Common sayings – incomplete

Common or garden sayings you may hear us use in conversation. They are used in an incomplete form – usually the first few words – and speakers know both the endings and what the sayings mean.

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Some well-known sayings and what they mean

    Home   1. [Match] Can you match the sayings with their messages? Answers for Quiz [1]. 1. Tackling a problem now stops it getting worse. (correct) 2. Expresses aloud a feeling of being unsure or indecisive about something. (correct) 3. Women have a strong influence on events through their children (correct) 4. The…

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Social expressions – for a visitor arriving

These phrases all deal with a person visiting a place of work. Although the phrases are common, they sometimes get mixed up, and then don’t sound like an English person speaking! Check out more social expressions 1. [Match] Can you supply the correct beginnings? Answers for Quiz [1]. 1. Welcome to (correct) 2. Where (correct)…

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Similes

Although these similes use the as ….as structure of the comparative they are actually a way of saying ‘extremely’. Tom is as handsome as Bill is a comparison.Tom is as ugly as sin is a simile = it means very ugly indeed. Be careful if and when you use the uncomplimentary ones!      …

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Common sayings B

        Home 1. [Match] Do you understand what these mean? (He says his cooking is a bit hit-and-miss He didn’t get back until the small hours – i.e. until about 3 or 4 in the morning The way she treated her husband was beyond the pale. They’re moving to a village in…

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Common expressions A

Check out the Grammar Bank 1. [Match] Match the phrases with their meanings! (He’s a bit over the hill to be working as a boxer To date I haven’t heard from the tax office. Once you’ve got your qualifications under your belt you can start to think of your next move That comment / criticism…

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