59595227 u 9 idioms emphasis
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A lot of adjectives can be made 'stronger' by the addition of another word or words. In mostcases, these words are used as a substitute for very or extremely (sometimes because veryand extremelydo not collocate (= work) with the adjectives that are being used).
For example: I'm awake = I'm wide awake / I'm warm = I'm as warm as toast
Complete the sentences with a word that emphasises the adjective / adjective phrase inbold, and write your answers in the crossword grid on the next page. Some of the lettersare already in the grid. Note that in some sentences more than one answer may be possible,but only one will fit in the crossword grid.
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Down ( )
Idiomatic emphasis
2. I don't think it's safe to play football. The ground is _____ hard.
3. The party began at eight o'clock, and by midnight Jim was _____ drunk.
4. He never listens to my advice. He's as stubborn as a _____!
6. He's as thick as a _____. I don't know how anyone can be so stupid!
7. She can't hear a word you're saying. She's _____ deaf.
8. I know I'm not the most handsome man in the world, but I think it's a bit unfair to say that I'm asugly as _____.
9. I'm bored _____ sitting here. Let's go out and do something.
12. She goes to the fitness centre every day, so as you can imagine she's _____ fit.
14. Our holiday was _____ cheap: we only paid 150 for the flights and two weeks in a four-star hotel.
15. It was a lovely day and the sea was _____ calm, so we decided to go for a swim.
16. I can't see a thing in here. It's _____ black.
18. It's raining heavily. Take an umbrella or you'll get _____ wet.
20. Alison is _____ mad: someone borrowed her dictionary and didn't return it.
23. I'm not surprised the room is cold. Someone's left the door _____ open.
25. I can't afford to come out tonight. I'm _____ broke again.
26. The children have been as good as _____ all morning.
28. You'll freeze to death in that jacket: it's _____ thin.
30. Everyone at the party was drunk except for Bob, who was stone _____ sober.
31. Don't touch the plate: it's just come out of the oven and it's _____ hot!
32. I usually buy my cars second-hand, but this time I'm going to buy a _____ new one.
1. What a lovely dress. You look _____-perfect in it.
3. He went out in the snow wearing just a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. He must be _____ mad!
5. He sat in the corner as quiet as a _____.
7. Uurrgghhh! This cake is _____ sweet. I can't possibly eat it.
10. I was so tired that I went to bed at eight, and within seconds I was _____ asleep.
11. Mike has got loads of money. He's _____ rich.
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12. Can I put the heating on? It's _____ cold in here.
13. I've heard that joke before. It's as old as the _____!
17. His explanation was _____ clear. I understood everything perfectly.
19. There's a _____ big rat in the kitchen.
21. The exam wasn't difficult. It was as easy as _____.
22. I must go to bed. It's been a busy day and I'm _____ tired.
24. Mr Grant is _____ dull. In fact, he's the most boring man I've ever met.
27. I'm _____ beat. I really need to get some sleep.
29. Be careful with that knife. It's _____ sharp.
30. Everyone was panicking, but Sarah remained as cool as a _____.
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Idiomatic emphasis (pages 19 20)
Across:2. rock 3. blind (We can also say as drunk as a lord)4. mule (A mule is an animal that has a horse as its motherand a donkey as its father. Idiomatically, a mule is alsosomeone who is paid to bring illegal drugs into a countryby hiding them on or in their body) 6. brick (Thickis aninformal word forstupid. We can also say as thick as two
short planks ) 7. stone 8. sin 9. stiff (Note that we saybored stiffand not stiff bored. We can also say boredrigid) 12. fighting (We can also say as fit as a fiddle)14. dirt 15. dead* 16. pitch (= it is very dark. We canalso say pitch darkor as dark as night) 18. soaking(Clothes that are very wet can also be sopping wetordripping wet) 20. hopping (Madin this sentence meansangry) 23. wide (The opposite is shut tight) 25. flat(Someone who is broke has no money. We can also say
stony broke) 26. gold 28. paper (Objects such asclothes, a wall, etc, arepaper thin. Food, when it is verythin, is wafer thin: "Would you like one of these wafer-thin mints?") 30. cold (We need to use stone in thisexpression. We can also say as sober as a judge) 31. red(We sometimes say white hot. If food is very hot, we cansay that it ispiping hot) 32. brand (We could make thiseven stronger by saying brand spanking new: "Roger has
got a brand spanking new car")
Down:1. picture (If something is very pretty, we can say that it isas pretty as a picture) 3. barking (Madin this sentencemeans crazyor insane) 5. mouse (We can also say as
quiet as a church mouse) 7. sickly 10. fast (Someonewho is fast asleep is dead to the world) 11. stinking12. freezing (Food or drink which is very cold is ice-cold: "Icould do with an ice-cold beer") 13. hills 17. crystal19. great 21. pie 22. dog 24. deadly 27. dead (Beatin this sentence is an informal word for tired) 29. razor30. cucumber
* deadcan be used as an informal substitute for very inmany cases. For example, dead straight, dead slow, deadwrong, dead funny, dead right, etc.
Several verbs can also be emphasised using idioms. Theseinclude:Smoke like a chimney(= smoke a lot); drink like a fish (=drink heavily);sell like hot cakes (= sell a lot of items veryquickly: "The new TR76 model mobile phone is selling likehot cakes");sleep like a log (= sleep very well); run like thewind(= run very quickly); fit like a glove (= fit very well:"My new jumper fits like a glove");spend / eat / drink (etc)like there's no tomorrow (= do something a lot withoutthinking of the consequences: "She's spending moneylike there's no tomorrow". We can also say like it's goingout of fashion: "She's spending money like it's going outof fashion").