1.

Anger

 Disgust: Contempt, disgust, revulsion

 Envy: Envy, jealousy

 Exasperation: Exasperation, frustration

 Irritation: Aggravation, agitation, annoyance, grouchiness,

grumpiness, irritation

 Rage: Anger, bitterness, dislike, ferocity, fury, hate, hostility,

loathing, outrage, rage, resentment, scorn, spite, vengefulness, wrath

 Torment: Torment

2. Fear

 Horror: Alarm, fear, fright, horror, hysteria, mortification, panic,

shock, terror

 Nervousness: Anxiety, apprehension, distress, dread, nervousness,

tenseness, uneasiness, worry

3. Joy

 Cheerfulness: Amusement, bliss, cheerfulness, delight, ecstasy,

elation, enjoyment, euphoria, gaiety, gladness, glee, happiness,
jolliness, joviality, joy, jubilation, satisfaction

 Contentment: Contentment, pleasure

 Enthrallment: Enthrallment, rapture

 Optimism: Eagerness, hope, optimism

 Pride: Pride, triumph

 Relief: Relief

 Zest: Enthusiasm, excitement, exhilaration, thrill, zeal, zest

4. Love
  Affection: Adoration, affection, attraction, caring, compassion,
fondness, liking, love, sentimentality, tenderness

 Longing: Longing

5. Sadness

 Disappointment: Disappointment, dismay, displeasure

 Neglect: Alienation, defeat, dejection, embarrassment, homesickness,

humiliation, insecurity, isolation, insult, loneliness, neglect, rejection

 Sadness: Depression, despair, gloom, glumness, grief, hopelessness,

melancholy, misery, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, woe

 Shame: Guilt, regret, remorse, shame

 Suffering: Agony, anguish, hurt, suffering

 Sympathy: Pity, sympathy

6. Surprise

 Surprise: Amazement, astonishment, surprise

A
angry: “She was angry with her boss for criticising her work.”
annoyed: “I’m very annoyed with him. He hasn’t returned any of my calls.”
“She was annoyed by his comments.”

appalled = very shocked: “They were appalled to hear that they would lose their
jobs.”
apprehensive = slightly worried: “I felt a little apprehensive before my interview.”
ashamed: “How could you say such a thing? You should be ashamed of yourself!”
at the end of your tether = completely fed up: “The children have been
misbehaving all day – I’m at the end of my tether.”

B
bewildered = very confused: “He was bewildered by the choice of computers in the
shop.”
betrayed = when someone breaks the trust you have in them: “He betrayed my trust
when he repeated my secret to everyone.”
C
confused: “I’m sorry I forgot your birthday – I was confused about the dates.”
confident = sure of your abilities: “I’m confident that we can find a solution to this
problem.”
cheated = when you don’t get something that you think you deserve: “Of course I
feel cheated – I should have won that competition.”
cross = quite angry: “I was cross with him for not helping me, as he said he would.”

D
depressed = very sad: “After he failed his English exam, he was depressed for a
week.”
delighted = very happy: “I’m delighted that I got the job. It’s just what I always
wanted.”
down in the dumps = sad and fed up: “What’s the matter with him? He’s so down in
the dumps these days.”
disappointed: “She was disappointed by her son’s poor results at school.”

E
ecstatic = extremely happy: “When he asked her to marry him she was ecstatic.”
excited: “I’m excited by the new opportunities that the internet brings.”
emotional = you have strong feelings (happy or sad) and you cry: “When he heard
the news, he became quite emotional.”
envious = when you want something that someone else has: “I’m very envious of
her happiness – I wish I was happy too.”
embarrassed = slightly ashamed: “I felt so embarrassed that I went bright red.”

F
furious =very angry: “I was furious with him for breaking my favourite vase.”
frightened: “As a child she was frightened of the dark.”

G
great = very good: “I feel great today!”

H
happy: “She was happy to hear the good news.”
horrified = very shocked: “I’m horrified by the amount of violence on television
today.”
I
irritated = annoyed: “I get so irritated when he changes TV channels without asking
me first.”
intrigued = being so interested in something you have to find out more: “I’m
intrigued to hear about your safari in Kenya.”

J
jealous = envious: “She was jealous of her sister’s new toy.”
jaded = tired and having no interest: “After 10 years at this company, I just feel
jaded.”

K
keen: “I’m keen to see your new house – I’ve heard lots about it.”
“I’m keen on keeping fit.”

L
lazy: “I can’t be bothered to do anything today – I feel really lazy!”
lucky: “I’m going to play the lottery – I feel lucky today!”
let down = disappointed: “When you didn’t turn up to the meeting, I felt really let
down.”

M
maternal = feeling like a mother: “Looking at my sister’s new baby made me feel
really maternal.”

N
nonplussed = so surprised that you don’t know what to do next: “I was so
nonplussed by his announcement that I couldn’t say anything.”
negative = when you can only see the disadvantages: “I feel very negative about my
job – the pay is awful.”

O
overwhelmed = so much emotion that you don’t know what to say or do: “I was
overwhelmed by the offer of promotion at work.”
over the moon = delighted: “She was over the moon with her new bicycle and rode
it every day for a whole year.”

P
positive = opposite of negative – seeing the good side of something: “She’s a very
positive person and never lets anything get her down.”
positive = very sure: “Are you sure that’s what you want? Yes – I’m positive.”

R
relaxed: “I was completely relaxed after I came back from holiday.”
reluctant = when you don’t want to do something: “I’m reluctant to buy a new car –
the one we have is fine.”

S
seething = extremely angry, but hiding it: “She was seething after her boss criticised
her.”
sad: “It makes me sad to see all those animals in cages at the zoo.”
scared = frightened: “Are you scared of heights?”
stressed = being worried or anxious about something so you can’t relax: “I feel
really stressed at work – I need a break.”
“He was stressed out by all the travelling in his job.”

T
terrific = fantastic: “I feel terrific today!”
terrible = ill or tired: “I’ve got a blinding headache and I feel terrible.”
terrified = very scared: “She’s terrified of spiders and screams whenever she sees
one.”
tense = not relaxed: “You look a bit tense. Did you have a bad day at work?”

U
upset = angry or unhappy: “I’m sorry you’re upset – I didn’t mean to be rude.”
unhappy = sad: “I was unhappy to hear that I hadn’t got the job.”

V
victimised = to feel you are the victim of someone or something: “My boss kept
criticising me and not the others, so I felt quite victimised.”

W
wonderful = great: “I felt wonderful after such a relaxing weekend.”
IDIOMS

1. Hometown

 Hive of activity – a place where a lot is happening

New York is a hive of activity. There’s always something to do, even at
night!

 Second to none – the best, better than everything else

I truly believe my town is second to none. It’s just a great place to live!

 Middle of nowhere – a place that is very remote, far from any city/town
I was born in the middle of nowhere. The nearest shop was 20 miles away!

 Hustle and bustle – To have many activities, a crowded and modern place
I love living in London. I always wanted the hustle and bustle of a big city.

 A stone’s throw (from) – very close to

My apartment is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Paris.

2. Work

 Go the extra mile – to do more than is expected of you

I’m a hard worker and always go the extra mile to make sure my team does
well.

 Pull one’s weight – to do a fair share of the work

There’s always one guy at work who doesn’t pull his weight.

 Follow one’s heart – do what you feel is right for you

After university, I decided to follow my heart and become a doctor.

 Raise one’s game – improve the standard of your work or performance

When I started working at Nike HQ, I really had to raise my game!

 On the dole – receiving unemployment benefit from the state welfare

system
When I was between jobs, I was on the dole for about 6 months.

3. Sport & fitness

  In perfect shape – be very fit, in top physical condition
I’m not in perfect shape these days, but I used to run marathons regularly.

 Make the cut – be selected, meet the right standard

I tried out for the local hockey team last year, but I didn’t make the cut.

 Give it one’s best shot – try one’s hardest

Our football team lost in the final, but at least we gave it our best shot!

 Couch potato – lazy person who likes to lie around on the sofa
I’ve been a couch potato during lockdown! I really should join the gym
now.

4. Family

 Rule the roost – to be in charge, be the boss

When we were kids, my eldest brother definitely ruled the roost. He was
always telling us what to do!

 Black sheep – to be different from others

I was always considered the black sheep of the family because I didn’t want
to go to university.

 Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth – to be born into a wealthy and
privileged family
I must admit that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I have had a
very comfortable life.

5. Relationships

 Get on like a house on fire – to get along really well with someone
I was apprehensive about living with my colleague Juan, but now we get on
like a house on fire.

 Rub each other up the wrong way – not get on well, argue, clash
Me and my sister have always rubbed each other up the wrong way. I guess
we’re just very different people.

 On the same wavelength – to click, have a great understanding

John’s my best friend. We’re just on the same wavelength.

 
6. Home 

 There’s no place like home – home is a very special place

I love living away at university, but there’s no place like home.

 Fly the nest – leave family home forever

I’m not ready to fly the nest yet. I want to find a good job and apartment
first.

 Get on the property ladder – buy first house

Mortgages are a big responsibility, but I think it’s important to get on the
property ladder as early as possible.

 Creature comforts – household items that give added comfort

I can’t do without my creature comforts – a comfy bed, electric blanket and
widescreen TV in the bedroom!

 Get homesick – miss home badly when away

I used to get homesick all the time, but now I’m used to living abroad.

7. Technology

 Go viral – quickly become popular on the internet

The company’s Youtube clip went viral and boosted sales by 200%.

 Not rocket science – not difficult or overly complicated

Some say even basic coding is super hard, but it’s not rocket science.

 Run out of steam – lose momentum, decrease in popularity

To be honest, I think Facebook has run out of steam. Instagram is way more
popular these days.

8. Music

 One-hit wonder – person/band that had only one hit song

Many bands become famous for a great song, but are never seen again. I
guess it’s easier to be a one-hit wonder!
  On full blast – at maximum volume
I like putting my music on full blast, but my neighbours always complain!

 Be into (a type of music) – like, enjoy listening to

I used to be into heavy metal, but I’m more into drum’n’bass right now.

9. Movies

 Be on the edge of one’s seat – very excited, nervous

The new Bond movie had us on the edge of our seats. 

 Live up to the hype – to be as good as people hoped it will be

I was sure the new Marvel movie was going to be a disappointment, but it
really lived up to the hype!

 A household name – famous person who everyone knows

Because of his great success as an actor, Robert De Niro has become
a household name.

10. Travel 

 Hit the road – to start a journey or leave a place

If I’m going on a long journey, I always like to hit the road early and beat
the traffic.

 Off the beaten track – far from civilisation, away from people/tourists

Whenever I travel, I prefer to stay off the beaten track. I hate touristy
places!

 Travel light – to bring few items on a trip

I’m only going for the weekend, so I plan to travel light.

 Everything but the kitchen sink – a lot of items/things

When my Australian friend comes to stay, she brings everything but the
kitchen sink!
  Live out of a suitcase – travel a lot, and therefore be limited to the contents
of a suitcase
My job involves so much travelling that I practically live out of a suitcase.

11. Study

 Hit the books – to study

I can’t party with my friends much because I need to hit the books.

 Learn (something) by heart – to memorise something

When you’re at Med School like me, you have to learn a lot of anatomical
terms by heart.

 Pass with flying colours – to pass a test easily and with a high score
At school, I struggled with Maths while others passed with flying colours.

 Teacher’s pet – the teacher’s favourite student

I have to admit I definitely was the teacher’s pet at school!

 Take it one step at a time – do something slowly and methodically

In my experience, it’s not easy to learn a new language. You just have
to take it one step at a time.

 Bookworm – someone who reads a lot, a geek

My brother reads 5 hours a day. He is such a bookworm!

12. Environment

 The great outdoors – all outdoor space, wild nature

We all need to escape the city and enjoy the great outdoors from time to
time.

 Neck of the woods – area

We often go camping, but I had never been to that neck of the
woods before.

13. Money
  Throw money down the drain – waste money
When you rent an apartment, you’re basically throwing money down the
drain!

 Keep the wolf from the door – have just enough money to buy
food/essentials
My grandparents were not rich. In fact, they barely had enough money
to keep the wolf from the door.

 Live from hand to mouth – to spend all your daily wage on essentials
Many families in the poorer parts of my country live from hand to mouth.

 On a shoestring (budget) – do something without spending a lot of money

I’m going travelling around Europe on a shoestring this summer because I
don’t have a lot of money.

 In the money – rich, have a lot of cash

If I’m working as a top lawyer in 5 years from now, I really will be in the
money.

 Strapped for cash – be poor, not have a lot of money

When I was a uni student, I was always strapped for cash!

14. Likes & dislikes

 Not my cup of tea – something that is not to your taste

Art galleries are not my cup of tea. I always get bored and head to the
nearest café!

 Up one’s street – like it, suits

I’m not into horror movies at all. I’d say rom coms are more up my street.

15. Changes

 Turn over a new leaf – change the way you behave and become a better
person
I think New Year’s resolutions are good if you want to turn over a new leaf.

 Take stock (of something) – To think carefully about a situation so that you
can decide what to do about it
 In my opinion, we all need to take stock of what is happening with climate
change today. Then we can make positive changes together.

 Kick the habit – stop doing something harmful that you have done for a
long time
I’ve been biting my nails for years, but I really want to kick the habit.

 Water under the bridge – about an event that has passed and is not
important or relevant now, forgotten/forgiven
I used to fight with my sister when we were kids, but it’s all water under the
bridge now.

 Find one’s feet – get used to a place or situation, settle/adjust

When I first moved to the UK, it took me several months to find my feet.

16. Decisions

 (Sit) on the fence – be undecided, not take a position

I’d say I’m on the fence when it comes to the issue of tuition fees. I can
understand both arguments, but…

 Change of heart – change one’s mind, reconsider

I really wanted to live alone at university, but when I made friends, I had
a change of heart and moved into a shared house.

 At a crossroads – decision point

I think I’m at a crossroads – either I need to find a job or I need to continue
my education.

17. Emotions

 My heart sank – I felt disappointed

I must admit my heart sank when I received my exam results. I should’ve
tried harder at school!

 Beside oneself – to be overcome with emotion (good or bad)

I was beside myself when Man United lost in the final minute of the match!
  On tenterhooks – nervous about what is going to happen next
The whole country was on tenterhooks, waiting to see when lockdown would
end. 

Common idioms which can be used as a part of a sentence

1. A blessing in disguise - a good thing that seemed bad at first

2. A dime a dozen – something common
3. Bite the bullet – to get something over with because it is inevitable
4. Call it a day – stop working on something
5. Make a long story short – tell something briefly
6. Miss the boat – too late
7. To get bent out of shape – to get upse
8. To make matters worse – make a problem worse
9. Under the weather – sick
10.Over the moon – very happy
11.As fit as a fiddle – very healthy
12.Recharge one’s batteries – rest or relax for a period of time to feel energetic
13.Add insult to injury – to make a bad situation worse
14.Barking up the wrong tree – to be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in
the wrong place
15.Break the ice – make people feel more comfortable
16.Costs an arm and a leg – very expensive
17.Once in a blue moon – rarely
18.Saving for a rainy day – saving money for later
19.Think outside of the box – think differently, unconventionally
20.The best thing since sliced bread – a really good invention

Common idioms which can be used by itself

1. Speak of the devil – the person we were just talking about

2. Your guess is as good as mine – I have no idea
3. A penny for your thoughts – tell me what you’re thinking
4. You can’t judge a book by its cover – don’t judge something or someone
by how it looks
5. Actions speak louder than words – believe what people do, not what they
say
6. It’s a piece of cake – it’s easy
7. It’s raining cats and dogs – it’s raining hard
8. Someone’s sitting on the fence – can’t make up one’s mind
9. Cheap as chips – inexpensive
10.Keep your chin up! – be confident! Some interesting

British expressions

1. All that jazz

2. Someone is down in the dumps
3. Pulling something out of the hat
4. My cup of tea
5. Drama queen
PHRASES