1. There is someone in the office twenty-four hours a day. (STAFFED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The office is staffed twenty-four hours a day.
2. He was given an honorary medal by the military. (CONFERRED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
An honorary medal was conferred on/upon him by the military
3. She claimed that she handed in her resignation as a result of provocation. (PROVOCKED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
She claimed that she was provoked into handing her resignation.
4. She sued the newspaper as the article they had written about her had damaged her reputation. (INJURIOUS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
She sued the newspaper as their article about her had been injurious to her reputation.
*Be damaging/injurious to ST/SB
5. There is a bus to the station every half hour on Saturdays.(INTERVALS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
There is a bus to station at half-hour intervals on Saturdays
6. How will the changes affect the company? (IMPLICATION)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
What implication will the changes have on the company?
7. He made an attempt to solve the equation but he couldn’t do it.(GO)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
He had a go at solving the equation but he couldn’t do it.
~Have a go (at ST/doing ST): to make attempt to do ST
~Have a go at SB: criticize SB.
8. Mary is bound to pass exam.(FORGONE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
It is a foregone conclusion that Mary will pass her exam.
9. The company tried unsuccessfully to secure a bank loan.(AVAIL)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The company’s efforts/attempts were to no avail in securing a bank loan.
to little/no avail ( formal ) with little or no success
The doctors tried everything to keep him alive but to no avail.
of little/no avail ( formal ) of little or no use
Your ability to argue is of little avail if the facts are wrong
avail yourself of sth ( formal ) to make use of sth, especially an opportunity or offer
Guests are encouraged to avail themselves of the full range of hotel facilities.
10. He decided to have an early night because he was exhausted.(GO)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
He decided to go to bed early.
11. Tom’s presence at the parties adds to everyone’s enjoyment.(SOUL)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Tom is always the life and soul of the parties.
~ Heart and soul: with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
~The life and soul of the party: very amusing person.
12. Linda did not agree with me about the closure.(SHARE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Linda did not share my opinion about the closure.
13.The lease on my flat is valid until the end of the year.(RENEWAL)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The lease on my flat does not come up for renewal until the end of the year.
*~ up for renewal: up to valid again
14.She wants success more than anything else.(OUTWEIGHS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Her desire for success outweighs anything else
Desire for success means more to her than anything else.
15.If I had been you, I would have punished him.(SHOES)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
If I had been in your shoes I would have punished him.
~Be in SB’s shoes/ put yourself in SB’s shoes: I you were SB (imagine)
16.Ray’s good work record enabled him to get promotion.(STRENGTH)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Ray got promotion on the strength of his good work record.
~On the strength of :because SB has been influenced by St
17.There are more than six hospitals in this city.(EXCESS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
There are an excess in number of hospitals in this city.
18.We can’t possibly imagine how we’re going to afford a new car.(REMOTEST)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
We have not the remotest idea how we are going to afford a new car.
19.Digging in the garden give me an outlet for my frustrations.(VENT)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Dinging in the gardens allows me to vent my frustrations.
20.The boys hurled (ném) lots of snowballs at their next-door neighbor.(PELTED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The boys pelted the next neighbour with snowballs.
21.The newspaper was the first to reveal that the politician was a spy.(EXPOSED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The politician was exposed as a spy by the newspaper.
22.Unless we can obtain more information we can’t progress your claim.(FORTHCOMING)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Unless further information is forthcoming we can’t process your claim.
23.In my opinion, computers are more trouble than they’re worth.(HINDRANCE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
In my opinion, computers are more of a hindrance than a help.
24.Customers will not want to buy this product.(MARKET)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
There will be no market for this product.
25.So many people was really delighted when the government lost the election.(JUBILATION)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
There was much jubilation/scenes of jubilation when the government lost the election.
26.The Queen has ruled the country for almost fifty years.(THRONE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The Queen has been on the throne for almost fifty years.
27.You can dissolve these tablets in water.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
These tablets are soluble in water.
28.We wont to breathe new life into this project.(REJUVENATE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
We want to rejuvenate this project
~wont (V): in the habit of doing St.
29.Brian is a strong contender for the position.(LIST)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Brian is on the short list for the position.
30.She blushed with embarrassment at having made such a stupid mistake.(SHAMEFACED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
She was shamefaced at having made such a stupid mistake.
31.Kenjang managed to cope with so many problems when she was declared bankrupt.(STRIDE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Kenjang took so many problems in his stride.
~Take St in your stride: to accept to deal with sth difficult without letting worry you too much(OXFORD 8th)
32.The M.P often had a different opinion from the accepted Party’s Policies.(STEP)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The M.P was often out of step with his Party’s Policies.
33.Since the advertisement, we’ve had more applications than we can deal with.(SWAMPED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Since the advertisement, we have been swamped with applications
~swamp/inundate with: more than you can deal with.
34.I feel it’s wrong that this site is going to be redeveloped by the council.(EARMARKED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
I feel it’s wrong that this site has been earmarked for redevelopment by the council.
~Earmark ST/SB for/as ST/SB: decide that St/Sb will be used for the purpose or St is bound to
happen to Sb/St.(usually in passive voice)
35.Alex grimaced as he swallowed the foul-tasting medicine.(PULLED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Alex pulled a face as he swallowed the foul-tasting medicine.
36.I knew the project would not succeed from the start.(DOOMED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
I knew the project was doomed to failure/to fail.
37.The politician tried to find people who were willing to back his campaign to help the homeless.(DRUM)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The politician tried to drum up support for his campaign to help the homeless.
38.The customs dates back to mediaeval times.(ROOTS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The roots of the customs date back to/The customs has it roots in mediaeval times.
39.It’s difficult to imagine his work being improved on by anyone.(BETTERING)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
It’s difficult to imagine anyone bettering him at his work.
40.Sandra quit her job because she found the work very dull.(UNINSPIRING)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Sandra found the work uninspiring, so she left the job.
41.This essay shows a slight improvement on the last.(MARGINALLY)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
This essay is marginally better than the last.
42.Thinh couldn’t stop crying when her pet rabbit died.(FLOODS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Susie was in floods of tears when her pet rabbit died.
43.There is a considerable number of choices on offer in the brochure.(ARRAY)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
This brochure has a wide array of choices.
44.Martin cannot go any higher in his career.(PINNACLE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Martin has reached the pinnacle of his career.
45.Jang Seunk was really anxious, waiting to see if he had got a place in the cricket team. (TENTERHOOKS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Jang Seunk was on tenterhooks, waiting to see if he………
46. It’s difficult to know if it should be classified as a guest house or a hotel.(CATEGORISE)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
It’s difficult to know whether to categorise it as a guest house or a hotel.
47. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to buy my own house.(DESPAIR)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
I despair of ever being able to buy my own house.
48. Seung Ho always makes spontaneous decisions concerning her travel plans.(ACTS)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Seung Ho always acts on impulse when making his travel plans.
49. Joon Sung knew his would have to go on the business trip at a moment’s notice .(ST was gi
ven in advance) (POISED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Joon Sung was poised to go on the business trip at a moment’s notice.
50. His latest theory is in complete opposition to mainstream thinking.(FLIES)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
His latest theory flies in the face of mainstream thinking.
51. Min Young always listens to my complaints about work.(EAR)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
Min Yound lends an ear to my complaints about work.
52. The waiters in the new restaurant were very inefficient.(SHODDY)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
We received shoddy service from waiters in the new restaurant.
53. There was hardly any movement in the traffic in front of us.(INCHED)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
The traffic inched along in front of us.
54. By leaving Bora alone, I’m sure she’ll finish the project on time.(DEVICES)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
If Mary is left to her own services,……….
55. You must do something to make sure this doesn’t happen again.(STEPS)
You must take steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
56. The journalist wrote down everything she said in his notebook.(RECORD)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
the journalist kept a record of everything…….
57. My supervisor did not even hint to me that he was about to resign.(INDICATION)
………………………………………………………………………………………….
I was given no indication that he was about to resign.
58. This car only cost me five hundred pounds. (PICKED)
I picked this car up for only five hundred pounds
59. Someone paid five thousands pounds for the painting. (WENT)
The painting went for five thousand pounds
60. We have made either a profit nor a loss this year. (EVEN)
 We have broken even this year
61. In 1967 programs began to be transmitted in colours. (ADVENT)
 1967 saw the advent of transmission of programs in colours
62. I find Harold’s behavior quite incomprehensible. (LOSS)
 I find myself at a loss to comprehend Harold’s behavior
63. The severity of the punishment bore no relation to the seriousness of the crime. (PROPOTION)
 The punishment was out of proportion to the crime
64. I was too scared to tell him what I really thought. (LACKED)
 I lacked the courage to tell him what i really thought