ESSENTIAL ENGLISH IDIOMS

Copyright Notice

Essential English Idioms is a property of Easy English

LESSON 1


to get in/to get on: to enter or to board a vehicle
To get in is used for cars, to get on is used for all other forms of transportation.

- It's easiest to get in the car from the driver's side. The door on the other side doesn't work well.
- I always get on the bus to work at 34th Street.



to get out of/to get off : to leave or to descend from a vehicle
To get out of is used for cars, to get of is used for all other forms of transportation.

- Why don't we stop and get out of the car for a while?
- Helen got off the train at the 42nd Street terminal.



to put on: to place on oneself (usually said of clothes) (S)

- Mary put on her coat and left the room.
- Put your hat on before you leave the house.



to take off : to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)

- John took off his jacket as he entered the office.
- Take your sweater off. The room is very warm.



to call up : to telephone (also: to give someone a call) (S)
To call can be used instead of to call up, as in the first example below.

- I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday I'd better call him now.
- Call me up tomorrow, Jane. We'll arrange a time to have lunch together.
- I promise to give you a call as soon as I arrive in New York.



to turn on: to start or cause to function (also: to switch on) (S)

- Please turn on the light; it's too dark in here.
- Do you know who turned the air conditioning on?



to turn off: to cause to stop functioning (also: to switch off, to shut off) (S)
Turn on and turn off, as well as their related forms, are used for things that flow, such as electricity, water, gas, etc.

- Please turn off the light when you leave the room.
- Are you really listening to the radio, or should I turn it off?



right away: very soon; immediately (also: at once)

- Dad says that dinner will be ready right away, so we'd better wash our hands and set the table.
- Tell Will to come to my office right away. I must see him immediately.
- Stop playing that loud music at once!



to pick up: to lift from the floor, table, etc., with one's fingers (S)

- Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.
- Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?



sooner or later: eventually, after a period of time

- If you study English seriously, sooner or later you'll become fluent.
- I'm too tired to do my homework now; I'm sure I'll do it sooner or later.



to get up: to arise, to rise from a bed
For the last definition a noun phrase must separate the verb and particle.

- Carlo gets up at seven o'clock every morning.
- At what time should we get the children up tomorrow?



at first: in the beginning, originally

- At first English was difficult for him, but later he made great progress.
- I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Betty.