The CAE, C1 exam is full of expressions. Here are just a few that are important, not just for the exam, but because we use them all the time!
- play for time – delay something until you are ready
- The actors aren’t ready yet. You’ll have to play for time with the audience for at least another 15 minutes.
- take your time – spend the time you need to complete something OR – slow down.
- Stop rushing! Take your time. We still have another hour before they arrive.
- have a great time – Used to tell someone to enjoy themselves OR to express that you enjoyed yourself. It can also be used with other adjectives: bad time, good time, an ok time.
- Have a great time at the wedding. I’m sure it will be fun!
- We had such a good time going through the old photos.
- do something to pass the time – To do something to keep busy while you are waiting.
- How about we play a game to pass the time while we wait for the food to be ready?
- make up for lost time – to enjoy something as much as possible now because you didn’t have the opportunity or didn’t want to do it before.
- Every time I go to the US, I make up for lost time with my best friends and we talk for hours about everything that has happened since we last saw each other.
- arrive in good time – finish a journey faster than expected.
- Although there was some construction on the road, they made it in good time to the party.
- be on time – to arrive somewhere at the exact time or earlier than the time that was arranged.
- I have to leave now if I want to be on time for the theatre.
- make time for something – to block off or organize some time to complete something or to be with someone.
- She had a really busy morning but she made some time for us to have a coffee.
- did something in no time – to do something in very little time or very quickly.
- The shipment will be ready to go in no time.
- The children finished their homework in no time and went to the patio to play.
- did something time after time – to do the same thing over and over again, repeatedly.
- I have to tell me children to pick up their wet towel off the floor time and time again.
- time flies – used to say that the time spent doing something has gone by very quickly.
- I can’t believe it’s already 7:30! It’s true that time flies when you’re having fun.
- ran out of time – To have no more time to finish something or to get somewhere.
- We are running out of time. The deadline for the tenner is this Friday.
