piano takes up too much space in our living room. However, it would take too much time up to move it right now; so we’d better wait until later.

The important matter follows the verb take, while the person consulted follows with.

• Ex: Can I take the problem up with you right now? It’s quite urgent.
• Ex: I can’t help you with this matter. You’ll have to take it up with the manager.

• Ex: Which of your parents do you take after the most?
• Ex: Sam looks like his father, but he takes after his mother in personality.

This idiom is similar in meaning to sooner or later.

• Ex: The difference is that in the long run refers to a more extended period of time.
• Ex: In the long run, the synthetic weave in this carpet will wear better than the woolen one. You won’t have to replace it so soon.
• Ex: If you work hard at your marriage, you’ll find out that, in the long run, your spouse can be your best friend in life.

• Ex: James will be in touch with us soon to relay the details of the plan.
• Ex: I certainly enjoyed seeing you again after all these years. Let’s be sure to keep in touch.

• Ex: Marge and I had been out of touch for years, but then suddenly she called me up the other day. Ex: Larry has been so busy that he seems out of touch with world events

• 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?

• 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.

• 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.

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?

• 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.

• 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?

• 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!”

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.