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Lesson 9

“As usual”. As usual, he was talking about himself. He is going to be late as usual. As usual, I brushed my teeth right after I ate dinner.

A: Where is Matt? B: He’s playing computer games as usual.

“Back up” My father had to back up because the car in front of him broke down. Could you please back up? You are standing too close.

A: I would like to get the trees in the photo, too. B: OK. I’ll just back up a little.

“Be cut out for” I don’t think he’s cut out for swimming! I don’t know if I’m cut out for graduate school. Nobody thought she was cut out for the army, but she became an officer.

A: I didn’t know that Dave is afraid of flying. B: Yeah, I don’t think he’s cut out to be a pilot.

“Catch on” Don’t worry. You’ll catch on soon! It took him a few minutes to catch on to the joke. Don’t worry. Just follow me and you’ll catch on in no time.

A: Wow. You learned how to juggle in one day? B: Yes. I caught on to it quickly.

“For ages” He hasn’t cut his beard for ages. We haven’t visited our grandparents for ages. That actor hasn’t made a movie for ages.

A: How’s your cat? B: I don’t know. I haven’t seen it for ages.

“Hand over” Hand over the food! This is robbery! Hand over all of your money! The old man decided to hand over his business to his sons.

A: Alright! Hand over my keys! B: Don’t have them!

“Serve one’s right” It serves you right! It would serve him right if she never spoke to him again. Her talk show was cancelled. It serves her right for being so rude to her guests.

A: Billy had to do extra homework because he came late to class. B: Serves him right!

“Take apart” He had to take apart the robot. I took apart the fan and put in a new motor. He takes apart cars and sells the engines.

A: Why did you take apart the computer? B: I was looking for a file.

“Turn down” She always turned him down. She asked him to go out with her, but he turned her down. I invited her to join us, but she turned down my invitation.

A: I tried to join the band but they turned me down. B: Maybe you should learn how to sing first.

“Work out” He decided it was finally time to start working out. How often do you work out each week? I don’t really like to work out, but I do like to play tennis and basketball.

A: Do you work out? B: Yes. I run to the donut shop every morning.

Dialog Hey Sam! Did you borrow my yellow tie? Oh yeah. I’ve got it. Hand it over! I’ve got a hot date tonight. Really? With whom? Carol Morgan. You’re going out with Carol? I haven’t seen her for ages. How is she? She is great! She has been working out and looks better now than ever. Wow! She looked incredible before. How did you get her to go out with you? I asked her. OK, I had to ask her a few times. She turned me down at first, but I kept asking. As usual, your annoying nature wins in the end. I think you’re starting to catch on. Always remember, “If at first you don’t succeed, try again”.

Idioms in Context Amy asked her husband to go shopping with her. As usual, her husband was too busy watching television to go with her. Amy tried to persuade her husband. She told him, “Come with me, honey. We haven’t been shopping together for ages, I want you to take a look at some summer dresses with me. You can help me pick out the best one”. Her husband turned her down, saying, “You always want to check every store, Amy. I’m just not cut out for all that walking around”. “Think of it as your chance to work out”, Amy suggested. “You’ll be getting your exercise for the day”. But her husband wasn’t listening. He was concentrating on the football game on television. Amy was so upset that she wanted to take apart the TV and flush each piece down the toilet! She set out for the shopping mall alone. But as she was backing up the car in the driveway, she had an idea. She stopped the car and went back in the house. She told her husband, “I’m sorry for bothering you, honey. Have fun watching the game”. Then she gave him a kiss and left. At the mall, she found hundreds of dresses for sale and took her time looking through them all. She picked out two nice ones and went to pay for them. As she was handing over her credit card to the cashier, the remote control for her television fell out of her purse. “My husband is home watching television”, Amy explained to the confused cashier. “When he catches on that I stole the remote control, he’ll go crazy! But it serves him right for not coming with me”.