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C1 ADVANCED · GRAMMAR · PART 4

Fixed expressions

Come as a surprise, take by surprise, keep someone in the dark, at short notice, live up to and more.

Finn the puffin with glasses and a book, your grammar teacher
Finn says

Many C1 Part 4 answers are fixed expressions: you can't work them out with grammar – you just have to know them. Learn them in small groups with an example, and they'll stick!

Surprise, attention and knowledge

come as a surprise to someone
= surprise someone
The news came as a surprise to everyone.
take someone by surprise
= surprise someone
The storm took us by surprise.
pay (no) attention to / take (no) notice of
= (not) listen to, (not) notice
He paid no attention to my advice.
keep someone in the dark
= not tell someone
They kept us in the dark about the plans.
be (un)aware of / that
= (not) know
I wasn't aware that the shop had closed.

Expectations and chances

live up to (expectations)
= be as good as expected
The hotel didn't live up to our expectations.
exceed / fall short of expectations
= be better / worse than expected
The results exceeded all expectations.
the chances are (that)
= it is likely that
The chances are she'll be late.
be bound to
= be certain to
It's bound to rain.
be about to
= be going to very soon
I was about to leave when you called.

Time, amounts and other favourites

at short notice / in advance
= with little warning / before
Tickets must be booked in advance.
a sharp rise / drop in
= a sudden increase / fall
There's been a sharp drop in sales.
a shortage of / a lack of
= not enough
There is a shortage of teachers.
make no difference to
= not matter to
It makes no difference to me.
set your heart on
= want something very much
She has set her heart on studying abroad.

How it comes up in Part 4

In Part 4 you complete the second sentence with the key word, so that it means the same as the first one (3–6 words).

Nobody told us about the changes.
DARK
We were kept in the dark about the changes.

Keep someone in the dark = not tell them. Here it is passive: were kept.

The holiday wasn't as good as we had hoped.
LIVE
The holiday didn't live up to our expectations.

Live up to expectations = be as good as expected.

It's very likely that the train will be late.
BOUND
The train is bound to be late.

Be bound to = be certain to.

Common mistakes

  • ✗ The news came as surprise to me.✓ The news came as a surprise to me.Don't drop the article in a fixed expression.
  • ✗ He didn't pay attention at my advice.✓ He didn't pay attention to my advice.Learn the preposition with the expression.
  • ✗ The hotel didn't live up our expectations.✓ The hotel didn't live up to our expectations.Live up to – all three words.
Finn the puffin, smiling kindly
Finn's exam tip

Keep a notebook of expressions with their preposition and an example sentence. In the exam, if grammar alone doesn't explain the answer, the key word is probably part of a fixed expression.

Quick check

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use the key word and write 3–6 words.

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