Expressions & Idioms in Context
Explain this metaphor naturally: “You’ve been quiet all meeting—penny for your thoughts?”
Asking someone what they are thinking; prompting them to share their thoughts.
Correct: It was so interesting book → then explain why.
Corrected: It was such an interesting book. Explanation: We use such before “adjective + noun” to emphasize.
Fill: He’s late. He ___ be stuck in traffic.
Must
Fill: We need to ___ the outdated software immediately.
Get rid of
Give your opinion about a choice or decision using rather than or so/such.
I’d rather invest in training our staff than spend money on new furniture.
I made such a good decision when I decided to open up my coffee Shop.
Make a sentence using rather than
“Rather than working late tonight, I’ll finish the report efficiently during the day.”
Put these in correct order: Leather / Italian / stylish / bag → then use in a complex sentence.
Correct: a stylish Italian leather bag.
Sentence: She bought a stylish Italian leather bag, which matched perfectly with her outfit.
Give advice to a struggling company using should / had better / might want to.
The company should cut unnecessary costs, and they might want to expand into new markets if they want to survive.
Fill: It’s up to the manager to ___ the client requests.
Look after
Describe a surprising event using a must phrase.
This must be a mistake—I can’t believe we won the contract.
Make a sentence using “Fishy”
“That explanation sounds fishy; I think there’s more to the story.”
Use so… that… in a sentence to describe a cause-and-effect situation.
The meeting was so long that everyone lost focus by the end.
Create three sentences using must have / could have / might have in real-life contexts.
– She must have forgotten about the meeting; she never misses it.
– He could have taken the wrong train; that’s why he’s late.
– They might have misunderstood the instructions.
Fill: Teams that fall behind need to ___ quickly.
catch up
Tell a short story using run into / put off / catch up.
Yesterday I ran into an old friend at the café. We decided not to put off meeting again, so next week we’ll catch up over dinner.
Create a sentence using a must phrase
“I must be dreaming! We actually won the international contract!”
Give advice in a sentence about what someone should be careful not to do.
“She reminded him to be careful not to leave his passport at the hotel.”
Rewrite: I think she is exhausted → must… and explain.
She must be exhausted after working a 12-hour shift. Reasoning: “Must” shows strong certainty based on evidence.
Create a sentence using stand out in a professional scenario.
Her innovative presentation made her stand out from the other candidates.
Use glass ceiling in a sentence.
Hint: It’s not about glass! This phrase describes an invisible barrier.
She felt she had hit a glass ceiling at work because she was never promoted.
Combine two expressions in one sentence naturally (e.g., must phrase + an idiom)
“I must be losing my mind; how did I forget such an obvious deadline?”
”This must be a wake-up call—it feels like the tip of the iceberg for the problems in the company.”
Create a polished sentence combining at least two grammar structures.
Hint: Such/so, adjective order, should, must, idioms…
She carried such a heavy, old leather suitcase that it was difficult not to stop and help her.
Explain differences between must, might, can’t + scenarios.
– Must = strong certainty (She must be the new manager; everyone is greeting her).
– Might = possibility (He might be at lunch; I’m not sure).
– Can’t = impossibility (That can’t be his car; he doesn’t drive).
Write a mini-paragraph using 3 phrasal verbs.
Last week, we ran into a problem with the budget, but the team worked it out. We put off the less urgent tasks and caught up on the important deadlines first.
Tell a short story using 2 phrasal verbs, 1 must phrase, and 1 grammar structure.
I must have left my notes at the office because I can’t find them anywhere. I tried to come up with a new plan, but I had to put off the meeting until tomorrow. It was such a stressful afternoon that I decided to head home early.