Idiomatic emphasis

A lot of adjectives can be made 'stronger' by the addition of another word or words. In most cases, these words are used as a substitute for very or extremely (sometimes because very and extremely do not collocate (= work) with the adjectives that are being used). For example: I'm awake = I'm wide awake / I'm warm = I'm as warm as toast Complete the sentences with a word that emphasises the adjective / adjective phrase in bold, and write your answers in the crossword grid on the next page. Some of the letters are already in the grid. Note that in some sentences more than one answer may be possible, but only one will fit in the crossword grid. Across (
2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. 12. 14. 15. 16. 18. 20. 23. 25. 26. 28. 30. 31. 32.

I don't think it's safe to play football. The ground is _____ hard. The party began at eight o'clock, and by midnight Jim was _____ drunk. He never listens to my advice. He's as stubborn as a _____! He's as thick as a _____. I don't know how anyone can be so stupid! She can't hear a word you're saying. She's _____ deaf. I know I'm not the most handsome man in the world, but I think it's a bit unfair to say that I'm as ugly as _____. I'm bored _____ sitting here. Let's go out and do something. She goes to the fitness centre every day, so as you can imagine she's _____ fit. Our holiday was _____ cheap: we only paid 150 for the flights and two weeks in a four-star hotel. It was a lovely day and the sea was _____ calm, so we decided to go for a swim. I can't see a thing in here. It's _____ black. It's raining heavily. Take an umbrella or you'll get _____ wet. Alison is _____ mad: someone borrowed her dictionary and didn't return it. I'm not surprised the room is cold. Someone's left the door _____ open. I can't afford to come out tonight. I'm _____ broke again. The children have been as good as _____ all morning. You'll freeze to death in that jacket: it's _____ thin. Everyone at the party was drunk except for Bob, who was stone _____ sober. Don't touch the plate: it's just come out of the oven and it's _____ hot! I usually buy my cars second-hand, but this time I'm going to buy a _____ new one.

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What a lovely dress. You look _____-perfect in it. He went out in the snow wearing just a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. He must be _____ mad! He sat in the corner as quiet as a _____. Uurrgghhh! This cake is _____ sweet. I can't possibly eat it. I was so tired that I went to bed at eight, and within seconds I was _____ asleep. Mike has got loads of money. He's _____ rich.

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12. 13. 17. 19. 21. 22. 24. 27. 29. 30.

Can I put the heating on? It's _____ cold in here. I've heard that joke before. It's as old as the _____! His explanation was _____ clear. I understood everything perfectly. There's a _____ big rat in the kitchen. The exam wasn't difficult. It was as easy as _____. I must go to bed. It's been a busy day and I'm _____ tired. Mr Grant is _____ dull. In fact, he's the most boring man I've ever met. I'm _____ beat. I really need to get some sleep. Be careful with that knife. It's _____ sharp. Everyone was panicking, but Sarah remained as cool as a _____.
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ou might cut down on the ke) 4. cut off 5. cut me 8. cut out 9. cut off 11. cut through (not cut entre is a building, not an cut off 14. cut us out of

Idiomatic emphasis (pages 19 20) Across: 2. rock 3. blind (We can also say as drunk as a lord) 4. mule (A mule is an animal that has a horse as its mother and a donkey as its father. Idiomatically, a mule is also someone who is paid to bring illegal drugs into a country by hiding them on or in their body) 6. brick (Thick is an informal word for stupid. We can also say as thick as two short planks) 7. stone 8. sin 9. stiff (Note that we say bored stiff and not stiff bored. We can also say bored rigid) 12. fighting (We can also say as fit as a fiddle) 14. dirt 15. dead* 16. pitch (= it is very dark. We can also say pitch dark or as dark as night) 18. soaking (Clothes that are very wet can also be sopping wet or dripping wet) 20. hopping (Mad in this sentence means angry) 23. wide (The opposite is shut tight) 25. flat (Someone who is broke has no money. We can also say stony broke) 26. gold 28. paper (Objects such as clothes, a wall, etc, are paper thin. Food, when it is very thin, is wafer thin: "Would you like one of these waferthin mints?") 30. cold (We need to use stone in this expression. We can also say as sober as a judge) 31. red (We sometimes say white hot. If food is very hot, we can say that it is piping hot) 32. brand (We could make this even stronger by saying brand spanking new: "Roger has got a brand spanking new car") Down: 1. picture (If something is very pretty, we can say that it is as pretty as a picture) 3. barking (Mad in this sentence means crazy or insane) 5. mouse (We can also say as quiet as a church mouse) 7. sickly 10. fast (Someone who is fast asleep is dead to the world) 11. stinking 12. freezing (Food or drink which is very cold is ice-cold: "I could do with an ice-cold beer") 13. hills 17. crystal 19. great 21. pie 22. dog 24. deadly 27. dead (Beat in this sentence is an informal word for tired) 29. razor 30. cucumber * dead can be used as an informal substitute for very in many cases. For example, dead straight, dead slow, dead wrong, dead funny, dead right, etc. Several verbs can also be emphasised using idioms. These include: Smoke like a chimney (= smoke a lot); drink like a fish (= drink heavily); sell like hot cakes (= sell a lot of items very quickly: "The new TR76 model mobile phone is selling like hot cakes"); sleep like a log (= sleep very well); run like the wind (= run very quickly); fit like a glove (= fit very well: "My new jumper fits like a glove"); spend / eat / drink (etc) like there's no tomorrow (= do something a lot without thinking of the consequences: "She's spending money like there's no tomorrow". We can also say like it's going out of fashion: "She's spending money like it's going out of fashion").

pt them so that they cannot 3. False. You are very upset ey pretend not to see or False. It is cheaper than the spoil his plans by doing the or by doing it before him. in an unfair or immoral way ge over other businesses. mething that is intended to you know it will harm you ine, you are giving yourself omething. In this case, you ult. 12. False. It is already 13. False. It is extremely True. 15. False. You start tant aspects of something less relevant. 16. True. situation. 18. False. You not impressed or influenced 19. True. You might also 20. False. You make them ortant or impressive as they . They say something that can also say cuts you to the t. 22. False. The clothes ve. 23. False. You make than planned. 24. True. of any money that is made.

other expressions using

(a) done over, (b) done over do with, (b) do with (could This expression can also be your bad moods") 5. (a) of the definitions, do for is 6. (a) done away with, (b) e up, (b) doing (herself) up n (in this definition, done is 9. (a) done down, (b) do ay put down or put yourself o with (in this situation, do thing to or something to)

o with 3. do's and don'ts ne it 6. do you a world of rk wonders for you) 7. do 9. a bit of a do 10. does 12. do the dirty 13. doing avour (This is often used on