TIếng Anh 12 - Idiomatic and colloquial responses

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1. IDIOMATIC AND COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES These exercises contain a lot of spoken expressions (some of them are formal, but (I) Stop blowing your own trumpet! most of them are informal) that we use in response to things that people say. (J) Same to you. For example, if somebody says "How did you know that I've been offered that job in (K) Never you mind. Wait and see! London?", you might reply "A little bird told me." (which means that you are not going (L) Hang on, give me a moment. to say who told you). (M) Bless you! (N) Oh dear, so you're in the doghouse again? Exercise 1: Match the sentences 1 – 25 with the most suitable response (A-Y). Use (O) I could murder a curry. each response once only. (P) Mind your own business! 1. Goodbye. See you next week. (Q) How typical! 2. I forgot my wife's birthday. (R) Yes, cheerio, take care. 3. My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary tonight. (S) Fire away, I'm all ears. 4. Who was that man I saw you with last night? (T) In your dreams! 5. I waited for the bus for half an hour, then three came along at once. (U) That'll teach you. 6. I've just eaten six hot dogs and now I've got a terrible stomach ache. (V) Oh, what a shame. 7. If you look at my girlfriend again, I'll kill you! (W) You're welcome. Come in and make yourself at 8. Thanks for inviting me to dinner. home. 9. I'm brilliant! My teacher says I'm the best student in her class. (X) Don't worry, my lips are sealed. 10. Have a nice weekend. (Y) Oh, congratulations. 11. What shall we have for dinner? 12. Please don't tell anyone my secret. Exercise 2: Choose the correct word in bold to complete the responses in these 13. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. dialogues.In one of them, all three options are possible. 14. I'm going to spend the weekend sitting in front of the television. 1. "I'm feeling a bit miserable at the moment." 15. These chocolates look delicious. "Jeer / Cheer / Sneer up!" 16. Have you had enough to eat? 2. "Can we have your decision?" 17. I can't come to your party. "Um, let me dream / think / sleep on it." 18. I've just won £10,000! 3. "I, er, um, well, you know, I, er, the thing is, you see, well " 19. I've got some amazing news. "Come on, spit / cough / blow it out!" 20. By the time I'm 30, I'll be a millionaire and married to a supermodel. 4. "I, er ." 21. I've heard that you're going to give me a surprise party for my birthday. "What's the matter? Has the cat got your tongue / lips / teeth?" 22. Acchhhooooooo! 5. "Come on darling, give me a great big kiss and then have a dance with me!" 23. Men are much more intelligent than women. "Go and take a running leap / jump / fall!" 24. Come on, let's go or we'll be late. 6. "I'm taking my IELTS exam tomorrow." 25. What are you going to get me for my birthday "Good luck. I'll be keeping my toes / fingers / legs crossed for you." 7. "Can I borrow your mobile to make a quick call?" (A) Get a life! "Sure. Be my host / friend / guest." (B) Hands off! 8. "It's my birthday today." (C) I'm absolutely stuffed! "Is it? Oh, well, many happy reruns / returns / repeats." (D) Oh no, who let the cat out of the bag? 9. "Could I use your car tonight?" (E) Night night, sweet dreams. "I'd prefer / wish / rather you didn't" (F) What complete rubbish! 10. "I promise not to be late from now on." (G) Oh yes, you and whose army? "Yeah right, that'll be the day / week / month!" (H) No way! You're pulling my leg! 11. "My girlfriend left me last week." TQT USING IDIOMS IN COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES
2. "Oh dear, so you're on the fence / wall / shelf again." 12. "Do you know Patrick Hartley?" ANSWER KEY "No, the name doesn't ring any phones / bells / changes" 13. "I'm the boss here, and you will do what I say!" Exercise 1: (These are the most appropriate answers): "Stop throwing your weight / body / head around!" 1. R (Cheerio is an informal way of saying goodbye. Do not confuse this with Cheers, 14. "I'm afraid I've run out of coffee. I can only offer you tea." which is something we say when we drink, or when we thank someone very informally) "That's all right. Any harbour / dock / port in a storm. 2. N (Someone who is in the doghouse is in trouble for something they have or haven't 15. "I'm sorry, but I forgot to do my homework again." done: "You'll be in the doghouse if you don't finish Mr Walton's report by lunchtime") "Again? It's time you pulled your trousers / socks / pants up, young man." 3. Y (Congratulations is used for special events such as anniversaries, engagements, 16. "I'm under too much pressure at college." marriages, the birth of a new baby, etc. Some people also use it for birthdays, but this is "Well, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the fire / oven / kitchen." less common) 17. "I failed my driving test again." 4. P (This impolite expression is something we say when we want people to stop asking "Oh, hard / bad / tough luck!" personal questions. It is sometimes shortened to Mind your own) 18. "What's the name of that restaurant we went to last week?" 5. Q (How typical!, sometimes shortened to just Typical! is a very common English "It's on the tip of my tongue / finger / nose. I'll remember it in a minute." expression that we use when something that happens frequently happens again: "Our 19. "Have you ever been to hospital?" flight has been delayed. Typical!" "No, touch cloth / paper / wood." 6. U (We say That'll teach you when we do not feel sorry for the person who is 20. "Excuse me, could you take our picture?" complaining because it is their own fault. It is often followed by for + an -ing verb: "Sure, give me your camera. OK, say chips / cheese / cheers everyone! "That'll teach you for eating so much" or not to + an infinitive verb: "That'll teach you not to eat so much". We can also say Serves you right.) 7. G (You and whose army? is a very informal and aggressive expression which means that you do not think the person who is speaking to you is capable of doing something, especially fighting. It is sometimes used humorously between good friends) 8. W (You're welcome is a polite response when someone thanks us. We can also say Not at all, My pleasure or, less formally, No problem or OK. Make yourself at home is an expression we use to make people feel comfortable when they visit our home) 9. I (Stop blowing your own trumpet is an informal, impolite expression which means the same as Don't boast! or Stop showing off!) 10. J (We can also say You too) 11. O (This is a very informal expression that we use when we want to say how much we want something to eat or drink: "I'm really thirsty: I could murder an ice-cold Coke") 12. X (We can also say Your secret's safe with me or I won't breathe a word) 13. E (a very informal way of saying you hope someone sleeps well) 14. A (This is a very informal way of telling someone that they should do something more interesting in their free time) 15. B (a very informal way of saying Don't touch!) 16. C (a very informal way of saying that you are full and can't eat any more) 17. V (an expression of disappointment) 18. H (These expressions are used informally to say that you don't believe someone, that you think they are joking) 19. S (Both these informal expressions are used to tell someone that you are listening or are going to listen to them) TQT USING IDIOMS IN COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES
3. 20. T (In your dreams! Is a very informal expression that we use to say that something 18. tongue (The second speaker knows the name of the restaurant, but cannot remember is unlikely to happen. We can also say Dream on!) it at the moment) 21. D (To let the cat out of the bag means to reveal a secret) 19. wood (We say touch wood to prevent bad things happening to us. Some people also 22. M (We say Bless you! when someone sneezes. North Americans usually say touch a piece of wood when they say this) Gesundheit!) 20. cheese (We say Say cheese when we take someone's photograph and we want them 23. F (used very informally when you disagree strongly with someone. Nonsense or to smile) garbage can be used instead of rubbish) 24. L (Hang on means wait, and has the same meaning as hold on) 25. K (The second speaker is saying that the present he has bought for the first speaker is a secret for now) Exercise 2: 1. Cheer (We say this when we want someone who is sad to be happy) 2. sleep (The second speaker wants time to think about his / her decision) 3. spit (The second speaker wants the first speaker to say what he / she means. 4. tongue (The second speaker wants to know why the first speaker is having problems speaking) 5. jump (The second speaker is angrily and very impolitely telling the first speaker to go away. Some people might say Get lost, Get knotted, Shove off, Take a hike, Sling your hook, Take a long walk off a short pier, Go and play with the traffic, Get on your bike, or other expressions which are much too rude to print here “f it off!) 6. fingers (The second speaker is saying that he / she hopes the first speaker will be successful) 7. guest (Be my guest is a polite way of saying Yes you can. We can also say Help yourself) 8. returns (This is a slightly more formal way of saying Happy Birthday) 9. rather (This is a polite way of saying No you can't) 10. day (We say That'll be the day when we don't believe something will happen. We might also say "And pigs might fly!") 11. shelf (Someone who is on the shelf hasn't got a girlfriend / boyfriend) 12. bells (When something like a person's name rings a bell, it sounds familiar to you, but you can't remember why: "Have you been to that bistro on the High Street? It's called Quasimodo" "Quasimodo? I'm not sure. The name rings a bell") 13. weight (Someone who throws their weight around uses their authority in an unreasonable or unpleasant way) 14. port (We use this expression when something that we want or need is not available and we must have something else instead. Beggars can't be choosers has a similar meaning) 15. socks (The second speaker wants the first speaker to work harder) 16. kitchen (This expression is used for telling someone that they should not do something if they cannot deal with the difficult or unpleasant aspects of it) 17. hard, bad, tough (These all have the same meaning. Tough luck is more informal. Some people also say Hard cheese, but this is usually used in an ironic way) TQT USING IDIOMS IN COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES