PRACTICE 16: Identify the type of figure of speech used in each of following sentences then give

the figurative meaning.

 Book:
1. He is the black sheep of the family. (embarrassment/ shame)
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. He is an old fox. (wicked)
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. He is a rock in storm. (strong-minded person)
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Have you digested the lesson yet?
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. He bottled up his feeling. (hide/conceal)
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. The pen is mightier than the sword.
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. The wind whispered through dry grass.
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. The flowers danced in the gentle breeze. (swayed beautifully)
_____________________________________________________________________________
9. It was so cold that I saw polar bears wearing jackets.
_____________________________________________________________________________
10. I am so hungry. I could eat a horse.
_____________________________________________________________________________
 Exercise:
1. When you take that course, plan to study 30 hours a day.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
2. You have to pay the earth for such a masterpiece!
 _____________________________________________________________________________
3. My brother was boiling mad.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
4. The ship was lost with all hands.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
5. The tree branch moaned (than vãn) as I swung from it.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
6. You are becoming a little thin on top.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
7. He has a heart of stone. (merciless: nhẫn tâm)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
8. The weather is as cool as a summer day in the Sahara.
 _____________________________________________________________________________

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9. That knife will take a bite out of your hand if you don't handle it safely.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
10. The White House will be announcing the decision around noon today. (the US president/government)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
11. His parents bought him a new set of wheels.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
12. Joe cried a little when he lost the thousand dollars.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
13. Your comments on politics are not useless.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
14. Miss O'Shay, our teacher, is in the family way.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
15. They are enjoying adult beverages (đồ uống).
 _____________________________________________________________________________
16. My little brother is really a night owl.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
17. This car goes faster than the speed of light.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
18. He has many mouths to feed.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
19. This wall is as hard as tofu.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
20. Life is a dream.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
21. He shall think differently, the musketeer (lính ngự lâm) threatened, when he feels the point of my steel (thép).
 _____________________________________________________________________________
22. The boss let 10 employees go yesterday.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
23. We can't lend you any money; we don't have two cents to rub together.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
24. The ocean danced in the moonlight.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
25. He wanted to set sail on the ocean of love but he just wasted away in the desert.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
26. He's as nice as a lion to his prey (con mồi).
 _____________________________________________________________________________
27. The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
28. Always remember that he is no fool.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
29. I had a ton of homework.
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 _____________________________________________________________________________
30. He is always tired and emotional.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
31. The phone awakened with a mighty (hùng mạnh) ring.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
32. This chair is as comfortable as sitting on nails.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
33. We are tired to death of such movies. (extremely bored with)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
34. The Pentagon will be revealing (biểu lộ) the decision later on in the morning
 _____________________________________________________________________________
35. That joke is so old, the last time I heard it I was riding on a dinosaur.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
36. Her brain is the size of a pea.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
37. He is spending his time at a Correctional center.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
38. Who brought fire and sword into our country?
 _____________________________________________________________________________
39. A million dollars is not a little amount.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
40. I am purchasing a pre-enjoyed (pre-loved) vehicle.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
41. Will you marry a pre-enjoyed person?
 _____________________________________________________________________________
 Extra:
1. When he gets going, Jack is a streak of lightning.
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. I found the fifty-two pounds of books you left for me to carry. Your kindness really moved me.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
3. The man is a demon (ma quỷ) for work. (an energetic person that works very hard)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
4. The wind howled angrily (hút lên giận giữ) around the house all night. (blew strongly)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
5. Come to the dormitory and see what a cave I live in. (small and uncomfortable)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
6. Dick was fairly pleased when he won the brand-new car in the contest. (irony)
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. If you are not happy with the service, go and talk to the City Hall. (the city’s Mayor)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
8. Man does not live by bread alone. (synecdoche - necessaries)
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 _____________________________________________________________________________
9. We now live under the same roof.
_____________________________________________________________________________
10. Albert was as sharp as a tack (sắc như đinh đóng cột) this morning. He answered every question as
soon as it was asked. (quick-minded)
_____________________________________________________________________________
11. The river ate the bank away. (eroded the bank)
_____________________________________________________________________________
12. Keep overeating like that and pretty soon you'll weigh a thousand pounds.
_____________________________________________________________________________
13. After she heard the good news, she grinned like a mule eating briars. (cười toe toét như một con là
đang ăn cây tầm ma) (smiled broadly)
_____________________________________________________________________________
14. The captain was in charge of one hundred horses. (cavalries/soldiers fighting on horseback)
_____________________________________________________________________________
15. You can depend on Gina; she is a rock when trouble comes. (strong-minded)
_____________________________________________________________________________
16. He’s so hardheaded that he won’t listen to anyone. (obstinate/stubborn)
_____________________________________________________________________________
17. Research says that these methods are best.
_____________________________________________________________________________
18. It is amazing what a great mind he is. (intellectual power)
_____________________________________________________________________________
19. Alice came in gently, like a May breeze. (young, fresh, sweet and warm)
_____________________________________________________________________________
20. A thousand thanks are for your kindness. (Thank you very much)
_____________________________________________________________________________
21. I walked past the big sad mouth which didn’t know what to say then. (talkative person)
_____________________________________________________________________________
22. Give every man thine ears, bid a few thy voice. (thythine=youryours)
 metaphor means “you should listen to everyone but talk to only a few people.”
23. There was a storm in Parliament last night. (a heated argument)
_____________________________________________________________________________
24. I’m afraid he has misrepresented the facts.
_____________________________________________________________________________
25. He worked and worked until he breathed his last.
_____________________________________________________________________________
26. We'll just have to go our separate ways. (metaphor_life is a journey)
 _____________________________________________________________________________
27. They were vital, unforgettable matches that gave us a new window on the game.

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_____________________________________________________________________________
28. We stopped to drink in the beautiful scenery.
_____________________________________________________________________________
29. His words can be trusted. (metonymy)
_____________________________________________________________________________
30. The police team has cemented close ties with the hospital staff. (firmly established_chắc chắn tlập)
_____________________________________________________________________________
31. The boss gave her a hot look.
_____________________________________________________________________________
32. He could not bridle his anger.
_____________________________________________________________________________
33. He attacked every weak point in my argument. (criticize severely)
_____________________________________________________________________________
34. The organization is keeping the brake on pay rises.
_____________________________________________________________________________
35. Her father is a captain of industry. (one who manages a large industrial company)
_____________________________________________________________________________
36. I am the captain of my soul. (decide my own life/control myself)
_____________________________________________________________________________
37. To fall out of a tree in one’s early childhood is not a particularly reassuring experience. (to be
exposed to real life)
_____________________________________________________________________________
38. Your explanation is as clear as mud.
 _____________________________________________________________________________
39. No man is an island: entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.
 metaphor means no one can isolate himself from the community he has been living in.
40. Her long hair was a flowing golden river.
 metaphor means “a flowing golden river” is metaphor means “beautiful long blond hair”.
41. The children were flowers grown in concrete gardens.
 metaphor means children grew up in really hard situations, but have grown up and bloomed
42. His cotton candy words did not appeal to her taste.
 metaphor means “His cotton candy words” is a metaphor “his sweet words”.

PRACTICE 17: The following pairs of words are partial synonyms, i.e. they do not share all
their senses. For each pair, (a) gives a sentence in which the two can be used interchangeably; (b)
gives another sentence in which only one of them can be used.
 Book:
1. deep/profound (deep/profound shock_deep river)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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2. ripe/mature (ripe/mature cheese_mature boy)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. fast/quick (fast/quick runner_quick mind)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Exercise:
1. choose/pick
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. permit/allow
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. way/method
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. edge/side (at the edge/side of the forest_on your side)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. lady/women (the first lady)
_______________________________________________________________________________
6. intelligent/smart
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. rush/run (rush/run to the store_rush hour_run a company)
_______________________________________________________________________________
8. smooth/flat (smooth/flat land_smooth skin)
_______________________________________________________________________________
9. soil/earth (grow the trees on this good soil/earth_earth planet)
_______________________________________________________________________________
10. spicy/hot (spicy/hot soup_hot weather)
_______________________________________________________________________________
 Extra
1. strong/ powerful (strong/powerful argument_strong coffee)
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. broad/ wide (broad/wide river_broad minded)
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. home/ house (have two house/home_a broken home_set up home)
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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PRACTICE 24: These sentences are ambiguous. Give the possible paraphrases to make the meaning clear.
 Exercise:
1. Each of us saw her duck.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. I love Sarah more than you.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. "No don't stop!"
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Foreigners are hunting dogs.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. John kissed the girl in the bathroom.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Terry loves his wife and so do I.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. When I sing well ladies feel sick.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. He greeted the girl with a smile.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. The chicken is ready to eat.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. He gave her dog meat.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. She cannot bear children.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. They found hospitals and charitable institutions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
13. Is she really that kind?
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………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
14. Jack told John that a visitor was waiting for him.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
15. Take your mother-in-law out back and shoot her.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
16. Annie whacked a man with an umbrella.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
17. Our mothers bore us. Our mother gave birth this.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18. He passed the hammer and saw through the window.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
19. There was not a single man at the party.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
20. I gave a few olives to my friend that I stabbed with a fork.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
21. The German teachers visited the British Museum yesterday.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
22. Woman without her man is nothing.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
23. I know/clever people like you.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
24. Ralph took my picture.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
25. I met a man with a dog that had fleas.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
26. It's time to eat children.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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………………………………………………………………………………………………..
27. Do you want to try on that dress by the window?
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
28. She can give more possible conclusions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
29. The club will open to members only from Monday to Thursday.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
30. Her left her in tears.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
31. I repaired the car and returned the following day.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
32. Tall boy and girls are needed to partcipate in the activities.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
33. He looked over the old fence.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
34. The people who saw the movie frequently praised it.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
35. He found Peter a helper.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
36. Students hate annoying professors.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
37. Leave the chairs on the veranda.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
38. You should eat more nutrious food.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
39. Milk drinkers are turning to powder.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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  Extra
1. The teacher hit the student with the newspaper.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. He is a German teacher.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. I hate visiting families.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. The man saw the woman with a telescope.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Visiting relatives can be boring.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. We discussed our victory in Italy.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. The wind blew down the funnel.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. I’m selling five day old chicks.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. She left me to get on with her work.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. The parents of the bride and the groom were waiting.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. Mary thinks the present is nice. (time/gift)
_______________________________________________________________________________
12. She is standing near the bank. (river bank/bank building)
_______________________________________________________________________________
13. An old friend of mine teaches at school. (know for a long time/old age)
_______________________________________________________________________________
14. Children may feed animals.
It is possible for children to feed animals.
Children have permission to feed animals.
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15. It must be a new record.
It must be a new written or printed account of facts or events.
It must be a new gramophone record
It must be the best performance of a particular feat.
16. The lamb is too hot to eat. (feel hot/lamb meat)
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
17. The man looked backward.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
18. Do you have the key? (key to the room, key to the problem)
_______________________________________________________________________________
19. The student must know the answer.
It is necessary that the student know the answer.
It is concluded that the student knows the answer.
20. We will give you a ring tonight. (a phone call/ a diamond ring)
_______________________________________________________________________________
21.Jim took me to the court. (law court/tennis court)
_______________________________________________________________________________
22. We were late but the coach was late too. (a vehicle/a person)
_______________________________________________________________________________
23. I don’t like the case. (situation/suitcase)
_______________________________________________________________________________
24. Because of the cold, I had to put on a warm coat.
_______________________________________________________________________________
25. This poor man has got himself into debt. (not rich/unlucky)
_______________________________________________________________________________
26. I’m taking a course in modern English grammar.
_______________________________________________________________________________
27. Enough rest and exercise will help you recover.
_______________________________________________________________________________
28. I like ice-cream and cake.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
29. The hostess greeted the girl with a smile.
_______________________________________________________________________________
30. He stood watching the fireworks in the backyard.
_______________________________________________________________________________
31. At the rehearsal she sang, danced, and tumbled very expertly.
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_______________________________________________________________________________
32. What John disliked was being ignored by everyone.
_______________________________________________________________________________
33. Henry washed the car in the garage.
_______________________________________________________________________________
34. We gave the library books.
_______________________________________________________________________________
35. They considered those problems.
_______________________________________________________________________________
36. Bob met Alice at the party and Vicki in the lobby.
_______________________________________________________________________________
37. The girl who sat with Jane sometimes played the piano.
_______________________________________________________________________________
38. Suda is a very faithful and dependable clerk.
_______________________________________________________________________________
39. Mother has baked potatoes for dinner.
_______________________________________________________________________________
40. My uncle likes walking and bathing dogs.
_______________________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 26: Identify the illocutionary acts (speaker’s intent) of the following utterances and
decide whether it is a direct or indirect speech act.
1. Bill to John, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Mother to son, “Tidy up your room.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Teachers to students, “If you don’t try your best, you will fail in the exam.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. Sue to Mary, “There’s a new Italian restaurant on Green Avenue.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. Lecturer to the audience, “Why don’t we have a break?”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Fred to Jeff, “If I were you, I would accept the offer.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Barbara to Jim, “Would you mind opening the door?”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. Mary to Susan, “I’ve got to go now.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Bob to Nancy, “Turn your stereo off right now.”

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………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Henry to George, “May I use your lighter for a minute?”
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

PRACTICE 28: Give a possible presupposition for the following utterances.

1. "This is my youngest sister."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
2. "She pretends that he had understood what she meant."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
3. "We regret telling him the truth."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
4. "I've just got a driving license."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
5. "Can you stop making that noise?"
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. "I am glad that it is over."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
7. "How was your wedding?"
_____________________________________________________________________________
8. "When did she travel to the USA?"
 _____________________________________________________________________________
9. "I wondered why he managed to get the job."
_____________________________________________________________________________
10. "I wish I hadn't lent him my car."
_____________________________________________________________________________
11."I won't make that mistake again."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
12. It is going to rain for some more days."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
13."The garage on the corner is still open."
 _____________________________________________________________________________
14."Who broke these glasses?"
 _____________________________________________________________________________
15." What subjects are you taking this semester?"
_____________________________________________________________________________
16." How about some more wine?"
 _____________________________________________________________________________
17."I shouldn't have been so angry last night."
_____________________________________________________________________________
18." Tom kicked back Lucy."

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_____________________________________________________________________________
19." They wish they could go on the vacation right now."
_____________________________________________________________________________
20." When did he start working in this company?"
_____________________________________________________________________________
21." If he hadn't made such a terrible mistake, we would be very happy now."
_____________________________________________________________________________
22. "I wish I had studied medicine."
_____________________________________________________________________________
23." You shouldn't have seen such a horror film"
_____________________________________________________________________________
24. You could have talked to the dean," You didn't talk to the dean.
_____________________________________________________________________________
25. I imagine that he comes home late."
_____________________________________________________________________________

PRACTICE 30: Write down a possible implicature that can be drawn from the second speaker’s
response in each of the following conversations.
1. Mike: "Let's try the new Arab restaurant round the comer."
Sue: "I'm a vegetarian."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
2. Steve: "What happened to your flowers?"
Jane: "A dog got into the garden."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
3. Mom: "Have you brushed your teeth and tidied your room?"
Son: "I've brushed my teeth."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
4. Jim: "My car's broken down."
Passerby: "There is a garage round the corner."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
5. Laura: "Who used all the printing paper?"
Tom: "I used some of it.”
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
6. Carmen: "Did you buy the car?"
Maria: "it cost twice as much as I thought it was."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
7. Mary: "Have you seen my sweater?”
Mike: "There's a sweater on the sofa."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
8. Father: "Has Betty gone to bed?"

14
Mother: "Her desk lamp is still on."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
9. Jane: "What is this examination in Semantics like?"
Nick: "It is so easy this time."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
10. Dave: "Do you go to swimming pool every day?"
Bob: "The pool water hurts my eyes."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
11. Jeff: "Do any of John's daughters speak a foreign language?"
Ann: "Mary speaks French."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
12. Mark: "Do you like my new carpet?"
Ruth: "The wallpaper's beautiful."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
13. Laura: "So what do you think of Mark?"
Mary: "His flatmate's a wonderful cook."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
14. John: "Darling, do you want to go out to the show tonight?"
Laura: "I'm feeling ill."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
15. Bob: "Will Sally be at the meeting this afternoon?"
Mary: "Her car broke down."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
16. Jim: "What on earth has happened to the roast beef?"
Jack: "The dog is looking very happy."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
17. Bill: "What is John doing this evening?"
Josh: "He is meeting a woman.",
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
18. Sue: "Do you like Linguistics?"
Joe: "Well, let's just say I don't jump for joy before class."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
19. Jennifer: "Do you like Monica?"
Bill: "She's the cream in my coffee."
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________
20. Mary: "Do you like ice-cream?"
John: "Do you know when Eiffle Tower was built?"
Implicature: _________________________________________________________________

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