Phrases, patterns and collocations |
| answer |
answer to sb, give sb an answer, answer charges/criticisms, answer a need, answer sb's prayers, answer the description of, (have a lot to) answer for, in answer to |
| argument |
have / get into an argument (with sb), win/lose an argument, argument about/over, argument for/against, without (an) argument |
| ask |
ask yourself sth, ask sb a favour, ask a lot / too much (of sb), ask sb over/round, ask sb in, for the asking, asking for trouble/it/etc, if you ask me |
| book |
read sb like a book, (do sth) by the book, book about/on, a closed book, an open book, in my book, in sb's good/bad books |
| discussion |
(have a) discussion about/on, (have a) discussion with, discussion of, in discussion with, under discussion, heated discussion, discussion group |
| letter |
(get/receive) a letter from, send/write sb a letter, letter of, follow/obey sth to the letter, the letter of the law, letter bomb, letterbox |
| notice |
bring sth to sb's notice, come to sb's notice (that), escape sb's notice, take notice (of), at short / a moment's / a few hours' notice, until further notice |
| paper |
piece/sheet of paper, (present/write/etc) a paper on, (put sth) on paper, paper over (the cracks), not worth the paper it's written/printed on, paper round, paper qualifications, paperwork |
| pen |
put pen to paper, the pen is mightier than the sword, pen-pusher, pen friend/pal |
| print |
print on, print in, in print, out of print |
| read |
read sb's mind, read sb like a book, read between the lines, read sb's lips, take sth as read, a good/ depressing/etc read |
| record |
keep/maintain/compile a record (of), set/put the record straight, on record, on the record, off the record |
| say |
have your say, (have) the final say, go without saying (that), say the word, can't say fairer than that, say your piece, a horrible/stupid/strange/etc thing to say |
| speak |
speak well/highly/badly/ill of, speak for yourself, speak your mind, speak out of turn, not sth to speak of, so to speak |
| speaking |
broadly/generally speaking, on speaking terms, speaking of, speaking as |
| talk |
talk sb into / out of (doing), talk your way into / out of (doing), talk sense into, talk the same language as, have a talk (with), be all/just talk, the talk of, talk is cheap |
| tell |
tell the truth / a lie, tell yourself (that), tell the difference (between), tell the time, tell it like it is, there's no telling, you're telling me, that would be telling |
| understanding |
come to / reach an understanding, have an understanding (with sb), an understanding of, on the understanding (that) |
| word |
put in a (good) word for sb, (have) a word with sb (about), spread the word, put words in sb's mouth, give/ say the word, from the word go, word of mouth, in other words |
| write |
write for a magazine/etc, have sth / be written all over your face, nothing to write home about, writer's block |
