WEEK 1 IDIOMS and COLLOCATIONS: Fill in each blank with a suitable phrase. A. bad blood F. given it up as a bad job B. bad lot G. going from bad to worse C. bad news H. going through a bad patch D. come to a bad end I. In a bad way E. gave me a really bad time J. in your teacher's bad books 1.
All right, l admit that our marriage is ______, but it isn't the first time and we're still together. 2.
Business is ______, we may have to close down. 3.
Harry was expelled from school for stealing and now he's been sacked from his very first job. He'll ______ if he's not careful. 4.
How's your father after his heart attack? – ______, actually. Making very little progress. 5.
If you don't get the essay finished, you’ll be ______ again. 6.
I'm so glad that Jerry has stopped going about with Mike Parsons. I heard that he had been in
prison for stealing. In my opinion, he's a ______. 7.
In my first job, I had a very difficult boss who ______. 8.
Jonathan started learning German three times, but he didn't make much progress. So now he's ______. 9.
Take care, Lucie! That young man is ______.
10. There's been ______ between the two brothers ever since their father's death. He left more to one son than to the other. A. a big fish in a small pond F. big talk B. a big hit with your parents G. boss us around C. a big mouth H. in a big way D. big noise I. make it big E. big of him J. make the best of a bad job
11. Bob prefers to be ______, so he works for a small company with only fifteen employees.
12. By the way, your new flat is ______. They think it’s perfect for you.
13. Carol and Tony have invited over a hundred guests to their silver wedding party. They always do things ______.
14. Graham says he has an uncle with a villa in Cannes but I don't believe it. He's just ______.
15. His dream was to ______ in television but it's still just a dream.
16. His irritation was obvious, but he was determined to be cheerful and ______.
17. I heard Mark telling Alex that he couldn't decide whether to buy a Jaguar or a Mercedes. All
______, I'm sure. He'll keep his Ford Fiesta I bet.
18. Just because Dad's been prompted and is a big cheese at work, he seems to think he can ______ at home too.
19. There's some ______ coming up from the parent company tomorrow, so we will have to get things tidied up in here.
20. Uncle Harold sent me fifty pounds for my birthday. That's ______, considering he’s a millionaire. A. cut me dead F. dead drunk B. dead ahead G. dead easy C. dead and buried H. dead set against D. dead beat I. stopped dead E. dead cert J. too big for his boots
21. A big van pulled out in front of our car and ______ without giving a signal.
22. I am ______ camping holidays. I can never sleep comfortably in a tent.
23. I expected the math test to be ______, but I couldn't answer a single question. PA GE \*
24. I've never seen Simon in such a state. He was ______.
25. Since Douglas got his novel published, he's been ______. It's time someone taught him a lesson.
26. Those old family traditions are ______.
27. We came out of the wood and found the village that we were looking for ______ of us.
28. What's wrong with Linda? I said "Good morning" but she just ______.
29. Who do you think will win the cup? – Leeds United. It's a ______.
30. You ought to have an early night; you look ______! A. dead end F. dead silence B. dead heat G. dead slow C. dead loss H. dead to the world D. dead on time I. dead weight E. dead right J. dead-end job
31. He just got that ______ from the telephone as if the instrument had been disconnected.
32. I can't possibly carry this suitcase. It's a ______.
33. Is Georgie up yet? – I doubt it. She was ______ ten minutes ago.
34. John was a ______– he just stood there and did nothing.
35. Peter feels that he's in a ______ with his present firm. He's thinking of making a fresh start as a freelance journalist.
36. Remember you told me that John was friendly with Alison Miller and I didn't believe you. Well, you
were ______, I saw them together yesterday.
37. The train arrived ______, so we didn't have to wait a long on the platform.
38. The two horses finished in a ______, so there were two winners.
39. Unfortunately, I got stuck on the inside lane of the motor way and the traffic was ______ for about fifty miles.
40. We took the first turning after the church, but the road was unfortunately a ______ that only led to a field. A. and that's flat F. flat refusal B. dead wood G. flogging a dead horse C. fell flat H. Over my dead body D. flat battery I. ten seconds flat E. flat out J. wouldn't be seen dead
41. A lot of the company's ______ was removed by voluntary redundancy.
42. I'm going on holiday with three other boys this year, Dad. – ______! You're coming on holiday with us.
43. I've been showing the new clerk how to use the computer but it's like ______. He simply cannot remember which keys to press.
44. I've been working ______ all day trying to get the last chapter of the book finished.
45. There is no wonder the engine won't start; you've got a ______.
46. We had plans to go to Canada to visit friends, but they ______ when father had a serious accident.
47. We made him a good offer, but he gave us a ______.
48. What a terrible color! I ______ wearing a dress like that.
49. You are going to your sister's graduation ceremony ______! No more complaining.
50. You see that tree over there? I can run there and back in ______. A. a good few people F. for your own good B. all to the good G. in her teacher's good books C. as good as his word H. knocked him flat D. do someone a good turn I. on to a good thing E. do you good J. told him flat PA GE \*
51. He's ______, he has free accommodation in return for a little easy work around the house.
52. I had to go home and change after spilling coffee on myself, but it was ______ because I avoided a major traffic jam.
53. I know you're mad that I won't let you eat candy for dinner, sweetheart, but it's ______.
54. If you ______, they are much more likely to help you out in the future.
55. Joanna has been ______ since she started taking school more seriously and working hard.
56. She ______ that she had no intention of lending him any money.
57. Steve is ______. If he said he'd help you, then he will.
58. There were ______ at the concert last night. More than we had expected.
59. This man started making troubles in the pub. Joe was very patient at first, but when he insulted
Joe's wife, Joe stood up and ______.
60. Why don't you take a short holiday? It would ______. A. for good F. holds good B. give as good as we get G. in good time C. give her a good talking to H. made good on D. good for nothing I. made good time E. had a good innings J. make good
61. Arsenal are a tough side, but we can ______ and we don't fear anyone.
62. I love my job, and I've certainly ______, but it's time for me to retire now.
63. I never liked Carlos, he's a ______.
64. I told her a thousand times not to take the car without asking! – Well, I'll ______ when she gets home.
65. If your invitation still ______, I’d like to visit you this summer.
66. Martin is a very ambitious young man. He's determined to ______, and I'm sure he will.
67. My uncle owed thousands, but eventually he ______ all of his debts.
68. Roseland's gone to Canada ______. She's not coming back.
69. They had left early in the morning, on quiet roads, and ______ and arrived two hours early.
70. We got to the theatre ______, so we were able to have a sandwich before the play began. A. a hard and fast rule F. hard up B. drive a hard bargain G. hard-pressed C. hard cash H. throw good money after bad D. hard hit by
I. throwing good money after bad E. hard of hearing J. while the going is good
71. Car dealers offer a range of finance options, but if you're prepared to ______, you can shave thousands off the list price.
72. Come on John. If you are ______ again, I'll pay for lunch.
73. Douglas lost money on some foreign investments, so l suggested a good investment scheme in this
country. But he said that he wasn't prepared to ______.
74. He thinks the company is going to go bankrupt soon, so he’s getting out ______.
75. He wanted ______ for his watch.
76. Is the addition of '-s' in the third person singular present tense ______?
77. Small firms in particular were ______ the recession.
78. Trying to fix that old car would just be ______.
79. With the pandemic this year the airline will be ______ to make a profit.
80. You'll have to speak up. Father's rather ______. A. a hard nut to crack C. high and mighty B. hard-luck story D. high-flyer PA GE \* E. left high and dry H. searched high and low F. on his high horse I. the hard stuff G. riding high J. with a high hand
81. Diana's ______ at the moment. She's just been promoted and is expected to be made head of department within the year.
82. He stopped me in the street and told me a long ______ about his wife leaving him. All he really wanted was some money.
83. I drink wine and beer occasionally, but I never touch ______ like whiskey or vodka.
84. Is it a design fault that we can correct or not? Whatever is wrong, it's going to be ______.
85. Patrick’s been ______ ever since he won a scholarship to Oxford.
86. The car broke down, miles away from anywhere. A van took my partner to the next village to get
help, so I was ______ until he got back.
87. Tim was such a ______ in college that it's no surprise he's achieved such great success in his career.
88. Where on earth can the keys be? I've ______ for them!
89. Why is Roger so arrogant? What's he got to be so ______ about?
90. You can't raise your kids ______. You need to give them room to grow and express themselves. A. a hot potato F. hot under the collar B. blowing hot and cold G. in hot water C. drop you like a hot potato
H. like a cat on a hot tin roof D. hot and bothered I. make it hot for you E. hot on
J. strike while the iron is hot
91. Don't disturb Mum. Her train leaves in an hour and she's still packing so she's all ______.
92. Have you decided whether or not to move house? – Not yet. We're still ______.
93. If I were you, I would treat Kenneth Marsden with a little more respect. If he doesn't like you, he's in a position to ______.
94. Opportunities like this don’t come along every day so you have to ______.
95. Sarah was never really ______ science in school. She was better at languages.
96. The editor has just been told to cut her budget so she's rather ______ this morning.
97. The legality of abortion is ______ in many countries around the world.
98. When you are no longer useful to Kevin, he'll ______.
99. Why is Carrie pacing? – She's waiting for the doctor to call with her test results, so she's been ______ all day.
100. You'll be ______ when your father finds out what you've done to his car! PA GE \*