Colloquial expressions

Collocations and colloquial expressions

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Review of expressions

Collocations

SEMESTER 1

Multiple Choice

Collocations are two or more words that tend to occur together to express an idea.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Daily routine

Lay the table

Make the bed

Alarm clock goes off

Call in sick

Catch up on sleep

Clear up a mess

Get off to sleep

Soak up the sun

Stay out late

Strike up a conversation

Work up an appetite

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

Work

 flexible working hours

 the minimum wage

work-life balance

Temporary contract

 managerial responsibility

 a heavy workload

 employment agency

 sick leave

 poor working conditions

 a promotion ladder

 Unpaid overtime

 Dress code vs.

inappropriate dress

 Recruit staff

 Highly qualified

 Unsocial working hours

 Steady income

 to take time off work

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

Multiple Choice

What is another way of saying "hire people"?

• recruit staff

• work overtime

• unsocial working hours

• heavy workload

Friends and relationships

Circle of friends

Close family/friend

Enjoy someone’s
company

Frosty reception

Get/keep/stay in
touch

Old friend

Warm welcome

Boundless energy

Deeply religious

Downright rude

Good listener/sense
of humor

Pay maintenance

Propose marriage

Set up home

Throw a party

Apologize profusely

Backhanded compliment

Drop a hint

Exchange pleasantries

Feeble excuse

Fish for compliments

Hazard a guess

Pay someone a compliment

Pick a fight

Rash promise

Sweeping generalization

Tentative suggestion

Wild accusation

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

•Highly opinionated

•Impeccable manners

•Infectious laugh

•Keen interest

•Of average intelligence

•Outgoing personality

•Painfully shy

•Physically fit

•Ready wit

•Show consideration

•Strong personality

•End in divorce

•Fight/gain for custody

•Fairytale wedding

•Immediate family

•Love at first sight

•Messy divorce

•Mutual friend

Crime and punishment

Crimes of passion

To serve a prison sentence

To turn to crime

To be tough on crime

Hardened criminal

Have a criminal record

To act as a deterrent

Corporal punishment

Capital punishment

To be on probation

Petty crime

A lenient penalty

Crime wave/spree

Be found guilty

Be guilty of a crime

Be sentenced to _ years in prison

Plead guilty

Reach a verdict

Serve a sentence

Carry a sentence

Condone someone’s actions

Extenuating circumstances

Get off lightly

Hefty sentence

Law-abiding citizen

Lenient sentence

Previous convictions

Show remorse

Stiff penalty

Unprovoked attack

Commit a crime

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

Multiple Choice

When you show that you are sorry for your actions, you ___

• reach a verdict

• plead guilty

• show remorse

• show no mercy

Nature and wilderness

 Rugged mountains

 Fast flowing rivers

 Picturesque scenery

 Breathtaking views

 Answer the call of nature

 Down to earth

 Go with the flow

 Off the beaten track

 Sun-drenched island

 Stifling heat

 Lush vegetation

 Pristine snow

 Majestic mountain range

 In deep water

 Let nature take its course

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

Multiple Select

Jungles have ____

• lush vegetation

• stifling heat

• picturesque scenery

• fast-flowing rivers

Money

 Hard-earned money/cash

 Put/sink your money into something

 Be broke, hard-up for money

 A tight budget

 On a budget

 Keep/stay within a budget

 Have an overdraft

 Bargain hunting, pick up a bargain

 Big-ticket item

 False economy

 Steady income

 Good with money

 Part with your cash

 Have expensive tastes

 Spend a fortune

 Cost a fortune

 Pay over the odds

 Value for money

 Dirt cheap

Dorothy Hoffmann 2022

Multiple Select

If something is very expensive, it ___

• is value for money

• cost a fortune

• is pricey

• is dirt cheap