Question 1
Emily is _____ a nice girl. I love babysitting for her.
Use such before a/an + adjective + noun: such a nice girl. So goes before an adjective alone, with no noun (She is so nice).
Question 2
The movie was _____ boring that I could barely stay awake.
Use so + adjective + that to show a result: so boring that I could barely stay awake. Such needs a noun after it (such a boring movie that…).
Question 3
The flight was _____ long that I thought we'd never get there.
Long is an adjective with no noun after it, so we use so: so long that…. With a noun we would say such a long flight that….
Question 4
If you study for it, the TOEFL is not _____ a difficult exam.
The gap is followed by a + adjective + noun (a difficult exam), so we need such: not such a difficult exam. So would need the adjective alone: not so difficult.
Question 5
People in our office leave leftovers in the refrigerator for months. It's _____ gross!
Gross (very disgusting) is an adjective with no noun after it, so we use so: It's so gross! Such must come before a noun.
Question 6
Nora hasn't been to the dentist in _____ a long time.
Before a + adjective + noun we use such: in such a long time. Without the noun we could say in so long.
Question 7
Canyon Ranch is a great spa, but it's _____ expensive!
Expensive is an adjective with no noun after it, so we use so: it's so expensive! Compare: it's such an expensive spa.
Question 8
You did _____ a great job on your presentation!
A great job is a + adjective + noun, so we use such: You did such a great job! So cannot come before a.
Question 9
Tina's boss keeps criticizing her. Why is he being _____ nasty?
Nasty (unkind, mean) is an adjective with no noun after it, so we use so: Why is he being so nasty?
Question 10
You got promoted? That's _____ good news!
News is an uncountable noun, so we use such (without a): such good news. Not so, because so can't be followed by adjective + noun.
Question 11
The weather forecast calls for sunny skies for the entire week we're in Italy. But I'm bringing along a raincoat just in _____.
Just in case means 'to be ready if something happens': you take a raincoat in case it rains, even though sunny weather is forecast. Cause sounds similar but doesn't fit this fixed phrase.
Question 12
You want a new job title? What did you have in _____?
Have something in mind means to have an idea or plan: What did you have in mind? = What were you thinking of? We don't say in head in this expression.
Question 13
Fifteen dollars for a sandwich? That's _____ robbery!
Highway robbery is an idiom for a price that is far too high, like being robbed: $15 for a sandwich? That's highway robbery! Motorway and roadside are not used in this idiom.
Question 14
You're leaving your house at 5:30 for a 7 o'clock flight? That's cutting it _____.
Cutting it close (American English; British cutting it fine) means leaving almost no extra time, so you might be late. Not sharp or near: they are not part of this fixed expression.
Question 15
Would you mind reading _____ my business school essays?
The phrasal verb read over means to read something carefully to check it: Would you mind reading over my essays? Read on means 'continue reading', which doesn't fit here.
Question 16
Sorry, the grace _____ is over. We're going to have to charge you interest on your account.
A grace period is extra time you get to pay a bill before you are charged interest or a fee. The fixed collocation is grace period, not grace time or grace phase.
Question 17
Tom wrote me a note, but I can't make heads or _____ of it. His handwriting is so messy!
Can't make heads or tails of something (American English) means you can't understand it at all: the messy handwriting is impossible to read. Sense is tempting (make sense of), but it doesn't fit after heads or.
Question 18
We got our visas for Brazil. We're good to _____.
Good to go is an informal expression meaning 'ready to start or leave': with their visas, they are ready for the trip. Good to leave and good to be are not idioms.
Question 19
The airfare to Seoul is $1500, inclusive _____ taxes.
Inclusive of means 'including': the price of $1500 includes the taxes. When inclusive means 'including something', it is followed by of, as in inclusive of taxes. Not with: we say with taxes, but not inclusive with taxes.
Question 20
How did you bang _____ your car?
Bang up (informal) means to damage something, for example in an accident: How did you bang up your car? Bang on means to hit something repeatedly, which doesn't fit here.
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Free worksheets for class or home
LESSON 18 – Renting a Car
RENTING A CAR
Peter talks to Sam at the rental car counter about renting a car. Sam tells Peter about a special offer they’re having and helps him understand how the rental fees work.
Sam: Hello. How can I help you?
Peter: I’d like to rent a car for the weekend.
Sam: What size did you have in mind?
Peter: I’d like your cheapest car, so I guess that would be a compact.
Sam: We’re running a special right now. You can rent a mid-size car for the same price as a compact. It’s $55 a day inclusive of tax, plus insurance. It’s such a great deal!
Peter: Okay, I’ll take it.
Sam: All right. Let me just print out the agreement … Here you go, read that over, please.
Peter: I can’t make heads or tails of this information. Do I really need insurance? I already have a good auto insurance plan.
Sam: Then you’ re probably all set. I do recommend the collision damage waiver.* It’s only $10 a day. That way, if you bang up the car, you won’t owe us anything.
Peter: I’m sure I won’t have an accident, but I’ll take it just in case.
Sam: Very good. If you don’t return the car with a full tank of gas, we charge $9 a gallon to refill it.
Peter: Nine bucks a gallon? That’s so expensive. It’s highway robbery!
Sam: Be sure to return the car by 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Peter: Five? That’s going to be cutting it close. The conference I’m attending ends at 4:30. What if I get it here at 6 on Sunday?
Sam: It’ll be another $65.
Peter: There’s no grace period?
Sam: There’s a 29 minute grace period. So you could return the car at 5 :29 and still be okay.
Peter: Okay, thanks. You’ve been such a big help.
Sam: You’re very welcome. Here’s the key. The car is in space A4. You’re good to go.
* collision damage waiver – with this optional coverage, the car rental company cannot hold the customer responsible for any damage to the car
Language Lens: So and Such
So and such are both used to express extremes. They are often used in exclamations (and they are so useful!).
So
=> Use “so” before an adjective (without a noun)
=> Use “so” before an adverb
Examples with so:
◼ Andy is so good at tennis! NOT: Andy is so good tennis player!
◼ Angela’s baby is so cute!
◼ Jay’s new painting is so beautiful. He’s so talented!
◼ Your house is so beautiful.
◼ That was so kind of you!
◼ John works so hard.
◼ Kristen looked so lovely in her wedding dress.
Such
=> Use “such” before an adjective + noun
=> Use “such” before a noun
Note that when the noun is singular, “a” or “an” comes after “such.”
Examples with such:
◼ That was such a scary movie! NOT: That was so scary movie!
◼ That’s such a cute baby!
◼ You are such a good friend.
◼ Phil is such a hard worker.
◼ You prepared such a delicious meal.
◼ This project is such a headache!
◼ Why do you carry such heavy bags?
IDIOMS
- all set
→ not needing anything else
Example: When the waitress asked if we needed anything else, we told her we were all set.
- (to) bang up
→ (to) damage
Example: Right after Tyler got his driver’s license, he borrowed his mother’s car and banged it up.
- (to) cut it close
→ (to) not leave enough time to get somewhere or to do something
Example: The play starts at 8:00, and you’re planning to leave the house at 7:30? That’s cutting it close.
- good to go
→ ready to go; taken care of; prepared
Example: We’ve got our tents, our flashlights, and our food. We’re good to go!
- grace period
→ a period after a deadline in which additional fees are not charged
Example: My credit card payment is due by the 15th of the month. But there’s a 2-day grace period.
- (to) have in mind
→ to be thinking about as a possibility
Example: “You’re offering me $2,500 for the car? That’s so little!” – “What did you have in mind?”
- highway robbery
→ very overpriced; a fee that is too high
Example: I really wanted a cup of coffee at the airport, but the coffee shop was charging $4 a cup. That’s highway robbery!
- inclusive of
→ including; already included in the amount
Example: The cost of the car repairs is going to be $350, inclusive of parts and labor.
- just in case
→ if something happens; because there is a small chance that (something could happen)
Example: I don’t think it’ll rain today, but you should take your umbrella just in case.
- (to) not be able to make heads or tails of
→ to be unable to interpret
Example: This apartment rental contract is so confusing. I can’t make heads or tails of it.
- (to) read over
→ to review; to take a look at, often with the goal of making edits or making sure everything is okay
Example: I’d appreciate it if you’d read over my resume.
- (to) run a special
→ to offer lower prices on something, for a certain period of time
Example: The clothing store is running a special this week. Buy one shirt and get the second at half price.