Compiled by Ms Dương Ngọc Hoàng Yến, MA in TESOL

SIMILES WITH ‘AS’ AN D ‘LIKE’ (THÀNH  like a bear with a sore head: rất giận dữ
NGỮ SO SÁNH VỚI ‘AS’, ‘LIK E’)
 like a red rag to a bull: chọc giận ai đó
 AS e.g: Telling him not to smoke in here is like a red rag
 as blind as a bat: mù như dơi to a bull.

 as quiet as a mouse: lặng lẽ như chuột  like a bull in a china shop: cư xử vụng về, thiếu
tinh tế
 as poor as a church mouse: nghèo rớt mồng tơi
 fight like cat and dog (over sth): tranh cãi ầm ĩ
 as silent as the grave: hoàn toàn im lặng về sth
 as black as night: đen thui  work like a dog: work very hard
 as brown as a berry: n}u như berry  like a lamb to the slaughter: → sb is going to do
 as bold as brass: gan dạ như đồng something dangerous, but they do not realize it or
have no choice
 as ugly as sin: rất xấu xí
 like sth the cat brought/dragged in: very
 as smooth as silk: mềm mịn như lụa messy/untidy/scruffy
 as mad as a hatter: điên  like a fish out of water: ko thoải mái, cảm thấy
 as easy as falling off a log: dễ ẹt lạc quẻ so với đ|m đông

 as sick as a dog: ói mửa rất nhiều  have eyes like a hawl: có đôi mắt diều hâu, ko bỏ
sót gì
 as sick as a parrot: very disappointed
 have a memory like a sieve: có trí nhớ kém
 as busy as a bee: very busy
 like a boss: (do sth) like an expert
 as free as a bird: very free
 have a face like thunder: look extremely angry
 as slippery as an eel: lươn lẹo, ko đ|ng tin
 avoid sth like the plague: tr|nh sth như tr|nh
 as sly/cunning as a fox: mưu mẹo, láu cá dịch
 as far as the eye could see: bao quát toàn cảnh  work/go like a dream: (kế hoạch) diễn ra suôn
 e.g: There were tents as far as the eye could see sẻ, không gặp trở ngại

 as bright as a button: sáng dạ, thông minh  Session 6 (Idioms for Exercise 6):

 as thick as two short planks: rất ngu ngốc  as strong as a horse/an ox: khỏe như ngựa/bò tót

 as dry as a bone: extremely dry/thirsty  as thin as a rake: gầy như gậy

e.g:I need to drink a lot of water. My mouth was as  (as) tough as old boots = (as) tough as nails:
dry as a bone physically or emotionally strong and able to deal
with difficult situations:
 as dry as dust: extremely boring
e.g: She’s almost 90 but she’s still as tough as old
e.g: His lecture was as dry as dust and everyone was boots.
bored.
 as white as a sheet: trắng bệch
 as quick as a flash: nhanh như chớp
 as white as snow: trắng như tuyết
 all over sb like a rash: tán tỉnh sb dữ dội
 as cool as a cucumber: bình tĩnh, ko hề nao núng
e.g: She goes around like a bull in a china shop
 as deaf as a post: điếc đặc
 mutton dressed as lamb: cưa sừng làm nghé
 as different as chalk and cheese = like chalk and
 “LIKE” cheese: completely different from one another
 like a bat out of hell: moving very fast e.g: Frank and I will never get along. We’re chalk and
 like greased lightning: nhanh như chớp cheese.

e.g: He’ll be here like greased lightning if he hears  (as) fit as a fiddle: in very good physical condition
there are free tickets.  like a lamb: quietly and without any argument
 run like the wind: chạy nhanh như gió  as good as gold: có đạo đức tốt
 drive like a maniac: chạy nhanh và ẩu như người  Session 7 (Idioms for Exercise 7):
điên
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 Compiled by Ms Dương Ngọc Hoàng Yến, MA in TESOL
as light as air/a feather: rất nhẹ, nhẹ tênh  spread like wildfire (of news, etc.) to become
≠ as heavy as lead: nặng như chì known by more and more people very quickly

 as old as the hills: very old, ancient  get on/along like a house on fire (of people) to
become friends quickly and have a very friendly
 as plain as the nose on one’s face: rõ như ban relationship
ngày
 like two peas in a pod: exactly
 as flat as a pancake: completely flat the same in appearance, behaviour…: giống như 2
→e.g: The country around here is as flat as a giọt nước
pancake.  go/run like clockwork: to happen according to
 with (brass) knobs on: similar to the original one, plan; to happen without difficulties or problems
but with extra things added in an extreme way (The operation went like clockwork.)

→e.g: Disney World was like  (as) regular as clockwork: very regularly;
an ordinary amusement park with knobs on. happening at the same time in the same way(He is
home by six every day, regular as clockwork.)
 as pleased as punch: very happy
Exercise 6:
→ e.g: He’s as pleased as punch about the baby.
1. Ask David to give you a hand moving the furniture.
 as keen as mustard: hết sức hăng hái, nhiệt tình He’s as strong as _______.
 as clear as day/crystal/a bell: easy to see, hear, A. an elephant B. a mountain
understand
C. a gorilla D. a horse
≠ as clear as mud: mù tịt, ko hiểu gì
2. You’re not getting enough to eat, Jane! Look at you!
 as fresh as a daisy: tươi như hoa You’re as thin as a _________.
 (as) hard as nails: showing no sympathy, A. stick B. rake C. finger D. wire.
kindness or fear: cứng rắn, tàn nhẫn 3. We can’t eat this meat – it’s as tough as ________!
 as hard as iron: cứng như sắt A. canvas B. old boots C. rubber D. stale bread
 (as) large as life: (humorous) used to show 4. You shouldn’t have frightened her like that, Poor
surprise at seeing sb/sth thing! She went as white as _______!
e.g: I hadn’t seen her for fifteen years and then there A. a sheet B. snow C. milk D.
she was, (as) large as life. whitewash
 as stubborn as a mule: cứng đầu, ương bướng 5. Nothing ever seems to bother Colin. No matter what
 Session 8 (Idioms for Exercise 8): happens, he always seems to remain as cool as______.
 as sober as a judge: tỉnh táo như quan tòa ≠ as A. cool feet B. ice- cream
drunk as a lord: say xỉn như ông hoàng C. a cucumber D. as Eskimo
 (as) solid/steady as a rock: 6. You’ll have to shout, I’m afraid. My father’s as deaf
(i) very strongly built, as ________.

(ii) extremely steady and calm; that you can rely A. a leaf B. a post C. a politician D. a
on stone

 as thick as thieves: (bạn bè) rất thân thiết, chia sẻ 7. It’s hard to believe Brian and Stephen are brothers,
mọi bí mật isn’t it? They’re as different as _______.

 as red as a beetroot: đỏ như củ dền A. Mars from Jupiter B. milk from honey

 sleep like a log: ngủ như khúc gỗ C. chalk from cheese D. margarine from butter.
8. Ever since I’ve given up smoking I feel as fit as
 hang/hold on for/like grim death/ dear life:to
_______!
hold somebody/something very tightly because
you are afraid A. a fighter B. a fiddle C. a frog D. an athlete
 eat like a horse: ăn khỏe như ngựa 9. Our dog looks very ferocious, but don’t worry, Liz.
It’s gengtle like ________.
 drink like a fish: uống rất nhiều rượu bia
A. a pony B. snowflakes
 smoke like a chimney: hút thuốc như ống khói
C. a lamp D. washing liquid.
 fit like a glove: vừa khít
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 Compiled by Ms Dương Ngọc Hoàng Yến, MA in TESOL
10. “I hope the children didn’t play you up, Doris?” 10. It’s no use arguing with him, he won’t listen. He’s
“No, not at all, Mrs Gardener. They’ve been as good as as stubborn as ______.
___”.
A. a mule B. a spoilt child
A. religion B. gold C. God D. brass
C. a strawberry D. a trade union
Exercise 7:
 Exercise 8:
1. “The suitcase isn’t too heavy, is it?” “No, it’s as light
1. “You’re drunk!” “No, I’m not. I’m as sober as _______”.
as _______”.
A. a priest B. Sunday C. a judge D. a Muslin
A. dust B. lighting C. a feather D. a fish
2. Am I nervous? Of course not. Look at my hand- it’s
2. “By the way, have you heard the one about the
as steady as ______.
Welshman, the Irishman and the pig?” Yes, we have.
That joke’s as old as______”. A. a bridge B. a rock C. steel bars D. a
stepladder.
A. Solomon B. the hills C. a dinosaur D.
Jupiter 3. As students, David, Kevin and William were as thick
as ____.
3. Of course he loves you! It’s as plain as ________.
A. thieves B. boy scouts C. a team D. thistles
A a pancake B. the knob on your
door 4. Whenever I feel embarrassed I always go as red as
_______.
C. the nose on your face D. a bell
A. a rose B. lipstick C. a raspberry D. a
4. Kate was as pleased as ______ when she heard had
beetroot
passed the exam.
5. She was so tired last night that she slept like
A. Punch B. a poppy
____until 10 o’clock this morning.
C. a sunflower D. pound notes
A. a squirrel B. death C. a log D. a zombie
5. I hope the computer course starts this term. We’re
6. We’d better get some extra food in if your brother is
all as keen as _______ to get going.
coming to stay with us. He eats like ______!
A. coffee B. mustard C. a gigolo D.
A. a lion B. a starving man
cornflakes
C. an eagle D. a horse
6. He was natural singer with a voice that was as clear
as _______. 7. Normally she smoked 15-20 cigarettes a day, but
whenever she was worried or nervous she smoked
A. a waterfall B. a lake C. a bell D. a
like_____.
mirror
A. a chimney B. a forest fire
7. After a good night’s sleep he woke up feeling as
fresh as ______and eager to start work again. C. a steam engine D. a salmon
A. fruit B. a daisy C. a kitten D. a maiden 8. “Is the dress too big?” “No, not at all. It fits
like________”.
8. He might look kind and sympathetic, but deep down
he’s as hard as ____ A. a mould B. a glove C. glue D. a pillowcase
A. nails B. a mountain C. a gangster D. 9. News of the new pay agreement spread like
an iceberg _______throughout the factory.
9. Pauline can’t have immigrated to New Zealand A. wildlife B. butter C. the plaque D. a
because I saw her last night at Peter’s party, as ___as flood
life. 10. From the moment they first met they got on like
A. true B. real C. good ________.
D. large A. two peas in a a pod B. fish and chips
C. a house on fire D. clockwork

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 Ms. Dương Ngọc Hoàng Yến (M.A. in TESOL)
 More exercises with “as/like” 1:

 More exercises with “as/like” 2:

 More exercises with “as/like” 3:

 More exercises with “as/like” 4: Replace the underlined part of each sentence with one simile:

 More exercises with “as/like” 5: Agree with what A says. Complete each response with a simile:

 More exercises with “as/like” 6

ERROR IDENTIFICATION

A. VOCABULARY
I. WORD FORMATION
1. When her dog died(A), she cried(B) very hardly(C) for half an hour(D).
2. Modern transportation can speed a doctor to(A) the side of a sick person(B), even if(C) the patient lives
on an isolating(D) farm.
3. Many successful(A) film directions(B) are former(C) actors who desire to expand(D) their experience
in the film industry.
4. Unlike many writings(A) of her time(B), she was not preoccupied(C) with morality(D).
5. It is time(A) the government helped(B) the unemployment(C) to find some(D) jobs.
6. Even(A) on the most careful(B) prepared trip(C), problems will sometimes(D) develop.
7. Some birds, such as quails, can move instant(A) from a resting(B) position to(C) full flight(D).
8. The state of New Mexico is not(A) densely population(B), with an(C) average of only(D) four people per
square kilometer.
9. Although a doctor may be able to diagnose(A) a problem perfect(B), he still may not be able to(C) find a
drug to which(D) the patient will respond.
10. Doctors(A) agree(B) that the fluid(C) around the spinal cord helps the nourish(D) the brain.
II. QUANTIFIER/SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Articles: a/an, the
Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
Possessives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their, x’s (possessive ’s)

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