Idioms for everyday use 2: Idioms from time

 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE 2 IDIOMS FROM TIME & THE WORD “AS” 
ENGLISH IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE 2 
IDIOMS FROM TIME 
READING. Read the story. Then discuss the questions. 
CAT TIME 
 My cat is an expert at waiting for things to happen. Waiting around and killing time is 
her specialty. She watches the birds in the backyard for a couple of hours at a time. 
 Like all cats, she never makes plans. Shell do many things on the spur of the moment. 
For example, if she suddenly feels that the time is right, Shell try to go fishing in my 
fish tank. 
 Her favorite hobby is tree climbing. Give her a dangerous tree and she won't hesitate, 
in no time, I'll have to call the fire department to come and get her down. When she 
hears the fire engine, she gets scared and jumps out of the tree. She always lands on her 
four feet in the nick of time—just before she hits the ground. Then she walks away as if 
there's no problem. 
1. When you kill time, what are you doing? What do you do when you want to kill time? 
2. When you do something on the spur of the moment, do you plan it in advance? When is the 
last time you went somewhere on the spur of the moment? 
3. If you do something in the nick of time, do you do it before it’s too late or after it’s too late? 
Meanings 
 Each example has an idiom with time. Read the example carefully to find the meaning of the 
idiom. Then look at the definitions that follow the examples. Write the idiom next to its definition. 
the big time - Mafalda used to work in a supermarket. Then she hit the big time and she 
got a job as the star actress in a movie. 
to call it a day - When I finish writing this composition, I'm going to call it a day and 
go to bed. 
for the time being - We have no extra money. So for the time being, we can’t move to 
a nicer apartment. 
high time - It’s high time we bought a new car. The old one keeps dying out on the 
highway. 
in no time - When Sid got sick suddenly, we called the emergency number and the 
paramedics were here in no time. 
in the nick of time - The vase was just about to fall off the sink, but she grabbed it in 
the nick of time, so it didn't break. 
to kill time - We were a half hour early for the movie. To kill time, we went to the fast-
food restaurant next door for a cup of coffee. 
to make time - I was planning to work on my report all day, but I’ll make time in the 
morning to meet with you and discuss the problem. 
on the spur of the moment - They didn’t plan to go away for the weekend. They 
decided to go to the mountains on the spur of the moment. 
to take one’s time - It’s better to take your time when doing tests than to hurry and 
make mistakes. 
the time is right - The time is right to invest in a house because real estate prices are 
low now. 
1. ....................................to waste time, waiting for something else to happen 
2. ....................................quickly 
3. ....................................immediately, without planning 
4. ....................................it is a good time to do something 
5. ....................................just before it is too late 
6. ....................................not to hurry 
7. ....................................to do something although you did not plan it and you are 
 already busy 
8. ....................................almost too late to do something 
9. ....................................a high level of success 
10. ..................................to stop doing something 
11. ..................................temporarily, just for the present moment 
PRACTICE 
A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 
1. Fernando had half a tank of gasoline, but he still went to the gas station to fill his tank 
up. Did he go just in the nick of time? 
2. Claudia was very busy when I gave her my letter to type. She said it wasn't a problem 
and typed it immediately. Did Claudia make time to type my letter? 
3. It was six o'clock in the evening. We were very tired, but we were determined to 
finish the project, even if it meant staying up all night. Did we call it a day at six? 
4. Joanna wrote a romance novel, and she suddenly became famous and very rich. Did 
she hit the big time? 
5. We had nothing to do on the long train trip, so we played cards. Did we play cards to 
kill time? 
6. When we called room service at the hotel to get some coffee, it came two hours later. 
Did it come in no time? 
7. There's no safe place to sit on Tony's sofa. It's falling to pieces. Is it high time he got 
a new one? 
8. We always plan our vacation at least six months ahead of time. Do we go on vacation 
on the spur of the moment? 
9. Car prices are at their lowest. Is the time right to buy a new car? 
10. We were already twenty minutes late, but Jackie still didn't rush to get ready. Did 
she take her time? 
11. Irina was thinking about moving to the suburbs, but she's decided to stay in the city 
for a while. Is she staying in the city for the time being? 
B. Each example has the correct idiom, but there is one error with each idiom. 
Find the error and correct it. 
1. It’s higher time he got himself a job. 
2. I think we’ve done a lot of work. Let’s call a day. 
3. We’re staying at my sister’s house for the time be. 
4. The police came at no time. 
5. We watched TV to kill the time, while we waited for the cab. 
 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE 2 IDIOMS FROM TIME & THE WORD “AS” 
6. That singer is in big time now. 
7. Robin made time to check over my composition. 
8. We went to the movies on the spur of moment. 
9. He came with the money in nick of time. 
10. The times is right to buy a house. 
11. I like to take my times in the morning and not hurry off to work. 
CONVERSATION 
Practise each conversation with a partner. 
SITUATION 1. Ntozake is talking to her secretary at the office. 
Ntozake: Ginny, I wonder if you could type this memo for me. 
Ginnty: I can do it in no time. 
Ntozake: No need to hurry. Take your time. 
SITUATION 2. Pat and Joyce are going to see a movie. 
Pat: Were almost one hour early. What should we do to kill time? 
Joyce: Well, there's a coffee shop across the street. 
Pat: Great! We can take our time over a cup of coffee. 
SITUATION 3. Tim and Ben are working together on a project at the office. 
Tim: I'm really tired. 
Ben: Me too. Let's leave the project as it is for the time being. 
Tim: I'm glad you want to call it a day too. ' 
IDIOMS WOTH THE WORD AS 
READING Read the story. Then discuss the questions. 
As Fit as a Fiddle 
 I had the flu last week. I was as sick as a dog. After four days in bed, I was as weak as 
a kitten. I barely had the strength to get out of bed. My friend Clarence called me every 
morning and evening to see if I needed anything. His calls were as regular as 
clockwork. At first, my fever would not go away. It was as stubborn as a mule. Then I 
began to feel better. On day five I was as hungry as a bear. All I wanted was food. 
Now I'm fine. I'm as fit as a fiddle. 
1. When you're as sick as a dog, how sick are you? 
2. When you're as stubborn as a mule, how stubborn are you? 
3. When you're as hungry as a bear, how hungry are you? 
4. What grammar form do you see in all the idioms in the reading? 
What meaning do you think the asas gives to the adjective (sick, stubborn, hungry) in the 
phrase? 
Meanings 
 Each example has an idiom with a comparison using as. Read the example carefully to find the 
meaning of the idiom. Then look at the definitions below. Write the idiom next to its definition. 
as busy as a bee - Maxine is always working, either at home or at the office. She's as 
busy as a bee. 
as fit as a fiddle - Bart trains two hours every day. At sixty-eight, he's as fit as a fiddle. 
as good as gold - Baby-sitting for my little nephew Elrod was no trouble at all. In fact, 
he was as good as gold. 
as happy as a lark - When Marcus got engaged to be married, he was as happy as a 
lark. 
as hard as nails - The teacher is as hard as nails. He's strict and accepts no excuses 
from students who do not do their work. 
as hungry as a bear - Every time I exercise, I'm as hungry as a bear afterward, and I 
eat a big snack. 
as plain as day - Every week they spend more than they earn. It’s as plain as day that 
they need to spend less and go on a budget. [rõ mười mươi] 
as regular as clockwork - Dylan catches the same bus at the same time every day. He’s 
as regular as clockwork. [đúng y boong] 
as sick as a dog - After I ate that bad shrimp, I was as sick as a dog. 
as stubborn as a mule - Maisie is as stubborn as a mule. She doesn't like broccoli and 
she won’t eat it even if you pay her. 
as weak as a kitten - After she was ill in bed for three weeks, Penny was as weak as a 
kitten. 
1. .................................... not willing to change one's mind, very set in one’s ideas 
2. .................................... very healthy 
3. .................................... very hungry 
4. .................................... not very strong 
 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE 2 IDIOMS FROM TIME & THE WORD “AS” 
5. .................................... very unwell 
6. ....................................always at the same time 
7. ....................................very good, well-behaved 
8. ....................................very busy 
9. ....................................very easy to see or understand 
10. ...................................very hard and cold, not forgiving 
11. ...................................very happy 
PRACTICE 
A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 
1. Tinas new baby doesn't cry. She sleeps and smiles most of the time. Is the baby as 
good as gold? 
2. Doug has been in bed for a week now with a very bad flu. Is he as sick as a dog? 
3. Dennis tries hard, but he's never on time. You never know when he’s going to appear. 
Is he as regular as clockwork? 
4. Nina didn't pass her final exam. Do you think she’s as happy as a lark? 
5. Louise runs five miles every day, and she watches what she eats. Is she as fit as a 
fiddle? 
6. Gina is always running around doing something, either at home or in the office. Is she 
as busy as a bee? 
7. Kim’s father never forgave her for taking his car and then getting a speeding ticket. 
He said he’ll never let her use the car again, and he means it. Is Kim’s father as hard as 
nails? 
8. After walking in the fresh country air, Melinda came back and had a small salad for 
lunch. Was she as hungry as a bear? 
9. We asked Ahmed if he wanted to go to the movies with us yesterday. He didn’t really 
want to, but we persuaded him to come. Was Ahmed as stubborn as a mule? 
10. Max, who weighs 250 pounds and lifts weights, had surgery a few days ago. When 
we went to see him, he didn’t have the energy to get up. Was he as weak as a kitten? 
11. Ed has stayed up every night for a week to do his report. Now he looks very tired 
and has dark circles under his eyes. Is it as plain as day that Ed needs a rest? 
B. Each example has the correct idiom, but there is one error with each idiom. 
Find the error and correct it. 
1. My sister Katie is as stubborn as mule. You can never change her mind. 
2. I started to jog and exercise every day, and now I’m as fit as the fiddle. 
3. It’s as plain as a day he needs to wear glasses. 
4. My brother always comes home as hungry like a bear. 
5. My mother is always as busy as bees in the house. 
6. I get to work at eight every morning as regular as clockworks. 
7. The baby-sitter said little Timmy was as good like gold. 
8. Don was as sick as dog yesterday. 
9. It's good to see her as happy as a lake. 
10. Berta is as hard nails. She's very strict. 
11. After the operation, I felt as weak as the kitten. 
CONVERSATION 
Practise each conversation with a partner. 
SITUATION 1. Two friends are talking. 
Lin: Is Suzy coming with us? 
Pam: I asked her three times already and she said no. 
Lin: Forget it then. She’s as stubborn as a mule. We’ll go without her. 
SITUATION 2. Two classmates are talking. 
Tran: Where were you last week? 
Bob: Oh, I was as sick as a dog with the flu. 
Tran: Are you better now? 
Bob: Sure am. As fit as a fiddle! 
SITUATION 3. Ernie comes home after football practice. 
Ernie: What's for dinner, Mom? 
Mom: There’s roast chicken and ice cream for dessert. 
Ernie: I’m as hungry as a bear. Can I eat now?