IDIOMATIC AND COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR PHRASAL VERBS AND IDIOMS

IDIOMATIC AND COLLOQUIAL RESPONSES

These exercises contain a lot of spoken expressions (some of them are formal, but most of them are informal) that we use in response to things that people say. For example, if somebody says "How did you know that I've been offered that job in London?", you might reply "A little bird told me." (which means that you are not going to say who told you).

Exercise 1: Match the sentences 1 – 25 with the most suitable response from the box at the bottom of the page. Use each response once only.

1	Goodbye. See you next week.
2	I forgot my wife's birthday.
3	My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary tonight.
4	Who was that man I saw you with last night?
5	I waited for the bus for half an hour, then three came along at once.
6	I've just eaten six hot dogs and now I've got a terrible stomach ache.
7	If you look at my girlfriend again, I'll kill you!
8	Thanks for inviting me to dinner.
9	I'm brilliant! My teacher says I'm the best student in her class.
10	Have a nice weekend.
11	What shall we have for dinner?
12	Please don't tell anyone my secret.
13	I'm tired. I'm going to bed.
14	I'm going to spend the weekend sitting in front of the television.
15	These chocolates look delicious.
16	Have you had enough to eat?
17	I can't come to your party.
18	I've just won £10,000!
19	I've got some amazing news.
20	By the time I'm 30, I'll be a millionaire and married to a supermodel.
21	I've heard that you're going to give me a surprise party for my birthday.
22	Acchhhooooooo!
23	Men are much more intelligent than women.
24	Come on, let's go or we'll be late.
25	What are you going to get me for my birthday?

(A) Get a life! (B) Hands off! (C) I'm absolutely stuffed! (D) Oh no, who let the cat out of the bag? (E) Night night, sweet dreams. (F) What complete rubbish! (G) Oh yes, you and whose army? (H) No way! You're pulling my leg! (I) Stop blowing your own trumpet! (J) Same to you. (K) Never you mind. Wait and see! (L) Hang on, give me a moment. (M) Bless you! (N) Oh dear, so you're in the doghouse again? (O) I could murder a curry. (P) Mind your own business! (Q) How typical! (R) Yes, cheerio, take care. (S) Fire away, I'm all ears. (T) In your dreams! (U) That'll teach you. (V) Oh, what a shame. (W) You're welcome. Come in and make yourself at home. (X) Don't worry, my lips are sealed. (Y) Oh, congratulations

Exercise 2: Choose the correct word in bold to complete the responses in these dialogues. In one of them, all three options are possible.

1	"I'm feeling a bit miserable at the moment." "Jeer / Cheer / Sneer up!"
2	"Can we have your decision?" "Um, let me dream / think / sleep on it."
3	"I, er, um, well, you know, I, er, the thing is, you see, well…" "Come on, spit / cough / blow it out!"
4	"I, er……………………………." "What's the matter? Has the cat got your tongue / lips / teeth?"
5	"Come on darling, give me a great big kiss and then have a dance with me!" "Go and take a running leap / jump / fall!"
6	"I'm taking my IELTS exam tomorrow." "Good luck. I'll be keeping my toes / fingers / legs crossed for you."
7	"Can I borrow your mobile to make a quick call?" "Sure. Be my host / friend / guest."
8	"It's my birthday today." "Is it? Oh, well, many happy reruns / returns / repeats."
9	"Could I use your car tonight?" "I'd prefer / wish / rather you didn't"
10	"I promise not to be late from now on." "Yeah right, that'll be the day / week / month!"
11	"My girlfriend left me last week." "Oh dear, so you're on the fence / wall / shelf again."
12	"Do you know Patrick Hartley?" "No, the name doesn't ring any phones / bells / changes"
13	"I'm the boss here, and you will do what I say!" "Stop throwing your weight / body / head around!"
14	"I'm afraid I've run out of coffee. I can only offer you tea." "That's all right. Any harbour / dock / port in a storm.
15	"I'm sorry, but I forgot to do my homework again." "Again? It's time you pulled your trousers / socks / pants up, young man."
16	"I'm under too much pressure at college." "Well, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the fire / oven / kitchen."
17	"I failed my driving test again." "Oh, hard / bad / tough luck!"
18	"What's the name of that restaurant we went to last week?" "It's on the tip of my tongue / finger / nose. I'll remember it in a minute."
19	"Have you ever been to hospital?" "No, touch cloth / paper / wood."
20	"Excuse me, could you take our picture?" "Sure, give me your camera. OK, say chips / cheese / cheers everyone!"

ANSWER KEY

Exercise 1: (These are the most appropriate answers): 1. R (Cheerio is an informal way of saying goodbye. Do not confuse this with Cheers, which is something we say when we drink, or when we thank someone very informally) 2. N (Someone who is in the doghouse is in trouble for something they have or haven't done: "You'll be in the doghouse if you don't finish Mr Walton's report by lunchtime") 3. Y (Congratulations is used for special events such as anniversaries, engagements, marriages, the birth of a new baby, etc. Some people also use it for birthdays, but this is less common) 4. P (This impolite expression is something we say when we want people to stop asking personal questions. It is sometimes shortened to Mind your own) 5. Q (How typical!, sometimes shortened to just Typical! is a very common English expression that we use when something that happens frequently happens again: "Our flight has been delayed. Typical!" 6. U (We say That'll teach you when we do not feel sorry for the person who is complaining because it is their own fault. It is often followed by for + an -ing verb: "That'll teach you for eating so much" or not to + an infinitive verb: "That'll teach you not to eat so much". We can also say Serves you right.) 7. G (You and whose army? is a very informal and aggressive expression which means that you do not think the person who is speaking to you is capable of doing something, especially fighting. It is sometimes used humorously between good friends) 8. W (You're welcome is a polite response when someone thanks us. We can also say Not at all, My pleasure or, less formally, No problem or OK. Make yourself at home is an expression we use to make people feel comfortable when they visit our home) 9. I (Stop blowing your own trumpet is an informal, impolite expression which means the same as Don't boast! or Stop showing off!) 10. J (We can also say You too) 11. O (This is a very informal expression that we use when we want to say how much we want something to eat or drink: "I'm really thirsty: I could murder an ice-cold Coke") 12. X (We can also say Your secret's safe with me or I won't breathe a word) 13. E (a very informal way of saying you hope someone sleeps well) 14. A (This is a very informal way of telling someone that they should do something more interesting in their free time) 15. B (a very informal way of saying Don't touch!) 16. C (a very informal way of saying that you are full and can't eat any more) 17. V (an expression of disappointment) 18. H (These expressions are used informally to say that you don't believe someone, that you think they are joking) 19. S (Both these informal expressions are used to tell someone that you are listening or are going to listen to them) 20. T (In your dreams! is a very informal expression that we use to say that something is unlikely to happen. We can also say Dream on!) 21. D (To let the cat out of the bag means to reveal a secret) 22. M (We say Bless you! when someone sneezes. North Americans usually say Gesundheit!) 23. F (used very informally when you disagree strongly with someone. Nonsense or garbage can be used instead of rubbish) 24. L (Hang on means wait, and has the same meaning as hold on) 25. K (The second speaker is saying that the present he has bought for the first speaker is a secret for now) Exercise 2: 1. Cheer (We say this when we want someone who is sad to be happy) 2. sleep (The second speaker wants time to think about his / her decision) 3. spit (The second speaker wants the first speaker to say what he / she means) 4. tongue (The second speaker wants to know why the first speaker is having problems speaking) 5. jump (The second speaker is angrily and very impolitely telling the first speaker to go away. Some people might say , Get knotted, Shove off, Take a hike, Sling your hook, Take a long walk off a short pier, Go and play with the traffic, Get on your bike, or other expressions which are much too rude to print here) 6. fingers (The second speaker is saying that he / she hopes the first speaker will be successful) 7. guest (Be my guest is a polite way of saying Yes you can. We can also say Help yourself) 8. returns (This is a slightly more formal way of saying Happy Birthday) 9. rather (This is a polite way of saying No you can't) 10. Day (We say That'll be the day when we don't believe something will happen. We might also say "And pigs might fly!") 11. shelf (Someone who is on the shelf hasn't got a girlfriend / boyfriend) 12. bells (When something like a person's name rings a bell, it sounds familiar to you, but you can't remember why: "Have you been to that bistro on the High Street? It's called Quasimodo" "Quasimodo? I'm not sure. The name rings a bell") 13. weight (Someone who throws their weight around uses their authority in an unreasonable or unpleasant way) 14. port (We use this expression when something that we want or need is not available and we must have something else instead. Beggars can't be choosers has a similar meaning) 15. socks (The second speaker wants the first speaker to work harder) 16. kitchen (This expression is used for telling someone that they should not do something if they cannot deal with the difficult or unpleasant aspects of it) 17. hard, bad, tough (These all have the same meaning. Tough luck is more informal. Some people also say Hard cheese, but this is usually used in an ironic way) 18. tongue (The second speaker knows the name of the restaurant, but cannot remember it at the moment) 19. Wood (We say touch wood to prevent bad things happening to us. Some people also touch a piece of wood when they say this) 20. cheese (We say Say cheese when we take someone's photograph and we want them to smile)