Grammar Hound – Part 13

 

 

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES

1.
I think Peter is deaf in one ear and can’t hear out of the other.

(a) stubborn
(b) quiet when he speaks
(c) hard on hearing
(d) distracted

2.
My wife and I went to a very good restaurant yesterday. The food was cheap and they served large helpings. I had to ask for a doggy bag because I couldn’t eat everything.

(a) A package to store left over food to take home to the dog
(b) A bag to take the rest of the food to my mother in law.
(c) A special order where I could get a smaller meal
(d) A kid’s meal

3.
Simon was a doormat. No wonder his classmates were always giving him a hard time.

(a) Simon was a snob
(b) Simon was a geek
(c) Simon was a coward
(d) Simon was a chubby boy

4.
I invited a friend to a good Japanese restaurant. My friend offered to pay for her meal, but I insisted on paying for both our meals myself, finally she said: Ok, as long as we go Dutch next time.

(a) She’ll pay for her meal next time
(b) She’ll take me to Holland next time
(c) She’ll pay for my meal next time
(d) We’ll divide the costs next time

5.
Now, everything is as plain as a pikestaff, isn’t it?
Oh, yes indeed sir!

(a) Everything is very clean
(b) Everything is very clear
(c) Everything is very messy
(d) Everything is very good

6.
We are having a pot-luck dinner at Lynette’s house tomorrow. Everybody is invited!

(a) A dinner where everybody brings something to eat
(b) A dinner where everybody brings a bottle of wine
(c) A dinner where only soup is served
(d) A dinner where people eat, sing and bang on a pot

7.
Just keep your wig on. Everything is going to be fine, okay?

(a) Hold your wig so it won’t fall off
(b) Get another hair cut
(c) Calm down
(d) Take off your hat

8.
I would stay away from that guy if I were you, he’s got a screw loose.

(a) He’s dangerous
(b) He’s annoying
(c) He’s stubborn
(d) He’s crazy

ANSWERS

1. c
2. a
3. b
4. d
5. b
6. a
7. c
8. d

Grammar Hound – Part 12

 

 

 

IDIOMS: CHOOSE THE CORRECT MEANING

1.To bury the hatchet.

a) To end enmity
b) To kill someone
c) To hide stolen treasure
d) To overexert

2. To spill the beans.

a) To eat clumsily
b) To reveal a secret
c) To get exhausted
d) To fight

3. To lead someone up the garden path.

a) To give directions
b) To show a beautiful place
c) To mislead someone
d) To exaggerate

4. To weather the storm.

a) To criticize someone
b) To survive a crisis
c) To be an introvert
d) To guess correctly

5. To bite one’s lip.

a) To be unsure
b) To feel sorry at someone’s plight
c) To not react despite being angry
d) To laugh at someone’s misfortune

ANSWERS

1. a
To bury the hatchet.
To stop fighting; resolve a quarrel.

2. b
To spill the beans.
To disclose or reveal a secret.

3. c
To lead someone down the garden path or to lead someone up the garden path.

4. b
To weather a storm also to ride out a storm.
To continue to exist and not be harmed during a difficult period.

5. c
To make a conscious effort not to react to another.

Grammar Hound – Part 11

 

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE!

CHOOSE THE CORRECT MEANING:

1. To end in smoke

a) Smoking too many cigarettes
b) House burnt down
c) Face failure
d) Religious ceremony

2. To get into hot water

a) To bathe in the winter months
b) To get healthy
c) To get rich
d) To get into trouble

3. To make ends meet

a) A short story
b) To earn just enough to live
c) To skip classes
d) To be an expert

4. Bolt from the blue

a) To have a sudden surprise
b) To get punched
c) To lose a tight game
d) To ask for help

5. To burn the candle at both ends

a) To argue endlessly
b) Long power cut
c) To work long hours
d) To have a good time

ANSWERS

1. c
If something ends in smoke, it produces no concrete or positive result.

2. d
To get into trouble.

3. b
make (both) ends meet
to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need.

4. a
a bolt from the blue also a bolt out of the blue
something that you do not expect to happen and that surprises you very much

5. c
burn the candle at both ends
to get little sleep or rest because you are busy until late every night

Grammar Hound – Part 10

 
 
 
 

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE!

1. A hothouse is:
a. A Turkish bath
b. A house with central heating
c. An oven
d. A heated glasshouse for growing plants
e. A sun lounge

2. Which two words sound the same?
a. Air, heir
b. Ear, here
c. Air are
d. Are, hair
e. Hare, heir

3. If a car will not go, it has
a. Broken off
b. Broken up
c. Broken down
d. Broken
e. Broken out

4. What do you find in a dustbin?
a. Rubbish
b. Junk
c. Debris
d. Lumber
e. Rubble

5. Which word rhymes with phlegm?
a. Blame
b. Theme
c. Cream
d. Gem
e. Spume

ANSWERS

1. d
2. a
3. c
4. a
5. d

Grammar Hound – Part 9

 
 
 
 

Questions & Answers

1. If something makes you worried or unhappy we say:
a. It gets you up
b. It gets you off
c. It gets you out
d. It gets you down
e. It gets you through

2. When you chuckle you are …
a. In pain
b. Amused
c. Relieved
d. Bored
e. Scornful

3. All these are human hair, but which is not on the face?
a. A beard
b. A moustache
c. Sideboards
d. Whiskers
e. A lock of hair

4. Which word does not describe people?
a. Crowd
b. Clump
c. Bunch
d. Group
e. Mob

5. All these words mean something wrong. Which one is the least serious?
a. A blunder
b. An error
c. A mistake
d. An inaccuracy
e. A slip

ANSWERS

1. d
2. b
3. e
4. b
5. e

Grammar Hound – Part 8

 
 
 
 
 

Check your knowledge of idiomatic usage now!

1.
Giacomo’s new car kept on breaking down so he rushed back to the car dealer and behaved like a bull in a china shop.

(a) He behaved badly at the dealer’s
(b) He knocked the dealer over
(c) He kicked the dealer
(d) He hit the dealer on the head

2.
My doctor said it’s always a good thing to have a cat nap after lunch.

(a) a deep sleep
(b) a long sleep
(c) a short sleep
(d) a big sleep

3.
Whenever Mary’s husband arrives back home late from work she finds a reason to have a bone to pick with him.

(a) to eat a T-bone steak with him
(b) to have a chat with him
(c) to have a long talk with him
(d) to have an argument
with him

4.
I got my money back from the travel agency and, as a result, I opened up a whole new can of worms and other people got their money back, too.

(a) I made a complete mess of the agency
(b) I exposed a lot of serious problems
(c) I discovered some creatures on the carpet
(d) I revealed a lot of new paper work

5.
I wonder why his wife has always got got a bee in her bonnet?

(a) a headache
(b) an insect on her head
(c) a problem on her mind
(d) a ridiculous hat

ANSWERS
1. a
2. c
3. d
4. b
5. c

Grammar Hound – Part 7

 
 

Check your knowledge of idiomatic usage now!

1.
I’ve turned down the volume, so please tell me about it. I’m all ears!

(a) I’m listening carefully
(b) I’m listening quietly
(c) I’m listening quickly
(d) I’m listening completely

2.
John finally got a divorce but it cost him an arm and a leg!

a) a fair amount of money
(b) a small amount of money
(c) a good amount of money
(d) a huge amount of money

3.
Did you know that Michael’s brother is called the big cheese?

(a) the man with big ears
(b) the man with the top job
(c) the man with yellow teeth
(d) the man with the big smile

4.
Well, I never imagined he was a bird brain!

(a) a fool
(b) a criminal
(c) a conman
(d) a devil

5.
My sister was so unlucky, she got married to a bad egg?

(a) a disgusting person
(b) a dirty person
(c) a stupid person
(d) a dishonest person

ANSWERS:
1. a
2. d
3. b
4. a
5. d

Grammar Hound – Part 6

 

Idioms of Comparison
AS…AS

Idioms of comparison are also called similes and are mostly used in the description of people, their appearance, character, mood, actions, or behavior. But many of them are also applicable to things or places.

 

TEST
Please fill in the missing word.

01. As black as … .
02. As blind as a … .
03. As busy as a … .
04. As cold as … .
05. As cool as a … .
06. As cunning as a … .
07. As dark as … .
08. As easy as … .
09. As free as the … .
10. As greedy as a … .
11. As hot as the … .
12. As green as … .
13. As red as ….
14. As soft as … .
15. As stupid as an … .
16. As sure as … .
17. As sweet as … .
18. As white as … .

ANSWERS

01. As black as pitch
02. As blind as a bat.
03. As busy as a bee.
04. As cold as ice.
05. As cool as a cucumber.
06. As cunning as a fox.
07. As dark as night.
08. As easy as abc.
09. As free as the wind blows.
10. As greedy as a pig.
11. As hot as the sun.
12. As green as grass.
13. As red as blood.
14. As soft as butter.
15. As stupid as a donkey.
16. As sure as death.
17. As sweet as honey.
18. As white as snow.

Grammar Hound – Part 5

 

 

 

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE!

 

 

 

1.    Which is wrong?

a.    grapefruit peel
b.    orange peel
c.    peach peel
d.    apple peel
e.    lemon peel
2.    What does a bad tooth do?

a.    smart
b.    suffer
c.    irritate
d.    ache
e.    sting
3.    The bottom edge of a dress or skirt is called the … .

a.    fringe
b.    seam
c.    cuff
d.    hem
e.    turn-up
4.    What is a larder?

a.    a room where you wash clothes
b.    a room where you cook
c.    a room where you sleep
d.    a room where you eat
e.    a room where you store food
5.    Which word is wrong?

a.    weasel, weasels
b.    shelf, shelves
c.    measle, measles
d.    child, children
e.    foot, feet
ANSWERS:

1.   c.  – We say peach skin.
2.  d. – Ache (like toothache).
3.  d. – We say hem.
4.  e. – A small room where you store food.
5.  c. – Measles is an illness. Measle doesn’t exist.

Grammar Hound – Part 4

 

IDIOMATIC COMPARISONS
(AS … AS … ) – Part 2

Idioms with AS…AS are used in describing people, their appearance, character, mood, actions, or behavior. Idiomatic comparisons are also applicable to things or places. Examples: Peter was always as cold as ice with his landlord. Jane’s hands were as cold as ice. The wind was as cold as ice. The first “as” is often omitted in everyday speech. Examples: My friend Marilyn  is always as busy as a bee. / My friend Marilyn is always busy as a bee. Stephen was as white as a ghost. / Stephen was white as a ghost.

Please fill in the missing word:

1. Trevor stayed as cool as … … even though he had just been given a 200 Euros fine for speeding.
MEANING
Someone who is relaxed, not emotional and not over anxious.

a) an ice cube
b) a cucumber
c) water

2. Peter keeps his new Harley Davidson as clean as a … .
MEANING
Something that is extremely clean.

a) cat
b) whistle
C) tub

3. Mark’s speech was as dull as … .
MEANING
Something that is very boring.

a) cheese
b) soap
c) ditchwater

4. I’m surprised Luisa and Peter get on so well. They’re as different as chalk and… .
MEANING
Completely different from each other.

a) peaches
b) biscuits
c) cheese

5. Peter is working on a new editorial project. He’s always as busy as … …
MEANING
Very busy.

1. an ant
2. a bee
3. a fly

ANSWERS:

1) b
2) b
3) c
4) c
5) b