Writing Cheat Sheet

Introduction
Principles of Effective Writing
Punctuation
Tips
Steps in the Writing Process
Idioms
Resources

Introduction

What makes good writing?

Good writing communicates an idea clearly and effectively.
- takes having something to say and clear thinking.
Good writing is elegant and stylish.
- takes time, revision, and a good editor!

What makes a good writer?

Having something to say.
Logical thinking.
A few simple, learnable rules of style.

Writing can be learned!

Principles of Effective Writing

Cut Unnecessary Words and Phrases

Learn how to part with your words!

The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components:

every word that serves no function,
every long word that could be a short word,
every adverb that carries the same meaning that's already in the verb,
every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what -

these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence. And they usually occur in proportion to education and rank. (William Zinsser)

Bad: This paper provides a review of the basic tenets of cancer biology study design, using as examples studies that illustrate the methodologic challenges or that demonstrate successful solutions to the difficulties inherent in biological research.

Good: This paper reviews cancer biology study design, using examples that illustrate specific challenges and solutions.

Common clutter:

Dead weight words and phrases
- As it is well known
- As it has been shown
- It can be regarded that
- It should be emphasized that
Empty words and phrases
- basic tenets of
- important
Long words or phrases that could be short
- A majority of = most
- A number of = many
- Are of the same opinion = agree
- Less frequently occurring = rare
- All three of the = the three
- Give rise to = cause
- Due to the fact that = because
- Have an effect on = affect
- Based on the assumption that = if
- Does not have = lacks
- Did not remember = forgot
- Did not pay attention to = ignored
Unnecessary jargon and acronyms
Repetitive words or phrases
- challenges/difficulties
- successful solutions
- illustrate/demonstrate
Adverbs
- very
- really
- quite
- basically
- generally
Eliminate negatives
- Bad: She was not often right
- Good: She was usually wrong
Eliminate superfluous uses of "there is / there are"
- There are many ways in which we can arrange the pulleys
- We can arrange the pulleys in many ways
Omit needless prepositions
- They agreed that it was true
- They agreed it was true

Use Active Voice

Bad: My first visit to Boston will always be remembered by me.

Good: I will always remember my first visit to Boston.

Advantages of the active voice:

Emphasizes author responsibility
- Bad: No attempt was made to contact non-responders because they were deemed unimportant to the analysis.
- Good: We did not attempt to contact non-responders because we deemed them unimportant to the analysis.
Improves readability
- Bad: A strong correlation was found between use of the passive voice and other sins of writing.
- Good: We found a strong correlation between use of the passive voice and other sins of writing.
Reduces ambiguity
- Bad: General dysfunction of the immune system at the leukocyte level is suggested by both animal and human studies.
- Good: Both human and animal studies suggest that diabetics have general immune dysfunction at the leukocyte level.

Write with Verbs

Use strong verbs
- Good: Loud music came from speakers embedded in the walls, and the entire arena moved as the hungry crowd got to its feet.
- Better: Loud music exploded from the speakers embedded in the walls, and the entire arena shook as the hungry crowd leaped to its feet.
Avoid turning verbs into nouns
- Bad: During DNA damage, recognition of H3K4me3 by ING2 results in recruitment of Sin3/HDAC and repression of cell proliferation genes.
- Good: During DNA damage, H3K4me3 recruits ING2 and Sin3/HDAC, which together repress cell proliferation genes.
- Obtain estimates of = estimate
- Has seen an expansion in = has expanded
- Provides a methodologic emphasis = emphasizes methodology
- Take an assessment of = assess
- Offer confirmation of = confirm
- Make a decision = decide
- Shows a peak = peaks
Don't bury the main verb (keep the subject and main verb close together at the start of the sentence)

Punctuation

Increasing power to separate:

Comma
Colon
Dash
Parenthesis
Semicolon
Period

Increasing formality:

Dash
Parenthesis
Comma, Colon, Semicolon, Period

Semicolon connects to independent clauses.

Example: Kennedy could be a cold and vain man, and he led a life of privilege. But he knew something about the world; he also cared about it.

Example: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

Semicolons are also used to separate items in lists that contain internal punctuation.

Example: It happened because people organized and voted for better prospects; because leaders enacted smart, forward looking policies; because people's perspectives opened up, and with them, societies did too.

Parenthesis can be used to insert an afterthought or explanation (a word, phrase, or sentence) into a passage that is grammatically complete without it.

If you remove the material within the parentheses, the main point of the sentence should not change.
Parentheses give the reader permission to skip over the material.

Colon can be used after an independent clause to introduce a list, quote, explanation, conclusion, or amplification. "The colon has more effect than the comma, less power to separate than the semicolon, and more formality than the dash." - Strunk and White.

Example (list or explanation): The hydrogen bonds are made as follows: purine position 1 to pyrimidine position 1; purine position 6 to pyrimidine position 6.

Example (explanation or amplification): That's one reason why I'm so optimistic about the future: the constant churn of scientific progress.

Example (to amplify or extend, joins two independent clauses if the second amplifies or extends the first): Companies use Marsh for the same reason that home sellers use real estate agents: The agent's knowledge and experience is supposed to help the client get the right deal at the right price.

Dash can be used to add emphasis or to insert an abrupt definition or description almost anywhere in the sentence.

Example: But my fellow Americans, whatever mix of motives led us to create an Electoral College majority for Donald Trump to become president — and overlook his lack of preparation, his record of indecent personal behavior, his madcap midnight tweeting, his casual lying about issues like "millions" of people casting illegal votes in this election, the purveying of fake news by his national security adviser, his readiness to appoint climate change deniers without even getting a single briefing from the world's greatest climate scientists in the government he'll soon lead and his cavalier dismissal of the C.I.A.'s conclusions about Russian hacking of our election — have no doubt about one thing: We as a country have just done something incredibly reckless.

Example: The drugs did more than prevent new fat accumulation. They also triggered overweight mice to shed significant amounts of fat - up to half their body weight. (emphasis)

Tips

Grammar:

"Data are" not "data is" (The word "data" is plural)
- These data show an unusual trend.
- The data support the conclusion.
- The data are critical.
Compare to vs compare with
- compare to = to point out similarities between different things
- compare with = to point out differences between similar things.
- Ex.: Brain tumors are relatively rare compared with more common cancers, such as those of the lung, breast etc.
That vs which
- "That" is restrictive (defining pronoun)
- "Which" is nonrestrictive (non-defining) pronoun

Parallelism

Pairs of ideas joined by "and", "or", or "but" should be written in parallel form.

Example: The velocity decreased by 50% but the pressure decreased by only 10%.

Another Example:

Unparallel: If you want to be a good doctor, you must study hard, critically think about the medical literature, and you should be a good listener.

Parallel: If you want to be a good doctor you must study hard, listen well, and think critically about the medical literature.

The rule of three's (in lists, examples).

Steps in the Writing Process

Prewriting (70% of the time)
- Collect, synthesize, and organize information
- Brainstorm take-home messages
- Work out ideas away from the computer
- Develop a roadmap/outline
Writing the first draft (10% of the time)
- Putting your facts and ideas together in organized prose
Revision (20% of the time)
- Read you work out loud
- Get rid of clutter
- Do a verb check
- Get feedback from others

Idioms

Kill two birds with one stone - produce two useful results by just doing one action. Ex.: If we have to go to Manchester for the meeting, then let's visit Auntie Joan on the way there. We can kill two birds with one stone.
Cool, calm, and collected - relaxed in control not nervous. Ex.: Practicing meditation has helped me to be cool, calm, and collected in times of trouble.
Low-hanging fruit - a thing or person that can be won, obtained, or persuaded with little effort.
go down the rabbit hole - To enter into a situation or begin a process or journey that is particularly strange, problematic, difficult, complex, or chaotic, especially one that becomes increasingly so as it develops or unfolds. Ex. Owning your own business is a huge responsibility that not everyone is prepared for. Are you sure you're ready to go down the rabbit hole?
Ballpark figure - a rough or approximate number (guesstimate) to give a general idea of something.
To get the lay of the land - to learn the general situation or state of affairs, especially in preparation for action.
To be under the weather - slightly unwell or in low spirits.
To tie the knot - to get married. (get hitched). Steve tied the know last Sunday.
Eye candy - pleasing for the eye. You car is eye candy. She is eye candy. Megan Fox was hired as eye candy for Transformers. I come to this bar because the bartenders are eye candy.
No worries / It's all good. I'm sorry I forgot your gift. No worries. Sorry I spilled coffee on your shirt. It's all good.
Not my cup of tea - not what one likes or is interested in.
It's raining cats and dogs. Don't step in a poodle.
I won't hold my breath. It means that you don't expect it to happen, so you won't bother to hold your breath in anticipation, or "await with bated breath." It's used as mildly sarcastic humor. Ex.: I know he promised you a good job, but I won't hold my breath for that one.
To have skin in the game - to be at risk financially because you have invested in something that you want to happen. Ex.: You take more ownership of something when you have some skin in the game.
Paint oneself into a corner - leave oneself no means of escape or room to maneuver. Ex.: Central banks have painted themselves (us?) into a corner.
Faint of heart - describes a person who is lacking courage, squeamish, unable to rise to the occasion. Ex.: This is a difficult climb that is not for the faint of heart.

Happiness and Sadness

I am/feel on top of the world - feel extreme happiness.
It's not the end of the world - what happened won't cause any serious problems.
Something makes your day - something makes you feel very happy.

Anger

To drive someone up the wall - make someone very angry/bored. The neighbours' loud music every night is driving me up the wall.
At one's wits' end - to be very upset, or at the limits of one's emotional or mental limitations. I'm at my wits' end trying to keep things in order.

Knowing and Understanding

To ring a bell [with smbd] - make someone remember something indistinctly. Doesn't ring any bells.
To put two and two together - to conclude from the facts you know.

Experience and Perception

To put it down to experience - something bad has happened, but you decide to learn from it instead of being upset by it.
To have second thoughts - to change your opinion/decision about something or start to doubt it.
I heard it through the grapevine - heard it from someone who heard it from someone else.

Success and Failure

Turned out to be a blessing in disguise - has a good effect even though at first it seemed it would be bad.
Someone doesn't have the ghost of a chance - they have no chance at all.
Would go places - would be successful (not used in the simple tense forms). I always knew Ahmed would go places. He's been an excellent athlete since he was a teenager.
Hit the big time - be successful nationally or internationally and make lots of money. Ex.: He's a good writer, but he hasn't really ever hit the big time.
Make a go of smth - be very successful with smth. He's really made a go of that restaurant he bought.

Having Problems

I've spread myself too thin - am trying to do too many things at the same time, with the result that I can't give any of them the attention they need.
I've come up against a stumbling block - a problem which stops me from achieving something.
So now we are all going to have to face the music. accept criticism or punishment for what you have done.

Dealing with problems

Give it a shot - give something a try.
Wave a magic wand - find an easy way to solve a problem Ex.: I want to wave a magic wand and make things better.

1. My Toe is Killing Me!

To be tied up with something or someone. To be busy.
To be killing someone. To be very painful.
A beauty. A very good or vivid example of something; in this case, a really good example of a bad injury.
To do a number on something. To damage, destroy, or hurt something badly.
A SUREFIRE WAY TO DO SOMETHING. A way that will definitely have a certain outcome or result.
To live something down. To be allowed to forget about an embarrassing situation. This is used in the negative—to never or not live something down. A common way you'll hear this expression is the phrase "I'll never live this down!"
To outdo yourself. To do something very well. To do better than you normally do.Note that this expression is often used in a sarcastic way.
A tall order. An unusually difficult request.
To be out of the question. To be impossible to accomplish.
To be back in the saddle. To return to your normal activities, especially after an illness or injury. To be back in control of your normal activities.
To handle something. To cope with or manage a situation.
To be a piece of cake. To be very easy.
To take it easy. To do things slowly and carefully, without tiring yourself.
To baby someone or something. To treat very carefully and with great sensitivity.
To keep an eye on. To watch carefully.
To get in touch with. To contact, to talk to someone.
To drop by. To visit someone.
To follow up on something. To address or check on a situation later.

2. Tying the Knot

To tie the knot. To get married.
To take the plunge. To follow through on a big or life-changing decision.On the invitation, it has a double meaning. It refers both to a "plunge" into water at the beach party and to the fact that Matt and Allison will be getting married.
To get cold feet. To be or become afraid to do something. To have second thoughts.Notice that you can also say "have cold feet."
Stuffy. Formal. Overly conservative in ceremony and style.
To let your hair down. To celebrate in a free and uninhibited way.
To walk down the aisle. To get married.
To not see something coming. To not expect something. To be surprised by something.
A turnout. The number of people at an event.Notice that there's also the verb "to turn out."
To get hitched. To get married. These days, this expression is an informal, humorous, and exaggerated way to say "to get married."
To pop the question. To propose marriage to someone.
To lose your nerve. To lose courage.
To turn someone or something down. To say "no" to someone or something.
To settle on something. To decide something after discussion, consideration, or negotiation.
To count on something. To depend on something happening. To be sure something will happen.
To bail. To leave a person or quit a project earlier than expected. You can also say "to bail out on someone or something."
To beat around the bush. To be indirect in approach in order to avoid confrontation.
To give it to someone straight. To be direct and honest with someone.
To bully someone into something. To force someone to do something.
To throw someone for a loop. To surprise someone. To confuse someone with something unexpected.
To do a 180. To change in a drastic way. To turn completely around.
To play the field. To date many different people.
To settle down. To grow comfortable and content in a routine or situation, especially in a relationship with another person. Often, this implies growing older and more responsible, or less fun-loving and free, depending on how you look at it!
TO BE A WAKE-UP CALL. To be something that changes your view of what is important or possible.
To be seeing someone. To date someone informally.
To hand it to someone. To acknowledge someone's achievement.
To get something on track. To make decisions and take actions about something that will lead to a favorable outcome.

3. That's a Weight off My Shoulders!

To be coming up. To be about to occur. To happen in the near future.
To sneak up on somebody. To happen or be about to happen without someone's realization or preparation. By the way, you'll hear many people use the past form "snuck" as well.
To slip someone's mind. To be forgotten.
To go in on something with someone. To share the cost or expense of something with someone.
To not have a clue. To not know about something at all.
To look around. To move through a place and observe without the intention of finding something in particular.
To turn up. To appear or be found.
To break the bank. To spend all yourmoney on something, to empty your bank account to pay for something, to pay too much for something.
Bookworm. A person who loves to read.
To be on the case. To already be working on a certain project, to have begun working to achieve a particular goal.
To be run-of-the-mill. To be ordinary or typical. To be commonplace.
To tear something to pieces. To find fault with something or harshly criticize. To insult.
To throw someone a bone. To make a small or token gesture of support for someone, often in a patronizing way.
To shoot something down. To dismiss or reject something, such as an idea or a suggestion.
To get on someone's nerves. To annoy or agitate someone.
To be beat. To be exhausted.
TO CALL IT A DAY. To decide that a project, event, or situation is over. To stop working on something for the day.
To put in or give your two cents. To give your opinion or share your ideas about something.
To knock someone's socks off. To shock or surprise someone in a pleasant or happy way by performing beyond expectation.
To be in shape. To be in good physical condition. Note that you can also say "to get in shape, "meaning" to train your body and become physically fit."
To shell out. To pay, usually a bit unwillingly.
Hands down. Without a doubt.
To be a weight off your shoulders. To no longer be a source of worry or concern for you.
To push your luck. To try to get too much of a reward, to be greedy, to want too much.

4. I Have a Bone to Pick with You!

Beats me. I don't know. I have no idea.
To have something covered. To be responsible for something, to handle something.
TO SLIP SOMEONE'S MIND. To be forgotten by someone.
Look who's talking! An expression of disbelief or irony meaning that someone is guilty of something he or she is blaming someone else for.
To not give a damn. To not care.Note that some people consider the word "damn" to be harsh and impolite, so an alternate expression is to not give a darn.
To fly off the handle. To become extremely agitated, excited, or angry. To react too strongly to a situation.
To make a mountain out of a molehill. To exaggerate a situation, to turn a relatively minor situation into something much bigger or more important than it should be.
To have a bone to pick with someone. To have a problem or complaint about someone.
To get something out in the open. To air a complaint or a grievance, to discuss something openly.
Slacker. A lazy or irresponsible person. This expression is related to the verb "to slack off."
To be eating someone. To bother, aggravate, or frustrate someone over a period of time.
Bent out of shape. Annoyed or bothered by something. Upset. Note that this expression suggests that the reason behind the emotion is insignificant or not worth being upset about.
To lighten up. To take a more casual or relaxed attitude. To not be overly upset or angry about something.
To lean on. To rely or count on, to be dependent on someone else instead of being self-sufficient.
To pick up someone's slack. To compensate for someone else's shortcomings.
To pass the buck. To put the blame or responsibility on someone else.
To hook someone up with something. To arrange for someone to have something. To help someone obtain something or to give someone something.
To screw up. To make mistakes, to perform poorly.
To give someone a bad name. To give someone a bad reputation.
To work your tail off. To work very hard. To put forth great effort.
To twiddle your thumbs. To do nothing. Literally, to have your hands clasped and to move your thumbs in circles around each other.
Bull. Nonsense. Something untrue or unbelievable.
To chat someone up. To talk to someone, to show interest in someone by making conversation.
To lift a finger. To offer help. To put forth effort to do some sort of physical work.
To look like a train wreck. To be very messy or in terrible condition. To appear as if destroyed in some kind of accident.
To pitch in. To assist, to share in a responsibility, such as housework or bill paying.
To get off your high horse. To stop acting superior or self righteous.
To show someone up. To try to appear better or more competent than other people.
Goody-goody. An unflattering name for someone who behaves very well, is very responsible, and never gets into any kind of trouble. An expression that suggests that someone is afraid to do anything wrong.
To be at someone's throat. To be fighting with someone. To be aggressively attacking someone.
To give something a rest. To stop doing something, to pause or take a break from some kind of activity.

5. Like Pulling Teeth

Pain in the neck. Annoying or bothersome.
Like pulling teeth.Very difficult and tedious.
To get something squared away. To tie up loose ends. To solve the various smaller problems of a larger troublesome situation.
To iron something out. To fix a problem, to correct a mistake in a process.
To bite the bullet. To accept a disagreeable solution for a difficult situation.
To flog a dead horse. To do something that has no hope of succeeding or bringing about the desired result. Note that this idiom is often used with "beat" instead of "flog."
The same old story. The same explanation for a situation given over and over again.
To give someone the runaround. To avoid answering a question or giving someone help by treating them evasively or by misleading them.
To be in someone's shoes. To be in someone else's position or situation.
To pull up. To access a file or other information on a computer.
To have been down that road before. To have experienced or tried something before, especially if it was not helpful or pleasant.
TO CALL THE SHOTS. To make the important decisions.
At your wit's end. Completely frustrated and confused about how to solve a problem.
To get on someone's case. To aggressively bother or nag someone about something.
To be spinning your wheels. To be putting forth an effort that is having no useful effect. To be working in vain.
To have a good mind to do something. To be inclined to do something. To have a strong desire to do something.
To feed someone a line. To tell someone something that is not genuine or truthful. To use a trite or clichéd expression instead of the truth.
To be beyond someone. To be impossible to understand, to be completely unbelievable.
To have your hands tied. To be unable to do anything to help a situation.
To be out of your mind. To be crazy, to be unreasonable or irrational. This expression is very often used in response to someone who proposes something completely unreasonable.
To take something out on someone. To direct anger or frustration about something at someone who is not responsible for it.
To have had it with something or someone. To be fed up with. To not be able to handle anymore of a situation or person.
For crying out loud... This expresses complete frustration about a situation.

6. Honey, There's Something on My Mind...

To get something off your chest. To say something important that you've been thinking about a lot.
To be on your mind. To be something you think a lot about.
To spring something on someone. To give someone unexpected news with no preparation or warning.
To break up with someone. To end a romantic relationship.
To dump someone. To stop being in a romantic relationship with someone.
To come out of nowhere. To seem to happen without any logical explanation or warning.
Couch potato. A person who sits around and does very little physical activity, often just watching TV.
To be crazy about something. To like something a lot.
To be in seventh heaven. To feel wonderful, to be very happy.
To move on. To begin something else, to stop focusing on one person or thing and to start to think about someone or something else.
To let yourself go. To allow yourself to be in bad physical condition because of diet or lack of exercise.
To turn someone on. To be a turn-on. To cause an attraction, usually physical.
To drive someone up the wall. To annoy someone very much.
TO BRING SOMETHING UP. To start to talk about something, to introduce a topic in conversation.
To get used to something. To become accustomed to or familiar with something. Notice that this expression is similar to "to be used to something, "meaning to be accustomed to or familiar with something.
To grow out of something. To become too old for something, to stop having an interest in something that used to be interesting.
To be the point. To be the most important fact or consideration about a topic.
It figures. This expression is used, often ironically, to mean that some outcome is logical, expected, or unavoidable.

7. Now We're Cooking!

To be cooking. To be on the right track, to bemaking very good progress, to be on a roll with ideas.
To cost an armand a leg. To be very expensive.
To break something down. To divide something into smaller parts in order to explain it or understand it more easily.
Step by step. One piece or part at a time, little by little.
Out of this world. Outstanding, incredibly good.
Tricks of the trade. Information that experienced people in a field know that makes their work easier or the product of their labor of a better quality.
From scratch. Homemade, by hand, from basic rather than prepackaged ingredients.
Top-notch. Of the highest quality.
To dream up. To invent or conceive of.
Zip. Spiciness, flavor, tanginess. Not usually used with reference to sweet foods. Note that zing, bite, and kick are all used to mean the same thing.
To stick to the ribs. To be filling. To be substantial.
To weigh someone down. To make someone feel slow or tired. Said of something experienced as a weight—emotional, physical, psychological, etc.
To come upon. To discover by accident.
To come up with. To create something original.
Something to die for. Something that is amazing or great.
To lend a hand. To help. Notice that "a hand" can be used to mean "help" in other expressions—to offer a hand, to ask for a hand, to need a hand, etc.
TO GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT. To try the best that you can.
The proof is in the pudding. A saying that means that the true measure of how good something is can only be judged once it ismade or done.
In the nick of time. Just in time, with no extra time to spare.
To lay out. To arrange in a flat position, to spread out.
Something to sink your teeth into. Something of substance or depth. Also used in reference to non-food items.
The devil's in the details. A saying that means that changes in seemingly small or minor elements can make a big difference in the outcome.
The secret's in the sauce. A saying that means that the secret that makes something special or valuable is hidden or not immediately visible.

8. Fits Like a Glove!

LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. Looking for something that is very difficult to find.
To check something out. To see or find out about something.
To be someone's cup of tea. To be pleasing or interesting to someone. To fit someone's tastes or interests.
To pay through the nose. To pay a lot of money.
To wake up on the wrong side of the bed. To be in a bad mood.
WET BLANKET. Unenthusiastic or disagreeable, lacking the appropriate attitude or spirit for a particular situation.
Out of style. No longer in fashion or vogue.
To drag someone somewhere. To convince someone to go or come somewhere they don't want to be.
To keep up with the trends. To follow new fashions or trends very closely.
To try something on. To wear a piece of clothing to see if it fits properly or looks nice on a person. Notice that you can extend this idiom to "try something on for size." It can mean the same thing as to try an article of clothing on, or it can be used generally to mean to try something and see how it feels or works.
Low-cut. Describes clothing that is cut to reveal skin, to cover less of the body than usual.
It doesn't leave much to the imagination. Said of clothes that reveal a lot of skin, that are very tight, or that are nearly see through.
Hot. Physically attractive, sexually appealing.
To turn heads. To be beautiful, to cause people to turn and look at you.
To drop something. To forget something, or to stop talking about something.
To cough something up. To find the means to provide something, especially money.
Knockoff. A cheap and low-quality reproduction of something expensive.
Bargain basement. The area of a store where older sale items are displayed for discount prices. This expression is also used to describe any cheap or low-quality clothing.
THE CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN. An expression meaning that people are judged by their appearance, including especially the clothes they choose to wear.
To throw on. To put clothes on hastily and thoughtlessly.
Make a nice impression. To give people a favorable idea of who you are.
To come off as. To give a certain impression, to suggest a certain attitude or style.
Busy. Describing something that is overly designed—clothes, patterns,wallpaper, art, etc.—or has too many elements.
One of a kind. Unique. Unlike anything else.
It's very me. It's typical of something I'd wear, do, or say. It's representative of me.
To burst someone's bubble. To disappoint someone. To give someone disappointing news.
To fit someone like a glove. To fit someone perfectly, as if the thing that fits were made specifically for that person.
To go with something. To match something. To look nice together with another thing.

9. I'm Up to My Eyeballs in Work!

To be under the gun. To be under pressure or stress.
To be up to one's eyeballs in something. To have a lot of or too much of something.
To try one's hand at something. To try something for the first time.
TO BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW. To commit yourself to more than you can handle.
To burn the midnight oil. To be awake and doing something late at night.
To buckle down. To dedicate yourself to an activity, to work very hard and seriously at something.
To bite the dust. To break. To be no more. To die.
To be a pain in the neck. To be an annoyance, a difficulty, a hindrance.
To be between a rock and a hard place. To be in a position where you can't do what you want to do because you're caught between two options that are both difficult or disagreeable.
To not be playing with a full deck. To behave in an illogical or crazy way. To be crazy.
YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, I'LL SCRATCH YOURS. Said about a situation in which two people can benefit from each other's help. Each will do the other a favor in order to get what he or she wants from the other person.
To blow up at someone. To suddenly get very angry with someone and yell. To explode.
To turn in, or to turn in for the night. To go to bed.
To cut corners. To fail to spend the proper amount of money, effort, or time on something.
On a positive note. To talk about happier issues.
To be all about something. To be very interested or active in something. To like something very much.
To not have a prayer. To not have a chance or hope.
To be old hat. To be something someone is accustomed to.
To be at something. To engage or take part in something. Notice that you can also say "keep at" something,meaning to continue to take part in something.
To be green. To be new or inexperienced.
To be a shoo-in. To be the best or most likely candidate for something.
To make someone's day. To cause someone great happiness, joy, or pride.

10. She's Got You Wrapped around Her Finger

To run into somebody. To meet somebody unexpectedly.
To have one on the way. To be pregnant. To be expecting a child.
A piece of work. A complicated, interesting, or amusing person. Often said ironically.
A chip off the old block. Said of children when they greatly resemble one of their parents in personality or behavior.
You don't say. An expression used to show mild surprise, like saying "really?". This can also be a sarcastic expression, to show that you don't find something as interesting as someone else does.
Hardheaded. Stubborn.
Up to something. Involved in some kind of mischief. Planning something.
Something else. An expression meaning "something noteworthy" or "something interesting or worth discussion."
To take after. To have the same traits or characteristics as another person.
To have a taste of one's own medicine. To be on the receiving end of behavior that one has subjected others to.
To pay the piper. To suffer the consequences of your actions, after a long time of not suffering any consequences.
On the ball. Ready, alert, highly prepared.
To turn your back on someone. Literally, to turn away from or look the other way. Note that this expression can also be used figuratively,meaning to abandon or stop caring about someone.
To keep up with something or someone. To go at the same speed or pace, to be aware of changes or current conditions.
To be bushed. To be very tired.
To have a blast. To have a lot of fun, to have a great time.
TO BE A PUSHOVER. To be easily convinced or persuaded.
Set on something. Fixated on something and determined to have it.
To have a fit. To have a temper tantrum. To lose control of your emotions. To display your anger.
To cave in. To give in. To allow yourself to be persuaded or tempted.
To buckle. To be persuaded, to change your mind.
To have someone wrapped around your finger. To cause someone to be obedient to you. To influence someone very greatly, to exert far too much influence on someone.
To be hooked. To enjoy something very much, to be convinced of something. In the context of drugs or alcohol, "hooked" can also mean "addicted."
When it comes to something. Regarding, with regard to, or concerning something.

11. That's Putting the Cart before the Horse.

TO FILL SOMEONE IN ON SOMETHING. To inform someone of something he or she missed.
To make it to an event. To attend an event.
BOGGED DOWN. Busy, involved in tedious details.
To hear something through the grapevine. To learn of something through an unofficial channel.
To give someone the boot. To make someone leave, to send someone away. Here it is used to mean "lay someone off."
To leap at the chance. To be eager to do something, to be very willing to accept an opportunity.
Win-win, or a win-win situation. A situation that is beneficial to everyone concerned.
To take on something. To become responsible for something. To agree to a new responsibility.
Hold your horses. Wait. Move more slowly.
To put the cart before the horse. To do something out of logical order, to perform a step before its appropriate time.
To have your eye on someone. To watch or examine someone closely.
To go south. To go wrong. To end or stop because of problems.
To get something. To understand something.
To cover your back. To take steps that will protect you in the future. To be very shrewd and cautious in protecting yourself against being held responsible for potential problems.
To hit the nail on the head. To identify the important issue or main point of a situation with precision.
Swamped. Very busy.
To come through. To happen, to materialize, to become a real event.
To fall on deaf ears. To be pointless to mention, suggesting that the person you'd like to talk to won't care about your complaint, opinion, or problem.
To jump down someone's throat. To overreact and attack someone verbally.
Cornered. Threatened. Feeling as if you don't have many options left.
To go over someone's head. To not confront someone about a problem, but instead bring it up with another person who is higher in authority.
To not hold your breath. To not wait for something to happen with much hope.
To keep a low profile. To do nothing that would draw attention to you or distinguish you from others.
Pink slip. Notification that you've been fired. The full expression is "to get a pink slip."
Written in stone. Fixed, firm, unchangeable.

12. Like a Bat out of Hell

Fender bender. A car accident that causes minimal damage, usually only to the front or back bumpers.
To barrel out of somewhere. To leave somewhere very quickly, usually with little attention to your surroundings. Notice that you may also hear barrel up, barrel down, barrel along, barrel in, etc.
To ride someone's tail. To follow someone at an uncomfortably close or dangerous distance.Notice that this expression doesn't necessarily have to be used for driving only.
To rubberneck. To drive slowly past the scene of an accident while turning your neck to see what happened.
To speed up. To accelerate.
To cut someone off. To pass in front of someone very closely and prevent them from moving ahead.
To sideswipe someone. To hit someone with the side edge of something.
To come up from behind. To approach someone from behind. Notice that you can also say come up from the side, come up from below, etc.
Blind spot. A part of someone's field of vision that is obstructed, so that things in this area cannot be seen.
To slam on the brakes. To press the brake pedal in a car forcefully and suddenly.
To nail someone. To hit or do damage to someone.
To pull over. To drive one's car to the side of the road in order to stop.
To swap information. To exchange names, phone numbers, license plate numbers, and insurance company information, especially after a car accident.
Like a bat out of hell. Moving in a fast and almost crazy manner.
Hit and run. A car accident where the person responsible for the accident leaves the scene before the police arrive.
To take off. To leave quickly.
To be looking at. To be in a position to expect something.
To track someone down. To find someone by following clues.
To give someone a piece of your mind. To give someone your opinion about him or her or something he or she has done. Usually it is a negative and harshly critical opinion.
To lose sleep over something. To worry about something. To feel upset or guilty about something.
To take someone to the cleaners. To fight for economic compensation until the other person has no more money left.
To count your chickens before they hatch. To depend on a beneficial or positive future event as if it were certain, even though it may not happen.
To bark up the wrong tree. To be seeking something from the wrong source. To be asking for something from a source that cannot or will not provide it.
To be caught up in something. To be involved in something wrong, illegal, or unethical.
To total a car. To inflict damages that, if repaired, would cost more than the value of the car.
To sit tight. To wait, to be patient.

13. It's a Steal!

To be in the market for something. To want to buy something, to be looking to buy something.
To mull something over. To think about something. To consider a situation.
To be a steal. To be a great bargain. To get a lot of value for your money.
To go up. To increase, to become higher or larger.
To go through the roof. With reference to money, price, value, it means "to become very high." To have an extreme, angry reaction.
To be a drop in the bucket. To be small in comparison to something else, to be a very small portion of some much larger total.
To clean up. To make a very large profit, to make a lot of money.
To take your time doing something. To not rush. To do something slowly and carefully.
To be burned. To be betrayed, fooled, or hurt, especially after expecting a positive outcome.
To eye something up. To look at, examine, or consider visually.
To chomp at the bit. To be very anxious or eager to do something.
To strike while the iron's hot. To take advantage of a favorable opportunity.
To talk something over. To discuss carefully in order to come to a decision.
To make yourself scarce. To leave, to move away from someone. Rude when said to someone else.
A dream come true. Something wonderful, something so good it's as though it came out of a dream.
To keep in mind. To remember. To consider.
To talk something up. To praise something verbally. To speak highly of something or exaggerate its value.
A catch. A drawback or negative quality that might not be obvious. In other contexts, "a catch" is a person who would be good to date.
To be hung up on something. To find fault with something, to identify a weakness or a drawback in something.
At your fingertips. Readily available.
To lose your shirt. To become financially ruined. To lose a lot of money.
A crapshoot. A chance or risk, named after the dice game.
Nest egg. A sum of money saved up and set aside.

14. Off the Beaten Track

To take the scenic route. Jokingly, to get lost and take a long time to reach a destination.
Off the beaten track. Remote, faraway, hard to get to, and not very well known. Notice that you can also say "off the beaten path."
Mixed-up. Confused.
IT WILL BE A COLD DAY IN HELL BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS. It is highly unlikely or improbable that something will happen.
The middle of nowhere. A very remote place, especially someplace wild and far away from people or towns.
To wing it. To do something without following instructions or directions. To improvise.
To shake off the dust. To rest and compose yourself after a long trip, as if you had been walking for a long time and were covered in dust from the road.
To freshen up. To wash up and relax. To tidy your appearance and overall condition after something tiring.
To whip up. To prepare something, especially food, in a fast and improvised way.
To catch up. To talk and share recent news after not having seen someone in a while.
To unwind. To relax and free yourself from stress.
To kick off. To begin something.
R and R. Rest and Relaxation.
To recharge the batteries. To rest and regain physical and psychological strength.
A weekend getaway. A place to go to for the weekend where you can rest and relax.
The rat race. The total system of life centered around working hard—commuting, struggling to be successful and get ahead, dealing with the stresses of life,worrying about bills, etc.
Culture shock. Reaction to a very significant change in way of life.
The sticks. The country. A rural area.
A fish out of water. Out of place, not in your natural environment.
The boondocks. The country, the rural areas far away from cities or big towns. Note that this expression is often shortened to "the boonies."
A place to hang your hat. A place to call home, a place to feel at home.
TO PAN OUT. To be successful, to work out well.
To snap out of it. To recover after a state of confusion, sadness, or psychological fatigue.
The locals. The people who live in a certain place. The local people.
To stick out like a sore thumb. To be very visible or obvious, to draw attention to yourself because you are different in some noticeable way.
To size someone up. To examine or evaluate someone, especially visually.
To give someone the cold shoulder. To fail to be warm and welcoming to someone, to ignore someone, especially on purpose.
To start from square one. To start again, to start a process from the very beginning.
To reach out. To extend a welcome to a person, to put forth an effort to communicate with someone.
To make small talk. To make insignificant conversation with someone, especially only to be polite.
To break the ice. To put an end to a time of silence or lack of communication. To initiate a conversation or friendliness with someone.
Lined up at your door. Eager and in large numbers.
To raise eyebrows. To bring attention to yourself, to cause people to notice you as someone different or unconventional. Notice that this expression is similar to "stick out like a sore thumb," but there's a hint of amoral judgment with "raise eyebrows."
Good old-fashioned. Traditional.
On the clock. On a strict schedule, especially on working time.

15. Turning Over a New Leaf

To take a load off. To rest by sitting down.
In a nutshell. Concisely and quickly explained.
To make a clean break. To forget about something in the past, to start fresh.
To turn over a new leaf. To begin a new project or period in your life.
To be up in the air. To not have direction or definite shape.
NO BIG DEAL. Not important.
To put something off. To delay something, to postpone something, to procrastinate.
To have a foot in the door. To be in a situation that could lead to better opportunities. Notice that you may also "get a foot in the door" or "give someone a foot in the door."
To show up. To arrive.
The straw that broke the camel's back. An event or thing that by itself is insignificant, but added to other problems is just enough to leave a big impact or cause a big change.
To have something in mind. To have an idea or conception about something.
To get on your feet. To become stable financially, emotionally, socially, etc.
To get a break. To be given an opportunity to do something you want to do.
To have two left feet. To be ungraceful, to move in a clumsy or awkward way, especially while dancing.
To be hard on someone. To be strict or difficult with someone, to be demanding, to be overly critical or disciplinary.
To stick to someone or something. To stay with someone or something.
By the way. This expression introduces an afterthought. It is used before saying something that is somehow related to what's already been said.
To hit the road. To begin to travel or move. To set off on a trip.
To be looking up. To seem positive, to suggest a positive outcome or improvement.

16. Face the Music!

To give someone a break. To hold back criticism, judgment, or effort against someone.
To brush something off. To fail to take something seriously. To treat something as unimportant or inconsequential.
To put something away. To save something, such as money.
To burn through something. To use something very fast, with little care for future supplies.
To live paycheck-to-paycheck. To earn only enough money to meet weekly or monthly bills, to not be able to save or spend on non essentials.
No skin off someone's nose. To be of no concern or importance to someone. To fail to affect someone. To say "it's no skin off your nose" means that there's an inconvenience only for the speaker, but none for the listener.
To make your own way in the world. To support yourself, to be responsible for your own needs in life.
To get the ball rolling. To get started doing something.
To get your feet wet. To get experience, to try something out.
Like talking to a wall. Communicating with someone who doesn't understand or listen.
To go about something. To handle, to act, or to perform in a situation or with a certain goal.
To have your head in the clouds. To be a dreamer, to fail to be realistic or pay attention to realistic needs.
To sell out. To betray your principles for money.
To get along with. To behave in an agreeable way with someone.
TO SEE EYE To EYE. To agree.
To take charge of something. To become responsible for something and make active decisions about it.
To wake up and smell the coffee. To acknowledge the reality of a situation.
Neither here nor there. To not be the point. To not matter or be important in the current context.
To cut the cord. To detach yourself from someone or something that you used to have strong influence or control over. The image is of a baby being physically attached to his or her mother by the umbilical cord.
It's about time. To be the right time. This expression may also communicate the opinion that something should have been done a long time ago.
TO FACE THE MUSIC. To confront or accept unpleasant realities or consequences of bad actions.
To sink or swim. To be in a situation where you must either perform your best or fail.
To cut someone off. To stop someone's supply of something, often money or support.

17. Let's Catch a Flick, Then Grab a Bite.

To pack up shop. To prepare a place in order to leave it.
To be out the door. To leave. To be gone.
To feel up to something. To have the desire to do something.
To stand someone up. To not show up for a date or appointment without giving the other person advance warning.
To stew over something. To be quietly angry about something.
To cut someone some slack. To give someone a break. To be understanding of someone's situation.
To fall through. To not be accomplished. To not work out.
To leave someone high and dry. To fail to do something that someone else was depending on. To bail on someone without warning or trying to make up for it in some other way.
To make it up to someone. To compensate someone for something, especially something that you've done wrong. To do something in order to apologize.
In the meantime. While waiting. In the time that passes between one event and another.
To let off some steam. To release or let go of built-up energy, anxiety, or pressure.
Low-key. Relaxed and quiet. Simple.
Like a chicken with its head cut off. Moving around quickly and crazily, as if without reason or thought.
To catch a flick. To see a movie.
A chick flick. A romantic or emotional movie, as opposed to an action movie or thriller, suggesting (chauvinistically) that these movies appeal mostly to women.
To zone out. To stop thinking or become unaware of one's environment.
A play-by-play. A moment to moment description of events, either as they happen or after the fact.
To let someone off easy. To allow someone to get away with unacceptable behavior with only a light punishment. A similar expression is "to let someone off the hook." This means to not hold someone responsible for something, or to not punish him or her for a mistake or misdeed.
To grab a bite. To eat a snack or light meal, usually outside of the house.
To be so hungry you could eat a horse. To be very hungry. Used humorously.
To even the score. To settle things, to make things even, to arrive at a fair resolution between two people.
To be "on" someone. To be someone's responsibility, especially financially.

18. Take the Bull by the Horns.

To take the wind out of someone's sails. To take away someone's enthusiasm or hope for something.
A take on something. An opinion or interpretation of something.
To talk a big game. To exaggerate one's abilities or powers.
To back something up. To support, to lend evidence or strength to something.
To be wet behind the ears. To be inexperienced or new at something.
In the same boat. In the same situation.
To be or get canned. To be or get fired.
To pass up for something. To fail to consider for something or to grant a reward for something.
To earn peanuts. To earn very little money.
To make ends meet. To earn enough money to pay for one's expenses.
To be on the back burner. To be put off, to not be taken care of immediately.
To be a match made in heaven. To be perfect together.
To have someone's name on it. To belong to someone, to be the logical or rightful property or achievement of a particular person.
To get or have someone where you want him or her. To maneuver someone into a position or situation that benefits you.
To be hard-pressed. To be pressured by extreme necessity to do something.
To fill a slot. To hire a person for an open or available position.
To have your ducks in a row. To have everything orderly and planned out.
To step up to the plate. To volunteer yourself, to act responsibly in a time of need.
To have your fingers in too many pies. To be committed to too many goals or projects.
To take on. To make yourself responsible for something, to agree to an obligation.
To jump the gun. To do something too early, to act too quickly.
To take the bull by the horns. To approach a situation directly and with determination.
To put your best foot forward. To present your best attributes and qualities.

19. Just Checking In...

To check in with someone. To talk to or visit with someone for the purpose of saying hi, or letting someone know that you're okay.
To have a rough time of it. To experience difficulty dealing with a situation.
To feel or be under the weather. To feel ill, to feel less than healthy.
To catch a bug. To become sick with a cold or flu.
To get over something. To no longer suffer the pain or discomfort of something. This expression can also mean," to move on, to feel better after a difficult situation."
To be back on your feet. To recover from sickness, to feel healthy again.
To be up to speed on something. To know or have all the necessary information about something.
To pass away. To die.
To pull through. To overcome a temporary difficult situation, including a serious injury or illness.
To take a nose dive. To become worse very quickly. Notice that "nose-dive" is also a verb.
To go downhill. To become bad very quickly. To deteriorate.
To catch off-guard. To catch someone unprepared. To happen without expectation or by surprise.
To take something. To react to a situation emotionally. To respond to something.
To be hanging in there. To handle something as well as can be expected, especially a very difficult situation.
To be up to your neck in something. To have a lot of something to deal with, look after, or take care of.
To cost a pretty penny. To be expensive.
To be worth every dime. To be a reasonable match of value and cost.
To bend over backwards. To do more than is required or expected in order to help someone.
To take a toll on someone. To have negative consequences for someone.
To pay your respects. To visit the family of a deceased person in order to show you care and tell them you are sorry.
To catch a flight. To take a plane to somewhere, sometimes on short notice.
To take off from something. To not attend your normally scheduled activity, such as work.

20. Just Go with the Flow!

TO HAVE A SCREW LOOSE. To be crazy. To be thinking unreasonably.
To be one to do something. This expression is used to communicate someone's typical or characteristic behavior. Notice that this expression is most commonly used in the negative.
To throw in the towel. To quit. To stop doing something.
Keep your shirt on! Remain calm. Relax. Be patient.
A stick in the mud. A boring person. Someone who's uptight and spoils the fun.
To go with the flow. To take things as they come. To not worry or try to anticipate the future.
To be bound to happen. To be extremely likely to happen, to be certain.
A security blanket. Something that makes someone feel safe, even if it does not actually provide safety.
To give something a whirl. To give something a shot. To try something.
To be batting a thousand. To be on a roll. To be performing very well. Note that this can also be used sarcastically to imply that someone is doing poorly.
To take to. To find an interest in, to learn that you enjoy something.
Like a duck to water. To act as if you're in your natural environment. To be at ease doing something.
Poetry in motion. Someone or something that moves gracefully.
To get the show on the road. To begin something. To start doing something.
To make up your mind. To decide.
It's all downhill from here. Everything is easy after this moment.
To sleep like a log. To sleep so well that you hardly move.
To buy the farm. To die. This expression is usually used in a lighthearted or joking way.
To give something a jump start. To provide help,motivation, or incentive to start something.

Phrasal Verbs

In/out

Take somebody in - deceive somebody. Ex.: The man said he was a policeman and I believed him. I was completely taken in.
Eat out - eat at a restaurant, not at home. Ex.: There wasn't anything to eat at home, so we decided to eat out.

Resources

Writing in the Sciences https://www.coursera.org/learn/sciwrite
Easy American Idioms https://www.audible.com/pd/Easy-American-Idioms-Audiobook/B0036GTMH2

cheat-sheets / writing-cheat-sheet Goto Github PK