English Vocabulary in Use: Advanced Book with Answers and Enhanced eBook Vocabulary Reference and Practice 3rd Edition

Put an appropriate adjective or noun in the gap. There will usually be more than one 
possible answer. Then underline the vague expressions in each sentence.
1 It’s a bit 
that she hasn’t rung. I hope she’s not ill.
2 The computer keeps crashing; it’s a bit of a 
.
3 It was a bit 
; I couldn’t remember his name. I’ll apologise next time I see him.
4 If you don’t want a big meal, you could have a 
or something.
5 Make yourself at home. There are some magazines there, or you can just 
or 
whatever.
6 It’s a sort of craft shop; they sell 
and things like that.
7 When you go on business trips, do you have time to go 
and that?
8 There were six of us working, so we’d more or less 
by 5 pm.
Over to 
you
Which expressions from the opposite page could you use to talk about:
•
the amount of rent you pay for your accommodation or the amount you spend on food each 
week?
•
how long it takes you to get from home to your workplace or place of study?
•
any favourite items you like to add to your food, e.g. salt, cream, milk, ketchup?
83.1
83.2
83.3
83.4
83.5

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English Vocabulary in Use Advanced
The way you say it
84
Verbs denoting volume: from quiet to loud
Mumble and mutter are both usually negative: Stop mumbling! I can’t hear what you’re saying. 
He was 
muttering something under his breath – probably complaining, as usual.
Murmur can be more positive: They murmured their approval when he told them the plan.
The phrase 
without a murmur means without any protest, complaint or comment:
They accepted it all