Complete each of the sentences with the correct form of one of the verbs below and the preposition up. Use each verb only once. (Answers are below)

Verbs: build – cheer – grow - liven – put - shoot – speak – stand

1. I’m not tall enough to reach. Can you _____________ this poster for me?
2. Why are you so miserable? ____________! Things can’t be that bad!
3. When the headmaster came in, most of the pupils ___________, but a few remained seated.
4. The party was really boring so I suggested some games to ________ it ___.
5. After a long illness, it takes some time to ____________ your strength.
6. She’s a bit deaf so you’ll have to ___________.
7. I was born in Washington but I ___________ in New York.
8. The weather’s been so bad that the price of strawberries has ____________.

(Answers: 1. put up; 2. Cheer up; 3. stood up; 4. liven it up; 5. build up; 6. speak up; 7. grew up; 8. shot up)

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Babe in the woods
A babe in the woods is a naive, defenceless, young person.

Blue-eyed boy
Someone’s blue-eyed boy is their favourite person.

Child’s play
If something is child’s play, it is very easy and simple.

Hold the baby
(UK) If someone is responsible for something, they are holding the baby.

It takes a village to raise a child
It takes many people to teach a child all that he or she should know.

Like a kid in a candy store
If someone is like a kid in a candy store, they are very excited about something.

Mummy’s boy
A man who is still very dependent on his mother is a mummy’s boy.

New kid on the block
A new kid on the block is a person who has recently joined a company, organisation, team, etc, and does not know how things work yet.

Out of the mouths of babes
People say this when children unexpectedly say something very intelligent or wise.

Sleep like a baby
If you sleep very well, you sleep like a baby.

Spare the rod and spoil the child
This means that if you don’t discipline children, they will become spoilt.

Spit the dummy
Reference to an infant spitting out their dummy (or pacifier) in order to cry. ‘To spit the dummy’ is to give up.

Throw the baby out with the bath water
If you get rid of useful things when discarding inessential things, you throw the baby out with the bath water.

With child
(UK) If a woman’s with child, she’s pregnant.

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Used to do

We use ‘used to’ for something that was true  in the past but no longer happens. It is a way to contrast the differences between the present and the past.

• I used to smoke a packet a day but I stopped two years ago.
• Ben used to travel a lot in his job but now, since his promotion, he doesn’t.
• I used to drive to work but now I take the bus.
• I didn’t use to like him but now I do.

‘Used to do’ is different from ‘to be used to doing’ and ‘to get used to doing’

to be used to doing

We use ‘to be used to doing’ to say that something is normal, not unusual.

• I’m used to living on my own. I’ve done it for quite a long time.
• Hans has lived in England for over a year so he is used to driving on the left now.
• They’ve always lived in hot countries so they aren’t used to the cold weather here.

to get used to doing

We use ‘to get used to doing’ to talk about the process of something becoming normal for us.

• I didn’t understand the accent when I first moved here but I quickly got used to it.
• She has started working nights and is still getting used to sleeping during the day.
• I have always lived in the country but now I’m beginning to get used to living in the city.

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Complete the sentences with the correct adjective. (Answers are at the bottom of the page)

Adjectives:

generous – grateful – honest – independent – jealous – lively – mature – miserable – patient – popular – proud – relaxed – reliable – sensible – superficial – warm – weird

Sentences:

1. She doesn’t think about anything seriously or have any deep thoughts, she’s so ___________.
2. He’s always _________. He’s never in a hurry and he’s always calm.
3. She’s the most ________  girl in school, everybody likes her.
4. He’s very _________. If he say’s he’ll do something, he does it.
5. She always tells the truth. She’s very _________ .
6. He’s a very ________ teacher. He doesn’t get angry even when he has to repeat something three times.
7. They were very __________ when we said they could stay in our house while we were away.
8. He never drinks and drives. He’s too _______ to do something silly like that.
9. She’s going to travel around the world for six months on her own. She must be very ___________.
10. She always has fun at parties because she’s so bright and _______.
11. He never smiles and always looks ________. I don’t know what his problem is.
12. She’s only seventeen but she seems much older. She’s very ______ for her age.
13. He makes her ________ when he looks at other girls.
14. She looks _______. Why does she wear such strange clothes?
15. They’re very rich but they are also really _______ with their money. They give wonderful presents.
16. He got 100% in all his exams. His parents are really _______ of him.
17. She’s always ______ and friendly. You always feel welcome at her house.

(Answers: 1. superficial; 2. relaxed; 3. popular; 4. reliable; 5. honest; 6. patient; 7. grateful; 8. sensible; 9. independent; 10. lively; 11. miserable; 12. mature; 13. jealous; 14. weird; 15. generous; 16. proud; 17. warm)

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Below are some of the most common idioms of personality used in English:

1. absent- minded: very forgetful, easily forgetting things.
2. big-headed: conceited, boastful, self-important.
3. brainy: clever, intelligent.
4. cheeky: rude, disrespectful (especially towards someone older, eg. parents, teachers etc.)
5. hot-headed: get angry quickly; tending to do things without thinking.
6. nosy: inquisitive, curious about others.
7. pig-headed: stubborn, unwilling to listen to advice.
8. thick: stupid, unintelligent.
9. thick-skinned: insensitive to criticism, not easily offended.
10. tight-fisted: mean with money, not generous.
11. two-faced: insincere, deceitful (eg. agree when talking to someone but disagree behind their back)
12. well-off: rich, wealthy.

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WHICH PHRASAL VERB SHOULD YOU USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFE FROM YOUR BIRTH TO BECOMING AN ADULT?