HOLIDAY

IDIOMS

Activity 1: Read the text and match the idioms in bold to their definitions.

Our last holiday was amazing! Both my husband and I had a whale of a time
in The Bahamas with their pristine beaches and crystal-clear water. The
only places we were warned to steer clear of were the beaches populated
with jellyfish.
It's been a tough year at work, so I really let my hair down and enjoyed
myself as much as possible. I loved the beach parties and I only had to call
it a night if we had some kind of activity planned in the morning. Mark was
in his element scuba diving every day. All in all, after 10 days in paradise
we felt as if we've been given a new lease of life!

Definitions:
A) to avoid something because it is dangerous or unpleasant:
B) to have a great time:
C) to allow yourself to behave more freely than usual:
D) in a situation you are familiar with and enjoy:
E) to stop what you are doing in order to go to bed:
F) to feel the burst of new energy:

Activity 2: Complete the sentences so that they are true for you.

I had a whale of a time when

When you go to , you should steer clear of
The last time I let my hair down was
When I am out partying, I usually call it a night at
I am in my element when
 Match the sentences with a similar meaning to find
Activity 3: out what the idioms in bold mean.

1. I always get itchy feet around
this time of the year, in spring.
2. We need to hit the road early
in the morning, we have a long
way to go.
3. I usually don't have to check-
in a big suitcase because I like
to travel light.
4. I need to travel for work all
the time so I've gotten used to
living out of my suitcase.
5. For our holidays, we prefer
locations that are slightly off
the beaten track.
6. She was so burnt out at work
she decided to book a ticket to
Bali and just get away from it
all.
a) Her trip to Bali was a way to
escape and de-stress from her very
demanding and exhausting job.
b) I like to travel with minimum
luggage, so most of the time I just
have a carry-on bag.
c) Once the winter is over, I always
get the urge to travel and explore
new places.
d) We like places that are away
from the main tourist destinations
when we go on holiday.
e) I go on business trips very often
so I am accustomed to moving
from place to place all the time
and never unpacking.
f) It's quite a long journey, so we
have to leave around 7 in the
morning.

Complete the questions with the correct idiom. Then

Activity 4: use the questions to start a conversation with your
partner.

1. Do you like to ? Can you go on a 2-week holiday with just hand

luggage or a backpack?
2. Are you stressed at work? Do you sometimes feel the need to
? If you could, where would you go?
3. Have you ever had to because you travelled constantly?
How did you feel about that?
4. Do you prefer popular tourist destinations or locations that are
? Give examples.
 Work with a partner. You are organising your holiday and you
Activity 5: have 4 alternatives. For each one, discuss the points below. Try
to use the idioms from this lesson.

1. The advantages and disadvantages.

Example: If you like partying, you will definitely have a whale of a time in
Ibiza, but steer clear of drugs.
2. The type of people it is most suitable for:
Example: People who love hiking will be in their element on a trip to
Costa Rica.
3. Activities you can do:

Group vacation to Costa Rica A romantic trip to Paris for 2

A week in Ibiza with your friends Solo road trip along Route 66

Now decide which alternative would be the best for you.