Familiarizing with English Idioms

Why Idioms? Continued.

The following is a list of selected idioms that you will have to practice on. Refer to this list and the definition to complete the exercise on the left of the page. This is the continued part of A Practice on Idioms I. You may look at the first part to see why practicing on idioms is important for English learners.

To try out: to test, use during a trial period.

To go over: to examine, look at carefully.

To come across: to meet or find unexpectedly.

To stand for: to represent; also to tolerate.

To show up: to appear.

To carry out: to accomplish, execute, bring to a successful end.

To get away with: to do something forbidden or illegal and to escape
without Punishment.

To work out: to develop, devise, turn out.

To turn out: to become or result in.

To bring up: to rear, raise from childhood; also, to present for attention
or consideration.

Reference:
Dixson, R. J. (1983). Essential Idioms in English. Prentice-Hall, Inc. New Jersey

Note: You may consult this book for more practice on English Idioms.

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'; if (is.CRAPBrowser){ReadingText=ResolveAllURLs(ReadingText);} var NavBar=''; NavBar+=''; if (is.CRAPBrowser){NavBar=ResolveAllURLs(NavBar);} var TitleCode = ''; TitleCode += '' + ExerciseTitle + '
'; TitleCode += '' + ExerciseSubtitle + '
'; TitleCode += ''; var WordBox = ''; var ClozeOpener = ''; ClozeOpener += ''; var Buttons = '

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'; Buttons += '

'; var GapCode = ''; var ClueButton = ''; ClueButton = ''; function GoBack(){ var BackSkip = history.length - PreviousPage; if (BackSkip > 0){ history.go((BackSkip+1)*-1); } else{ parent.history.back(); } } function ShowReading(){ if (ReadingFrame != null){ if (ReadingURL.length > 0){ ReadingFrame.location.href=ReadingURL; } else{ ReadingFrame.document.clear(); ReadingFrame.document.open(); ReadingFrame.document.write(ReadingText); ReadingFrame.document.close(); } } } //Reading text/timer code var min var sec var ShowReadingAgain = 'Show reading again'; function DownTime(mm,ss){ min = mm; sec = ss; if (sec==0) { sec = 60; min--; } sec--; if (sec<10){ sec="0" + sec; } if (TimerFrame.document.TimerForm.face == null){ return; } TimerFrame.document.TimerForm.face.value= min+":"+sec; if ((min==0) && (sec==0)){ TimesUp() } else{ setTimeout('DownTime(min,sec)',1000) } } function StartReading(){ Stuff='Remaining time:'; Stuff+=' '; WriteToTimer(Stuff); ShowReading(); timeoutID=setTimeout('DownTime(2,0)',1000); } function TimesUp() { var Stuff=''; if (ShowReadingAgain.length > 0) { Stuff+=''; WriteToTimer(Stuff); } WriteToReading('Your time is over!'); } function WriteToReading(Stuff) { if (is.CRAPBrowser){Stuff=ResolveAllURLs(Stuff);} ReadingFrame.document.clear(); ReadingFrame.document.open(); ReadingFrame.document.writeln (''); ReadingFrame.document.writeln (' '); ReadingFrame.document.writeln (''); ReadingFrame.document.writeln ('

') ReadingFrame.document.writeln (''); ReadingFrame.document.writeln (Stuff); ReadingFrame.document.writeln ('

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'); ReadingFrame.document.close(); } function WriteToTimer(Stuff){ if (is.CRAPBrowser){Stuff=ResolveAllURLs(Stuff);} TimerFrame.document.clear(); TimerFrame.document.open(); TimerFrame.document.writeln (''); TimerFrame.document.writeln (' '); TimerFrame.document.writeln (''); TimerFrame.document.writeln ('

') TimerFrame.document.writeln (''); TimerFrame.document.writeln (Stuff); TimerFrame.document.writeln ('

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'); TimerFrame.document.close(); } function BuildExercise(){ var OutString = ''; var ClozeStuff = ''; for (var i=0; i'; } else{ GapLen = I[i][1][0][0].length; if (GapLen < 3){GapLen = 3;} Gap = ReplaceStuff('[strGapSize]', GapLen, GapCode); Gap = ReplaceStuff('[strGapName]', 'Gap' + i + '', Gap); Gap = ReplaceStuff('[strItemNum]', i + '', Gap); Gap = ReplaceStuff('[strValue]', State[i][5], Gap); ClozeStuff += Gap; //Create and add the clue button if (I[i][2].length > 0){ Btn = ReplaceStuff('[strItemNum]', i + '', ClueButton); ClozeStuff += Btn; } } } //Add the last bit if (Text.length > I.length){ ClozeStuff += Text[Text.length-1]; } //Put the final pieces together OutString = ClozeOpener + ClozeStuff + ClozeCloser + Buttons; BuiltCloze = OutString; } function WriteFeedback(Feedback) { if (is.CRAPBrowser){Feedback=ResolveAllURLs(Feedback);} //Build the output string var OutString = ''; OutString += ''; OutString += ' '; OutString += ''; OutString += NavBar; if (Feedback.length>0){ OutString += '' } OutString += '

'; OutString += ''; OutString += Feedback; OutString += '

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'; //Write it to the frame TopFrame.document.clear(); TopFrame.document.open(); TopFrame.document.write(OutString); TopFrame.document.close(); } function DisplayExercise(){ //Build the output string var OutString = ''; OutString += ''; OutString += ' '; OutString += ''; OutString += TitleCode; OutString += ''; OutString += NavBar; OutString += '

'; if (WordBox.length > 0){ OutString += WordBox; } OutString += ''; OutString += BuiltCloze; OutString += '

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'; if (is.CRAPBrowser){OutString=ResolveAllURLs(OutString);} //Write it to the frame BottomFrame.document.clear(); BottomFrame.document.open(); BottomFrame.document.write(OutString); BottomFrame.document.close(); } function ShowClue(ItemNum){ //alert(ItemNum); State[ItemNum][0] = 1; WriteFeedback(I[ItemNum][2]); } function SaveCurrentAnswers(){ for (var i=0; i-1){ FirstBit = InString.substring(0, i); LastBit = InString.substring(i + Token.length, InString.length); InString = FirstBit + Replacement + LastBit; i = InString.indexOf(Token); } return InString; } I = new Array(); I[0] = new Array(); I[0][1] = new Array(); I[0][1][0] = new Array(); I[0][1][0][0]='turned out'; I[0][2]='became'; I[1] = new Array(); I[1][1] = new Array(); I[1][1][0] = new Array(); I[1][1][0][0]='brought up'; I[1][2]='raised'; I[2] = new Array(); I[2][1] = new Array(); I[2][1][0] = new Array(); I[2][1][0][0]='stands for'; I[2][2]='represents'; I[3] = new Array(); I[3][1] = new Array(); I[3][1][0] = new Array(); I[3][1][0][0]='get away with'; I[3][2]='escape without punishment'; I[4] = new Array(); I[4][1] = new Array(); I[4][1][0] = new Array(); I[4][1][0][0]='try out'; I[4][2]='test'; I[5] = new Array(); I[5][1] = new Array(); I[5][1][0] = new Array(); I[5][1][0][0]='go over'; I[5][2]='look at carefully'; I[6] = new Array(); I[6][1] = new Array(); I[6][1][0] = new Array(); I[6][1][0][0]='carry out'; I[6][2]='accomplish'; I[7] = new Array(); I[7][1] = new Array(); I[7][1][0] = new Array(); I[7][1][0][0]='show up'; I[7][2]='appear'; I[8] = new Array(); I[8][1] = new Array(); I[8][1][0] = new Array(); I[8][1][0][0]='worked out'; I[8][2]='solve'; I[9] = new Array(); I[9][1] = new Array(); I[9][1][0] = new Array(); I[9][1][0][0]='came across'; I[9][2]='encountered'; Text = new Array(); Text[0]='1. George started the class with failing grades, but he '; Text[1]=' to be one the best students in
the class with an A.

2. This discussion became more interesting and more lively when Carolyn '; Text[2]=' the
question of cheating in the classroom.

3. In the American grading system, the letter F '; Text[3]=' failure.

4. The teacher decided not to let the students, who cheated, '; Text[4]=' it.

5. These new computers are always clashing. I think the school would better '; Text[5]=' the
computers before letting students use them in the lab.

6. The teacher asked the students to '; Text[6]=' their essays and edit them before turning them in.

7. It took us more than a year to '; Text[7]=' this project.

8. The lecture was delayed until 5 p.m. because the lecturer did not '; Text[8]=' on time.

9. We were worried that the project would fail. Fortunately, everything '; Text[9]=' all right thanks
to the dedication and optimism of the majority of us.

10. Everything was going on fine till I '; Text[10]=' that stupid problem which drove me crazy. '; State = new Array(); function StartUp(){ var i = 0; MixWords = new Array(); for (i=0; i -1){ var TotalChars = GetGapValue(i).length; State[i][3] = (TotalChars-State[i][1])/TotalChars; if (State[i][0] > 0){State[i][3] = State[i][3]/2;} if (State[i][3]<0){State[i][3] = 0;} State[i][4] = 1; } else{ //Otherwise, add zero to the array and increment the hints for this item, as a penalty State[i][1]++; State[i][3] = 0; //then set the flag AllCorrect = 0; } } } //Calculate the total score var TotalScore = 0; for (i=0; i'; } Output += YourScoreIs + ' ' + TotalScore + '%.
'; if (AllCorrect == 0){ Output += '
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'; } //--> //]]>

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