IDIOM CONNECTION

Written Communication Idioms and a Letter

Introduction

1. How often do you write letters?

2. When was the last time that you wrote a letter?

Reading

I never write letters anymore. I use my cell phone or I text my friends almost all the time. Sometimes, I use email. However, this time I want to drop my friend a line and thank her for my birthday present. After all, if I do not write any letters, I will forget how to write a good letter. I want to put something down in black and white and send it to my friend soon. Usually, I just dash off a note and then send it but this time I want to write something more formal and nice. First, I will make a note of what I want to say. Next, I will write out the letter on some paper. Finally, I will read over the letter and send it to my friend.

Reading Questions

Answer the following questions. The answers can easily be found in the reading above.

1. What does this person use almost all the time?

2. Does she want to drop her friend a line?

3. Will she put something down in black and white and send it to her friend?

4. Does she usually dash off a letter and then send it?

5. What will she make a note of first?

6. Will she write out the letter on a piece of paper?

7. Will she read over the letter before she sends it to her friend?

Making Connections and Idiom Meanings

Some of the idioms have another meaning or are connected to another meaning. Use this information to help you choose the correct meaning for each of the underlined idioms:

1. I go to the nearby supermarket all the time.
a)   always
b)   sometimes
c)   each time

2. I must drop a line to my friend to thank him for my birthday present.
a)   make a call
b)   write a letter
c)   write again

3. I do not want to work next weekend. After all, I have worked for the previous three weekends.
a)   Forgetting about the fact that,
b)   Considering the fact that,
c)   I do not want to discuss the fact that,

4. Often, something is written on white paper and with black ink. What could to put something down in black and white mean in the following sentence?

The company says that they will buy our product but I would like them to put this down in black and white.
a)   forget about this point
b)   discuss this point in more detail
c)   write this down on paper

5. To dash can mean to do something quickly or in a rush. If you dash off, you leave quickly. What could to dash off a note mean in the following sentence?

I must dash off a note to my mother this evening.
a)   probably send
b)   quickly write
c)   very carefully write

6. The teacher made a note of the time that the student was absent from class.
a)   wrote on a piece of paper
b)   refused to discuss
c)   began to talk about

7. The student always writes out her notes after her university lectures.
a)   writes her notes completely
b)   studies her notes
c)   forgets to write anything

8. Over can mean from beginning to end or completely through. To think something over means to think about something from beginning to end. Over can also mean again. To do something over means to do something again. What could to read something over mean in the following sentence?

The teacher told the students to read their essays over after they finish.
a)   read their essays slowly
b)   read their essays a second time
c)   read their essays if they have time

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Match the Sentences

Choose the answer that best matches each sentence:

1. The woman argues with her supervisor all the time.
a) They generally have a good relationship.
b) They do not have a good relationship.

2. The girl will drop her mother a line this evening.
a) The girl does not plan to write to her mother this evening.
b) The girl plans to write to her mother this evening.

3. The boy is hungry. After all, he has not eaten all day.
a) The boy ate something recently.
b) The boy probably wants to eat something.

4. The web developer always puts his contracts down in black and white.
a) He is very careful about his contracts.
b) He does not worry very much about his contracts.

5. The customer dashed off a note to complain to the manager.
a) The customer wrote the note quickly.
b) The customer did not complain to the manager.

6. The customer service representative made a note of the customer's complaint.
a) The customer service representative may try to deal with the complaint.
b) The customer service representative will not deal with the complaint.

7. The swimming coach wrote out some instructions for the swimmer.
a) The coach wanted to be sure that the swimmer understood the instructions.
b) The coach thinks that the swimmer knows the instructions.

8. The student read over his essay before he gave it to the teacher.
a) The student is careful.
b) The student is not careful.

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Grammar Focus

Choose the word or expression that makes each of the following sentences correct:

1. The man goes to his favorite restaurant ________________.
a)   all of time
b)   all the time
c)   all a time

2. The girl wants to __________________ very soon.
a)   drop lines
b)   drop her friend lines
c)   drop her friend a line

3. Of course, the boy is tired. _______________________ he went to sleep very late last night.
a)   After all,
b)   All after,
c)   After in all,

4. I like to __________________________ when I make a contract.
a)   put everything up in black and white
b)   put everything over in black and white
c)   put everything down in black and white

5. I plan to _______________________ a message and complain about the bad service at the restaurant.
a)   dash off
b)   dash on
c)   dash over

6. The teacher _____________________ which students did not do their homework.
a)   made a note to
b)   made a note in
c)   made a note of

7. I ____________________ some cooking recipes from my notes to give to my mother.
a)  wrote over
b)  wrote out
c)  wrote in

8. The man _____________________ the contract before he signed it.
a)  read over
b)  read under
c)  read up

Your score is: ___ out of 8

Discussion Questions

Answer the following questions using the idioms from this section:

1. Is there any type of food that you eat all the time?

2. Do you go somewhere that you enjoy all the time?

3. Has anybody dropped you a line recently?

4. When was the last time that you dropped someone a line?

5. Did you recently have to put something down in black and white?

6. Are there any contracts that you would like a company to put down in black and white?

7. Did you recently dash off a note to anybody?

8. Has anyone dashed off a note to you recently?

9. Did you ever make a note of a telephone call?

10. Do you sometimes make a note of what someone says?

11. Has anyone ever asked you to write out a recipe for him or her?

12. Do you sometimes write out your notes so that you can understand them better?

13. Do you always read over your email messages before you send them?

14. Do you always read over your notes before you make a presentation?

Role Play

Student A: You are talking with a friend about having a party for another friend who is leaving your company. You do not want to invite people by email. You want to write out some nice invitations and send them by mail.

Student B: You do not want to send formal invitations for the party. Email is fine. You are arguing with your friend about this.

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