Idioms Flashcards
(137 cards)
** ABILITY
to
I value my ABILITY TO SING.
(Note: I CAN SING is preferred to I HAVE THE ABILITY TO SING.)
Wrong
l value my ABILITY OF SINGING.
I value my ABILITY FOR SINGING.
I value the ABILITY FOR me TO SING.
ACT
- The bay ACTED AS a funnel for the tide. (= functioned as)
- My friend ACTED LIKE a fool. (= behaved in a similar manner)
Wrong
The bay ACTED LIKE a fu n n elfor the tide.
Note: #66 in The Official Guide, 13th Edition tests this idiom. The explanation claims
that ACT LIKE must be used only with people. This claim is contradicted by other
published problems. The way to resolve this issue is to ask whether the author intends
metaphorical comparison (= LIKE) or actual function (= AS). If “actual function” is
possible, use AS.
AFFECT/EFFECT
The new rules will AFFECT our performance
Wrong
The new rules will CAUSE AN EFFECT ON our performance.
AFTER
AFTER the gold rush, the mining town collapsed
Suspect
FOLLOWING the gold rush, the mining town collapsed. (ambiguous)
AGGRAVATE
His behavior AGGRAVATED the problem. (= made worse)
Wrong
His behavior WAS AGGRAVATING TO the problem. (= was annoying to)
AGREE
They AGREE THAT electrons EXIST.
Electrons are particles THAT physicists AGREE EXIST.
S:
There is AGREEMENT AMONG them THAT electrons exist.
They AGREE electrons EXIST. (AGREE THAT is preferred)
Electrons are particles THATphysicists AGREE ON AS EXISTING.
W:
There is AGREEMENT AMONG them TO THE FACT THAT electrons exist.
Electrons are particles physicists AGREE THAT EXIST.
Electrons are particles physicists AGREE TO EXIST
AID
She AIDS her neighbor.
She provides AID TO victims. AID FOR victims is available.
Her AID IN WALKING the dog was appreciated.
WRONG: Her AID TO WALK the dog was appreciated.
AIM
We adopted new procedures AIMED AT REDUCING theft.
We adopted new procedures WITH THE AIM OF REDUCING theft.
S:
We adopted new policies, THE AIM OF WHICH was TO REDUCE theft.
W:
We adopted new policies WITH THE AIM TO REDUCE theft.
**ALLOW
The holiday ALLOWS Maria TO WATCH the movie today. (= permits)
Maria WAS ALLOWED TO WATCH the movie.
The demolition of the old building ALLOWS FOR new construction.
(= permits the existence of)
W:
The holiday ALLOWED FOR Maria TO WATCH the movie.
The holiday ALLOWED Maria the WATCHING OF the movie.
The holiday ALLOWS THAT homework BE done (or CAN BE done).
Homework is ALLOWED FOR DOING BY Maria.
The ALLOWING OF shopping TO DO (or TO BE DONE).
ANXIETY
His ANXIETY ABOUT his company’s future is ill-founded.
His. ANXIETY THAT his company MAY BE SOLD is ill-founded
W:
His ANXIETY ABOUT his company MAY BE SOLD is ill-founded
APPEAR
Imperfections APPEAR AS tiny cracks. (= show up as)
He APPEARS CONFUSED. (= seems)
The dinosaurs APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN relatively smart.
IT APPEARS THAT the dinosaurs WERE smart.
W:
He APPEARS AS confused. The dinosaurs APPEARED AS smart.
APPLY
The rules APPLY TO all of us.
W:
All o f us ARE SUBJECT TO THE APPLICABILITY OF the rules.
** AS
AS I walked, I became more nervous. (= during)
AS I had already paid, I was unconcerned. (= because, since)
AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)
JUST AS we did last year, we will win this year. (= in the same way)
AS the president of the company, she works hard. (= in the role of)
AS a child, I delivered newspapers. (= in the stage of being)
My first job was an apprenticeship AS a sketch artist.
AS PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
S:
ASA PART OF the arrangement, he received severance.
W:
My first job was an apprenticeship OF a sketch artist.
They worked AS a sketch artist, (needs to agree in number.)
WHILE BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
AS BEING a child, I delivered newspapers.
WHILE IN childhood, I delivered newspapers.
** AS… AS
Cheese is AS GREAT AS people say.
Cheese is NOT AS great AS people say.
We have AS MANY apples AS need to be cooked.
We have THREE TIMES AS MANY pears AS you.
We have AT LEAST AS MANY apples AS you.
We have 10 apples, ABOUT AS MANY AS we picked yesterday.
His knowledge springs AS MUCH from experience AS from schooling.
His knowledge springs NOT SO MUCH from experience AS from schooling.
He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays SO hard AS because he cheats.
S:
Cheese is NOT SO great AS people say.
We have AS MANY apples AS OR MORE apples THAN you.
We have AS MANY apples AS THERE need to be cooked.
He wins frequently, AS MUCH because he plays AS hard AS because he cheats.
W:
Cheese is SO great AS people say.
Cheese is SO great THATpeople say.
Cheese is AS great THATpeople say.
We have AS MANY apples THAN you.
We have SO MANY apples AS you.
We have AS MANY OR MORE apples THAN you.
We have THREE TIMES AS MANY MORE pears AS you.
We have 10 apples, ABOUT EQUIVALENT TO what we picked yesterday.
His knowledge springs NOTfrom experience AS from schooling.
AS LONG AS
will leave, AS LONG AS it IS safe.
I will leave, SO LONG AS it IS safe.
I will leave, PROVIDED THAT it IS safe.
S: I will leave, BUT it HAS TO BE safe . WRONG: I will leave, BUTitBEsafe.
AS… SO
AS you practice, SO shall you play. (= in the same way or manner)
JUST AS you practice, SO shall you play. (= in the same way or manner)
JUST AS you practice piano regularly, you should study regularly.
(= in the same way; the situations are analogous)
W:
You practice, SO shall you play.
JUST LIKE you practice, SO shall you play.
ASK
I ASKED FOR his AID.
He ASKED her TO GO to the store.
He ASKED THAT she GO to the store, (subjunctive)
W:
He ASKED THAT she SHOULD GO to the store.
ATTRIBUTE
We ATTRIBUTE the uprising TO popular discontent.
WRONG: We ATTRIBUTE the uprising AS popular discontent
AVERAGE
Tech COMPANIES are as likely as the AVERAGE COMPANY to fail.
W:
Tech COMPANIES are as likely as the INDUSTRY AVERAGE to fail.
AWARE
AWARE OF the danger, he fled.
AWARE THAT danger was near, he fled.
W:
WITH AN AWARENESS THAT danger was near, he fle d
WITH AN AWARENESS OF the danger, he fle d
BAN
They passed a BAN PROHIBITING us FROM CARRYING bottles.
W:
They passed a BAN that we CANNOT CARRY bottles.
BASED ON
The verdict was BASED ON the evidence.
The jury reached a verdict BASED ON the evidence.
W:
BASED ON the evidence, the jury reached a verdict.
(The jury was not itself BASED ON the evidence.)
BEGIN
The movement BEGAN AS a protest. (= was born as)
The movement BEGAN WITH a protest. (= protest was the first part)
The protest BEGAN a movement. (= caused)
WRONG: The movement WAS BEGUN FROM a protest.
** BELIEVE
She BELIEVES THAT Gary IS right.
She BELIEVES Gary TO BE right.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT Gary IS right.
Gary IS BELIEVED TO BE right.
