Essential Idioms in English Lesson 10

to make sure: to be sure, to ascertain (also: to make certain)

• Please make certain 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: from to time, once in 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 now and then we arrange to have lunch together.
• 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.

every other (one): every second (one), alternate (ones)

• I play tennis with my father every other  Saturday, so I usually play twice a month.

to go with: to match, to compare well in color or design often used with this idiom. Adverbs such as well and poorly are  often used with this idiom.

• That striped shirt goes well with the gray pants, but the pants go poorly with those leather shoes.

first -rate: excellent, superb

• The food served in that four-star restaurant is truly first -rate.

to come from: to  originate from

This idiom is commonly used in discussions of one’s hometown, state, or country.

• What country in South America  does she come from? She comes from Peru.

to make good time: to travel a sufficient distance at a reasonable speed The adjective excellent can also be used.

• It  rained during our entire hike up Mt. Hood, so we didn’t make good time.

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 if you attend to the entertainment.

by  hert:  by memorizing

• He knows many passage from Shakespeare by heart.
• Do you know all the idioms you have studied in this book by heart?