ESSENTIAL IDIOMS IN ENGLISH by ROBERT J. DIXSON
Idiomatic expressions have long played an important role in the English language. In fact, the use of idioms is so widespread that an understanding of these expressions is essential to successful communication, whether in listening, speaking, reading, or writing.
The student may learn grammar and, with time, acquire adequate vocabulary, but without a working knowledge of such idioms as above all, to get along, on the whole, to look up, etc., even the best student's speech will remain awkward and ordinary.
Of course, the idioms selected for study should have practical value and be within the student's ability to comprehend. Such expressions as to set the world on fire or to wash one's dirty laundry in public may be very colorful, but they do little to help the student achieve fluency in English.
Teachers of English have long recognized that idiomatic expressions add grace and exactness to the language. The alert teacher will make their study an integral part of the teaching process. However, learning such expressions is never an easy task for the student learning English as a second or foreign language. Attempts to translate literally from the student's native tongue usually lead to roundabout expression of meaning and, more often, to confusion.
For this reason, only basic idioms have been included in this book, appropriately named Essential Idioms in English, New Edition. Furthermore, it was decided not to burden the student with discussion of the origins of idioms. There is no need to define the exact nature of an idiom except to assume that it is a phrase that has a meaning different from the meanings of its individual parts. This helps to explain why it is often difficult to translate an idiom from one language to another without incurring some change in meaning or usage.
For the purposes of this book, two-word verbs are included in the general category of idioms. A two-word verb is a verb whose meaning is altered by he addition of a particle (a preposition used with a verb to form an idiomatic expression.) to look, for example, may become to look up or to look over, each having its own special meaning. When a two-word verb can be separated by a noun or pronoun, the symbol (S) for separable is inserted in the definition. Sentences illustrating both separable and nonseparable forms are included in the examples.
Experienced ESL and EFL teachers will agree, for the most part, with the selection of idioms in this text. However, it should be recognized that any selection is somewhat arbitrary because the range is so great. Some teachers might prefer to omit certain idioms and to add others not included, but all should appreciate the attempt to make Essential idioms in English, New Edition as representative as possible.
Mention should be made of a unique feature that adds to the usefulness of this book: Appendix II is a listing of the idioms in the text with their equivalents in Spanish, French, and German. Having these equivalents should give the student a surer grasp of the meaning of the English idioms and greater confidence in using them.
This fourth revision of Essential Idioms in English, New Edition has undergone several important changes. The text has been restored to the original three-section format: Elementary (lessons 1-13), Intermediate (lesion 14-27), and Advanced (lessons 28-39). As would be expected, new idioms have been included and outdated idioms have been removed. Lessons in all sections review and build upon idioms introduced in earlier lessons. In some cases, notes that explain special usage or meaning are provided after the definitions, and related idiomatic forms are listed. New types of exercises provide greater variety in activity from one section to another. Finally, there is an answer key in the back of the book for all multiple-choice, matching, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank exercises.
to get in/to get on: to enter or to board a vehicle
To get in is used for cars; to get on is used for all other forms of transportation.
o It's easiest to get in the car from the driver's side. The door on the other side doesn't work well.
o I always get on the bus to work at 34th Street.
to get out of/to get off: to leave or to descend from a vehicle.
To get out of is used for cars; to get off is used for all other forms of transportation.
o Why don't we stop and get out of the car for a while?
o Helen got off the train at the 42nd Street terminal.
to put on: to place on oneself (usually said of clothes) (S)
o Mary put on her coat and left the room.
o Put your hat on before you leave the house.
to take off: to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)
o John took off his jacket as he entered the office.
o Take your sweater off. The room is very warm.
to call up: to telephone (also: to give some one a call) (S)
To call can be used instead of to call up, as in the first example below.
o I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday. I'd better call him now.
o Call me up tomorrow, Jane. We'll arrange a time to have lunch together.
o I promise to give you a call as soon as I arrive in New York.
to turn on: to start or cause to function (also: to switch on) (S)
o Please turn on the light; it's too dark in here.
o Do you know who turned the air conditioning on?
to turn off: to cause to stop functioning (also: to switch off, to shut off) (S)
Turn on and turn off, as well as their related forms, are used for things that flow, such as electricity, water, gas, etc.
o Please turn off the light when you leave the room.
o Are you really listening to the radio, or should I turn it off?
right away: very soon; immediately (also: at once)
o Dad says that dinner will be ready right away, so we'd better wash our hands and set the table.
o Tell Will to come to my office right away. I must see him immediately.
o Stop playing that loud music at once!
to pick up: to lift form the floor, table, etc., with one's fingers (S)
o Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.
o Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?
sooner or later: eventually, after a period of time
o If you study English seriously, sooner or later you'll become fluent.
o I'm too tired to do my homework now; I'm sure I'll do it sooner or later.
to get up: to arise, to rise from a bed; to make someone arise (S)
For the last definition a noun phrase must separate the verb and particle.
o Carla gets up at seven o'clock every morning.
o At what time should we get the children up tomorrow?
at first: in the beginning, originally
o At first English was difficult for him, but later he made great progress.
o I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Betty.
to dress up: to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely
o We should definitely dress up to go to the theater.
o You don't have to dress up for Mike's party.
at last: finally, after a long time.
o We waited for hours and then the train arrived at last.
o Now that I am sixteen, at last I can drive my parents' car.
as usual: as is the general case, as is typical
o George is late for class as usual. This seems to happen every day.
o As usual, Dora received first prize in the swimming contest. It's the third consecutive year that she has won.
to find out: get information about, to determine (S)
This idiom is separable only when a pronoun is used, as in the second example.
o Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives?
o I'll call right now to find it out.
to look at: give one's attention to; to watch
o The teacher told us to look at the blackboard and not at our books.
o I like to walk along a country road at night and look at the stars.
to look for: to try to find, to search for
An adverb phrase such as all over can be put between the verb and preposition, as in the second example, however, the idiom cannot be separated by a noun or pronoun.
o He's spent over an hour looking for the pen that he lost.
o So there you are! We've looked allover for you.
all right: acceptable, fine; yes, okay
This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage.
o He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned.
o Do you want me to turn off the TV? Alright, if you insist.
all along: all the time, from the beginning (without change)
o She knew all along that we'd never agree with his plan.
o You're smiling! Did you know all along that I'd give you a birthday present?
little by little: gradually, slowly (also: step by step)
o Karen's health seems to be improving little by little.
o If you study regularly each day, step by step your vocabulary will increase.
to tire out: to make very weary due to difficult conditions or hard effort (also: to wear out) (S)
o The hot weather tired out the runners in the marathon.
o Does studying for final exams wear you out? It makes me feel worn out!
to call on: to ask for a response from; to visit (also: to drop in on)
o Jose didn't know the answer when the teacher called on him.
o Last night several friends called on us at our home.
o Shy don't we drop in on Sally a little later?
never mind: don't be concerned about it; ignore what was just said
o When he spilled his drink on my coat, I said, "Never mind. It needs to be cleaned anyway."
o So you weren't listening to me again. Never mind; it wasn't important.
to pick out: to choose, to select (S)
o Ann picked out a good book to give to her brother as a graduation gift.
o Johnny, if you want me to buy you a toy, then pick one out now.
to take one's time: to do without rush, not to hurry
This idiom is often used in the imperative form. (See the first example)
o There's no need to hurry doing those exercises. Take your time.
o William never works rapidly. He always takes his time in every thing that he does.
to talk over: to discuss or consider a situation with others (S...
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