Thanks for watching.
If you liked this video, make sure to subscribe for more!
Work on your Idioms!: Exercises Priorities and decisions.
Exercise 1.
Complete the sentences with the words in the box.
By, of, to, in, on, 1.
We're just going to play it -- ear.
2.
This is just the tip .. the iceberg. 3.
Let's put that decision .. the back burner for now.
4.
I'm .. two minds about spending all that money at once.
5.
He stuck .. his guns in spite of their grumbling. 6.
We'll cross that bridge when we come .. it.
Answer key.
1.
We're just going to play it by ear.
2.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. 3.
Let's put that decision on the back burner for now.
4.
I’m in two minds about spending all that money at once.
5.
He stuck to his guns in spite of their grumbling. 6.
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Exercise 2 Match sentence halves 1-6 with A-F to make
complete sentences.
1.
The bottom line is simply.
2.
We're going to play it by ear.
3.
You will have to stop sitting on the fence.
4.
The answer should have a capital letter.
5.
Let's skip the introductions. 6.
We can't ignore this issue.
A. and cut straight to the chase.
B. but let's not make a mountain out of a molehill C. but I won't split hairs.
D. and see how the next 24 hours go.
E. that business is about money.
F. and show where your loyalty lies.
Answer key.
1.
The bottom line is simply.
E. that business is about money.
2.
We're going to play it by ear.
D. and see how the next 24 hours go.
3.
You will have to stop sitting on the fence.
F. and show where your loyalty lies.
4.
The answer should have a capital letter.
C. but I won't split hairs.
5.
Let's skip the introductions.
A. and cut straight to the chase.
6.
We can't ignore this issue.
B. but let's not make a mountain out of a molehill.
Exercise 3.
Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.
1.
'They really believe in what I do and they want to enable me to do it.'
She went on to explain her success: ‘I’m very good, that's ..’
a) the bottom line.
b) the tip of the iceberg.
c) the back burner.
2.
Then he became really ill and had to put all his plans ..
a) up in the air.
b) on the fence.
c) on the back burner.
3.
'What if you need another operation after this one?'
- 'I'll ..’ a) make a mountain out of a molehill.
b) cross that bridge when I come to it.
c) stick to my guns.
4.
The President accused his critics of being oversensitive and of..
a) playing it by ear.
b) cutting to the chase.
c) making a mountain out of a molehill. 5.
For four hours of questioning, Grommek .., but by five o'clock he had changed his story.
a) played it by ear.
b) cut to the chase.
c) stuck to his guns.
6.
She was .. about whether or not to turn back.
a) splitting hairs.
b) in two minds.
c) up in the air.
Answer key.
1.
a) 'They really believe in what I do and they want to enable me to do it.'
She went on to explain her success: ‘I’m very good, that's’ the bottom line.
2.
c) Then he became really ill and had to put all his plans
on the back burner.
3.
b) 'What if you need another operation after this one?'
- 'I'll’ cross that bridge when I come to it.
4.
c) The President accused his critics of being oversensitive and of making a mountain out
of a molehill. 5.
c) For four hours of questioning, Grommek stuck
to his guns, but by five o'clock he had changed his story.
6.
b) She was in two minds about whether or not to turn back.
Exercise 4.
Correct the idioms in these sentences.
1.
The dates for the summit meeting are still up on the fence at the moment.
2.
The police say that these numbers could just be the top of the iceberg.
3.
He'll do what he can to make you change your mind, but you stick on the back burner.
4.
I'd don't want to retire when I'm sixty years old but I'll cut to the bridge when I come
to it.
5.
She forgot her notes so she had to play it by air at the interview.
6.
There just isn't any more money and that sits on the bottom line.
7.
After he retires, Ken will be able to sit in the back seat in the family business.
8.
I was proud to work for Ferrari, and to drive their fantastic cars was the icing in the
cake.
Answer key.
1.
The dates for the summit meeting are still up in the air at the moment.
2.
The police say that these numbers could just be the tip of the iceberg.
3.
He'll do what he can to make you change your mind, but you stick to your guns.
4.
I'd don't want to retire when I'm sixty years old but I’ll cross that bridge when I come
to it.
5.
She forgot her notes so she had to play it by ear at the interview.
6.
There just isn't any more money and that is on the bottom line.
7.
After he retires, Ken will be able to take a back seat in the family business.
8.
I was proud to work for Ferrari, and to drive their fantastic cars was the icing on the
cake.
Exercise 5.
Complete the sentences with idioms in this unit, changing the verb forms if necessary.
1.
I was so pleased just to have passed the exam; coming first was ..
2.
I can't really say too much about who else I'm going to be working with at the moment
because it's all very much .. and anything could happen.
3.
I never really had a plan for my life.
I just .. Neither of us is very ambitious and we have enough money.
4.
She introduced herself and then said 'I'll: I have all the evidence I need to put you
in prison for the next ten years'. 5.
This is a misleading figure.
There will be many hidden costs that we will discover as this project develops.
I suggest that ￡1.4 billion is only .. 6.
Yet on this key issue, the government has chosen to .. , saying that schools must decide
for themselves.
7.
He warned reporters not to .. 'I'm disappointed, but it's not heartbreaking', he said.
‘It was far worse in 1996.'
8.
I'm fed up with being the boss so I'm going to .. and let other people do the hard work
for a while.
Answer key.
1.
I was so pleased just to have passed the exam; coming first was the icing on the cake.
2.
I can't really say too much about who else I'm going to be working with at the moment
because it's all very much up in the air and anything could happen.
3.
I never really had a plan for my life.
I just play it by ear Neither of us is very ambitious and we have enough money.
4.
She introduced herself and then said ‘I’ll cut to the chase: I have all the evidence
I need to put you in prison for the next ten years'.
5.
This is a misleading figure.
There will be many hidden costs that we will discover as this project develops.
I suggest that ￡1.4 billion is only the tip of the iceberg.
6.
Yet on this key issue, the government has chosen to sit on the fence, saying that schools
must decide for themselves.
7.
He warned reporters not to make a mountain out of a molehill ‘I'm disappointed, but
it's not heartbreaking', he said.
‘It was far worse in 1996.'
8.
I'm fed up with being the boss so I'm going to take a back seat and let other people do
the hard work for a while.
Exercise 6.
Complete the table with idioms from this unit.
emphasizing something important: showing that something is less important:
a decision not yet made: Answer key.
emphasizing something important: 1.
the bottom line.
2.
cut to the chase.
showing that something is less important: 1.
make a mountain out of a molehill. 2.
split hairs.
3.
on the back burner.
4.
the icing on the cake. a decision not yet made: 1.
play it by ear.
2.
sit on the fence.
3.
up in the air.
4.
in two minds.
Thanks for watching.
If you liked this video, make sure to subscribe for more!