Chapter 9 Idioms describing people
She has a heart of gold. She’s as hard as nails.
He’s as good as gold. He’s a nasty piece of work.
Her heart’s in the right place.
He’s such an awkward customer.
She’s a pain in the neck. Nobody likes her.
He gets on everyone’s nerves.
your head screwed on
a head for heights
To have a head like a sieve
a good head for figures
your head in the clouds
to be head and shoulders above someone
to burry your head in the sand
to keep your head
She’s a bit of an odd-ball.
He’s really over the top.
He’s (gone) round the bend, if you ask me.
My politics are very middle-of-the-road.
Sam’s teacher’s pet. Laura’s top of the class.
Harry is a real know-all.
Ali’s a bit of a big-head. Anna’s a lazy-bones.
The last three idioms are used of people outside the classroom situation too.
9.1
1. She does a lot of voluntary work, she has a heart of gold.
2. Don’t expect any sympathy from the boss, she’s as hard as nails.
3. I’m sure Ahmed will help you, he’s as good as gold.
4. Although Florian sometimes seems a bit bad-tempered his heart is in the right place.
5. I don’t think you’ll like him, he’s a nasty piece of work.
6. I try to avoid having much to do with Liam. He’s rather an awkward costumer.
9.2
1. An irritating person who knows everything? a know-all
2. The person who is the teacher’s favourite? a teacher’s pet
3. Someone who thinks they are the best and says so? a big-head
4. The one who gets the best marks? top of the class
5. A person who is very lazy? a lazy-bones
, 9.3
1. I’d better write it in my notebook. I have a head like a sieve.
2. Ask Martha to check those sums. She has a good head for figures.
3. Don’t ask me to go up that tower. I’m afraid I don’t have a head for heights.
4. She’s very sensible and knows what she’s doing. She has her head screwed on.
5. He’s quite out of touch with reality. He really has his head in the clouds.
6. The problem won’t go away so there’s no point burying your head in the sand.
7. Max is top of the class, head and shoulders above everyone else.
8. Even when others around him are panicking Raul always keeps his head.
Chapter 65 Addition
Further to my telephone call to you yesterday, I am now writing to…
In addition to winning the gold medal, she also broke the world record.
Alongside her full-time job as a dentist, she does voluntary work at weekends.
I have to go to the bank today, as well as getting my hair cut.
Besides having a salary, he also has a private income.
Apart from her many other hobbies, she restores old racing cars.
Jo Evens was there, along with / together with a few other people who I didn’t know.
65.1
Dear Mrs Coldstream
Further to my letter of 16 March, I should like to give you more information concerning my
qualifications and experience. In addition holding a Diploma in Catering, I also have an Advanced
Certificate in Hotel Management. The course covered the usual areas: finance, front services,
publicity, space allocation and so on. I also wish to point out that as well as holding these
qualifications, I have now been working in the hotel trade for five years. Moreover, my experience
prior to that was also connected with tourism and hospitality. I hope you will give my application due
consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Gemma Weaver
65.2
1. Physical labour can exhaust the body very quickly. Equally, excessive study can rapidly
reduce mental powers.
2. My cousin turned up along with some schoolmates of his came with him.
3. He owns a big chemical factory as well as running runs a massive oil business in the USA.
4. In addition to being their scientific adviser and acts as a consultant to the Managing Director.
5. It was raining and getting dark. On top of all that, we also had very little petrol left in the tank.
6. He’s a very good singer. What’s more, he has a degree in music.
65.3
1. I work part-time as well as being a student, so I have a busy life.
2. Besides having a good job, my ambition is to meet someone nice to share my life with.
3. Alongside my many other responsibilities, I now have to be in charge of staff training.
She has a heart of gold. She’s as hard as nails.
He’s as good as gold. He’s a nasty piece of work.
Her heart’s in the right place.
He’s such an awkward customer.
She’s a pain in the neck. Nobody likes her.
He gets on everyone’s nerves.
your head screwed on
a head for heights
To have a head like a sieve
a good head for figures
your head in the clouds
to be head and shoulders above someone
to burry your head in the sand
to keep your head
She’s a bit of an odd-ball.
He’s really over the top.
He’s (gone) round the bend, if you ask me.
My politics are very middle-of-the-road.
Sam’s teacher’s pet. Laura’s top of the class.
Harry is a real know-all.
Ali’s a bit of a big-head. Anna’s a lazy-bones.
The last three idioms are used of people outside the classroom situation too.
9.1
1. She does a lot of voluntary work, she has a heart of gold.
2. Don’t expect any sympathy from the boss, she’s as hard as nails.
3. I’m sure Ahmed will help you, he’s as good as gold.
4. Although Florian sometimes seems a bit bad-tempered his heart is in the right place.
5. I don’t think you’ll like him, he’s a nasty piece of work.
6. I try to avoid having much to do with Liam. He’s rather an awkward costumer.
9.2
1. An irritating person who knows everything? a know-all
2. The person who is the teacher’s favourite? a teacher’s pet
3. Someone who thinks they are the best and says so? a big-head
4. The one who gets the best marks? top of the class
5. A person who is very lazy? a lazy-bones
, 9.3
1. I’d better write it in my notebook. I have a head like a sieve.
2. Ask Martha to check those sums. She has a good head for figures.
3. Don’t ask me to go up that tower. I’m afraid I don’t have a head for heights.
4. She’s very sensible and knows what she’s doing. She has her head screwed on.
5. He’s quite out of touch with reality. He really has his head in the clouds.
6. The problem won’t go away so there’s no point burying your head in the sand.
7. Max is top of the class, head and shoulders above everyone else.
8. Even when others around him are panicking Raul always keeps his head.
Chapter 65 Addition
Further to my telephone call to you yesterday, I am now writing to…
In addition to winning the gold medal, she also broke the world record.
Alongside her full-time job as a dentist, she does voluntary work at weekends.
I have to go to the bank today, as well as getting my hair cut.
Besides having a salary, he also has a private income.
Apart from her many other hobbies, she restores old racing cars.
Jo Evens was there, along with / together with a few other people who I didn’t know.
65.1
Dear Mrs Coldstream
Further to my letter of 16 March, I should like to give you more information concerning my
qualifications and experience. In addition holding a Diploma in Catering, I also have an Advanced
Certificate in Hotel Management. The course covered the usual areas: finance, front services,
publicity, space allocation and so on. I also wish to point out that as well as holding these
qualifications, I have now been working in the hotel trade for five years. Moreover, my experience
prior to that was also connected with tourism and hospitality. I hope you will give my application due
consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Gemma Weaver
65.2
1. Physical labour can exhaust the body very quickly. Equally, excessive study can rapidly
reduce mental powers.
2. My cousin turned up along with some schoolmates of his came with him.
3. He owns a big chemical factory as well as running runs a massive oil business in the USA.
4. In addition to being their scientific adviser and acts as a consultant to the Managing Director.
5. It was raining and getting dark. On top of all that, we also had very little petrol left in the tank.
6. He’s a very good singer. What’s more, he has a degree in music.
65.3
1. I work part-time as well as being a student, so I have a busy life.
2. Besides having a good job, my ambition is to meet someone nice to share my life with.
3. Alongside my many other responsibilities, I now have to be in charge of staff training.
