Objectives
After the completion of this article/post, you would be able to---
• learn what phrase is.
• know different types of phrases.
•
use the phrases correctly.
Overview:
Lesson 1: Phrase
Lesson 2: Phrases & Idioms
Answer Key
Lesson 01: Phrase
A. A phrase is a group of words that works as a single part of speech having neither a subject nor a predicate.
Phrases are of seven kinds:
1. Noun Phrase : It does the work of a noun: His coming back is uncertain.
2. Adjective Phrase : It does the function of an adjective: He was a man of fame (= a famous man)
3.
Adverbial
Phrase : It does the work of an adverb: He ran at
a great speed. (= fast)
4. Prepositional Phrase : It does the work of a preposition: He stood in front of the man.
5. Conjunctional Phrase : It does the work of a conjunction: Come back as early as possible.
6. Interjectional Phrase: It does the work of an interjection: By God! I have never done this.
What a pity!
7. Verbal Phrase or group verbs: It works as a verb: Do not look down upon the poor.
An idiom is a phrase having a special meaning used as a mode of expression peculiar to a language.
The
Headmaster is all in all (= all
powerful) in the school.
B. Choose the right phrases from the box and fill in the gaps:
|
walking in the park |
of great kindness |
act on |
at this moment |
|
|
several times |
of a hero |
In front of |
from the tree |
|
b. I do not need it ---------------
c. They enjoy --------------- every morning.
d. Mohsin was a man ----------------
e. The boy fell --------------
f. You have performed the role ----------
g. He -------------- my advice.
h. I called her -----------
C. Choose the right phrases from the alternatives:
i. He gave me a ring ...... (of gold, for gold, with gold).
ii. He did it --------------------
(carelessly, carefully, in a careless manner)
iii. We met him -------------------
(in the way, on the way, over the way)
iv. He returned home ......
he could. (as soon as, soon, very quickly).
v. A man ---------- is like a rudderless boat, (with an aim, without an aim).
vi. Evan a man ------------ can do it. (of street, on the street, in street)
vii. He was a man -------------
(of fame, with fame, in fame)
viii. A flower is a symbol of ----------
(of beauty, with beauty, having beauty)
ix. He was a man --------------
(of riches, riches, of rich)
x. He is a man ----------
(of power, with power, of powerful)
Lesson 02: Phrases and Idioms
Learn the uses of the following Phrases & Idioms.
ABC (the
rudiments): He does not know the ABC of science.
Above all (chiefly): Nazrul was above all a good poet.
Above board (without any secret) His dealings are open and
above board.
After all (in spite of all that has been said): He is after
all an honest man.
All at once (suddenly): All at once, I saw a crowd.
All in all (all powerful): The Headmaster is all in all in the
school.
All on a sudden! All 'of a sudden (unexpectedly):
All of a sudden, the girl fell into the pond.
All the same (no difference): It is all the same whether you
come or not.
Anything but (far from): Your statement is anything but true.
Apple of discord (subject of quarrel): A piece of
land is the apple of discord between the two brothers.
As it were (so to say): The moon is, as it were, the lamp of
the earth.
As usual (as it commonly happens): He started for school as
usual.
As good as (keeping promise): He is as good as his word.
At all (even a little): I do not care for him at all.
At a loss (puzzled): I am at a loss to decide what to do now.
As to (about): As to that, I know nothing.
At all events (in any case): I shall go there at all events.
At daggers drawn (at enmity): The two brothers are at daggers drawn
with each other.
At home (familiar): He is very at home in English.
At last (ultimately): At last, he came.
At a time (each time): Come in one at a time.
At times (occasionally): At times, he loses his temper.
At random (without any aim): He talks at random.
At large (freely): Birds fly at large in the sky.
At the eleventh hour (at the last moment): They visit
the patient at the eleventh hour.
At a stretch (without a break): I can walk ten miles at a
stretch.
At the point of (very near): The man is now at the point of death.
At one's disposal (under one's control): The job is now at your
disposal.
At one's finger-ends (thoroughly familiar with):
Mathematics is at his finger-ends.
At stake (in danger): His life is at stake.
At sixes and sevens (in disorder): The books are at sixes and sevens on
the table.
Bad blood (ill feeling): There was a bad blood between the
two brothers.
Bag and baggage (with all belongings):
The students left the hostel bag and
baggage.
Bed of roses (a pleasant condition of life): Life is not a bed
of roses.
Before long (soon): He will arrive before long.
Beggar description (to be indescribable): Their sufferings in the
rains beggar description.
Bid fair (seem likely to): A good boy bids fair to success.
Birds of a feather (persons of the same nature): Birds of a feather
flock together.
Blue blood (high birth): The man is proud of his blue blood.
Black sheep (a man of bad character): There are some black
sheep in every society.
Bolt from the blue (unexpected calamity): The news
of his death came to me as a bolt from the
blue.
Bone of contention (matter of dispute): This
boundary wall is a bone of contention between the two neighbours.
Bosom friend (most intimate friend): He is my bosom friend.
By all means (in every possible way): I shall help you by all
means.
Beyond doubt (undoubtedly): He will come back beyond doubt.
By dint of (by means of): You can succeed in life by dint of
hard work.
By fits and starts (irregularly): If you read by fits and starts, you
cannot pass well.
By virtue of (because of): He claimed a pension by virtue of his
long service.
By leaps and bounds (at a rapid rate): The price of essentials is
increasing by leaps and bounds.
By turns (one after another): They worked in the garden by
turns.
By hook or by crook (any how): I shall do it by hook or by crook.
Burning question (an important thing): Population problem is a
burning question of the day.
By the by (incidentally): By the by, he told me about his plan.
By this time (by now): He must have reached home by this time.
Bring to light (to let the public know): The secret was brought to
light.
Bring to book (to call to account): The criminal should be
brought to book.
By chance (incidentally): By chance, I met him on the way.
Call to mind (to remember): I cannot call to mind what he told
me.
Chicken-hearted (cowardly): A chicken-hearted man like you cannot
do it.
A close-fisted man (a miser): A close-fisted man spends nothing in
charity.
Cock and bull story (a foolish story): A cook and bull story makes us
laugh only.
Come in question (to doubt): His honesty cannot be called in
question.
Come to light (to be known): The secret has come to light.
Come true (to be proved true): His dream came true.
Crocodile tears (pretended grief): His step-mother shed crocodile
tears at the death of his sister.
Crying need (urgent necessary): Education is the crying need of
a nation.
Cut a sorry figure (to produce bad result): He cut a sorry figure in
the examination.
Cut short (to shorter): Please cut short your lecture.
Cold war (unfriendly relation and no actual fighting): The
two nations are at cold war.
Dead letter (not in force): This law is a dead letter now.
Dead language (not spoken): Sanskrit is now a dead language.
Dog in the manger policy (unnecessarily
obstructing others): I do not support your dog in the manger policy.
End in smoke (to become useless): All his attempts ended in
smoke.
Every other day (on alternate day): Take the medicine every other
day.
Fall flat (not to be effective): The plan fell flat for want
of money.
Fair weather friend (false friend): Fair weather friends never come in hard days.
Far md wide (all around): His fame spread far and wide.
First and foremost (main & most important): The first and foremost duty of a student is to read.
Flesh and blood (human nature) : A flesh and blood cannot tolerate
this torture.
For the time being (for the present): Please let me wait here for the
time being.
Find fault with (to detect fault): Do not find fault with others.
Fall short of (be inadequate): Your performnce fell short of our
expectation.
For good (for ever): He left the country for good.
For the sake of (on account of): He sacrificed much for the sake of
peace.
From hand to mouth (very poorly): A beggar lives from hand to mouth.
From head to foot (the whole body): The Headmaster looked at him from
head to foot.
Get rid of (to make free): We should try to get rid of the
problem.
Gift of the gab (a talented orator): Sher-e-Bangla was a gift of
the gab.
Golden age (an age of development): Queen
Elizabeth's period is called the golden age of English literature.
Golden opportunity (an excellent opportunity): You
have lost a golden opportunity of going abroad.
Hue and cry (up roar): They raised a hue and cry at the sight
of the tiger.
Hard and fast (fixed): There are some hard and fast rules in
cricket.
Heart and soul (earnestly): He tried heart and soul to win the
prize.
Hale and hearty (physically sound): I hope you are hale and hearty.
Head or tail (no meaning): I could not make
out head or tail of what he said. (Make out = understand)
High and low (all without exception): He is loved by all high
and low.
Hang in the balance (to remain uncertain): The fate
of the prisoners are still hanging in the
balance.
In black and white (in writing): Please give the statement in black
and white.
In a fix (in a difficult situation): I am in a fix and so I
cannot do it without your help.
In case (if): In case you fail, you have to try again.
In fine (in conclusion): In fine, he advised us to
co-operate with one another.
In full swing (in full force): The school is going on in full
swing.
In lieu of (in stead of): He gave me a pen in lieu of a
pencil.
In spite of (not withstanding): He came in spite of rain.
In the long run (ultimately): If you are lazy, you have to suffer
in the long run.
Ins and outs (details): I know the ins and outs of the affair.
In a nut-shell (in short): He told us the story in a nut-shell.
In quest of (in search of): Tigers prowl in quest of prey.
In the good book of (in favour with): You are in the good book of the
Managing Director.
In view of (in consideration): In view of his age, he was
forgiven.
In no time (soon): He will return in no time.
In cold blood (deliberately): He murdered the man in cold blood.
Kith and kin (relatives): He has no kith and kin in the city.
Know no bounds (to be boundless):
The orphan's sufferings after the death
of his father knew no bounds.
Leave no stone unturned (to neglect no means): He left no
stone unturned to gain the object.
Lion's share (major portion):The mill owners take the lion's
share of the profit.
Lose heart (to be in despair): You should not lose heart when
you fail to get your desired thing.
Long and short (the simple fact): This is the long and short of
the story.
Man of letters (learned man): Everybody respects a man of letters.
Maiden speech (the first speech in public): Everybody was charmed
to hear his maiden speech.
Make good (to compensate for): I shall make good of the loss.
Muster strong (to gather in a large
number): People mustered strong in
the meeting.
Make the best use of (use properly): You should make
the best use of your time.
Make sure (to ascertain): You must make sure of your aim.
Nip in the bud (to destroy in the initial
stage): All his hopes were nipped in the bud at the death of his father.
Now and then (occasionally): He visits our house now and then.
Null and void (invalid): This law is now null and void.
On behalf of (as a representative of): The chairman spoke on
behalf of the council.
Of course (surely): Of course he will return soon.
Once and again (frequently): Father warned me once and again not
to see the film.
Once for all (now and for the last time): I have seen his dead
face once for all.
Open secret (secret known to all): Corruption in upper levels
is an open secret.
Out of pocket (having no money): I am now out of pocket, so I
cannot give you the money.
On foot (by walking): He came on foot.
On the eve of (just before): I went to the airport on the eve of
his departure.
Part and parcel (an integral part): A library is a part and parcel
of an educational institution.
Play hide and seek (a hiding and finding out game): The children were playing hide and seek.
Play truant (to leave or stay away from
school without reason): Nazrul used to play truant.
Pros and cons (advantages
& disadvantages): You must know the pros and cons of the matter.
Point blank (directly): The terrorist shot at
him point blank.
Play tricks (play false): Some politicians
play false with people.
Put off (lay aside): Do not put off your
lesson for tomorrow.
Put off (take off/remove): Put off your
dirty shirt.
Put out (extinguish): Put out the lamp.
Rag day (the last day of education):
Students enjoy the Rag day every year.
Red letter day (a
memorable day): The Independence Day is a red letter day.
A rainy day (hard times): We should save
money against a rainy day.
Red-handed (at the time of committing a
crime): The thief was caught red-handed.
Skin and bone (skeleton):
Disease makes a man skin and bone.
Slow coach (a person slow in action): A slow
coach like him cannot do it within this time.
Stone's throw (at short
qistance): My school is at a stone's throw from my residence.
Sum and substance (summary):
This is the sum and substance of the story.
Summer friends (false
friends): Summer friends do not come during evil days.
Square meal (full meal): The poor cannot have
two square meals a day.
Step by step (gradually):
Try to advance step by step.
Tell upon (to affect): Overwork will tell
upon your health.
To the back bone (in the
inmost being): The boy is wicked to the backbone.
Ups and downs (rise and
fall): Every life has ups and downs.
Up and doing (very
active): Be up and doing to prosper in life.
Without fail (certainly):
I will go there tomorrow without fail.
Weal and woe (in
happiness and sufferings): Good friends will help you in weal and woe.
Well-to-do (solvent): He comes of a well-to-do
family.
Exercise:
Exercise A:
Write meanings of the following phrases/idioms and make sentences with them.
|
|
|
||
|
1. |
All on
a sudden! All 'of a sudden |
14. |
In
black and white |
|
2. |
At the
eleventh hour |
15. |
In the
long run |
|
3. |
At
stake |
16. |
In a
nut-shell |
|
4. |
Beggar
description |
17. |
In cold
blood |
|
5. |
Bone of
contention |
18. |
Lion's
share |
|
6. |
Burning
question |
19. |
Make the best use of |
|
7. |
Chicken-hearted |
20. |
On
behalf of |
|
8. |
Crocodile
tears |
21. |
On the
eve of |
|
9. |
Crying
need |
22. |
Pros
and cons |
|
10. |
End in
smoke |
23. |
Sum and
substance |
|
11. |
For the
sake of |
24. |
Square
meal |
|
12. |
From
hand to mouth |
25. Weal
and woe |
|
|
13. |
Hue and cry |
|
|
Exercise B:
Choose the right idiomas and fill in the gaps:
|
after
all |
|
first
and |
find
fault with |
by
turns |
golden |
|
at home
in |
|
|
|
|
|
foremost |
|
|
opportunity |
|
|
|
above board |
|
all in all |
black sheep |
by dint of |
by fits and |
|
all on a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
starts |
|
sudden |
|
| ||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||
b. Rafiq is very -------------------- English.
c. There appeared a tiger ----------------------.
d. The spoilt son is a --------------------- of his family.
e. You should not read ------------------- if you want to do well in the examination.
f. Joy and sorrow come --------------------- in our life.
g. The boy prospered in life --------------------hard work.
h. Your duty is to study regularly.
i. It is a bad habit to --------------------- others.
j. You have lost -------------------- of getting a good job.
Answers Key:
Exercise A:
The solution could be found in the list of phrases and idioms given above. Students are advised to find help from their in solving this particular activity.
Exercise B:
a. After all
b. at home in
c. all on a sudden
d. black sheep
e. by fits and starts
f. by turns
g. by dint of
h. first and foremost
i. find faults with
h. a golden opportunity
