CLICHES

1. Shes always going on about the plight of the homeless but she never gets involved in
any fund-raising for them. She should realize that actions speak louder than words.

2. His car bumped into her when she was on a pedestrian crossing and then he added
insult to injury by calling her careless.

3. If you want to talk about whats bothering you, Im all ears.

4. With so many additional managers, this place is all chiefs and no Indians.

5. All things considered, I think our play was a success.

6. Houses in this area cost an arm and a leg.

7. He was quite a well-known singer in the seventies but is a back number now.

8. We would get this meal cooked a whole lot faster if you backseat drivers would stop
telling us what to do.

9. Hes hit a snag in his research project and so its back to square one.

10. His career is hanging in the balance. If hes found guilty of drink driving he will lose
his job.

11. It beats me why she stays with him. Hes always after other women.

12. Life on the dole isnt exactly a bed of roses.

13. Shes a very poor singer but she thinks shes the bees knees.

14. Ill have this room decorated before you can say Jack Robinson.

15. Our cars broken down . Well have to beg, borrow or steal transport to get to the
wedding.

16. We are not particularly fond of the house but it was the only one in our price range and
beggars cant be choosers.

17. If you say you were ill yesterday well give you the benefit of the doubt but it was a
scorching day and youve got a suntan.

18. Im between a rock and a hard place / between the devil and the deep blue sea. If
I stay with my present company I have to move to another branch at the other end of
the country. If I leave Ill have to take a job with a firm that doesnt pay so well.

19. Now is not a good time to ask your father for a loan. You should bide your time and
wait until hes in a better mood.
20. Breaking a leg on that trip was a blessing in disguise. Forced to lie in bed, he had
nothing but books to keep him company and so he managed to prepare so well for his
final exam that he passed with flying colours.

21. Im glad theyve demolished those high-rise flats. They were a real blot on the
landscape.

22. The Falkland Islands have been a bone of contention between Britain and Argentina
for centuries.

23. He and his brother quarrelled and hadnt spoken to each other for years, but they
buried the hatchet when their mother died.

24. We were supposed to rent the house together but the others backed out leaving me
holding the baby.

25. That was a close shave. I nearly bumped into my teacher and Im supposed to be off
sick.

26. She kept claiming to be ill to attract sympathy. When she collapsed, they thought she
was crying wolf and ignored her.

27. Having a long term of notice on your contract cuts both ways. It means that if they
declare you redundant you will have a lot of time to find another job, but if you are
offered something better by another company they might not hold the job open for so
long.

28. He is a competent enough modern artist but no-one could say that he was at the
cutting edge.

29. The protest meeting about the new road was damp squib. Hardly anybody turned up.

30. She usually sweet-talks people into doing what she wants but her flattery cut no ice
with the headmaster.

31. She wouldnt be seen dead going out with him.

32. The child has outgrown all those toys but hes too much a dog in the manger to lend
them to his younger cousin.

33. The tradesman is not completely honest but he draws the line at breaking the law.

34. The two girls were dressed to kill as they left for the party.