Animals in Speech (idioms, sayings and proverbs with animals)
1. to have a whale of a time - to enjoy oneself
Despite of his dislike towards these games, he seems to be having a whale of a time.
2. to be as quiet as a mouse - to be very quiet (quite straightforward, isn't it)
I think I haven't heard his voice yet. He was as quiet as a mouse during the party.
3. to dog/hound sth or sb, to be dogged by sth - follow someone in a persistent manner, something negative that keeps coming back, can’t get it to go away like a dog that always returns
I’m dogged by these awful recurring thoughts of my mother’s death.
4. dogged (doggedly, doggedness) - very determined to continue doing something
She's a dogged advocate of reforming the prison system in this country.
5. to go to the dogs - to get into an unfavourable situation, to diminish in quality
Germany's economy appears to be going to the dogs.
6. to be as sick as a dog - extremely ill
The aftermath of swimming in the cold-ass lake in winter was painful. The children were as sick as a dog for the following 2 weeks.
7. to badger someone - to pester someone, to cause havoc
He was badgering her the whole night.
8. the lion's share - the majority or the biggest part of something
I didn't do a lot of work for our group assignment. Maeva's done the lion's share of the work.
9. (straight) from the horse's mouth - to hear something from the person who has direct, first-hand knowledge of it
Actually, this gossip is factually true. I know it because I learned it straight from the horse's mouth. I spoke to Michael himself.
10. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink - You can streamline something for someone to ease the difficulty of it but you cannot force them to do it.
11. to rat on someone, to be a rat - to share information / secrets with somebody that were not meant to be shared, it especially relates to something that could be incriminating or illegal
He ratted on us, we may face a prison sentence now.
12. to wolf down - to eat it back very quickly, like a wolf would eat a very great chunk of sheep (’cause if he doesn’t do it very quickly, the other wolfs would come about and eat it before him)
He wolfed down the dinner my mum made for us as if there was no tomorrow.
13. to pig out (on something) - to eat a lot, you’re eating so much that you’re probably finish up by being sick
And there she is again, pigging out on the carrot cake.
14. to take the bull by the horns - to take control of the situation, to deal with a situation directly
15. the elephant in the room - the thing that everyone knows but no one wants to talk about
16. chicken out - you stop or give up doing something out of fear
Initially, he agreed to go parachute-jumping with us but he chickened out at the very last moment.
17. hold your horses - to tell someone to wait or slow down
Wow, hold your horses. Let's finish the first assignment first and then we'll go on with the second one
18. have a bee in your bonnet - to be obsessed with an idea that keeps on occupying your mind
He's got a bee in his bonnet about moving to Norway.
19. to kill two birds with one stone - to settle two problems, issues in one go, by doing one action
20. to be a fly on the wall - to be unnoticed while listening in on a conversation
They're talking about the upcoming championship. I wish I could be a fly on the wall so that I could find out what artists will be in the singers line-up.
21. The bee's knees or the cat's pyjamas - something is of the best quality, or you could call someone the bee's knees
My mum's tiramisu is the bee's knees. You've got to try it when you come over.
22. to make a beeline (for) - to move towards something quickly and with purpose
Once I saw the group of girls disperse, I made a beeline for my crush when she was on her own.
23. Until the cows come home - for a long time, possibly never-ending time, usually when you're talking about something that you enjoy doing
I could sit here on the sofa and read this novel until the cows come home but someone has to unload the dishwasher.
24. crocodile tears -not real tears, fake tears in order to gain something
I see right through her. They're crocodile tears. I know she doesn't actually care.
25. a different / whole other kettle of fish - something is entirely different, very different from the related thing your talking about
Simultaneous interpreting is a whole other kettle of fish compared to written translation.
26. to have bigger fish to fry - you have more important or better things to do
Don't work yourself up over this matter. You've got bigger fish to fry, you've got to land that new job at FAANG.
27. a sitting duck - easy target, something or someone which is vulnerable to attack
If we leave the car unattended with its doors open, it'd be a sitting duck.
28. a wild goose chase - a pointless task, especially one that involves travel
I was tasked with buying a pumpkin but the thing is, it's spring and they're no pumpkins sold during springtime. It was a wild goose chase.
29. to go the whole hog - to commit to something and take it as far as possible
We as a family don't really celebrate Halloween so we don't put out any decorations but our neighbours go the whole hog every year
30. Ants in your pants - you are restless and moving around a lot, usually because you are nervous or excited
Thomas's got ants in his pants today. I think he's nervous about his job interview.
31. Dog eat dog - a very toxic and competitive environment
I left my previous job post because it was dog eat dog in there. Everyone one tried to make themselves look good by diminishing others.
32. in the doghouse - to be in trouble or disgrace
I forgot our relationship anniversary so I'm in the doghouse. She'll be angry with me for at least a week now.
33. to let sleeping dogs lie - leave a situation alone, to not interfere so you don’t cause trouble
Don't you think it'd be better to let the sleeping dogs lie? I get that she's mad now but you just should let her cool off now. Otherwise you'll make it even worse that it already is.
34. to let the cat out of the bag - to reveal a secret
I think it's time to let the cat out of the bag. We're officially a couple.
35. in two shakes of a lamb's tail - really quickly, in a short amount of time
I need to unload the dishwasher. I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
36. a dark horse - being surprisingly good at something
Wow, Dawid. You're really a dark horse. I had no idea you're such a good dancer!
37. Cat got your tongue? - this is a question you might ask somebody who is being unusually quiet
38. to smell a rat - to smell a rat means to be suspicious of a lie
Initially, he said that he would join us but then, out of blue, he messaged me saying something came up and he won'l be able to take part in our event. I smell a rat.
39. a wolf in sheep's clothing - to appear harmless but have sinister intentions
At first glance, she appeared to be a gentle and trustworthy person but it turns out she's a wolf in sheep's clothing, hijacking all our projects and revealing our team's secrets to other firms.
40. a fish out of water - to feel uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation
As a vegan, I feel like a fish out of water at my Polish family's gathering as they only eat meat-based dishes and don't even try to accommodate to my different diet choices.
41. a frog in your throat - to have difficulty speaking because your throat is dry or hoarse
We had to find a new broadcaster for today's show as our current one's got a frog in his throat
42. a dear in the headlights - to be frozen with fear or shock in a difficult or unexpected situation
When he was corned by all these girls, he was like a dear in the headlights, not knowing how to act or what to say.
43. to make a mountain out of a molehill - to exaggerate or make a big deal out of something that is trivial
It's just a minor caveat, we'll be able to power through this. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
44. a bull in the china shop - being clumsy or careless in delicate situations that require more levelheadedness
He acted like a bull in the china shop at our monthly recap gathering, causing unnecessary tensions amongst our investors.
45. as free as a bird - carefree and unrestricted
After experiencing Erasmus exchange programme, he felt as free as a bird and planned on travelling abroad on a more regular basis.
46. to clam up - to become quiet suddenly
She clammed up just as I asked her about her family.
47. a nest egg - money saved for the future
We've got a nest egg that we might have to use in case of us getting the sack.
48. monkey see, monkey do - silly/unintelligent people tend to copy each other's actions
All he does is waiting for an opportunity to mimic my actions. I invested in Tesla stocks yesterday and now he's boasting about doing the same thing to our colleagues. Monkey see, monkey do.
49. kitty cornet - diagonal direction
The campus is kitty corner to the train station.
50. (the) birds and the bees - sex education
Jamie learned about the birds and the bees today at school.
51. a cat nap - a short nap
I'm going to have a short nap while you're watching the TV.
52. dog days - very hot days
I try to hide from the sunlight during the dog days of July.
53. have a cow - get extremely upset
My mum had a cow when she came back home and saw that we didn't do the chores yet.
54. Road hog - careless and crazy driver
She's a serial road hog. She's received so many speed tickets.
55. top dog - the most important person in a group or company
She's a top dog in her firm. Everyone looks up to her and she's seen as a leader by many.
56. (the) straw that broke the camel's back / the last straw - a minuscule issue being the final reason why a business, company or person fails
Her small business wasn't doing all that good anyway but when she made a mistake filing her taxes, it is was the straw that broke the camel's back.
57. look what the cat dragged in - we say this when someone new enters a room and looks a bit disheveled, squalid and dirty; or just when someone new comes in
Here he is, look what the cat dragged in.
58. flogging a dead horse - to constantly complain about something that cannot be changed or bring up old stuff from the past
Could you stop bringing it up? You're flogging a dead horse at this point!
59. eager beaver - when someone is enthusiastic about a task and does more than it is expected from him
Wow, you finished up on all the extracurricular reading and assignments? You're such an eager beaver!
60. cast pearls before swine - to gift someone something useless that the person in question won't need for example: giving bunch of jewellery to a homeless person who would much rather be gifted a warm meal than a bunch of gem stones
Why would you gift him this type of present? You know he's a minimalist - you're casting pearls before swine!
61. cash cow - something that is a dependable source of income, you can always count on him when it comes to money
He brought in so much money thanks to his persuasion skills. He was the company's cash cow.
62. cold turkey - stop doing something suddenly without preparation
I stopped hitting the bottle cold turkey last week.
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Mastering the PTE Reality Test: Strategies for Success in Real-Life English Evaluation
Understanding the PTE Reality Test
Diverging significantly from conventional language proficiency exams, the PTE Reality Test authentically replicates real-life situations to gauge your English competence. Comprising four core segments, let’s explore strategies for each to enhance your performance.
1. PTE Reality Test Speaking
The Speaking section mirrors real-life academic and professional tasks, evaluating your ability to speak fluently, repeat sentences, and answer questions. Here are key strategies for success:
Oral Fluency Focus:
Maintain a natural pace in your speech.
Avoid pauses and unnatural hesitation.
Minimize repetition of specific words.
Speak in your regular accent.
Regularly record and review your oral fluency.
2. PTE Reality Test Writing
Assessing your skills in real-life situations, the Writing part requires responses to scenarios resembling actual tasks. Follow these tips for success:
Understanding the Essay Topic:
Thoroughly comprehend the essay topic.
Interpret the topic in your own words.
Stick to the specific aspects mentioned.
Structuring Your Essay and Maintaining Tone:
Follow a structured format: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Maintain a formal and academic tone.
Use appropriate vocabulary and linking words.
Sentence Structure and Punctuation:
Opt for varied sentence structures.
Use formal language and vocabulary.
Pay attention to proper sentence formation.
Adhering to Word Limits:
Stick to specified word limits.
Avoid exceeding or falling short of prescribed limits.
Proofreading for Errors:
Thoroughly proofread for grammar and punctuation errors.
Correctly use commas, colons, semicolons, and other punctuation marks.
3. PTE Reality Test Reading
The Reading section necessitates various strategies for success:
Understanding the Question:
Comprehend the question before attempting an answer.
Practice scanning and skimming to save time.
Highlight keywords for efficient answers.
Analyze the text in detail for precise understanding.
Employ an elimination strategy for multiple-choice questions.
Manage time effectively and double-check your answers.
4. PTE Listening Reality Test
In the Listening section, authentic spoken English is presented in different contexts. Here are strategies for success:
Engage with Authentic Materials:
Regularly engage with authentic English materials.
Practice speaking, writing, and presenting to enhance skills.
Challenge yourself with complex texts for reading comprehension.
Listen to diverse accents to prepare for the listening section.
Master time management during test simulations.
Utilize Official PTE Practice Materials:
Incorporate official PTE practice materials into your preparation.
Consider professional guidance through courses or tutoring.
Review and reflect on your performance for continuous improvement.
Conclusion
The PTE Reality Test poses both challenges and rewards. A high score opens doors to exciting opportunities in education and work. By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide and consistently practicing, you can confidently approach the PTE Reality Test and achieve your target score. Remember, language proficiency is a journey, and with determination and the right strategies, success in the PTE Reality Test is entirely attainable.
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