English the American Way: A Fun ESL Guide to Language and Culture in the U.S. » Review: Units 10–12

Vocabulary

Fill in the missing words. The first letter is there to help you.

  1. Did you hear about poor Jenny? She was the v_____ of a burglary yesterday. Someone broke into her house and stole all her money and jewelry.
  2. I had a bad car accident last week. I was knocked u_____ , so I don’t remember anything, but I feel fine now.
  3. Paul was a w_____ when the bus bumped into the parked car. When the police arrived to help, Paul was able to give helpful information about what happened.
  4. I think I have the flu. I have all the s_____ : headache, sneezing, and runny nose. I think I’ll go up to bed.
  5. If you are going to s_____ , it’s best to use a tissue so you don’t spread any germs.
  6. My body a_____ s all over after running 10 miles yesterday.
  7. When you go to the doctor, make sure you’re prepared to pay your c_____ .
  8. I was so tired this morning that the guy behind me had to p_____ me when the bus line started to move.
  9. I really don’t want to go to the dentist today. My tooth hurts a lot, so she’s going to do a r_____ c_____ procedure.
  10. I’ll need someone to pick me up from the eye doctor today. He’s going to d_____ my pupils, so I won’t be able to drive.
Informal Language

Fill in the blanks in the idiomatic expressions. Can you explain what they mean?

  1. I thought the new job would be better than the old one, but actually it was out of the _____ pan and into the fire.
  2. Poor Aunt Hilda is in bad _____ after falling and breaking her arm. I should go and visit her tomorrow.
  3. You look like the _____ of health after your vacation in the Caribbean!
  4. I love getting new projects at work, especially interesting ones that I can really _____ my teeth into.
  5. He was so lucky to survive the accident. He escaped by the _____ of his teeth.
  6. It’s wonderful to see you after such a long time. You’re a(n) _____ for sore eyes!
  7. The mother turned a(n) _____ eye when her son pretended he was doing his homework while he played on the computer.
  8. Poor Tony. After he ate that huge Thanksgiving meal, he was as sick as a(n) _____ .
  9. It’s no good. I just don’t understand these computers. I guess you just can’t teach an old dog new _____ !
  10. The neighbor’s kids are so noisy. They fight like _____ and dogs all the time.
Grammar

Choose the correct modal verbs for the sentences. Can you explain why you need that one?

  1. If there’s a fire, you (can/have to) get out of the building as quickly as possible.
    • can
    • have to
    _____________
  2. The doctor says I (should/would) stop smoking if I want to be healthy.
    • should
    • would
    _____________
  3. (Could/should) you open the window, please? It’s really hot in here!
    • could
    • should
    _____________
  4. You (should/can) always wear sunscreen on sunny days to protect your skin.
    • should
    • can
    _____________
  5. I love having a day off because I (don’t have to/wouldn’t) get up early.
    • don’t have to
    • wouldn’t
    _____________
  6. You’ll (have to/had) stay at home tomorrow if you still feel sick.
    • have to
    • had
    _____________
  7. We (should/had to) call 911 last week when our house caught fire.
    • should
    • had to
    _____________
  8. I (can/could) run 10 miles a day when I was younger.
    • can
    • could
    _____________
  9. I (should/would) buy a new car if I had more money.
    • should
    • would
    _____________
  10. You (would/could) have an accident if you keep driving this fast.
    • would
    • could
    _____________
Answer Key
Vocabulary
  1. victim
  2. unconscious
  3. witness
  4. symptoms
  5. sneeze
  6. ache
  7. co-pay
  8. poke
  9. root canal
  10. dilate
Informal Language
  1. I thought the new job would be better than the old one, but actually it was out of the frying pan and into the fire.
    My new job was worse than the old one.
  2. Poor Aunt Hilda is in bad shape after falling and breaking her arm. I should go and visit her tomorrow.
    Aunt Hilda is in very bad health after her accident.
  3. You look the picture of health after your vacation in the Caribbean!
    You look so healthy after your vacation.
  4. I love getting new projects at work, especially interesting ones that I can really sink my teeth into.
    I love projects that make me excited
  5. He was so lucky to survive the accident. He escaped by the skin of his teeth.
    It was a serious accident but he got out just in time.
  6. It’s wonderful to see you after such a long time. You’re a sight for sore eyes!
    It makes me really happy to see you after so long.
  7. His mother turned a blind eye when her son pretended he was doing his homework while he played on the computer.
    His mother knew he was playing on the computer but she pretended he was working.
  8. Poor Tony. After he ate that huge Thanksgiving meal he was as sick as a dog
    His stomach was so upset that Tony was very sick.
  9. It’s no good. I just don’t understand these computers. I guess you just can’t teach an old dog new tricks !
    I’m so used to doing things the old way that this new system is too hard for me to learn.
  10. The neighbor’s kids are so noisy. They fight like cats and dogs all the time.
    The kids fight or argue a lot.
Grammar
  1. have to (shows that something is necessary)
  2. should (strong advice)
  3. could (a polite way to request something)
  4. should (strong advice)
  5. don’t have to (something is not necessary)
  6. have to (The word will shows this is something necessary in the future, so you need to use the phrase have to.)
  7. had to (something was necessary in the past)
  8. could (used for past ability)
  9. would (to express what you might do in a certain situation)
  10. could (expresses possibility)
Answer Key
Favorite Books

If you already speak some English and now would like to speak more like a native, “Speak English Like an American” will help you. One of the keys to speaking like a native is the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms. American English is full of idioms. Speak English Like an American will help you understand and use idioms better. It contains over 300 of today's most common idioms.

Read more

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

Read more

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

Read more

The purpose of the Illustrated Everyday Expressions with Stories series is to introduce English language learners to common idioms through humorous examples and illustrations. The lessons in this book will both entertain and enlighten students while providing exposure to how each idiom can be used in a variety of contexts.

Read more

Do you want your English to sound natural and fluent? Idiomatic expressions are essential to natural sounding English, but they can be challenging to remember, and even harder to use in conversation. This simple and straightforward program can help you master hundreds of useful and common idiomatic expressions. Best of all, you don't need a book, so you can listen anywhere and anytime it's convenient. It's a piece of cake!

Read more

Everyday Conversations is intended for sixth- and seventh-grade students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL). Students can listen to and/or read dialogues in English. Topics of the conversations include introductions and small talk, shopping, asking for directions, hobbies, and giving advice.

Read more