ESSENTIAL-ENGLISH-IDIOMS-Elementary.pdf

= Easy English =

ESSENTIAL ENGLISH IDIOMS

Elementary

= Easy English =

LESSON 1

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.

- It's easiest to get in the car from the driver's side. The door on the other side doesn't work well.

- 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 of is used for all other forms of transportation.

- Why don't we stop and get out of the car for a while?

- Helen got off the train at the 42nd Street terminal.

to put on : to place on oneself (usually said of clothes) (S)

- Mary put on her coat and left the room.

- Put your hat on before you leave the house.

to take off : to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)

- John took off his jacket as he entered the office.

- Take your sweater off . The room is very warm.

to call up : to telephone (also: to give someone a call ) (S)

To call can be used instead of to call up , as in the first example below.

- I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday I'd better call him now.

- Call me up tomorrow, Jane. We'll arrange a time to have lunch together.

- 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)

- Please turn on the light; it's too dark in here.

- 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.

- Please turn off the light when you leave the room.

- Are you really listening to the radio, or should I turn it off?

right away : very soon; immediately (also: at once )

- Dad says that dinner will be ready right away, so we'd better wash our hands and set the table.

- Tell Will to come to my office right away. I must see him immediately.

- Stop playing that loud music at once !

to pick up : to lift from the floor, table, etc., with one's fingers (S)

- Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.

- Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?

sooner or later : eventually, after a period of time

- If you study English seriously, sooner or later you'll become fluent.

- 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

For the last definition a noun phrase must separate the verb and particle.

- Carlo gets up at seven o'clock every morning.

- At what time should we get the children up tomorrow?

at first : in the beginning, originally

- At first English was difficult for him, but later he made great progress.

- I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Betty.

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= Easy English =

EXERCISES

A. Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each

sentence below.

1. His alarm clock is always set for six o'clock. He arises at the same time every day.

b. gets up

c. puts on

2. She telephoned her friend to tell him about the meeting. They decided to drive there together.

a. turned on

b. took off

c. called up

3. It's 4 P . M . now, and this important letter must be mailed today. Can you take it to the post office immediately ?

a. at first

b. right away

c. sooner or later

4. Be sure to switch off the light before you leave the house.

a. to turn off

b. to take off

c. to get off

5. Pat placed her new hat on her head while looking in the mirror.

a. picked up

b. put on

c. gets on

6. Remove your jacket and sit down for a few minutes.

a. Turn on

b. Get on

c. Take off

7. I want to stay unmarried for a while, but I hope to get married eventually.

a. sooner or later b. right away

c. at first

8. In the beginning I thought that it was Bob who was in the car.

a. To get on

b. At once

c. At first

9. He boarded the bus at Broadway and 79th Street.

a. got off

b. got on

c. picked up

10. John took the pencil with his fingers and began to write a note.

a. turned on

b. got off

c. picked up

B. Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of an idiomatic expression from this unit.

Jean's alarm clock makes a loud ringing noise. She _____________________ the alarm clock immediately after

it rings each morning. However, she doesn't rise from bed __ _____________. She waits a few minutes before

she _______________.

Jean enjoys lying in bed for a while, but ________________ she gets up. Then she ______________ the

bedroom light and goes to her closet. She _______________ her pajamas and ______________ her work

clothes.

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a. turns off

= Easy English =

LESSON 2

to dress up : to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely

- We should definitely dress up to go to the theater.

- You don't have to dress up for Mike's party.

at last : finally, after a long time

- We waited for hours and then the train arrived at last .

- Now that I am sixteen, at last I can drive my parents' car.

as usual : as is the general case, as is typical

- George is late for class as usual . This seems to happen every day.

- 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.

- Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives?

- I'll call right now to find it out .

to look at : give one's attention to; to watch

- The teacher told us to look at the blackboard and not at our books.

- 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.

- He's spent over an hour looking for the pen that he lost.

- So there you are! We've looked all over for you.

all right : acceptable, fine; yes, okay

This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage.

- He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned.

- Do you want me to turn off the TV? Alright, if you insist.

all along : all the time, from the beginning (without change)

- She knew all along that we'd never agree with his plan.

- 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 )

- Karen's health seems to be improving little by little .

- 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)

- The hot weather tired out the runners in the marathon.

- 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 )

- Jose didn't know the answer when the teacher called on him.

- Last night several friends called on us at our home.

- Why don't we drop in on Sally a little later?

never mind : don't be concerned about it; ignore what was just said

- When he spilled his drink on my coat, I said, "Never mind . It needs to be cleaned anyway."

- So you weren't listening to me again. Never mind ; it wasn't important.

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= Easy English =

EXERCISES

A. Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each

sentence below. Idioms from previous lessons are indicated by number.

1. Nan is trying to find the purse that she lost yesterday.

b. looking at

c. looking for

2. As is typical , Doug is late for the meeting.

a. At last

b. All along

c. As usual

3. Were you able to determine what his occupation is?

a. to find out

b. to pick up (Lesson 1) c. to call on

4. I am very weary after all that physical exercise today.

a. turned off (Lesson 1) b. tired out

c. never mind

5. John's mother knew that he wasn't telling the truth from the beginning .

a. all along

b. all right

c. little by little

6. Some old friends of mine visited us last night.

a. called on

b. called up (Lesson 1) c. wore out

7. Eventually, Mario will be able to speak English better than he does now.

a. Never mind

b. Sooner or later (Lesson 1) c. At last

8. Is it acceptable for Mary to borrow our car for a few hours?

a. right away (Lesson 1)

b. all right

c. step by step

9. Would you please give your attention to me while I'm talking?

a. dress up

b. look at

c. wear out

10. They waited for forty-five minutes until finally the waiter brought their food.

a. at last

b. little by little

c. at first (Lesson 1)

B. Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of an idiomatic expression from this unit only.

Bob : Jim, should we ___________________________ for the party tonight?

Jim : No, informal clothes are fine I'm ______________________ my shoes. Have you seen them?

Bob : No. Did you check that closet by the front door?

Jim : Of course, I did! Gosh, my legs hurt. I'm really _____________________ from playing so much soccer

today.

Bob : What did you say?

Jim : Oh, __________________________. It wasn't important.

Bob : Sorry, I'm ____________________ the TV news. It's about the robbery.

Jim : Have the police ______________________ who stole the million dollars?

Bob : No, they haven't.

Jim : ______________________ I've found my shoes! They were in that closet by the door

______________________!

Bob : I told you so!

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a. finding out

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