Collective Nouns Worksheet

Collective Nouns Worksheet

Complete the following sentences using appropriate collective nouns.

1. A ……………………………………. of locusts attacked a ………………………………….. of cattle.

2. A ……………………………………….. of birds is always a beautiful sight.

3. They welcomed the chief guest with a …………………………………. of flowers.

4. As we drove down the country side, we saw a ……………………………………………. of sheep grazing in the fields.

5. The …………………………………..of thieves has been arrested by the police.

6. There we saw a man carrying a ……………………………………….. of clothes on his head.

7. A …………………………………………. of musicians was hired to perform at the party.

8. My friend has a fine …………………………………….. of old stamps.

Answers

1. A swarm of locusts attacked a herd of cattle.

2. A flight of birds is always a beautiful sight.

3. They welcomed the chief guest with a bouquet of flowers.

4. As we drove down the country side, we saw a flock of sheep grazing in the fields.

5. The gang of thieves has been arrested by the police.

6. There we saw a man carrying a bundle of clothes on his head.

7. A band of musicians was hired to perform at the party.

8. My friend has a fine collection of old stamps.

Idioms with their meanings

Some Useful Idioms with their meanings.

Caught between two stools
When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives. 

Costs an arm and a leg
This idiom is used when something is very expensive.

Cry over spilt milk
When you complain about a loss from the past. 

Curiosity killed the cat
Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation. 

Cut corners
When something is done badly to save money. 

Cut the mustard
To succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to compete or participate 

Devil's Advocate
To present a counter argument. A person who expresses a contentious opinion in order to provoke debate or test the strength of the opposing arguments.

Don't give up the day job
You are not very good at something. You could definitely not do it professionally. 

Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Do not put all your resources in one possibility. 

Every cloud has a silver lining
Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days. 

Idioms with their meanings

Some Useful Idioms with their meanings.

A hot potato
Speak of an issue which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed. 

A penny for your thoughts
A way of asking what someone is thinking Actions speak louder than words
People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say. 

Add insult to injury
To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation. 

An arm and a leg
Very expensive or costly. A large amount of money. 

At the drop of a hat
Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly. 

Back to the drawing board
When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over. 

Ball is in your court
It is up to you to make the next decision or step. 

Barking up the wrong tree
Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person Be glad to see the back of Be happy when a person leaves. 

Beat around the bush
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue. 

Best of both worlds
Meaning: All the advantages. Best thing since sliced bread
A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan. 

Bite off more than you can chew
To take on a task that is way to big. 

Blessing in disguise
Something good that isn't recognized at first. 

Burn the midnight oil
To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting. 

Can't judge a book by its cover
Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

VERB Test Multiple Choice Questions

VERB Test Multiple Choice Questions

Test your Verb knowledge.

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Preposition Worksheet

Preposition Worksheet

Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions.

1. The turban and the beard easily distinguish a Sikh ——————— others.

a) to
b) from
c) with
d) in

2. The laboratory should be furnished ———————- all necessary equipment.

a) in
b) of
c) with
d) out

3. She is keen ———————- building a career in music.

a) on
b) in
c) at
d) from

4. She is a disgrace ——————- her family.

a) to
b) for
c) at

d) on

5. He was the first to alight ——————- the train.

a) on
b) from
c) in
d) with

6. He is busy ——————– his studies.

a) in
b) with
c) of
d) off

7. He is addicted ——————– drugs.

a) to
b) in
c) on
d) for

8. The hotel is adjacent ——————- the railway station.

a) to
b) at
c) in
d) for

9. During his speech, he alluded ——————– a story in the Vedas.

a) to
b) at
c) in
d) with

10. You must apologize ——————— him.

a) with
b) to
c) for

d) with

11. The inspector commented favorably ——————– our work.

a) on
b) in
c) with
d) for

12. I congratulated him —————— his success.

a) in
b) on
c) for
d) with

Answers

1. b) from
2. c) with
3. a) on
4. a) to
5. b) from
6. b) with
7. a) to
8. a) to
9. a) to
10. b) to
11. a) on
12. b) on

Phrases Avoid giving Information

    Avoid giving Information

No comment.

This Phrase is often used by politicians and celebrities when they are asked difficult or embarrassing questions by journalists.

I'm not at liberty to say.

I'm sorry, that's confidential.

We use these phrases to say there is a rule that prevents you giving information.

Wait and see.

This Phrase is refusing to tell somebody something about the near future. We often use it when we are preparing a surprise for somebody.

(Sorry) That's personal.

This Phrase is telling the other person that you consider the information to be private. You are also criticising the other person for asking.

I'd rather not talk about it.

This Phrase is a more polite way to say that the information is private and you don't want to talk about it.

Mind your own business.

Never you mind.

These Phrases are not very polite and are criticising the other person for asking for private information.

I'll tell you when you're older.

Parents often say phrase to their children to avoid answering difficult or embarrassing questions. Usually they have no intention of ever answering the question.

Phrases for Asking people to Wait

Asking people to Wait

Hang on a moment / a mo./Hold on

Give us a second.

Half a moment / a mo.

These Phrases are quite informal but polite in tone. You are busy and expect to be able to help them

quite soon.

I'll be right with you.

This Phrase is especially useful in customer service situations where you want to ask a customer to wait for a few minutes.

Sorry, I'm a bit tied up right now.

This Phrase is really saying how busy you are but at the same time you are asking people to wait. It is quite polite.

Wait and see.

This Phrase is refusing to tell somebody something about the near future. We often use it when we are preparing a surprise for somebody.

You'll just have to be patient.

Give me a chance.

These Phrases are less polite and are suggesting that you think the other person is being too impatient.

Don't be so impatient.

This Phrase is more impolite and you are actually directly criticising the other person for being impatient.

We wish to apologise for the delay to...

This Phrase is a formal announcement that you might hear on a train or plane in the UK. It is followed by a noun phrase.

Phrases - Agreeing With People

Phrases - Agreeing With People

I'm with you on that one.

This Phrase is used mainly in informal situations and shows quite strong agreement.

I couldn't agree more.

This Phrase can be used in both formal and informal situations and shows very strong agreement.

Yes, absolutely.

This Phrase shows very strong agreement.

I'd go along with that.

You've got a point there.

These Phrases show that the speaker agrees a bit less strongly and can be used both formally and informally.

Hear, hear !

We often hear phrase in the parliament in debates between politicians. In other contexts it sounds quite formal and old fashioned.

I think so too.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

This Phrase shows total agreement with what the speaker has said and is also complimentary about the way it was said.

Great minds think alike.

This Phrase is an old saying and compliments the speaker as well as agreeing.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

This Phrase is suggesting that you were thinking of saying the same thing just before the other speaker said it first.

Phrases for Expressing Habits

      Phrases for Expressing Habits

I spend a lot of time...

You'll always find me...

These phrases are followed by a gerund (-ing) Example: I spend a lot of time reading.

I (often) tend to...

This phrase is followed by the infinitives (- to + V1) Example: I Often tend to watch TV.

___ is a big part of my life.

This Phrase needs a noun or gerund in the blank space. Example: Dancing is a big part of my Life.

Or Books are a big part of my life.

I always make a point of...

Whenever I get the chance, I...

These phrases show that the speaker likes doing these things and tries to do them a lot.

I have a habit of..

This Phrase suggests that the speaker often does something but that it's not intentional. It may be a bad habit.

I can't (seem to) stop...

I'm always...

I can't help...

These Phrases are habits that the speaker thinks are bad but cannot stop.

Phrases for Refusing

     Phrases for Refusing

No way

Absolutely not

No Chance

These Phrases are expressing strong refusals.

Not if you paid me

This Phrase is also a strong refusal and suggests that money will not change the speaker's mind.

Get lost

This Phrase is very informal and quite rude.

No, full stop

This Phrase is used to say that the refusal is final and no more discussion will take place.

Not likely

I don't want to

These Phrases are not as final as phrase 6 but it is quite likely that the speaker will not change their mind

I'd rather not

No but thanks for asking

These Phrases are quite polite ways of refusing.

Phrases for Apologizing

Phrases for Apologizing

Sorry.

This Phrase is a general short apology. We use this when we bump into people on the street. At other times, it sounds too weak.

I'm (so / very / terribly) sorry.

In this phrase, we use 'so', 'very' and 'terribly' to make the meaning stronger. 'Terribly' is the strongest. If we use one of the words in brackets, it is stressed.

Ever so sorry.

This Phrase is quite formal but it's a stronger apology than just 'sorry'.

How stupid / careless / thoughtless of me.

We use this phrase to criticise ourselves and the mistake that we have just made.

Pardon (me)

That's my fault.

Sorry. It was all my fault.

We use these phrases to take all the responsibility for what happened. The latter Phrase is a little stronger.

Please excuse my (ignorance)

We use this phrase to apologise for our lack of knowledge or ability. We can replace the word in brackets with other nouns, e.g. carelessness, forgetfulness.

Please don't be mad at me.

This Phrase is asking the other person not to get angry. The tone is quite informal.

Please accept our (sincerest) apologies.

This Phrase is often used in formal letters. The word 'sincerest' makes the apology very strong and very formal.

English Phrases for Business Telephone Calls

    English Phrases for Business Telephone Calls

Taking a call

When you answer the phone at your job, you’ll want to always greet the caller professionally. Here are two formats you might use to do so.

Hello/Good morning/Good afternoon. [Company name], [your name] speaking, how may I help you?

For example, if your name is Arun and you work at a company called Maxcom India, you might say:

Good morning! Maxcom India, Arun speaking. How may I help you?

This quickly tells the caller who you are, and then lets them explain why they’re calling.

[Company name], [your name] speaking.

This second one is a shorter greeting: Maxcom India, Arun speaking.

You can also use “This is [your name]” as another way to say “[Your name] speaking.”

Making a call

Sometimes you are the one initiating (beginning) a phone call. You may have more time to prepare in this case. You can use one of the formats below for greeting people when you call them:

Hello, this is [your name] from [company name].

For example, if you are Arun and you work at ABC Travels, you might say:

“Hello, this is Arun from ABC Travels.

You may want to include your surname (last name) if you know the caller doesn’t know you very well.

Hi, it’s [your name] from [company name].

You may also say “Hi, it’s Arun Kumar from ABC Travels” to start a phone conversation.

Asking for somebody

It’s important to know exactly who you want to talk to and you can use one of the options below.

May I speak to [person’s name]?

This first phrase is a question, and slightly more polite than the next option. Here’s an example:

May I (please) speak to Mr. Dinesh?

I’d like to speak to [person’s name], please.

For example, “I’d like to speak to Mr. Dinesh, please.”

You may use this one when you’re quite sure the person is available to talk to you.

Giving reasons for calling

At the beginning of the phone conversation it’s best to clarify why you are calling. This helps both speakers talk about what’s relevant.

I’m calling to ask about/discuss/clarify…

I’m calling to ask about your current printing promotion.

I just wanted to ask…

I just wanted to ask if you need any more articles for next month’s magazine.

Phone Call Phrases II

Phone Call Phrases II

Making arrangements

If you have to make arrangements, it’s important to be polite as you negotiate. Here are some phrases you might use:

Shall we say January 20?

How about the following week?

Would the week of January 18 work for you?

Asking for suggestions

When you have to decide on times and places to do things, you can invite the other person to make suggestions. It can be seen as a sign of politeness.

What would you suggest?

Do you have a time/place in mind?

Making requests

When you ask people to do things for you, it’s again essential to be polite. You can use the magic words “could” and “please” as seen below:

Could you send me an email with the detailed offer?

Do you mind sending me the report again, please?

Promising action

When you promise action, you may want to add when something is going to happen. Remember that in English we don’t use the future tense after time expressions like “when” and “as soon as.”

I’ll ask him to call you as soon as he gets back.

Notice that after “as soon as” we use “he gets back,” present tense.

I’ll send you the report as soon as possible.

Saying you cannot help

There are situations when you can’t help the other person, and it may be hard to say so. Just be firm and polite:

I’m afraid I can’t give you that information.

Sorry, but I’m not allowed to give details about that.

Ending the call

Remember to thank the other person for calling or for helping you. You can do that in any of the following ways:

Thank you very much for your help.

Thanks for calling.

Thank you for your time.

Phone Call Phrases

Phone Call Phrases

Whenever you want to be friendly with someone, you can make small talk. You can ask them about their day, or you may be more specific if you remember details from your past conversations.

Hi, [first name], how are you?

This one is more general and you can use it when you don’t remember anything specific to ask about.

How are you getting on with…?

This second phrase is more specific and should be used if you remember certain details. This will make the other person feel good about talking to you and may even improve your relationship. For example, if you remember that a company will move to a new office building, you might ask:

Taking messages

If you answer a phone call and the caller wants to speak to someone who is unavailable, you should take a message. You can do that in any of the following ways:

I’m sorry, she/he’s not here today. Can I take a message?

I’m afraid he/she’s not available at the moment. Can I take a message?

This response doesn’t tell the caller why “he/she” is unavailable. However if you know why, and it’s okay to share that information, you might say something like this:

I’m afraid she’s in a meeting until 4 p.m. Can I take a message?

Could I ask who’s calling, please?

You can use this phrase to politely find out who is calling.

I’ll give him/her your message as soon as he/she gets back.

After you’ve written down the caller’s message, you can say this phrase.

Leaving messages

On the other hand, when you make a phone call and the person you want to talk to is not there, you should leave a message for them. Here’s what you could say:

Could you please take a message? Please tell her/him that…

Could you please take a message? Please tell her that Cindy from accounting called about Mr. Shapiro’s expense reports.

I’d like to leave her/him a message. Please let her/him know that…

I’d like to leave him a message. Please let him know that tomorrow’s lunch meeting is cancelled.

Asking when somebody will be available

If you don’t want to leave a message, you can ask when would be a good time to call again:

When is a good time to call?

When is she/he going to be back?

Asking for information

When you ask people to give you information, it’s important to be polite. Using the modal verb “could” and a question is helpful in this case.

Could I ask what company you’re with?

Could you give me your mobile number, please?

Asking the other person to repeat information

Don’t worry if you can’t always understand people on the phone. It happens to native speakers all time! Just ask the person to repeat the information for you: “I’m sorry, could you please repeat that?”

If you have to write down names, it’s best to ask people to spell words out for you. You can use either of the following two phrases:

Could you spell that for me, please?

How do you spell that, please?

It’s always safe to repeat important information just to double check:

Let me see if I got that right.

Let me see if I got that right. Your name is Sam, S-A-M, and your phone number is 555-222-1111, correct?

Sometimes the connection is bad and it’s okay to ask the other person to speak more loudly:

Would you mind speaking up a bit? I can’t hear you very well.

Whenever you don’t understand something, it’s best to ask. The information may be important, so just ask them to repeat it for you:

I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your first name.

Phrases Departure

Departure Phrases

And just before I go – this is something that you can say just before you’re leaving. Typically this would be a situation when you just thought of something else to say: “Oh yes, and just before I go – can you please remind Charlie to drop by and collect his stuff?”

We’ll catch up later! – If you’re saying goodbye to a very close friend or an acquaintance, this phrase is just what you need!

Be back in a minute – this is kind of a departure phrase, yet at the same time you’re letting others know that you’re going to be back. Please notice that you don’t have to say “I’ll be back in a minute” – conversationally it’s totally OK just to say “Be back in a minute!”

I’d better be going – followed by a simple phrase like ‘it’s too late’, or ‘have lots to do’ – and indicator you’d like to walk off and finish the conversation.

I really gotta go – this is the least formal way of telling someone that you definitely have to leave now. This is the best way of two friends, for example, finishing a conversation and personally I use this phrase quite often!

OK, I’m sorry but I have to leave now! – used when your chat partner has clear intentions of continuing the conversation but you just need to go so you’re making it clear that you need to go.

See you later! – used when you know that you’ll be seeing each other again sometime.

See you around! – The same as above

See you in a couple of minutes! – This phrase is typically used when you’re leaving the other person for a short while during an event, for example.

Keep in touch! – A good-bye phrase meaning you want the other person to get in touch with you every now and then and that you’ve the same intentions.

It was nice seeing you, take care! – A good-bye phrase used when you know that you won’t see the person for a while.

It’s been good talking to you! – The same as above phrase.

Hope to see you again! – You can use this phrase when finishing a conversation with someone you’ve just met.

Say hello to …! – A short and handy way of saying to remind someone from you.

Phrases Typical Responses

     Typical Responses Phrases

Thanks, I’ve been keeping busy – just a standard response to a standard greeting with little or no direct meaning.

Thanks for asking, I’m fine, how are you? – A typical response and counter-question to a greeting phrase ‘how are you?’

Sorry, I didn’t catch that? – The verb “to catch” in this context means “to understand”, so this English small talk response phrase means “Sorry, I didn’t understand what you just said?” – It’s just that in conversational English we use these types of slang words to make it sound friendlier and easier to understand!

Help yourself! – this English small talk phrase is one of the traditional phrases you’ll find in all English phrase-books, and it’s an encouraging phrase used to let the other person know that they can go ahead with the action in question. Typically this is used as a response when the other person is asking for permission to take something, and then you tell them that they can certainly do it: “Sorry, do you mind if I take this cookie? Everyone seems to have taken theirs…” – “Sure, help yourself!”

Where were we? – imagine a situation when you’re speaking with someone, and then somehow you’re getting side-tracked and you veer off the original subject, or it could be that some other person distracts you and you forget where you left off. Now, this is the typical phrase to be used in situations like these – you’re basically asking your conversation partner what it was that you were talking about last.

How’s that sound for you? – Let’s say for argument’s sake, you’re proposing something to your conversation partner. Well, in this case this small talk phrase is ideal to ask for their opinion on your proposal! Here’s an example: “Listen, I know what we’re doing tonight. Let’s go to the movies, there’s a new blockbuster out! How’s that sound for you?”

…If that’s alright with you? – You can attach this small talk bit at the end of your sentence to ask for the other person’s permission. Let’s imagine for a second you’re telling your work colleague you have to leave your desk for a few minutes, but you just want to be sure he’s OK with that. So here’s what you say “Listen Jimmy, I’m going to leave my desk for a few minutes to make a really important phone call if that’s alright with you?”

Hi, how are you doing? It’s good to see you! – A typical response to a greeting from someone you haven’t seen for a while.

Can’t complain – a response to a standard greeting like ‘How are you?’ It’s not as exciting phrase as ‘Thanks, I’m great!’ but it doesn’t mean you’re having some problems in your life.

Can you say it again, please? – A request to repeat the question if you didn’t understand what was said. This can also be used when the native speaking person speaks a bit too fast – they should get the hint and slow down a bit. But if they don’t, you can ask a more direct question:

Can you slow it down a bit, please?

And how about you? – A typical response when you’re not sure what to ask next so you’re asking the other person the same think they asked you. You can respond with this counter-greeting on nearly all standard greetings.

To the best of my knowledge … – when you’re 99% sure about the statement you’re making. Also a good start of a response you want to take a bit more time to consider what you’re going to say.

As far as I know … – the same as above.

Good for you! – A response to someone telling you about their success in something or some good news that they’re happy about.

Can’t argue with that – used when you agree with the statement of the other person.

How do you know? – A counter-question you can ask when someone surprises you with a question about something they’re not really expected to know.

That’s a good one! – A surprise response to funny or surprising news from your chat partner.

Really? Tell me more about it! – used when you want your chat partner to tell me about what he/she just said.

Frankly speaking, – just a way to start your response. It indicates that you’re about to open up and be very honest with your chat partner. A great way of establishing an immediate trust.

Well, to be honest with you, … – the same as above.

Sure, no problem! – A typical response to a small request you’re happy to do. This one is especially used when responding to superiors’ requests and it sounds more enthusiastic than if you simply say ‘sure’ or ‘OK’.

Never mind, it’s fine! – This phrase is used when the person offers to do a favour for you but it’s not really necessary.

Never mind, forget what I just said – this phrase is to be used when you said something that wasn’t important at all but your chat partner wants you to repeat it. You can also use this phrase if you feel that he/she might be slightly annoyed or offended by your question or comment so you want to end it there.

You got me there – this can be said instead of ‘I don’t’ know’ – it will sound more casual and not as defensive as the old ‘I don’t know’!

You’ve got to be kidding me! – said when someone tells you something that borders on the unbelievable and you want to express your surprise.

That’s a good question. – A phrase used when you want to take your time to think over the question. This is an ideal phrase to use when you’re stuck but instead of remaining silent you can start your response with this phrase.

Well, how to put it in the right words… – the same as above.

That’d be great! – A response to an offer that you’re really happy about.

… You know what I mean? – This is quite an overused phrase but you can definitely use it at the end of a sentence if you want to emphasize what you just said.

You see, the thing is that … – this is how you begin a sentence when you’re asked to explain something.