IDIOMS NO. 2

The letter came out of the blue! I wasn't expecting it. But there it was in black and white, signed by the bank manager. I had no money in my checking account. I was in the red. I couldn't believe it. So I went to see the manager. We looked at the problem together. The bank had made a mistake. It had put ten dollars into my account instead of one thousand dollars! Because it was the bank's mistake, there was no delay reopening my account. The manager cut through all the red tape. Now I had money in my account. And I had the green light to write checks again. 1. Does in the red mean to have enough money or to not have enough money? When a company is in the red, is it in trouble? 2. When you learn something out of the blue, is it a surprise? 3. If doing something takes a lot of red tape, is it easy to do? Sometimes getting papers from the government takes a lot of red tape. Can you think of some examples of things that take red tape?

• black market - illegal trading of goods that are not allowed to be bought and sold, or that there are not enough of for everyone who wants them: • feel blue To feel sad, somber, or glum.I have been feeling blue lately, but I think it's just because of this gloomy weather we've been having. • give (one) the green light To grant someone permission to proceed with some action or task. • green with envy- wishing very much that you had what someone else has • in black and white- written or printed (and therefore more likely to be true or definite) • Example sentences — Thanks so much for the verbal offer but I also need to receive it in black and white. — I won't believe it until I see it in black and white. — Don't brush this off as something insignificant. His offensive comments are there in black and white. • be in the black • If a bank account is in the black, it contains some money, and if a person or business is in the black, they have money in the bank and are not in debt • in the red- In debt.- • out of the blue (1) by surprise, unexpectedly • red carpet, the (1) special honors for a special or important person • red tape (1) complicated official procedures and forms • white lie, a (1) something that is not true but that causes no harmAA

1.________________________________________by surprise, unexpectedly 2._______________________________________very clear and easy to understand 2 Idioms for Everyday Use 3. owing money, in debt 4. complicated official procedures and forms 5. the okay to start something 6. special honors for a special or important person 7. the market not controlled by the government, where things are sold in private and often against the law 8. something that is not true but that causes no harm 9. jealous of someone else's good fortune 10. to feel sad 11. having money Practice A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 1. My boss just gave me a raise in salary. Am I feeling blue? 2. I took my driver's test and passed. Then in less than half an hour I had my driver's license in my hand. Was there a lot of red tape? 3. My friend Jack asked if I liked his new purple tie. I didn't really like it, but I said that the tie was nice. Did I tell a white lie? 4. I always like to keep some extra money in the bank for an emergency. Am I in the black? 5. My boss said he had to talk to two other managers about my project. Did I get the green light? 6. They said it was in the contract, but I never saw it. Was the contract in black and white? 7. If I write this check, I won't have enough money in my account to cover it. Will I be in the red? 8. We had no idea at all. He told us he was leaving the company. Was the news out of the blue? 9. When the famous general came to town last year, we even had a special parade and fireworks show. Did the town roll out the red carpet? Unit 1 Idioms from Colors 3 10. When I exchange foreign currency at the bank, do I get it on the black market? 11. Sam wanted the job as manager of the store, but another employee got it. Might Sam be green with envy? B. Each example has the correct idiom, but there is one error with each idiom. Find the error and correct it. 1. I got the news from the blue. 2. The rules for the contest were in black or white 3. They were green for envy when their friend won the lottery 4. Tony loves to shop, so he is always on the red. 5. You must go through a lot of red tapes to get a visa in some countries. 6. They rolled out the red carpets when he came. 7. Yuri does not have a problem with money. He's in black, 8. Pam was feeling in blue because she had to stay home. 9. I told white lie. I said I couldn't come to the party because I had other plans. 10. The city has the green lights to build a new highway, 11. The tourists bought some money on the black. 4 Idioms for Everyday Use Practice Practice each conversation with a partner. SITUATION 1 Tom is talking to his friend. TOM: I just got a call from my brother. CAROL: How is he? TOM: Out of the blue he told me he just got married. SITUATION 2 Jenny is feeling lonely. LUCIA: You don't look very happy, Jenny. JENNY: I'm just feeling blue. I guess I feel lonely. LUCIA: Don't feel lonely. I'm your friend! That's why I came to take you out. SITUATION 3 Nancy is talking to her husband. NANCY: Let's go to a nice restaurant for supper. MATT: Is there something special to celebrate? NANCY: No, but I just finished doing our expenses for the month, and we're in the black. Let's spend some of our extra money. On Your Ow n Work with a partner. Choose three idioms. Write a short conversation for each idiom. Then act out your conversations. Discussion Work with a partner or in a small group. Do the following activities. 1. The idioms in this unit all use color words. What other idioms with color words in English do you know? 2. Are there idioms with colors in your native language? Are any idioms like the ones in English? 3. We use out of the blue when something unexpected happens. Tell a story using this idiom. U

1.________________________________________by surprise, unexpectedly 2._______________________________________very clear and easy to understand 2 Idioms for Everyday Use 3. owing money, in debt 4. complicated official procedures and forms 5. the okay to start something 6. special honors for a special or important person 7. the market not controlled by the government, where things are sold in private and often against the law 8. something that is not true but that causes no harm 9. jealous of someone else's good fortune 10. to feel sad 11. having money Practice A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 1. My boss just gave me a raise in salary. Am I feeling blue? 2. I took my driver's test and passed. Then in less than half an hour I had my driver's license in my hand. Was there a lot of red tape? 3. My friend Jack asked if I liked his new purple tie. I didn't really like it, but I said that the tie was nice. Did I tell a white lie? 4. I always like to keep some extra money in the bank for an emergency. Am I in the black? 5. My boss said he had to talk to two other managers about my project. Did I get the green light? 6. They said it was in the contract, but I never saw it. Was the contract in black and white? 7. If I write this check, I won't have enough money in my account to cover it. Will I be in the red? 8. We had no idea at all. He told us he was leaving the company. Was the news out of the blue? 9. When the famous general came to town last year, we even had a special parade and fireworks show. Did the town roll out the red carpet? Unit 1 Idioms from Colors 3 10. When I exchange foreign currency at the bank, do I get it on the black market? 11. Sam wanted the job as manager of the store, but another employee got it. Might Sam be green with envy? B. Each example has the correct idiom, but there is one error with each idiom. Find the error and correct it. 1. I got the news from the blue. 2. The rules for the contest were in black or white 3. They were green for envy when their friend won the lottery 4. Tony loves to shop, so he is always on the red. 5. You must go through a lot of red tapes to get a visa in some countries. 6. They rolled out the red carpets when he came. 7. Yuri does not have a problem with money. He's in black, 8. Pam was feeling in blue because she had to stay home. 9. I told white lie. I said I couldn't come to the party because I had other plans. 10. The city has the green lights to build a new highway, 11. The tourists bought some money on the black. 4 Idioms for Everyday Use Practice Practice each conversation with a partner. SITUATION 1 Tom is talking to his friend. TOM: I just got a call from my brother. CAROL: How is he? TOM: Out of the blue he told me he just got married. SITUATION 2 Jenny is feeling lonely. LUCIA: You don't look very happy, Jenny. JENNY: I'm just feeling blue. I guess I feel lonely. LUCIA: Don't feel lonely. I'm your friend! That's why I came to take you out. SITUATION 3 Nancy is talking to her husband. NANCY: Let's go to a nice restaurant for supper. MATT: Is there something special to celebrate? NANCY: No, but I just finished doing our expenses for the month, and we're in the black. Let's spend some of our extra money. On Your Ow n Work with a partner. Choose three idioms. Write a short conversation for each idiom. Then act out your conversations. Discussion Work with a partner or in a small group. Do the following activities. 1. The idioms in this unit all use color words. What other idioms with color words in English do you know? 2. Are there idioms with colors in your native language? Are any idioms like the ones in English? 3. We use out of the blue when something unexpected happens. Tell a story using this idiom. U