Writing

• Pull out: to leave or no longer be involved in something
• Turn to sb/st: to ask a person or organization for help or support
• I don't think I'll ever be able to buy my own house.

  DEPAIR

  I despair of ever being able to buy my own house.
• The members of the government have failed to agree on the new budget.

  REACHED

  The members of the government have not reached an agreement on the new budget.
• We liked the new teacher right away.

  TOOK

  We took (a liking) tothe new teacher right away.
• The novel didn't come up to my expectations.

  SHORT

  The novel fell short of my expectations.
• Zoe always makes spontaneous decisions concerning her travel plans.

  ACTS

  Zoe always acts on impulse when making/she makes her travel plans.
• Jim kewn he would have to go on the business trip at a moment's notice.

  POISED

  Jim was poised to go on the business trip at a moment's notice.
• His latest theory is in complete opposition to mainstream thinking.

  FLIES

  His latest theory flies in the face of mainstream thinking.
• His interpretation of the novel was far too complex for me to grasp, I'm afraid.

  HEAD

  His interpretation of the novel went over my head, I'm afraid.
• Julie always listens to my complaints about work.

  EAR

  Julie always lends an ear to my complaints about work.
• I wish you would come straight to the point if you have sth to say.

  BEAT

  I wish you wouldn't beat around/about the bush if you have sth to say.
• Thankfully she wasn't hurt at all in the accident.

  EMERGED

  She emerged unhurt from the accident.
• The waiters in the new restaurant were very inefficient.

  SHODDY

  We received shoddy service from the waiters in the new restaurant.
• My grandmother is extremely proud that she can remember all her grandchildren's birthdays.

  PRIDES

  My grandmother prides herself on being able to remember all her grandchildren's birthdays.
• I couldn't face telling her what I'd heard.

  BRING

  I couldn't bring myself to tell her what I'd heard.
• She lost all self-control when she found out what he'd done.

  CONTAIN

  She couldn't contain herself when she found out what he'd done.
• The singer said he wanted nothing to do with the other memners of the band.

  DISTANCED

  The singer distanced himself from the other members of the band.
• There was hardly any movement in the traffic in front of us. (INCHED)

  The traffic inched along in front of us.
• Postage (Post) stamps.
• He was too frightened to admit that he had broken the window.

  So frightened was he that he couldn't own up to having broken the window.
• If her father hadn't retired, she wouldn't have


  taken over his work.(STEPPED)

  
  

  But for...But for her father's retirement, she wouldn't have stepped into his shoes.

  
  

  stepped into sb's shoes: fill someone's position.
• When I grow up, I'm going to be really

  important.(CAT)When I grow up, I'm going to be a fat cat.
• I don't want to be disturbed at all this morning! (ACCOUNT)

  
  

  On...disturbed this morning.

  On no account am I to be disturbed this morning!
• He is so ambitious - he's determined that he'll

  be successfulin the company.

  
  

  He is determined ... in the company. (mark)He is determined to make his mark in the company.
• It seemed the young man was


  feeling bitter abouthis family background. (SHOULDER)

  
  

  The young man appeared...The young man appeared to behaving a chip on his shoulder abouthis family background.
• It's bad you didn't try to do

  your share of the job.(WEIGHT)

  
  

  You should...You should havepulled your weightin the job.
• My brother, who is a professional estate agent, is

  more than willingto house-hunt for our parents. (ELEMENT)

  
  

  AA professional estate agent, my brotheris really in his elementhouse-hunting for our parents.
• I can't understand why our team have performed so badly recently. (POOR)

  
  

  It doesn't make...

  It doesn't make sense to me why our team have put on such poor performances recently.
• It is a good idea for a retired craftsman to do something occasionally to keep his skills. (HAND)

  
  

  It is advisory that...

  It is advisory that a retired craftsman should sometimes keep his hand in.
• We were surprised to see that he got mad at our decision. (RED)

  
  

  Much to...

  Much to our surprise, he saw red at our decision.
• Alternative medicine is a complete mystery to some people.

  
  

  Some people are...

  Some people are mystified by alternative medicine.
• Although he was exhausted, he agreed to join in the activity.

  
  

  Exhausted...


  Exhausted as he was, he agreed to join in the activity.
• I am not a solitary person, I'm sociable.

  
  

  Rather...


  Rather than being solitary, I'm sociable.
• It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Davis will win the gold medal

  
  

  There...

  There is no doubt that Davis will win the gold medal.
• Your attitude will have to change if you want to succeed (leaf)

  
  

  You...

  You have to turn over a new leaf if you want to succeed.
• The success of our local theater has made our city famous. (MAP)

  
  

  The success...

  The success of our local theater has put our city on the map.
• You may be dismissed if you fail to observe the company's dress code. (RESULT)

  
  

  Failure to...

  Failure to observe the company's dress code may result in your dismissal.
• I really think my son is going to be a hugely successful businessman. (HOPES)

  
  

  I have high...

  I have high hopes of my son being a hugely successful businessman.
• His exam results will determine what choice he has for further education. (DEPENDENT)

  
  

  His choice...

  His choice of further education is dependent on his exam results.