Idioms in Context

After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over backwards to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.

• Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5B

CCSS.L.5.5B

Bobby would have been playing ball until the cows came home if it was not for Suzie dragging him home for dinner.

• Bobby was just about to stop playing ball.

• To begin, Bobby did not even want to play ball.

• Bobby prefers nature to athletics.

• Bobby would have continued playing ball for a long time.

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.5A

Mr. Johnson was very particular about the arrangement of his classroom, so the thing he hated most was when his students caused a ruckus with their wild horseplay.

• Mr. Johnson hated when his students pretended to be animals.

• Mr. Johnson hated when his students played sports.

• Mr. Johnson hated when his students wrestled around with each other.

• Mr. Johnson hated when his students made animal noises.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.5A

CCSS.RL.3.4

Eric wanted to fix his cousin’s computer, but he was already having problems setting up his Aunt’s Wi-Fi network and he did not want to open a whole new can of worms.

• Eric was sick of spending his time helping his family.

• Eric wanted to go fishing instead of working on computers.

• Eric was having difficulties untangling the computer wires.

• Eric was not ready to begin working on a complicated new problem.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5B

CCSS.L.5.5B

Mrs. Robinson expects Cassie and my presentation to be good, but we have been working on it every night for the last week, so we are really going to knock her socks off.

• Cassie and the speaker are not prepared to give a good presentation.

• Cassie and the speaker intend on hitting Mrs. Robinson rather than presenting.

• Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will far exceed Mrs. Robinson’s expectations.

• Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will meet Mrs. Robinson’s expectations.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5B

CCSS.L.5.5B