Some idioms with “cat”

Be a copycat = imitate e.g. She’s such a copycat. Whenever I buy something, she goes and buys exactly the same thing.
Cat get one’s tongue = speechless e.g. Why don’t you say something? Did the cat get your tongue?
Curiosity killed the cat = don’t be nosy e.g. Should we go see what is happening next door? No. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat!
Lead a cat and dog life / Fight like cat and dog = argue continuously e.g. We hear them arguing all day. They don’t get along and fight like cat and dog.
Let the cat out of the bag = reveal a secret e.g. We were having dinner when he let the cat out of the bag! It slipped out that he got a promotion and was moving to New York.
Like something the cat dragged in = untidy e.g. He must have had a wild night. He arrived in the morning like something the cat dragged in.
Not enough room to swing a cat = small space e.g. I remember my tiny room at university. There was not enough room to swing a cat in it!
When the cat’s away the mice will play = take advantage of a lack of supervision e.g. The teacher was called away for a few minutes and the class became very noisy, when the cat’s away the mice play.
Raining cats and dogs = rain heavily e.g. I can’t believe this weather. It’s raining cats and dogs.

Comparative and superlative adjectives

Adjectives are used to describe nouns. When we compare two or more things we use comparatives. Add –er to:

One-syllable adjectives e.g. fast → faster. His car is faster than mine.
Two-syllable adjectives ending in –y e.g. easy → easier. The Maths exam was easier than the English exam.

For adjectives with 2 or more syllables add more.
e.g. beautiful→ more beautiful. I think Angelina is more beautiful than Penelope.

A superlative is used to compare 3 or more things. Add est to:

One-syllable words e.g. fast → the fastest. The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world.
Two-syllable words ending in –y e.g. easy → the easiest. That was the easiest exam I’ve had.

For adjectives with 2 or more syllables add the most
e.g. beautiful → the most beautiful. Angelina is the most beautiful woman in Hollywood.

Some idioms with “break”

Lucky break = good luck e.g. They got their lucky break when they went on the talent show.
Break a leg = good luck e.g. I’m sure you’ll do well on stage. Break a leg.
Break a habit = stop a habit e.g. It’s difficult to break a habit like smoking because you become addicted to nicotine.
Break a record = do better than a previous performance e.g. Do you think he’ll break the 100 metres record?
Break down = lose emotional control e.g. She was so upset about the divorce, she broke down, started crying and wouldn’t stop!
Break in on = interrupt e.g. I’m sorry to break in on your discussion but we need to move on to the next topic.
Break into = force an entry e.g. When we were on holiday, burglars broke into our flat and stole our TV.
Break new ground = make a discovery e.g. The researchers broke new ground yesterday in finding a cure for the illness.
Break of day = dawn e.g. We woke up at the break of day and headed for the mountains.
Break off = stop suddenly e.g. She broke off the engagement! Can you believe it? We were together for 10 years!
Break someone’s heart = upset someone e.g. She broke my heart when she told me she didn’t want to be with me.
Break something down = separate into small pieces e.g. We didn’t understand the maths problem, so the teacher broke it down for us.
Break the ice = create a relaxed atmosphere e.g. I can see we are all nervous here, so I’m going to break the ice and introduce myself.
Break the news = pass on information e.g. The doctor had to break the sad news to the family.
Make or break = succeed or fail e.g. This is his last chance. He’s either going to make it or break it.
Break out in a rash = suddenly have a rash e.g. We went to pick wild berries in the hills and I broke out in a rash. I must be allergic to some plant.

Feel

Feel can be used to talk about one’s physical, mental or emotional well-being.

e.g. How do you feel? / How are you feeling? I feel fine. /I’m feeling fine.

e.g.Do you feel happy?

e.g. I feel cold in winter.
e.g. She felt like an idiot for not calling back.

Feel can be used when something else causes sensations.
e.g. The Thai massage felt great.
e.g. While sitting outside, I felt a cockroach crawling up my leg.

Feel can be used to talk about opinions.
e.g. I feel that the government should do something about it.
e.g. She had a feeling that he was making a big mistake.
e.g. We felt it necessary to tell the manager about what had happened.

Feel like = want/would like
e.g. I feel like drinking something. Have you got any tea?
e.g. I felt like laughing when I saw him walk into a wall.
e.g. I felt like playing a game of tennis yesterday.

Feel = touch
e.g. I felt her forehead to see if she had a temperature.
e.g. The lights were closed, so I felt my way around the room.

It feels like (to compare your feelings with something else)
e.g. I was so tired. My body felt like a bag of potatoes.

Some idioms with “back”

Back and forth = from one place to another e.g. We went to hand in our forms and they sent us back and forth from one department to another.
Back-breaking work = exhausting e.g. It took us one month of back-breaking work to complete the proposal.
Back down = give in e.g. After the demonstration, the mayor backed down on his plans to build a parking lot.
Back-fire = go wrong e.g. Their plan to rob a bank back-fired and the police caught them.
Back of beyond = remote e.g. He’s decided to move to the back of beyond, to a village I’ve never heard of.
At the back of one’s mind = remaining in one’s thoughts e.g. I’ve had the band’s new song at the back of my mind the whole day.
Back to the drawing-board / back to square one = return to the beginning e.g. The client wasn’t pleased with our advertisement so we had to go back to the drawing-board.
Back up = support e.g. I’m not worried about my business failing. I have some savings, so I have back up.
Behind one’s back = without one’s knowledge e.g. They went behind my back and ordered a bigger cake for the office party.
Get off somebody’s back = stop harassing e.g. I wish you’d get off my back! I’m going to take the garbage out now!
Have no backbone = lacking courage e.g. He never disagrees with anything during meetings. He has no backbone.
Like the back of a bus = ugly e.g. I would never date him. He looks like the back of a bus!
Like the back of one’s hand = know well e.g. We’ve lived here for 50 years and know the area like the back of our hands.
Put one’s back into = make an effort e.g. Come on everyone. Put your back into it! How are we going to win the race?
See the back of = be finished with e.g. I’m so glad he left the company. I’m happy to see the back of him.
Stab in the back = betrayal e.g. I thought she was my friend but she stabbed me in the back and told everyone my secret.
Take a back seat = not to be directly involved e.g. She’s resigned from the position of Director and is taking a back seat in the running of the company.
You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours = to return a favour e.g. If you help me win the contract, I will make sure you get a promotion. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

Big, large and great

We use big and large with concrete nouns (things you can see, touch etc)

e.g. Can you see that big tree over there? There was a large pond in the middle of the park.

Great with concrete nouns means:

Fantastic e.g. We saw a great flat downtown.
Famous/Important e.g. Shakespeare was a great playwright.

Large and Extraordinary e.g. Did you see the great opening for the Chinese Olympic Games 2008?

Great is used with abstract nouns (things you can’t see, touch etc)

e.g. I have a great idea! Let’s go shopping.
e.g. She studied hard and made a great improvement.

Large with countable abstract nouns is used for:

Quantities: e.g. We placed a large order for our busy shopping season.
Amounts: e.g. A large amount of time is spent on shopping. We spend a large part of the weekend shopping.

Some idioms with "eye"

All eyes = paying attention e.g. All eyes were on China during the Olympic Games 2008.
Have a good eye for = be a good judge e.g. He has a good eye for fashion and dresses well.
Have eyes at the back of one’s head = aware of something you shouldn't know about e.g. We can’t do anything naughty in class, Mrs. Roberts has eyes at the back of her head.
Have ones one’s eyes on = take a liking to e.g. They have their eyes on the first prize.
In the public eye = famous e.g. People in the public eye don't have any privacy.
Keep an eye out for = watch out for e.g. Keep an eye out for the crocodile that escaped from the zoo.
Meet somebody’s eyes = look at face to face e.g. We meet each other’s eyes for a moment and then she looked away.
Naked eye = with our eyes only e.g. It’s impossible to see germs with the naked eye.
Not to be able to take one’s eyes off somebody/something = can’t stop looking. e.g. She looked so beautiful in an evening gown, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Private eye = detective e.g. They hired a private eye to find out who was sending them anonymous letters.
See eye to eye = agree e.g. We don’t always see to eye to eye on political matters.
See with one’s own eyes = witness personally e.g. I’m going to check the leak with my own eyes.
Turn a blind eye to = pretend not to see e.g. Many workers don’t have work permits but employers turns a blind eye.
Up to one’s eyes = very busy e.g. Ever since I returned from my holiday I’m up to my eyes in paperwork.
With one’s eyes shut = very easily e.g. I’m so used to making burgers I can make them with my eyes shut.
Eye witness = see an incident e.g. They were eye witnesses to the car accident.