Welcome to Online English Section with explanation in AffairsCloud.com. Here we are providing here some important idioms and phrases, which is BASED ON IBPS PO/CLERK/LIC AAO/RRB & SSC CGL EXAM and other competitive exams.
to make sure: to be sure, to ascertain (also: to make certain)
- Please make sure that you turn off the radio before you go out.
- Could you make certain of the time? I don’t want to miss that TV show.
now and then: occasionally, sometimes (also: now and again, at times, from time to time, off and on, once in a while)
Both now and then and once in a while can be preceded by the adjective every.
Another idiom with the same meaning and form is every so often.
- I don’t see him very often, but (every) now and then we arrange to have lunch together.
- Gary gets a cold (every) once in a while even though he takes good care of himself.
- Every so often my brother and I get together for a camping trip.
- I like to sleep late in the morning from time to time.
to get rid of: to eliminate, to remove; to discard, to throw away
- Jerry tried hard to get rid of the stain on his shirt, but he never succeeded.
- The stain was so bad that Jerry finally had to get rid of his shirt.
every other (one): every second (one), alternate (ones)
- I play tennis with my father every other Saturday, so I usually play twice a month.
- There were twenty problems in the exercise, but the teacher told us only to do every other one. Actually, doing ten problems was difficult enough.
to go with: to match, to compare well in color to design; to date, to accompany (also: to go out with)
For the first definition, adverbs such as well and poorly are often used.
- That striped shirt goes well with the gray pants, but the pants go poorly with those leather shoes.
- Eda went with Richard for about six months, but now she is going out with a new boyfriend.
first-rate: excellent, superb
- The food served in that four-star restaurant is truly first-rate.
- The Beverly Hills Hotel provides first-rate service to its guests.
to come from: to originate from
This idiom is commonly used in discussion of one’s home town, state, or country.
- What country in South American does she come from? She comes from Peru.
- I just learned that he really comes from Florida, not Texas.
- Where did this package come from? The mail carrier brought it.
to make good time: to travel a sufficient distance at a reasonable speed
The adjective excellent can also be used.
- On our last trip, it rained the entire time, so we didn’t make good time.
- We made excellent time on our trip to Florida; it only took eighteen hours.
to mix up: to stir or shake well; to confuse, to bewilder
For the second definition, the passive forms to be mixed up or to get mixed up are often used.
- You should mix up the ingredients well before you put them in the pan.
- The teacher’s poor explanation really mixed the students up.
- The students think it’s their fault that they are mixed up so often.
to see about: to give attention or time to (also: to attend to, to see to)
- Who is going to see about getting us a larger room for the meeting?
- I’ll see to arranging music for the wedding of you attend to the entertainment.
to make out: to do, to succeed, to progress
- Charlie didn’t make out very well on his final examinations. He may have to repeat one or more classes.
- How did Rachelle make out on her acting audition in Hollywood yesterday?
by heart: by memorizing
- He knows many passages form Shakespeare by heart.
- Do you know all the idioms you have studied in this book by heart?
