IV. Complete the idioms in this paragraph with prepositions.

Mark had been feeling ….. (1) the weather for weeks. One day he came into work looking like death warmed ….. (2) and so we told him to go away for a few days to recharge his batteries. After one day beside the sea, he no longer felt …..(3)-colour and by the second day he knew he was ….. (4) the road to recovery. He sent us a postcard and we were all glad to learn that he was ….. (5) the mend. By the end of the week, he returned to work ….. (6) fit ….. (7) a fiddle. And he's been ….. (8) right ….. (9) rain ever since.

V. Match the beginning of each idiom on the left with its ending on the right.

a can of in a on the other tie yourself up in go round in be called to go out on a flying off the putting someone in the getting your foot in the

limb account knots hand nutshell worms circles door picture handle

VI. Complete the idioms in this paragraph with prepositions.

Well, when I started, working with her, at first she was all sweetness and light, but after a while she started getting ….. (1) my nerves, and we soon began to have arguments over stupid things. If I made even a small mistake with my work, she would give me a hard time, you know, and she would poke fun ….. (2) me if I smiled at or chatted with any of our male colleagues. To add insult ….. (3) injury, she began to cast aspersions ….. (4) my honesty, and one day, when some money disappeared from someone's handbag, she told people she thought I'd stolen it. I don't think she was an ….. (5)-and-out evil person, but she was certainly asking ….. (6) trouble, and one day I just lost my temper and, you know, told her exactly what I thought of her and how much I disliked her. She hasn't spoken to me since that day ... .

VII. Complete the idioms with prepositions.

1. I hope I'm ….. line ….. a pay rise this year.

2. You must read ….. the lines of her letter to understand what she's saying.

3. I'd like to design a house ….. the lines of a place I read about.

4. I'll help with the play, but I draw the line ….. taking a speaking role.

5. There's a fine line ….. generosity and extravagance.

6. It's uncanny how we always seem to be thinking ….. the same lines.

7. You were quite ….. ….. line. Don't do it again!

8. When our house purchase is agreed, we'll sign ….. the dotted line.

9. It's time to draw a line ….. this sad occurrence and to make a fresh start.

10. Would you mind having a look at my essay plan and telling me whether you think I'm going ….. the right lines or not?

VIII. Complete the idioms in this paragraph with prepositions.

When we got to our holiday destination, it was a very long climb up to the cottage that we were renting. John thought nothing ….. (1) it, but I found it quite difficult. However, when we got to the top, the view was so beautiful that it brought a lump ….. (2) my throat. We were only going to be there for two weeks, so we were determined to make the most ….. (3) it. Then my mother rang to say that my grandmother had been taken ill and her life was hanging ….. (4) the balance. Of course, everything else faded ….. (5) insignificance then and we agreed that we wouldn't dream ….. (6) staying away in those circumstances. We caught the next plane home and spent the flight trying to come to terms ….. (7) the thought that she might die. However, thank goodness, when we got to the hospital, she was sitting up completely recovered and very apologetic that she had spoiled our holiday.

IX. Match each idiom on the left with its definition on the right.

behind the scenes off the record on hold pull out all the stops rushed off your feet up-and-coming once in a blue moon keep both feet on the ground get off on the wrong foot nine times out of ten

delayed promising hidden unofficially make an effort very busy remain connected to the real world very rarely almost always start off in a bad way