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English > COMMUNICATION & SITUATIONS > Flashcards

COMMUNICATION & SITUATIONS Flashcards

1
Q

talk to someone without letting them speak

A

Marco is always talking at people. He never gives them a chance to speak.

talk at

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2
Q

persuade someone to do something

A

My kids talked me into getting a puppy.
They’ve promised to take care of it.

talk into

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3
Q

persuade someone not to do something

A

Shona wanted to dye her hair green, but her sister talked her out of it.

talk out of

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4
Q

talk loudly while someone else is talking

A

Every time Rita tries to say something, Greg talks over her.

talk over

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5
Q

talk in a patronizing way to

A

Uncle Toby still talks down to me like I’m a child, even though I’m 25.

talk down to

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6
Q

interrupt

A

While Julia was explaining her idea, Rupert cut in to tell her she was wrong.

cut in

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7
Q

suddenly begin speaking with enthusiasm about something

A

We were chatting about movies when
Tina launched into a speech about her favorite actors.

launch into

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8
Q

talk negatively about something or someone (informal)

A

Simone spent the whole of lunch mouthing off about how much she hates her new boss.

mouth off

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9
Q

Ben’s not knee on buying a new car. I’m trying to talk him round

A

manage to persuade someone

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10
Q

Kirsty talked the workers through the new software system

A

explain how something works

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11
Q

stop talking (rude)

A

Shut up and listen to me for once!

shut up

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12
Q

make your language less strong

A

I think you should tone down your language.

tone down

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13
Q

talk louder than someone else

A

I couldn’t hear Louise at all. The man next to us was completely drowning her out.

drown out

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14
Q

say something surprising

A

Lauren comes out with the funniest things. Today she told me she wants to live on the Moon.

come out with

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15
Q

talk for a long time about something (in an annoying or incoherent way)

A

Diana is always rambling on about how things were better when she was a child.

ramble on

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16
Q

talk for a long time in a very boring way

A

The lecturer droned on for what felt like hours. We were half asleep by the end

drone on

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17
Q

Stop talking gradually

A

Craig was trying to tell a joke, but tailed off as he realized that no one was listening.

Tail off

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18
Q

start a conversation

A

After the concert, I struck up a conversation with one of the guitarists.

Strike up

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19
Q

be mentioned in conversation, usually unexpectedly

A

When soccer came up in conversation, Bill and I realized we support the same team.

come up (in)

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20
Q

say something without thinking about it first

A

Andy blurted out the name of the winner. It was supposed to be a secret.

blurt out

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21
Q

complete a form

A

You must fill in this form to get an appointment

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22
Q

write something quickly or roughly

A

Miguel scribbled down a note to his housemate to say that he was going out for evening

Scribble down

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23
Q

type something from written notes

A

Celia read through her notes from today’s lecture and typed them up.

type up

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24
Q

make written notes quickly

A

The journalist jotted down the details as Dan described his role in the new movie.

jot down

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25
Q

Reduce in size

A

Your essay’s too long,
Marcel. You need to cut it down a bit.

Cut down

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26
Q

remove material from a text

A

Okay. I’ll try to cut out 500 words.

Cut out

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27
Q

record information by writing it

A

When I write a restaurant review I usually write down a few thoughts while I’m eating.

write down

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28
Q

write or type something in full from notes

A

I wrote up my review at home later that evening.

write up

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29
Q

enter information by writing it

A

When completing the form, Damian wrote in his age.

write in

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30
Q

make written notes

A

Paco read the book and noted down the most important points.

note down

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31
Q

read short parts of a book or text

A

I’ve only dipped into Nia’s new novel, but it’s fantastic so far.

dip into

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32
Q

represent, be an abbreviation for

A

What does UFO mean?
It stands for Unidentified Flying Object.

Stand for

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33
Q

read with great attention

A

We pored over the old document looking for clues.

pore over

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34
Q

result in

A

Adventures in the Wilderness should make for interesting reading!

Make for

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35
Q

Alexandra flicked through a magazine while she waited to get her hair cut.

A

Alexandra flicked through a magazine while she waited to get her hair cut.

flick through

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36
Q

read something from start to finish

A

Max read through the full report before giving his opinion.

read through

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37
Q

research or revise a topic

A

Fatima read up on ancient Greece before her history exam.

read up on

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38
Q

read aloud (for others to hear)

A

As the judge read out the names of the winners, Pablo waited hopefully.

read out

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39
Q

answer a phone call

A

Pick up

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40
Q

Call back

A

return a call, phone someone who tried to speak to you earlier

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41
Q

end a phone call (often suddenly)

A

After chatting for over an hour, Simon and I said goodbye and hung up.

Hang up

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42
Q

join a conference call

A

Anna works from home on Tuesdays, so she will dial into the meeting.

dial in(to)

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43
Q

end a phone call (often suddenly)

A

After chatting for over an hour, Simon and I said goodbye and hung up.

hang up

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44
Q

make contact with someone by phone

A

I’ve called Olly a few times this evening, but I can’t get through.

get through (to)

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45
Q

talk more loudly

A

Could you please speak up?
I can’t hear you very well!

speak up

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46
Q

become difficult to hear (because of a bad signal or connection)

A

Sorry, I can’t hear you very well, I’m afraid.
You keep breaking up.

break up

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47
Q

phone several people

A

I phoned around to ask if any of my friends wanted to go to the beach with me.

phone around

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48
Q

connect someone to the person they want to speak to

A

Could I speak to Mr. Yamamoto, please?
Certainly. I’ll put you through now, madam.

Put through

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49
Q

give someone a message that someone else has given to you

A

Dave passed on a message telling me that Rob had called.

pass on

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50
Q

find out more information, do something in response to something

A

Rob wants to follow up on the conversation we had about the new logo.

follow up on

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51
Q

reply to a phone call or email, contact someone (with a response to a question)

A

He asked me to get back to him as soon as possible.

get back (to)

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52
Q

reply by letter or email

A

I love receiving letters from my dad.
I always write back immediately.

write back

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53
Q

send to a group of people

A

Claudia sent wedding invitations out to all her friends and family.

send out (to)

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54
Q

reply by email

A

Chris emailed me a week ago, but l only just remembered to email him back.

email back

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55
Q

contact

A

Our company is trying to reach out to new customers by offering discounts.

reach out (to)

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56
Q

send something by post or email

A

Murat completed all the forms and sent them off to the passport office

send off (to)

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57
Q

talks in a convincing way

A

Ahmed talks the talk, but isn’t very hardworking.

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58
Q

persuade him to behave in a sensible way

A

Ryan wants to join the circus.
I’m trying to talk some sense into him.

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59
Q

She’s just as bad herself!

A

Kirsty’s always commenting on other people’s clothes.
She can talk!

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60
Q

talk about their jobs

A

My colleagues love to talk shop when they meet for lunch.

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61
Q

boast or exaggerate

A

Linda likes to talk big. She claims she’s visited every country.

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62
Q

escape from any difficult situation using lies or humor

A

Leo can talk himself out of any awkward situation.

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63
Q

talk at great length

A

Tamara is really friendly, but she can talk your ear off.

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64
Q

polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial things

A

I made small talk with Marisha while we waited for the train.

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65
Q

patronizes me

A

I hate it when my boss talks down to me!

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66
Q

polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial things

A

I made small talk with Marisha while we waited for the train.

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67
Q

tells funny or unlikely stories

A

My grandpa spins a good yarn.
He loves telling us about his childhood adventures.

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68
Q

repeated word for word

A

The students parroted the facts without using their own words.

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69
Q

talking in a relaxed way

A

I sat on the shore with my boyfriend, shooting the breeze. (US)

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70
Q

began a conversation

A

Akio struck up a conversation with one of his fellow passengers.

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71
Q

talking at length in an uninteresting way

A

Nina keeps droning on about her new car. It’s getting really boring!

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72
Q

the ability to speak confidently and persuasively

A

Sarah was born with the gift of the gab.
She could sell you anything the ability to speak confidently and persuasivel

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73
Q

someone who talks too much

A

My cousin is such a loudmouth.
He never stops talking! someone who talks too much

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74
Q

You’re being very quiet.

A

Cat got your tongue? You usually have so much to say.

You’re being very quiet.

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75
Q

keep me informed with the latest news

A

Good look with your interview today. Keep me posted about how it goes.

keep me informed with the latest news

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76
Q

spread very quickly

A

Rumors that the two actors had secretly gotten married spread like wildfire.

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77
Q

had a brief conversation to get an update

A

Anna’s manager touched base with her for a quick update on her research.

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78
Q

told me all the latest important information

A

Angie filled me in on what happened at work while I was away.

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79
Q

by people talking about it

A

This restaurant couldn’t afford an advertising campaign, but it has become really popular by word of mouth.

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80
Q

misunderstood information, or become confused

A

We must have got our wires crossed.
I thought the dress code for this party was casual.

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81
Q

heard the news directly from the original source

A

Pedro’s going to marry Elena. I heard it from the horse’s mouth.

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82
Q

someone (whose name I won’t reveal) told me

A

A little bird told me that Richa is going to be promoted

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83
Q

reveal a secret by mistake

A

I’m planning a surprise trip to Paris with Liam to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
Don’t let the cat out of the bag!

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84
Q

caused a lot of upset or excitement

A

The boss stirred up a hornet’s nest when she said we would have to take a pay cut. (US)

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85
Q

keep you fully informed

A

I’m afraid your cat will have to stay here overnight, but I promise I’ll keep you in the picture about how she’s recovered

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86
Q

share something worrying or upsetting

A

Lin decided to get it off her chest and told Melanie all her relationship problems

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87
Q

revealed important (and usually bad) news

A

The tour rep broke the news to us that our flight had been canceled.

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88
Q

keep me updated about shared information

A

The design team make sure they always keep me in the loop.

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89
Q

the practical rules of something

A

Phil showed me around the kitchen.
He knows the nuts and bolts of running a restaurant.

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90
Q

someone who delivers bad news

A

I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we won’t be able to fix your computer.

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91
Q

(US) don’t completely believe them

A

When news stories are shocking, I always take them with a grain of salt. (US)

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92
Q

shared malicious gossip

A

After leaving the band, Marco dished the dirt about the other band members to a journalist.

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93
Q

heard some news through gossip or rumor

A

I heard it through the grapevine that Luisa is pregnant.

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94
Q

reveal a secret

A

Why did you spill the beans and tell Luke I had a new boyfriend? | wanted to tell him myself.

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95
Q

realize something is happening

A

I never caught on that Dad’s company was in such debt.

catch on

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96
Q

become known

A

When it came out that he was bankrupt, I was shocked!

come out

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97
Q

tell someone the truth

A

I have to level with you, Anu. The cake looks lovely, but it tastes terrible.

level with

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98
Q

admit that something was your fault

A

Conan finally owned up to breaking the window. He’d been denying it all morning.

own up (to)

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99
Q

understand what someone wants, or what kind of person they are

A

It’s really hard to suss the new neighbours out. They don’t say anything about themselves

Suss out

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100
Q

be aware that something is not true

A

Gary was always exaggerating about how rich he was, but Sophie could see through his lies

see through

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101
Q

discover information

A

I’ve been trying to find out from Nisha who Sammy’s dating.

find out

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102
Q

admit or reveal something

A

I think she knows more than she’s letting on.

let on

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103
Q

be tricked into believing something

A

We fell for the salesman’s talk. The car we bought broke down after a few days.

fall for

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104
Q

invent a story to explain something

A

Pio’s always making up excuses for handing in his homework late. Today, he claimed his school bag had been stolen.

make up

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105
Q

discover that someone is lying

A

Amrit promised his mother he’d stay home and study, but she caught him out when she heard him come home late.

catch out

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106
Q

try to make bad news or a mistake seem unimportant

A

Mario glossed over the bad result, claiming the team would soon be back on form.

gloss over

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107
Q

Pretend

A

Kirstie’s been making out that everything’s okay, but I know she’s stressed about her interview.

make out

It looked as if Aaron had been injured but I knew he was putting it on.

put on

108
Q

try to persuade someone that a bad situation is not important or not your fault

A

Josie tried to explain away the damage to my car by saying it was just a small scratch.

explain away

109
Q

treat someone badly by deceiving them or changing plans regularly

A

Alice accused me of messing her around when I canceled our date for a third time.

mess around

110
Q

give someone false hopes or make them believe something that is false

A

Tyler has been promising to pay me back for months, but he’s just stringing me along.

string along

111
Q

hide the truth from other people

A

After eating all the cake, John tried to cover it up by claiming the dog had eaten it.

cover up

112
Q

make sense, be a logical explanation

A

Larry’s claim that he was at home on the night of the crime didn’t add up.

add up

113
Q

make a problem seem unimportant

A

The CEO has been playing down the company’s financial problems.

play down

114
Q

to be completely honest

A

I’m scared of dogs. In fact, I’m terrified of them, to tell you the truth.

115
Q

confessed to doing something wrong

A

Nathan came clean with his parents and told them he had broken the window.

116
Q

honest in a very direct or insensitive way

A

My teacher was brutally honest with me and told me my essay was terrible.

117
Q

honest, open, or legal

A

The voting process in this election is completely above board. All the votes are counted and checked.

118
Q

someone who tells a person in authority about something illegal or wrong

A

A whistleblower has told the authorities about the dirty conditions in the kitchen at work.

119
Q

avoid telling anyone

A

Tania told me a secret but asked me to keep it under my hat.

120
Q

completely secret

A

Anita’s recipe for her banana cake is top secret. She won’t share it with anyone.

121
Q

I will keep it a secret.

A

I promise I won’t tell Lizzie you’re going to propose to her. My lips are sealed.

122
Q

private information

A

I’m not going to tell you how much my house cost. It’s none of your business!

123
Q

Secret

A

We’re keeping our new car model under wraps until the launch later this week.

124
Q

a lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings

A

I thought Bella’s hat was ridiculous, but I told her a white lie and said I loved it.

125
Q

lying, misleading people, or exaggerating

A

I think Warren was bending the truth when I interviewed him for this job. He said he had excellent IT skills.

126
Q

did something without telling her

A

My wife was angry when I went behind her back and bought myself a new motorcycle.

127
Q

told a blatant lie

A

David lied through his teeth to his mom. He claimed the cat had broken her favorite vase.

told a blatant lie

128
Q

deceived or cheated us

A

The salesman really took us for a ride when he sold us this car. It’s always breaking down!

129
Q

not telling the whole truth

A

Our boss says the company is doing well, but she has a reputation for telling half-truths

130
Q

suspect something without firm evidence

A

have a sneaking suspicion that Marcia was at a job interview this morning.

131
Q

suspected that someone had lied

A

knew Frida hadn’t been out sick.
I smelled a rat when she came back to work with a suntan.

132
Q

something suspiciou

A

The children are being very quiet.
I think there’s something fishy going on!

133
Q

suspected that someone had lied

A

I knew Frida hadn’t been out sick.
I smelled a rat when she came back to work with a suntan.

134
Q

Suspected

A

The piano teacher had a hunch that Jordan hadn’t done any practice since his last lesson.

135
Q

Someone looked very angry.

A

Kezia looked furious when I told her I’d torn her dress. If looks could kill!

136
Q

looked quickly

A

Felipe cast a glance at his watch. The bus was already 10 minutes late

137
Q

watched carefully

A

Bastian kept a close watch on his children as they played outside.

138
Q

watched very carefully for something

A

We kept our eyes peeled, hoping we’d spot some rare birds.

139
Q

ignored, or pretended not to see

A

The teacher turned a blind eye to his students’ bad behavior.

140
Q

take care of something, or watch something carefully

A

I asked my brother to keep an eye on the dinner while I was talking on the phone.

141
Q

a quick check or inspection

A

The border guard gave my documents the once-over, then let me drive on.

142
Q

the ability to spot small details

A

Karen has an eagle eye. She found lots of mistakes when I asked her to check my essay.

143
Q

look at or check something quickly

A

I always cast an eye over my desk to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything when I leave the office.

144
Q

I’m eager to hear about it!

A

Jenny, please tell me how the interview went. I’m all ears!

145
Q

Looked quickly

A

Felipe cast a glance at his watch. The bus was already 10 minutes late

146
Q

partially deaf

A

My grandfather is hard of hearing, so l often have to repeat things to him.

147
Q

Was ignored

A

I told my daughter she should work harder, but my advice fell on deaf ears

148
Q

listened to someone’s problems with sympathy

A

Omar lent a sympathetic ear when I broke up with my boyfriend.

149
Q

you never know who’s listening when you’re talking in a public place

A

Be careful what you say about the boss.
Remember, walls have ears!

150
Q

not listening at all

A

Martina didn’t hear the teacher’s question.
She was a million miles away.

151
Q

stopped listening or concentrating

A

I completely zoned out during that meeting.
It was so boring!

152
Q

wonderful news

A

It was music to my ears when my son told me he’d passed his driving test.

153
Q

found out about something that was meant to be a secret

A

When my parents got wind of the fact that I’d had a house party, they were furious.

154
Q

not listening attentively

A

Ethan was only listening with half an ear and kept checking his phone as I spoke to him.

155
Q

ask too many questions, give too much information

A

They bombarded us with so much information during the training course

Bombard with

156
Q

exchange creative ideas to see how other people respond to them

A

Gill and the design team are bouncing ideas off each other before the show next week

Bounce off

157
Q

briefly mention something in a talk or text

A

The president’s speech touched on the economy, healthcare, and education.

Touch on

158
Q

make a suggestion so that others can choose to accept it or not

A

I wrote a proposal for more environmentally friendly policies and put it to the directors.

put to

159
Q

offer support to someone

A

When I told my friends I was starting my own business, they all got behind the idea.

get behind

160
Q

do what someone suggests

A

When my husband suggested buying a new kitchen, I ran with it.

Run with

161
Q

offer support to someone

A

When I told my friends I was starting my own business, they all got behind the idea.

get behind

162
Q

suggest lots of spontaneous ideas

A

The creative manager asked her team to throw out as many ideas as they could.

throw out

163
Q

remove someone or something as an option when making a choice

A

We have ruled out three of the candidates.
It’s a choice between Danny and Carmen.

rule out

164
Q

think of an idea, suggestion, or plan

A

Ted has come up with some good ideas for a new logo.

come up with

165
Q

offer an opinion, idea, or suggestion

A

He decided to put forward the version with the star.

put forward

166
Q

mention something indirectly

A

The politician alluded to housing in his speech, but mostly spoke about transportation.

allude to

167
Q

explain something very clearly (usually with anger or frustration)

A

How many times do I have to spell it out to you?

spell out

168
Q

return to a subject

A

During her speech, the senator kept coming back to her financial policies.

come back to

169
Q

give more details about something

A

The interviewer asked me to expand on my experience of working with animals.

expand on

170
Q

explain the details of something again

A

l asked the professor if he could go back over some of the points from the lecture.

go back over

171
Q

explain or show something by performing or re-enacting it

A

Pete couldn’t remember the French word for “swimming,” so he acted it out.

act out

172
Q

help someone to notice something

A

My friend pointed out some of the mistakes l’d made in my code.

point out

173
Q

successfully explain an idea or express a feeling

A

Yuri managed to put his ideas across very well during the debate.

put across

174
Q

make something easier to understand

A

Gio didn’t know anything about computers, so he asked the salesperson to dumb it down for him.

dumb down

175
Q

encourage someone, inspire someone to do something

A

The thought of winning first prize spurred Farukh on.

spur on

176
Q

tell someone about something they might find useful

A

Helen has put me onto this great new hair salon

Put onto

177
Q

persuade someone to support your idea

A

Lisa’s speech in favor of a new nature reserve has brought many people around to the idea.

bring around

178
Q

encourage someone to do something that is wrong

A

When Zoe asked her daughter why she’d stolen the cookies, she said her elder brother had put her up to it.

put up to

179
Q

show your support for someone

A

Kendra was very nervous, but was happy to see her friends rooting for her.

root for

180
Q

make someone feel happier

A

My son was upset, so I bought him an ice cream to buck him up.

buck up

181
Q

encourage someone to do something (often something naughty)

A

Marcus’s friends egged him on as he climbed the tree.

egg on

182
Q

encourage someone to do something

A

The crowd urged Mona on as she approached the end of the tightrope.

urge on

183
Q

offer logical arguments to try to change someone’s mind

A

Rahul was skeptical about electric cars until the salesman reasoned with him.

reason with

184
Q

successfully persuade someone to support your idea

A

He eventually won him over by explaining how eco-friendly they are.

win over

185
Q

make a mistake

A

Coralie’s graph didn’t make sense, so she looked through the data again to see where she’d slipped up.

slip up

186
Q

have people forget about an embarrassing mistake you made

A

I’ll never live down the moment I dropped his birthday’s cake at his party

Live down

187
Q

include someone or something in an activity

A

Wang thought hed bought everyone a drink until he noticed he’d missed Ellie out. miss out

forget to

188
Q

get into a bad situation

A

Tariq landed himself in trouble when he forgot to do his homework.

land in

189
Q

make someone feel worse about a mistake or failure

A

When Juan missed the penalty, his teammates rubbed it in by laughing at him.

rub in

190
Q

accidentally mistake one thing for something else

A

When Chris got home from work, he realized that he had mixed his bag up with Simon’s.

mix up (with)

191
Q

forget to take someone or something with you

A

Enzo went back to the café when he realized he’d left his wallet behind.

leave behind

192
Q

fail to meet someone’s expectations or fail to keep a promise

A

I was relying on Selma to bring candles for the cake, but she let me down.

let down

193
Q

be obvious to someone

A

The spelling mistake in Juanita’s homework jumped out at me.

jump out at

194
Q

draw a line or lines through a word

A

I crossed out the misspelled word and wrote it again correctly.

cross out

195
Q

happen unexpectedly

A

Sorry, I’ll be home late tonight.
Something’s come up.

come up

196
Q

make something easier to understand by separating it into smaller parts

A

break down

197
Q

happen differently than expected

A

I thought the event was going to be a disaster, but it turned out alright.

turn out

198
Q

against encounter difficulties

A

The proposals for a new highway have come up against a lot of local opposition.

come up

199
Q

be a source of worry

A

It was very hard for Somrita and her friends to relax with their final exams hanging over them.

hang over

200
Q

solve a problem, resolve an argument

A

Ben and I cleared up our disagreement when we realized it was all just a misunderstanding.

clear up

201
Q

deal with difficulties or opposition

A

While climbing the mountain, we had to contend with strong winds and heavy rain.

contend with

202
Q

happen (often unexpectedly)

A

A number of problems have cropped up with the new printer. We need to get someone to fix it.

crop up

203
Q

treat a problem as unimportant, refuse to take it seriously

A

Bitna told Danny she was nervous about her presentation, but he just brushed it aside.

brush aside

204
Q

find a solution to a problem

A

Clare and Wei Ting had to sort out a problem with their experiment

Sort out

205
Q

discuss a problem to find a solution

A

They stayed up late to trash it out and find a solution

thrash out

206
Q

consider something methodically

A

Kavitha didn’t know why her equation was wrong, so she thought it through carefully.

think through

207
Q

avoid an obstacle that is stopping you from achieving something

A

Sawad’s computer crashed, but she worked around it by using pen and paper instead.

work around

208
Q

avoid or solve a problem or obstacle

A

Anton had run out of green paint, but he managed to get around it.

get around

209
Q

ask a skilled person to deal with a problem for you

A

One of the pipes was leaking, so we called in a plumber to fix it.

call in

210
Q

find out if someone or something is acceptable

A

Femmy’s thinking of moving to a new part of town, so she went to check out the area.

check out

211
Q

not tell someone something

A

Jessica has been keeping the name of her new boyfriend from me.

keep from

212
Q

reveal a secret

A

Paolo has prepared a new sculpture for the exhibition. I’ve asked him what it is, but he’s not giving anything away!

give away

213
Q

begin to understand or realize something

A

I only cottoned onto the fact that Lisa and Pete were dating when I saw them at the ice rink together.

cotton on(to) (UK)

214
Q

say something suddenly, without thinking about it

A

My little sister blurted out to Dad that we’d organized a surprise party for him. She can’t keep a secret.

blurt out

215
Q

say something by mistake

A

I didn’t mean to tell the team that it was your birthday. It just slipped out.

slip out

216
Q

conceal the truth

A

The movie star tried to hush up the fact that she had a new boyfriend.

hush up

217
Q

enter a room or building suddenly

A

We were all eating our dinner when the dog burst into the room.

burst in(to)

218
Q

amaze or impress someone

A

I was bowled over when Nadia announced that she had been accepted into dance school.

bowl over

219
Q

approach someone quietly to surprise them

A

Mollie crept up on her grandfather while he slept in the garden.

creep up on

220
Q

impress very strongly (informal)

A

Kamal was blown away by Jose’s account of his adventures in the Amazon.

blow away

221
Q

understand or accept some news or information

A

The surprising news was a lot to take in.

take in

222
Q

announce something without warning

A

My best friend sprang it on me last night that she’s moving to Canada.

spring on

223
Q

be fully understood

A

Clara can’t believe she passed her medical exams. It’s going to take a while for it to sink in.

Sink in

224
Q

pretend something is true or that you believe in something

A

My daughter often pretends to be a dinosaur. We all have to play along with her.

play along

225
Q

realize the importance of something

A

People have woken up to the fact that we need to look after the environment.

wake up to

226
Q

meet someone without expecting it

A

While I was on vacation in Venice, I bumped into one of my cousins. I couldn’t believe it.

bump into

227
Q

find by chance

A

I was shopping at the antiques market when I stumbled upon a valuable necklace.

stumble upon

228
Q

surprise or shock someone

A

I was taken aback when Tia and Juan told me they were getting married.

take aback

229
Q

extremely easy

A

The test was a clinch. I finished it 20 minutes early

230
Q

easy

A

Getting around my city is a breeze.
Our trains are excellent.

Finding Angela’s house was easy peasy. I have a GPS.

I already play the violin, so learning the cello was a walk in the park.

231
Q

very easy (usually about overcoming competition)

A

Winning that race was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Nobody else had trained.

232
Q

(usually about a mistake)

A

It’s all too easy to forget to turn off the lights when you go out.

very easy

233
Q

not very complicated or difficult

A

Making a great cup of coffee is not rocket science.

234
Q

extremely easy and straightforward

A

Unclogging my sink was a piece of cake for Carlita.

She’s a plumber.

235
Q

easy, without major problems

A

Driving on the left was difficult at first, but soon it was smooth sailing. (US)

236
Q

easily, or without thinking

A

Alicia’s worked in this factory so long she could do her job with her eyes shut.

237
Q

very annoying or problematic

A

Doing the dishes after a dinner party is a pain in the neck.

238
Q

caused a situation that leads to more difficulties

A

My home improvements opened a can of worms. The builders discovered so many problems.

239
Q

make a small task or problem seem bigger than it is

A

Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. I only asked you to help me bake a cake!

240
Q

a huge amount to do, or problem to overcome

A

The team has a mountain to climb if it wants to win the game.

241
Q

very difficult

A

Finishing the building this month is going to be a tall order

242
Q

not as easy as it seems

A

Giving up chocolate is easier said than done.

243
Q

in a difficult or unusual situation

A

I was like a fish out of water at the science fiction convention.

244
Q

problems at the beginning of a process

A

There have been teething problems with the new computer system at work. (UK)

245
Q

extremely difficult, usually because of someone’s behavior

A

I tried to make the politician answer my question, but it was like getting blood from a stone. (UK)

246
Q

in a situation that is too difficult

A

Bashir was totally out of his depth on his first day working at the florist.

247
Q

in a difficult situation

A

Oh, no, l’ve missed the last bus home.
I’m really in a jam now

248
Q

in a very bad situation

A

Logan’s restaurant is in dire straits.
There are never any customers.

249
Q

couldn’t make any progress

A

The police officer came up against a brick wall when he asked if there were any witnesses to the crime.

250
Q

very difficult or unpleasant

A

Getting to work today was a nightmare. All the trains were canceled.

251
Q

something that causes problems and stops progress

A

Not being able to read music was a stumbling block when I started learning the saxophone.

252
Q

in a difficult or awkward situation

A

I’m in a bit of a tight spot because my boss has just asked me to work late tonight and it’s my wedding anniversary.

253
Q

the last in a series of events that makes a bad situation impossible to tolerate

A

I hated working at the diner. The final straw was when they made me dress as a chicken.

254
Q

a small, visible part of a larger problem

A

The peeling wallpaper was just the tip of the iceberg. The house needed so many repairs.

255
Q

put in a difficult situation with no time to prepare

A

Rosa was thrown in at the deep end when she had to teach the worst class in the school on her first day at work.

256
Q

a difficult situation with no possibility of a positive outcome

A

Tina was in a no-win situation. Her son wanted a beach vacation, but her daughter wanted to go skiing.

257
Q

a difficult time

A

Lisa has had a bumpy ride recently.
First she broke her arm, and now she has failed her tests.

258
Q

made a bad situation feel worse

A

When Ava told me how much fun she’d had at the party, it rubbed salt into the wound. I wasn’t invited.

259
Q

facing a choice between two bad options

A

I have been offered a more interesting job, but the pay is terrible. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place.

260
Q

causing yourself more difficulties in the future

A

If you let your children eat whatever they want for dinner, you’re making a rod for your own back. (UK)

261
Q

trying to achieve something that is very unlikely

A

The protesters want to stop the building being demolished, but they’re fighting a losing battle.

262
Q

a difficult problem to solve

A

Getting the old gramophone record player to work was a tough nut to crack.

263
Q

found out what is causing a problem or situation

A

The plumber got to the bottom of what’s causing the leak. We need to replace the pipe.

264
Q

try to make a situation better after something bad has happened

A

I can’t believe you’ve upset your sister again! I’m the one who has to pick up the pieces.

265
Q

learn how to do something challenging

A

Working on the farm meant I had to come to grips with driving a tractor. (US)

266
Q

accept a bad situation
without complaining

A

I hate going to the dentist, but I Know I have to grin and bear it

English (20 decks)

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