your study habits. John's driving. Mary's cooking. our vacation plans. Bill's stories. Jane's dresses.

Homework exercise

Write an original paragraph, using at least three of the idioms yon learned in this lesson.

Drill 8

Dialogue

A:I'm furious with Norma! She's always late.

B:Always? Why don't you talk it over with her? Encourage her to be on time.

A:Look! I've talked till I'm blue in the face. It's out of the question.

B:There must be something you can do.

A:I doubt it. Last night we went to a concert. Do you know what time we got there? Just in time to go out for the intermission!

B:I guess you're just wasting your breath then. Time means nothing to Norma.

Definitions

talk something over — discuss

Jim always talks things over with his parents before he makes an important decision. on time — at the hour designated not before or after that hour

Bill's very punctual he's always on time for everything.

till one is blue in the face — until one can say no more in trying to convince someone of something Bob's father talked to him till he was blue in the face, but it did no good the boy quit school anyway.

in time to — be at a place at the right time to do something

George couldn't come for dinner, but he arrived in time to have dessert and coffee with us. out of the question — impossible beyond consideration

Your suggestion that we go swimming is out of the question it's much too cold today. waste one's breath — speak uselessly, to no purpose

If you tell Jeff not to go, you'll just be wasting your breath he'll go anyway.

Substitution drill

Repeat the following sentences, using the substitutions listed.

1.Why don't you talk it over with her? the project over with John?

your problem over with Professor Jones? your plans over with your parents?

this idea over with the president? everything over with them?

this case over with a lawyer?

2.Encourage her to be on time.

Tell them to be

Be sure the boys are

I always try to be

He never gets here

Tell him he has to be

Ask them to try to be

3.I've talked till I'm blue in the face. He's argued till he's

She's explained till she's We've repeated it till we're They're discussed it till they're I've gone over it till I'm

He's talked till he's

4.Being late is out of the question. Selling the house

Going to such a place Staying here

Going with them Swimming in this weather Buying a new car

5.We arrived in time to go out for intermission. have dinner with them.

hear Jim's speech. talk to the Smiths.

get a copy of the book. see the TV show.

eat lunch.

6.You're wasting your breath

talking to him. explaining it. describing them. discussing it. giving the details. yelling at them.

Homework exercise

Answer these questions, using idioms where possible.

1.Do you think a husband should discuss his problems with his wife?

2.Are you always punctual for class?

3.Do you know people whom it is useless to try to convince of anything?

4.As long as a student's questions are reasonable, do you think the teacher should answer them?

5.If you are invited to dinner, when should you arrive?

6.How would you describe the way Charles talked to Bill? He talked to Bill for three hours and tried to convince him not to go to New York at tin's time, but Bill refused to accept his idea.