1. education
2. english as a second language

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IYS - E3 Idioms Workbook 3.doc RW/L2.3 & RW/E3.5 & SLc/E3
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the learning centre
R VIC
6. IDIOMS RELATED TO INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST
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steer clear
turn a blind eye to something
get your teeth into something
jump on the bandwagon
keep a low profile
Examples:
1. The police came to talk to the students about addiction and warned them to steer clear of
drug peddlers and certain clubs where they were known to operate.
2. The supervisor decided to turn a blind eye to Werner’s lateness, as he had to take his
child to the nursery before work and was in other respects an extremely efficient worker.
3. Anna’s broken leg had brought weeks of enforced idleness and she was glad to return to
work and get her teeth into sorting out the election campaign.
4. Other countries are now jumping on the bandwagon of Britain’s successful interior design
programme ‘Changing Rooms’ and producing their own versions of the programme.
5. Since the scandalous conditions of the prison had come to light, the Prison Governor had
kept a low profile, avoiding situations where the press might be present.
In the space below try and make up your own sentences
using the idioms underlined above.
For more information see: Collins Idioms Workbook and Pocket Idioms Dictionary in the Learning Centre
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RN
E
R
L
EA
IYS - E3 Idioms Workbook 3.doc RW/L2.3 & RW/E3.5 & SLc/E3
E
S
E
S
the learning centre
R VIC
7. IDIOMS RELATED TO STARTING, STOPPING AND CHANGING
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from scratch
set the ball rolling
turn over a new leaf
sea change
in fits and starts
Examples:
1. When the fire burnt his whole collection of paintings and prints, Federico decided to start
a new collection from scratch.
2. To set the ball rolling, Federico’s friend Boris, an artist, gave him the first picture of the
new collection – a portrait of his sister, Antonella.
3. Sean, who never did his homework, promised he would turn over a new leaf if his mum
bought him a new bike.
4. True to his word Sean’s behaviour underwent a sea change, as not only did he complete
all his own homework on time, he also helped his little sister with her homework.
5. Because Sofia had to work long hours, the flat got decorated in fits and starts and wasn’t
finally finished until she had worked on it for the odd evening over three months.
In the space below try and make up your own sentences
using the idioms underlined above.
For more information see: Collins Idioms Workbook and Pocket Idioms Dictionary in the Learning Centre
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RN
S
E
S
E
E
IYS - E3 Idioms Workbook 3.doc RW/L2.3 & RW/E3.5 & SLc/E3
R
L
EA
the learning centre
R VIC
8A IDIOMS RELATED TO COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS
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break the ice
go off at a tangent
get the wrong end of the stick
get off on the wrong foot
Examples:
1. At the beginning of term, when there are a lot of new students, teachers often introduce a
game to break the ice. This helps people to relax and get to know each other.
2. We started talking about how to improve the transport system in London and then
someone mentioned pollution and we went off at a tangent and ended up talking about
rising asthma rates amongst schoolchildren.
3. It is not surprising that people from other cultures often get hold of the wrong end of the
stick when confronted with expressions like ‘pin back your ears’, and think the speaker
means this literally.
4. Their relationship got off on the wrong foot from the start because neither liked the other’s
friends.
In the space below try and make up your own sentences
using the idioms underlined above.
For more information see: Collins Idioms Workbook and Pocket Idioms Dictionary in the Learning Centre
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