Oxford Word Skills

• selection of vocabulary

• organizing principles

• specific lexical features

garbled be at loggerheads

hoodwink blow your top

jettison have a bone to pick with

sb

inkling eat humble pie

lure leave sb high and dry

gannet give up the ghost

As I crawled along the motorway, I was having

second thoughts about staying with Marcus. I’d

been in two minds about going in the first place,

but it was sweet of him to invite me, and I

wasn’t tied up, so I said ‘yes’. But now it

dawned on me that he may have had an ulterior

motive: he wanted to go out with me! How could I

be so thick? Marcus was very nice, but a romantic

relationship was the last thing on my mind. How

can I get out

of this, I wondered? Just as the traffic started

to speed up, something went into the back of me

and sent the car flying off the road. Dazed but

OK, I pulled my mobile out of my bag. “Is that

you Marcus? Listen, you’re not gonna believe

this, but …

passion fruit pomegranate

beetroot artichoke

almonds sultanas

fennel ginger

lentils radish

squash cinnamon

acquire balance dare

affair behave deserve

apart behalf

determine

appeal blade devote

approach breed device

arise burst dissolve

attached bubble draft

• word building

• collocation

• synonyms and opposites

• figurative use of language

• idioms and phrasal verbs

• different styles of language

1 The Prime Minister could be in the

shooting line.

2 We sent some money but it’s still only a

drip in the ocean.

3 There was a thunderstorm of protest.

4 It was an uphill struggle but I think the

wave has turned.

5 Tourists are now raining into the town to

see the festival.

6 They are demanding a flat playing field.

7 They’re upset that the officials keep

moving the goalkeeper.

8 The problem is that she has got herself in

a very tight bend.

9 The producer resigned after a burning row

with the director.

It’s very cold today. Have you got Saturday off?

~ You can say that again. ~ No such luck, I’m afraid.

Shall I apply for that job? Sal said she’s too busy to help us.

~ Well, you’ve got ~ A likely story. nothing to lose.

I hurt my toe, and now I’ve Where’s Patsy?just burnt my finger. ~ Don’t ask me.

~ Oh dear. It’s not your day, is it?