IDIOM

S AND ABOUTDIS
PHRAS ASTERS!
A) Look at the following idioms. With a partner discuss
think they might mean.
what you

1.
2.
AL
The calm before the storm.
Chasing rainbows.
3. To steal someone’s thunder.
4.
5.
VERBS
A walking disaster.
Quake in your boots.
6. To be snowed under.
7. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
8. Flood in / out

1.

2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

7.

8.

B) Write the true meaning in the table below:

C) Place idioms from exercise A into the sentences below. Each
idiom can only be used once.

a. My city was right in the hurricane’s path. I was ______________________________

____________________________with fear. We were okay in the end.
b. My whole family is coming over this weekend, including all my little
cousins. I’m enjoying __________________________________________________ because
after Friday there’s going to be chaos.
c. Shaun wants to go to Japan but flights are 2000 euros. With our current
budget, he’s _________________________________________.
d. Anna said she can’t meet this week. Apparently ____________________________
____________________________________.
e. When the bus arrived, people on the bus stop _______________________________.
f. A: ‘’Kyle’s been blamed for stealing money from Ella!’’
B: ‘’So I’ve heard but I don’t think it’s true.’’
A: ‘’Nor do I. It’s not like him but _____________________________________________
____________________________’’
g. Josh got fired again. He lost some important files for the boss. The poor
guy’s a real ____________________________________________.
h. Paula did all the work for the project but on the day of presentation she
was sick. I basically _______________________________________________________. She
was so mad at me but I found it hilarious.

PHRASAL VERBS
D) Look at the following phrasal verbs.

1. What do you think they mean?

2. In your opinion, in which weather
scenarios can they be used in?

a) Beat down
b) Pelt down
c) Hold off
d) Break through
e) Roll in
f) Blot out
E) Look at the meanings of the phrasal verbs below. Match the
numbers with the phrasal verbs. The first one is done.
1. When the sun reappears from behind the clouds.
2. When rain is falling heavily.
3. When storm clouds or fog begin to appear.
4. When the sun is shining very strongly.
5. When clouds, fog, ash or smoke block the sun from being seen.
6. When bad weather doesn’t start even though you expect it to.

1 2 3 4 5 6
d

F) Fill in the text below with

an appropriate phrasal verb
from exercise D.

Florida is one of the most popular and touristic states in the US. Bad weather normally
____________________________________ in sunny Florida and people flock there to soak up the
sun that __________________________________ on its sandy shores. But Floridians are no
stranger to storms. Hurricanes are common in that area and tend to affect Florida
directly every few years. In 2005, Hurricane Denis ________________________________ as a
major Hurricane, creating 1.5 billion dollars in damage. More recently, everyone
watched Hurricane Irma ________________________ the sun as it hammered into the Floridian
coastline. With winds of up to 300km/h and a storm surge more than 5 meters high, it’s
estimated that at least 10 trillion gallons of water flooded the affected areas, a lot of
which _______________________________ in the form of rain. Though these storms are
monstrous, the sun always
_______________________________________ at
the end.

Key
Exercise B

1) A peaceful and quiet period before a period of activity or trouble

2) Following unrealistic goals or dreams
3) To take credit or praise for something which someone else did
4) A person who can’t do anything correctly, a clumsy person.
5) To shake from fear.
6) To have so much work that you can’t do anything else. You have to finish the
work.
7) Part of what’s said must be true because a rumour must start from somewhere.
8) Many people moving in or out of something.

Exercise C

a) 5
b) 1
c) 2
d) 6
e) 8
f) 7
g) 4
h) 3

Exercise E

1 2 3 4 5 6
d b e a f c

Exercise F

Florida is one of the most popular and touristic states in the US. Bad weather normally HOLDS
OFF in sunny Florida and people flock there to soak up the sun that BEATS DOWN on its sandy
shores. But Floridians are no stranger to storms. Hurricanes are common in that area and tend
to affect Florida directly every few years. In 2005, Hurricane Denis ROLLED IN as a major
Hurricane, creating 1.5 billion dollars in damage. More recently, everyone watched Hurricane
Irma BLOT OUT the sun as it hammered into the Floridian coastline. With winds up to 300km/h
and a storm surge more than 5 meters high, it’s estimated that at least 10 trillion gallons of
water flooded the affected areas, a lot of which PELTED DOWN in the form of rain. Though
these storms are monstrous, the sun always BREAKS THROUGH at the end.