Level – Pre-intermediate and intermedia te

Idioms and sayings – powiedzenia i przysłowia.

Idiom /n/ - a group of wards with a meaning that is different from the individual words.

Sometimes the meaning is easy to understand; sometimes it difficult to understand from the

individual words. .

Saying /n/ - a sentence that people say and that gives advice or information about human life and

experience.

Ex. 1. What do the idioms and sayings mean? Translate them into Polish .

Too many cooks spoil the broth /things get ruined if too many people are involved/.

Don’t cry over split milk /don’ get upset about sth that happened that you can’t changed/.

As cool as cucumber / someone who is calm/cool/.

A couch potato /someone who spends most of their time watching TV/.

Change sb mind / change sb decision or opinion/.

A late night /later than usually/.

All over the place / everywhere/.

Get nowhere / not make progress/.

Keep an eye on / watch/look after/.

Never mind /it’s ok, no problem/

Feel like /want/

Get rid of /throw it away/.

Get on sb nervous /is very annoying, makes sb angry/.

On the tip of my tongue / I know it, but I can’t remember/

Hang on / wait a minute/.

What’s up / what’s the matter/.

A piece of cake /a think which is very easy to do/.

Go ahead / take it, help yourself/.

I haven’t the clue / I don’t know/.

It’s up to you / it’s your decision/

make do with sth /to use sth that is not good enough because nothing better is available/ For good / for ever/ The apple of sb eye /very important for sb/.

Have a chip on your shoulder /to feel angry about sth that happened a long time ago because youthink it is unfair/

once in a blue moon /almost never/

Ex. 2. Replace the underline words with the idiomatic phrase.

1. A: Was the exam difficult? B: No, it was cake /a think which is very easy to do/.

2. A: Do you think they’ll ever come back to England? B: No, they gone / forever/.

3. A:Do you really need a large flat? B:Well, it would be nice to have a big place, but I can probably/to use sth that is not good enough because nothing better is available/ a small flat.

4. A: Are you coming?

B: Yes, / wait a minute/.

5. A: / what’s the matter/.: B:Nothing.

6. A: I’ve forgotten to bring your book. B: / it’s ok, no problem/.

7. A:Can I borrow your dictionary? B:Sure, / take it, help yourself/.

8. A:What the answer? B: / I don’t know/.

Ex. 3. Translate into English – use the idioms.

1. I’ve zmieniłem zdanie ………………………………………………………………….about those shoes. 2. I’m tired because I had poszedłem spać później niż zwykle ……………………..………………… 3. You find Fast food restaurants wszędzie…………………………………………………………………….. 4. They asked us to opiekować się………………………………… the house while they’re away. 5. We should wyrzucić ……………………………………………………………………… some of this stuff.

6. That boy really denerwuje mnie………………………………………………………..…………………….. 7. The answer’s “na końcu języka’’…………………………………………………………….………………… 8. I’d rather do it by myself. “Gdzie kucharek sześć tam nie ma co jeść”………….…………… 9. Forg et about the broken vase! It’s no use “płakać nad rozlanym mlekiem”……………….

Key: Ex. 2.

1. A piece of cake. 2. For good. 3. Make do with. 4. Hang on. 5. What’s up. 6. Never mind. 7. Go ahead. 8. I haven’t a clue.

Ex. 3. 1. Changed my mind. 2. A late night. 3. All over the place. 4. Keep an eye on. 5. Get rid of. 6. Gets on my nervous. 7. On the tip of my tongue. 8. Too many cooks spoil the broth. 9. Don’t cry over split milk.

Literature: “English vocabulary in use”. S. Redman

“Access 3” V. Evans, J. Dooley