English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate » Unit 48: Praising and criticising

Word List
  • absurd
  • acclaim
  • acclaimed
  • among (the best etc.)
  • at fault
  • bee’s knees (the)
  • blame
  • brilliantly
  • cat’s whiskers
  • condition
  • critical
  • critically
  • criticise
  • face n, v
  • first-rate
  • gift of the gab
  • green fingers
  • have your cake and eat it
  • head and shoulders above
  • highly
  • ill
  • important
  • miles (better)
  • on the ball
  • out of this world
  • pick holes
  • praise
  • really
  • run down
  • streets ahead
  • take the biscuit
  • (a) way with
  • world’s worst
Exercises

48.1 ‣ Which expressions from the opposite page might these pictures help you to remember?

  1. _____
  2. _____
  3. _____
  4. _____
  5. _____

48.2 ‣ Using the word in brackets and an expression from A opposite, rewrite the sentence without changing the meaning.

  1. The hotel we were staying in was absolutely superb. (world)
  2. Giovanni is a long way above the other kids when it comes to doing hard sums. (shoulders)
    _____
  3. Maria is very good with young children - they always love her. (way)
    _____
  4. You're a long way ahead of me in understanding all this new technology; I'm impressed. (streets)
    _____
  5. Hassan is great at chess. (brilliantly)
    _____
  6. Agata is a very fluent and confident speaker. (gab)
    _____

48.3 ‣ Which of the expressions in 46.1 is most suitable for completing each sentence if you want to:

  1. say someone's behaviour is extremely annoying? What Jack said
  2. say that someone is quick to understand? Tanya is usually _____.
  3. say someone has a very high opinion of themselves? Rajiv thinks _____.
  4. praise someone's gardening skills? Marek _____.
  5. comment on someone who wants to buy a new car but keep all their savings too? Unfortunately, you _____.

48.4 ‣ Answer these questions.

  1. If someone is critically injured, is their injury minor or serious?
  2. If your teacher asks you to write a review criticising a film you've recently seen, does she want you only to write about its negative aspects?
    _____
  3. If a father is critical of his son's behaviour, does he approve or disapprove of it?
    _____
  4. If someone says that it is 'critically important' that you complete a piece of work by a specific deadline, how flexible is that deadline?
    _____
  5. If several people are said to be in a critical condition after an accident, are doctors worried or not particularly worried about them?
    _____

48.5 ‣ Write the opposite meaning to these sentences using expressions from the opposite page.

  1. He's a third-rate athlete.
  2. I don't understand why Sophie has such a low opinion of herself.
    _____
  3. When it comes to sport, Andrey is a one of the best in his school.
    _____
  4. Greta was not responsible for the error in the accounting figures.
    _____
  5. He is no good at talking to people at all.
    _____
  6. Mick doesn't get on with the secretaries; just look at how they react when he wants something done.
    _____
  7. He often says how wonderful his school is.
    _____
  8. She always praises everything I say.
    _____
Answer Key
A ‣ Praising

You praise someone for something. The teacher praised the children for their hard work.

Highly praised is a common collocation. William's acting in this film has been highly praised.

She plays the guitar brilliantly, just like her father. [very skilfully]

He’s the very best, a really  first-rate / top-notch administrator.

When it comes to grammar, she's really on the ball. [quick to understand]

Ben has a way with foreign students. The other teachers envy him. [good at establishing good relations I motivating them, etc.]

Emma really has green fingers; look at those flowers! [good at gardening]

Let him do the talking; he's got the gift of the gab. [good at talking]

Imogen is head and shoulders above the rest of the girls at maths. (usually used of people) / She's miles better than the other girls at maths.

When it comes to technology, Japan is streets ahead of most other countries.

As far as sport is concerned, Sam is among the best in his class. [one of the best; can also say among the worst / most interesting, etc.]

That meal was just out of this world. [ outstanding/superb; usually used of things]

B ‣ Criticising

The verb criticise can mean: to say that someone or something is bad, e.g. Paige's parents are always criticising her appearance. Notice that it can also be used to mean: give an opinion or judgement about a book or film, e.g. I belong to a writer's group - we read and criticise each other's work.

critical /ˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl/

adjective NOT PLEASED

1 saying that someone or something is bad or wrong:
a critical report O The report is highly critical of safety standards at the factory.

adjective IMPORTANT

2 of the greatest importance to the way things might happen:
The Presidents support is critical (to this project). O a critical decision

adjective GIVING OPINIONS

3 giving opinions or judgements on books, plays, films, etc.:
She has written a major critical appraisal/study of Saul Bellows novels. O His last film won/received critical acclaim (= was praised by film critics).

adjective SERIOUS

4 extremely serious or dangerous:
Both drivers are critical I in a critical condition (= so badly hurt that they might die) after the 120 mph crash.

The adverb critically can relate to any of these four meanings of ‘critical’ although the following are the most frequent uses:
critically important (meaning 2), critically acclaimed (meaning 3 ), critically ill (meaning 4)

Note these idiomatic synonyms of the verb to criticise (with its meaning of saying something is bad):
You shouldn't run down your own country when you're abroad. Why do you always have to pick holes in everything I say?

Here are some criticisms of people:
I think Antonio's being totally absurd. [ridiculous]
You are undoubtedly at fault / to blame and you should apologise. [you are in the wrong]
She thinks she's the cat's whiskers /ˈwɪskəz/ / the bee's knees. [thinks she's wonderful]
When it comes to time-keeping, he's the world's worst. [no one is worse]
Jack is so rude. He really takes the biscuit. [is a striking example of some negative quality]
Jo wants to have her cake and eat it! [wants everything with no contribution from her side]

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