Упражнения практического применения идиом на уроках английского языка
1 Match the pieces of idioms.
1) The grass is always greener a) but never good.
2) The fox may grow grey b) and every sweet its sour.
3) Every white has its black c) on the other side of the fence.
4) All cats are grey d) white
5) The black crow thinks her own birds e) good ending
6) A good beginning is a f) in the dark
7) Every weather is good in its g) fortune
8) To make a h) season
9) To show the white i) so you may lie on it
10) As you make your bed j) feather
A key:
1) – c) The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
2) – a) The fox may grow grey but never good.
3) – b) Every white has its black and every sweet its sour.
4) – f) All cats are grey in the dark.
5) – d) The black crow thinks her own birds white.
6) – e) A good beginning is a good ending.
7) – h) Every weather is good in its season.
8) – g) To make a fortune.
9) – j) To show the white feather.
10) – i) As you make your bed, so you may lie on it.
2 Continue the idiom.
1) To see the world through…
2) All that glitters is not…
3) Like father like…
4) Strike the iron while…
5) A great ship asks…
6) Out of sight out of…
7) Never continue a job you never…
8) Catch one`s death of …
9) Bundle of…
10) Splitting…
11) Take the blue bull by the…
12) Never judge from…
A key:
1) To see the world through pink glasses.
2) All that glitters is not gold.
3) Like father like son.
4) Strike the iron while it is hot.
5) A great ship asks deep water.
6) Out of sight out of head.
7) Never continue a job you never joy.
8) Catch one`s death of cold.
9) Bundle of nerves.
10) Splitting headache.
11) Take the blue bull by the horns.
12) Never judge from appearance.
3 Find out the Russian equivalents:
1) The pot calls the kettle back.
2) Every cloud has a silver lining.
3) There is a black sheep in every flock.
4) East or West home is best.
5) Tastes differ.
6) There will be a holiday in our street.
7) Like an elephant in a china shop.
8) No pains, no gains.
9) To be in smb`s. shoes.
10) To be an apple in smb`s. eyes.
A key:
1) The pot calls the kettle back.
У других в глазу сучек примечает, а у себя бревна не видит.
2) Every cloud has a silver lining.
Нет худа без добра.
3) There is a black sheep in every flock.
Ложка дегтя в бочке меда.
4) East or West home is best.
В гостях хорошо, а дома лучше.
5) Tastes differ.
На вкус и цвет товарищей нет.
6) There will be a holiday in our street.
И на нашей улице будет праздник.
7) Like an elephant in a china shop.
Как слон в посудной лавке.
8) No pains, no gains.
Без труда не выловишь и рыбку из пруда.
9) To be in smb`s. shoes.
Побывать в чьей-то шкуре.
4 Find out the proper colour in the idioms:
1) To turn (black; red; green) with angry.
A key:
To turn red with angry.
2) He appeared to be (green-eyed; grey-eyed; red-eyed) monster.
A key:
He appeared to be green-eyed monster.
3) To see the world through (silver; blue; pink) glasses.
A key:
To see the world through pink glasses.
4) To be as (silver; black; grey) as coal.
A key:
To be as black as coal.
5) (Black-tie; white-tie; gold-tie) – tie event/affair
A key:
Black-tie – tie event/affair
6) All cats are (black; grey; white) at night.
A key:
All cats are grey at night.
7) Each stain comes to sight on a horse that is (black; white; red).
A key:
Each stain comes to sight on a horse that is white.
8) Once in a (blue; pink; silver) moon.
A key:
Once in a blue moon.
9) He appeared to be (yellow; red; white) – bellied.
A key:
He appeared to be yellow – bellied. (He often overeats)
10) To talk a (blue; black; red) streak.
A key:
To talk a blue streak. (To be a chatter-box)
5 Complete the idiom:
1. To turn red with… (to be furious)
2. Once in a … moon. (very rare)
3. To be green with … (to be envious)
4. A black hen lays a … (to be cunny)
5. To have a golden … (to be kind)
6. To have a green … (to be a good gardener)
7. To be a … child. (to be an example in everything)
8. To get the blue … (to get an approval)
9. To paint red … (to make something more beautiful)
10. To black … (to make something bad)
A key:
1. To turn red with angry.
2. Once in a blue moon.
3. To be green with envy.
4. A black hen lays a white egg.
5. To have a golden heart.
6. To have a green thumb.
7. To be a golden child.
8. To get the blue light.
9. To paint red colour.
10. To black out.
6. Imagine the situation and make the short dialogues using idioms:
1. Don`t look a gift horse mouth. (you get a present on your birthday).
2. To be an upper hand in … (you praize your classmate, he/she is good in Math,…)
3. There is a black sheep in every flock. (you don`t like your classmate to be boastful)
4. As white as a sheet. (you speak about your sister, she is afraid of a homeless dog)
5. An apple a day keeps a doctor away. (you advise smb. to eat fruits and vegetables)
7. Choose one word to characterize the state of a person:
1. Ben was so nervous, he had birds/butterflies in his stomach.
2. If I do my homework and rewrite it into the notebook I will kill two lions/birds with one stone.
3. I don`t want to tell her the secret. But nevertheless I should let the dog/cat out of the bag.
4. Be brave! You will win, only take the crocodile/bull by the horns.
5. Sue has achieved in her work and done the most of it, so she will get the lions/bulls share of the money.
6. I am sure: his wife pretended to be upset, those were just frog/crocodile tears.
7. I was very afraid to see that homeless dog. I almost lost my mind/heart.
8. Your aunt won`t scold you. She is an easy heart. Don`t you know: a breaking lion/dog doesn`t bite.
9. Don`t make faces when you get presents and show your dislike. They say: don`t look a gift dog/horse mouth.
10. Sam decided to take the lion/bull by the horns and ask his boss for a salary.
8. Match the pairs of words and joined them with “and”:
Safe, alive, clean, hit, right.
Run, tidy, wrong, sound, well.
A key:
Safe and sound.
Right and wrong.
Hit and run.
Clean and tidy.
Alive and well.
E. g. 1 A sound mind is in a sound body. Behave save and be sound.
E. g. 2 Sally`s room is beautifully decorated, it`s clean and tidy, she has a really good eye on it.
E. g. 3 Apparently he suggested to lend his old car but his mate turned the nose up at the idea and found a lot right and wrong.
9. Use one of the following words to complete each sentence.
| bee bat bull bird cat chicken pig horse dog chicken |
1. I`m as blind as a …. without my glasses.
2. She`s really got a …. in her bonnet about this new plan.
3. He decided to take the …. by the horns and see the boss about his problem.
4. Don`t let the …. out of the bag. It is a secret.
5. No wonder he feels sick! He really made a …. of himself last night.
6. She may …. out when she realizes what exactly she`s let herself in for.
7. He is such an early …., that he usually arrives the first.
8. Mary could win the competition, you know. She is a real dark ….
9. He won`t change . You can`t teach an old …. new tricks.
10. A thousand pounds! That’s ….feed! We need at least a million.
A key:
1. bat 2. bee 3. bull 4.cat 5.pig 6.chicken 7.bird 8. horse 9. dog 10.chicken
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