Lesson 11

Keep out.... keep away (from)… find fault with…. be up to… ill at ease…. do over…. look into… take hold of…. get through…. from now on…. keep track of….be carried away.
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To keep out: not to enter, not allow to enter (S)
Ø There was a large sign outside the door that said, “Danger! Keep out!”
Ø I’ve told you to keep the dog out of the house.
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To keep away (from): to stay at a distance (from) (S), to avoid use of (also: stay away from)
Ø Please be sure to keep the children away from the street!
Ø The signs on the burned-out house said, “Keep Away! Danger Zone.”
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To find fault with: to criticize, to complain about something
Ø It is very easy to find fault with the work of others, but more difficult to accept criticism of one’s own work.
Ø Mrs. Johnson is always finding fault with her children, but they really try to please their mother.
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To be up to: to be responsible for deciding, to be doing as a regular activity
The second definition is most often used in a question as a form of greeting.
Ø I don’t care whether we go to the reception or not. It’s up to you.
Ø Hi, George. I haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?
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Ill at ease: uncomfortable or worried in a situation
Ø Speaking in front of a large audience makes many people feel ill at ease.
Ø My wife and I were ill at ease because our daughter was late coming home from a date.
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To do over: to revise, to do again (S)
A noun or pronoun must separate the two parts of this idiom.
Ø You’d better do the letter over because it is written so poorly.
Ø Jose made so many mistakes in his homework that the teacher made him do it over.
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To look into: to investigate, to examine carefully (also: to check into)
Ø The police are looking into the matter of the stolen computers.
Ø The congressional committee will check into the financial dealings of the government contractor.
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To take hold of: to grasp, to grip with the hands
Ø You should take hold of the railing as you go down those steep stairs.
Ø The blind man took hold of my arm as I led him across the street.
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To get through: to finish, to complete
This idiom is followed either by the –ing form of a verb (a gerund) or by the preposition with.
Ø I didn’t get through studying last night until almost eleven o’clock.
Ø At what time does your wife get through with work every day?
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From now on: from this time into the future
Ø Mr. Lee’s doctor told him to cut down on eating fatty foods from now on, or else he might suffer heart disease.
Ø I’m sorry that I dropped by at a bad time. From now on I’ll call you first.
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To keep track of: to keep or maintain a record of, to remember the location of
Ø Steve keeps track of all the long-distance telephone calls related to his business that he makes from his house.
Ø With seven small children, how do the Wilsons keep track of all of them?
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To be carried away: to be greatly affected by a strong feeling (S)
This idiom can also be used with get instead of be.
Ø Paula and Leanne were carried away by the sad movie that they saw together.
Ø James got carried away with anger when his roommate crashed his new car into a telephone pole.
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E X E R C I S E S
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Choose the appropriate idiomatic expression to substitute for the italicized word or words in each sentence below. Idioms from previous lessons are indicated by number.
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1. It’s difficult for old people to remember the location of personal possessions
such as keys.
a. to keep track of
b. to keep away from
c. to take hold of
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2. I haven’t seen Jackie in a long time. I wonder what she has been doing.
a. has gotten through
b. has to do with (lesson 8)
c. has been up to
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3. Jeff agreed to give attention to organizing the beach barbecue this weekend.
a. to look into
b. to see about (lesson 10)
c. to do over
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4. The unfriendly man told the neighborhood boys, “I don’t want any of you coming
In my yard. Don’t enter!”
Keep out!
Be carried away!
Put out! (lesson 6)
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5. Janice felt uncomfortable at the party because she didn’t know anyone there,
they were all complete strangers to her.
mixed up (lesson 10)
ill at ease
out of the question (lesson 8)
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6. To open the door, you have to grasp it firmly and pull hard.
to take hold of
to get through
to find fault with
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7. Until now I haven’t broken any bones in my body. Knock on wood!
a. At last (lesson 2)
b. From now on
c. So far (lesson 4)
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8. Lita made so many mistakes in her essay that the teacher told her to revise it.
a. to find fault with it
b. to do it over
c. to check into it
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9. I was greatly affected by emotion when my friends surprised me with a big
birthday celebration.
a. was carried away
b. was up to me
c. had a good time (lesson 9)
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10. Mr. Smith asked the police to investigate the theft of his car radio last week.
a. to look for (lesson 2)
b. to look over (lesson 6)
c. to look into
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Fill in each blank with the appropriate form of an idiomatic expression from this unit only.
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Max: Jeff, are you still busy?
Jeff: Of course I am! Didn’t you see the sign on my door. It says, “___________!”
Max: Come on, Jeff. Give me five minutes of your time, okay?
Jeff: Okay, what is it?
Max: I just wanted to know when you’re going to ___________ with your work.
Jeff: I need at least another five hours. The professor found so many mistakes in
my research paper that I have to _____________ it ______________.
Max: Oh, I didn’t realize that.
Jeff: I know one thing – I’m going to start all my work much earlier and do it more
carefully ________________.
Max: That’s a good idea. Say, would you like a beer to relax?
Jeff: Are you kidding? I have to __________ alcohol if I’m going to finish this
Work.
Max: Well, it’s __________ you. I can write more easily after a beer or two. Say,
would you like me to read what you’ve done so far?
Jeff: No way. I know what will happen – you’ll just ______________ it.
Max: Okay, then. I’ll just go away and leave you alone.
Jeff: Thanks, Max. Sorry I’m acting so ___________ , but I need to get this done
by tomorrow. There isn’t much time left.
Max: I understand. Just don’t ____________ and be angry at your friends!