EXPRESSIONS FOR REPHRASING

Much to my surprise: para mi sorpresa

To be every bit as…: bastante

To take somebody up on something:

To be on the ball: estar pendiente

To be deemed to: resultar ser

To rank as: ser calificado como

To give consent to + ing: dar consentimiento para

I dare say: me atrevo a decir

Objection + to + person + ing

To dawn on somebody: pasar por la cabeza

To cast/throw light on: arrojar luz sobre

To give somebody a cold shoulder: ser antipático

To be given a tip of: ser informado

To be someone´s cup of tea: gustar (no gustar: not someone´s cup of tea)

To do everything in one´s power: hacer todo lo possible

Jump at the chance: aprovechar la oportunidad

What are the chances of + ing: ¿cuáles son las posibilidades de …?

In addition to + ing: además

When it comes to + ing: referirse

To be no match for someone: no tener comparación

To get the habit of + ing: acostumbrarse

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To be to blame for: ser culpable de

To blame somebody for: culpar

To put the blame on somebody: culpar

To be somebody´s fault: ser culpa de

In depth: en profundidad

Get away with + ing: librarse de …

There´s nothing I would like more than …

Heed = attention

Didn´t pay any heed / paid no heed: prestar atención

To go to any lengths: llegar hasta donde sea

Only when she got home, did she realize (inversion)

To make somebody´s way out of: salir de

To have no obligation of + ing = to be under no obligation to: no tener intención de

hacer algo

To fall out of fashion: pasarse de moda

From the outset: desde el principio

To be cut out to: estar hecho de

To take something for granted: dar por sentado

To take somebody for granted: ignorar

Talk somebody out: convencer de no hacer algo

Hardly a day goes by without (+ ing): apenas pasa un día sin que …

Put something down to + ing: atribuir

Little did somebody know that: inversion con little did

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If it hadn´t been for + noun = Had it not been for = But for + noun : si no hubiera sido

por …

Only once in life + inversion: solo una vez en la vida

To be pressurised into + ing: estar presionado para hacer algo

To be not alone in + ing: no estar solo en

To be on the point of + ing = to be about to = to be on the verge of = to be on the brink

: estar a punto de

Waste no time in + ing: no perder el tiempo en

Track down: hacer un seguimiento de / seguir la pista

To the best of my knowledge: hasta donde yo sé

Set someone´s heart on: estar determinado a

To fail to do something: no conseguir algo

To hear from somebody: tener noticias de alguien

Find out / figure out / work out: averiguar

Strike somebody as: sorprender

Strike up: hacer

To have no recollection of: no recordar

In the hope of = with a view to + ing = with the aim of + ing = so as to + infinitive = so

that + clause: con vistas a

To be to + inf = to be due to + inf = to be bound to + inf : tener que

At the time: en el momento

To be no need for someone to + infinitive: no hay necesidad para … de …

Account for: explicar

Such (al principio de la frase) + inversion: tal era …

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Hold back: aguantar

To be suspected of + ing: ser sospechoso de

Apologise to someone for + ing: disculparse con alguien por …

Aunque: even though, although (at the beginning of the sentence), though (at the

middle or end)

To bear a close resemblance to someone: guardar un gran parecido

To be not along in + ing: no estar solo

To be green with envy: estar muerto de envidia

To be a great improvement in: ser mucho major

By far: con diferencia

Result in somebody + ing: tener como consecuencia

To be of no concern of + somebody: no ser asunto de

To be thanks to: ser gracias a

To take pride in = to be proud of = estar orgulloso

Matter to someone: importar

To come as a + noun: resultar ser

To cross somebody´s mind: pasar por la cabeza

To go bankrupt: entrar en bancarrota

To be under the impression: tener la impresión

Much to + somebody´s + noun: para … at the beginning. E.g. Much to my annoyance

To take no heed: no prestar atención

To be overcome by something: estar superado por

To take a deep breath: inspirar profundamente

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Adjective + for + somebody + to infinitive. E.g. It is necessary for me to wear glasses.

To bat/blink an eyelid: moverse

To be brought to our attention:

Persuade somebody to do something: convencer a alguien

Set somebody´s sights on sights: poner el ojo en

On the spur of the moment: espontáneamente, sin pensar

Had it not been for: de no haber sido por

To be ill at ease: incómodo

There´s no telling: no se sabe

To put something down to: atribuir

To be bound to: estar seguro

To fall on deaf ears: ser ignorado

It dawned on somebody: darse cuenta

To be none of somebody´s business: no ser de la incumbencia de alguien

To be worth something: merecer la pena

To take over: tomar el control

To have yet: todavía

To meet with disapproval/disapproval: aprobar/desaprobar

Break down: descomponer

Break out: fugarse

To break down bad news: dar malas noticias

Albeit = despite

Sit iddle: estar inactive

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Not only + inversion

Had it not been for + noun = but for + noun = If it hadn´t been for

To be long: tardar mucho, pasar mucho tiempo. It wasn´t long before

Put (something) aside (something): apartar

Turn away: impedir la entrada

To be let to believe: ser llevado a pensar

To take over: controlar

There is no doubt in somebody´s mind: no cabe duda

To make a blind bit: no cambiaría

To be within somebody´s price: estar dentro de tu presupuesto

On the part of: por parte de

To have difficulty in

Rule out: descartar

To refrain from something/doing something: abstenerse de

To drop someone a line: escribir

To catch up with: ponerse al día (keep up with)

To bear no resemblance to: no parecerse

To reduce something to tatters: hacer pedazos

To be on the tip of somebody´s tongue: estar en la punta de la lengua

To mince somebody´s words: medir sus palabras

Speak somebody´s mind: aclarar las ideas, expresar

To come to light: salir a la luz

To call into question: poner en tela de juicio

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Not to be in the same league: no jugar en la misma liga (ser muy diferentes)

To burn the midnight oil: quedarse hasta tarde haciendo un trabajo

To follow something through: hacer algo para que otra cosa esté completa/hecha

To egg somebody on: animar, alentar a

To weigh on somebody: poner a alguien nervioso o preocuparle

To drag on: alargarse, parece no acabarse nunca

To fall behind with something: quedarse atrás con algo

To die down: desvanecer

To mouth the words: hacer playblack, solo mover la boca

To nose into: meter las narices

To toe the line: seguir las reglas

To be down in the mouth: estar triste

To be down to: ignorar

To live something down: hacer recordar

To put someone´s foot in it: meter la pata

Chances of somebody + ing + something

To set foot in a place: haber estado en algún sitio

To be in somebody´s shoes: estar en el lugar de alguien

To shoulder the responsibility for: hacerse responsable de

To kick myself for + ing: morderse la lengua

Take to something: gustar

To be to someone´s liking: ser del gusto de

To take an instant liking to: gustar desde el primer momento

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Find fault with: críticas

Fond: bonito

To give somebody a new lease of: dar esperanza a alguien

To be at a low ebb: estar triste

To be at a loose end: estar perdido

At ease: estar relajado, tranquilo

To be at a loss for something: no saber

To be at someone´s wits end: enloquecer

To be at somebody´s disposal: estar a disposición de

To keep track of: llevar la cuenta

Rather than + bare infinitive

Would rather + bare infinitive

If only + subject + Past Simple/Past Perfect

On no occasion + inversion

Only + ____ + inversion

To be at a loss: no tener ni idea

In case + Present Simple/Past ¿?

There is every likelihood: cabe toda posibilidad

Take into the habit: crear el hábito

To be taken in by: dejarse engañar

To put in charge of: hacer responsoble de

To be in charge of: ser responsoble de

To have every confidence: confiar en

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In the event of = in case