Essential_Idioms

Question 1

to enter or to board a vehicle

Answer 1

to get in/to get on
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.

Question 2

to leave or to descend from a vehicle.

Answer 2

to get out of/to get off
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.

Question 3

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

Answer 3

to put on
o Mary put on her coat and left the room.
o Put your hat on before you leave the house.

Question 4

to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)

Answer 4

to take off
o John took off his jacket as he entered the office.
o Take your sweater off. The room is very warm.

Question 5

to telephone (also: to give some one a call) (S)

Answer 5

to call up
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.

Question 6

to start or cause to function (also: to switch on) (S)

Answer 6

to turn on
o Please turn on the light; it’s too dark in here.
o Do you know who turned the air conditioning on?

Question 7

to cause to stop functioning (also: to switch off, to shut off) (S)

Answer 7

to turn off:
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?

Question 8

very soon; immediately (also: at once)

Answer 8

right away:
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!

Question 9

to lift form the floor, table, etc., with one’s fingers (S)

Answer 9

to pick up:
o Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.
o Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?

Question 10

eventually, after a period of time

Answer 10

sooner or later:
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.

Question 11

to arise, to rise from a bed; to make someone arise (S)

Answer 11

to get up:
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?

Question 12

in the beginning, originally

Answer 12

at first:
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.

Question 13

to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely

Answer 13

to dress up:
o We should definitely dress up to go to the theater.
o You don’t have to dress up for Mike’s party.

Question 14

finally, after a long time.

Answer 14

at last:
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.
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.

Question 15

get information about, to determine (S)

This idiom is separable only when a pronoun is used, as in the second example.

Answer 15

to find out:

o Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives?
o I’ll call right now to find it out.

Question 16

give one’s attention to; to watch

Answer 16

to look at:
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.

Question 17

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.

Answer 17

to look for:

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.

Question 18

acceptable, fine; yes, okay

This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage.

Answer 18

all right:
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.

Question 19

all the time, from the beginning (without change)

Answer 19

all along:
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?

Question 20

gradually, slowly (also: step by step)

Answer 20

little by little:
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.

Question 21

to make very weary due to difficult conditions or hard effort (also: to wear out) (S)

Answer 21

to tire out:
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!

Question 22

to ask for a response from; to visit (also: to drop in on)

Answer 22

to call 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?

Question 23

don’t be concerned about it; ignore what was just said

Answer 23

never mind:
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.

Question 24

to choose, to select (S)

Answer 24

to pick out:
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.

Question 25

to do without rush, not to hurry

This idiom is often used in the imperative form. (See the first example)

Answer 25

to take one’s time:
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.

Question 26

to discuss or consider a situation with others (S)

Answer 26

to talk over:
o We talked over Carla’s plan to install an air conditioner in the room, but we couldn’t reach a decision.
o Before I accepted the new job offer, I talked the matter over with my life.

Question 27

to place oneself in a flat position, to recline

Answer 27

to life down:
o If you are tired, why don’t you lie down for an hour or so?
o The doctor says that Grace must lie down and rest for a short time every afternoon.

Question 28

to rise from a sitting or lying position (also: to get up)

Answer 28

to stand up:
o When the president entered the room, everyone stood up.
o Suzy, stop rolling around on the floor; get up now.

Question 29

to be seated (also: take a seat)

Answer 29

to sit down:
o We sat down on the park bench and watched the children play.
o There aren’t any more chairs, but you can take a seat on the floor.

Question 30

the entire day, week, month, year

Answer 30

all (day, week, month, year) long:
o I’ve been working on my income tax forms all day long. I’ve hardly had time to eat.
o It’s been raining all week long. We haven’t seen the sun since last Monday.

Question 31

alone, without assistance

Answer 31

by oneself:
o Francis translated that French novel by himself. No one helped him.
o Paula likes to walk through the woods by herself, but her brother prefers to walk with a companion.

Question 32

for a reason, deliberately

This idiom is usually used when someone does something wrong or unfair.

Answer 32

on purpose:
o Do you think that she didn’t come to the meeting on purpose?
o It was no accident that he broke my glasses. He did it on purpose.

Question 33

to associate or work well with; to succeed or manage in doing (also: to get on with)

Answer 33

to get along with:
o Terry isn’t getting along with her new roommate; they argue constantly.
o How are you getting on with your students?

Question 34

to be of importance (to), to affect

This idiom is often used with adjectives to show the degree of importance.

Answer 34

to make a difference (to):
o It makes a big difference to me whether he likes the food I serve.
o Does it make any difference to you where we go for dinner?