UIC Tutorium in Intensive English

Conversation and Vocabulary Skills

Day 2 July 19, 2014

IDIOMS and MORE FORMAL LANGUAGE

Topic: Dependability
Less
Formal

Casual
shoulder the burden of
leave someone high and dry ...
worm out of
count on

Consultative

Formal

take responsibility for

not provide appropriate
assistance
avoid ones responsibility for
rely upon

Some examples:
After Dels father died, he had to drop out of college and go to work to earn
money for his family. He shouldered the burden of his familys finances,
at great cost to him personally.
Marinas family supported her through college and law school. She
became a lawyer, got a fantastic job, and now earns $150,000/year. But
when her family encountered financial difficulties and asked her to help pay
for her brothers college tuition, she stopped taking their calls and avoided
family get-togethers. She sure left her family high and dry!
My brother made it an art form to avoid doing chores around the house. He
would make up the wildest excuses for why he couldnt mow the lawn or
pick up his room. But my parents just laughed. They never let him worm
out of his responsibilities, despite all his whining.
You can count on me to take care of you, the daughter said to her elderly
mother.

More
Formal

Topic: Honesty and Directness

Less
Formal

Casual
tell it like it is
talk out of both sides of
ones mouth
speak ones mind
be up front
pull the wool over someones
eyes
be two faced
beat around the bush
lay your cards on the table

Consultative

Formal

be forthright and honest

say different things to different
people about the same
subject
be direct
be honest
deceive
be insincere or deceitful
equivocate
be honest about your feelings
(or intentions)

Some examples:
When asked if she believe in capital punishment, Senator Benander
replied that she believed that criminals should get the punishment they
deserve. After the speech, some people thought the Senator was in
favor of capital punishment, while others thought she was against it.
Senator Benander was talking out for both sides of her mouth.
At meetings, Betty usually lets everyone else know what her position is
on issues. She is someone who speaks her mind.
During a job interview, Jill made it clear that although she was interested
in working for the company, she would have to resign after a year
because she would be moving across the country. She thought it was
important to lay her cards on the table.
Marcus did not do his homework because he had forgotten all about it.
He thought he might tell his teacher that he had lost it, but he decided to
tell him what really happened. He was up front with his teacher.

Adapted from: Adams & Kuder, Attitudes Through Idioms

More
Formal