IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS USING ‘COME’

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR PHRASAL VERBS AND IDIOMS

IDIOMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS USING ‘COME’

Exercise 1:

Complete the phrasal verbs in sentences 1 – 14 with an appropriate particle or particles, and write these in the grid at the bottom of the page. If you do this correctly, you will reveal a phrasal verb in the shaded vertical column that can be used to complete sentence 15. The meaning of each phrasal verb in its context is explained in italics at the end of each sentence.

1	Have you ever come _____ such a horrible person in all your life? (to meet someone or find something by chance)
2	How is Sarah coming _____ _____ her photography course? (to make progress or get better in quality, skill or health)
3	I'm British, but my parents come _____ India. (to have your home in a particular place)
4	Fast food has come _____ _____ more criticism from the press. (to receive something such as criticism)
5	I don't want the problem of money coming _____ us. (to cause an argument or disagreement between two people)
6	I've been writing this book for six months, and it's finally coming _____. (to finally start to work successfully)
7	As I get older, I find that my birthdays seem to come _____ more frequently. (to happen regularly)
8	She came _____ a lot of money when her grandfather died. (to receive something – usually money – when someone dies)
9	We need to come _____ _____ a plan that will make us a lot of money. (to think of something such as an idea or plan)
10	In the first week of my new job, I came _____ _____ several problems that had been left by the person who had my job previously. (to have to deal with something difficult or unpleasant)
11	The National Blood Service is asking for more people to come _____ and donate blood. (to offer help or information)
12	You never know what children are going to come _____ _____. (to say something suddenly, usually something that surprises or shocks people)
13	The first time I tried using my new camera, it came _____ in my hands. (to separate into pieces, sometimes because the object – in this case a camera – has been badly made)
14	We've had a difficult few weeks, but I'm glad to see we've managed to come _____ together. (to be still alive, working or making progress after a difficult or dangerous experience)
15	I don't feel very good. I think I'm _____ _____ _____ something. (to become ill with a particular disease, but not usually one that is serious)

Exercise 2:

Complete these two conversations with the expressions from the box.

as rich as they come come clean come to think about it don't come cheap when it comes to making I don't know where you're coming from

come a long way come in handy come up in the world for years to come how come don't come the innocent with me

come again come off it coming right up you'll get what's coming taking each day as it comes I don't know if I'm coming or going

Julie:	You two-timing, double-crossing cheat!
Rick:	____________?
Julie:	You heard me. I saw you leaving a restaurant with a strange woman today.
Rick:	____________! What woman?
Julie:	____________!
Rick:	Look, I'm sorry, but ____________.
Julie:	The long-haired brunette in the jeans and leather jacket.
Rick:	Ah, right. ____________ you saw us?
Julie:	I had gone into town to do some shopping and saw the two of you. Who is she? And don't lie, or ____________, believe me.
Rick:	Well, I suppose I'll have to ____________, won't I?
Julie:	You certainly will.
Rick:	You saw us from behind, right?
Julie:	Uh, right.
Rick:	Yes, well, ____________ false assumptions, you win. That was Alan, my new boss.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tim:	I haven't seen John this week. ____________, I haven't seen him for a few weeks.
Andy:	Oh, he's busy moving into his new house. He's bought a place in Hampstead.
Tim:	In Hampstead? How did he afford that? Houses in Hampstead ____________.
Andy:	Well, he's ____________ since he worked as a salesman for PTG. He owns his own company now, and is making a fortune. Apparently he's now ____________.
Tim:	He kept that quiet. I didn't know how much he had ____________.
Andy:	Well, he doesn't like to boast about it. How are you getting on in your new job, by the way?
Tim:	Oh, there's so much to do and so much to learn that most of the time ____________. I'm just ____________. How's work for you?
Andy:	Oh, so so, you know. I was hoping to look for something else more interesting, but there aren't many jobs out there. I guess I'll be with the same company ____________. What I need is a big win on the lottery.
Tim:	Yes, that would ____________! In the meantime, how about buying me another drink?
Andy:	Same again?
Tim:	Yes please.
Andy:	OK, ____________!

ANSWER KEY

 

Come again? = An informal spoken expression used for asking someone to repeat what they said.   Come off it! = An informal spoken expression used for telling someone that you do not believe them or what they are saying is stupid.   Don't come the innocent with me! = An informal spoken expression used for telling someone not to pretend they are in a particular situation, because you do not believe them. This can be used in other ways. For example, "Don't come the poor overworked teacher with me! I know that teaching is the easiest job in the world!"   I don't know where you're coming from = A spoken expression which means "I don't know what you're saying or why you're saying it".   How come…? = An informal spoken question used for asking how or why something happened. It can be used on its own: "I'm leaving my job next week." "Really? How come?" You'll get what's coming! = An informal spoken expression meaning "You'll experience something bad, which you deserve."   Come clean = To admit the truth, usually about something bad you have done. When it comes to… = When the subject being discussed is a particular thing. This can be used in other ways. For example, "When it comes to holidays, I prefer something lazy." "When it comes to writing letters, she's hopeless."   Come to think about it = A spoken expression used for adding something that you have just remembered about a subject that you are talking about. Don't come cheap = Costing a lot of money. Come a long way = Improve a lot, or make a lot of progress.   As rich as they come = Very rich. This can be used with other adjectives. For example, "He's as lazy as they come" (= he's very lazy); "She's as poor as they come" (= she's very poor).   Come up in the world = To become richer, more powerful or more successful than before.   I don't know if I'm coming or going = An informal spoken expression meaning you are very confused, usually because you have too many things to deal with. I'm taking each day as it comes = I don't worry about something before it happens, and I try to deal with it calmly when it does happen.   For years to come = For a long time in the future. This can also be used with other 'time' words: for days to come, for weeks to come, etc.   Come in handy = Useful for a particular situation (handy = useful)   Coming right up! = An informal spoken expression meaning you will bring what someone has asked for (in this case, a drink) very soon.