Unit 6: Metaphor

Metaphors allow speakers and writers to describe one idea through another. English often uses body parts, movement, and weight to create metaphorical collocations. Instead of saying someone accepted reality, English speakers may say they finally faced the facts. These collocations sound natural and expressive at advanced levels of English.

Body metaphors are extremely common. We may shoulder the blame, head a team, or keep someone on their toes. Weight metaphors often describe seriousness: a weighty problem is serious, while light reading is entertaining and easy. Movement metaphors describe emotional or social situations. Someone may run into difficulties, jump to the conclusion, or walk straight into a job.

Image placeholder: Illustration showing a person literally carrying blame on their shoulders while another person faces a wall labelled “facts”.

Advanced learners should notice that metaphorical collocations often cannot be translated word-for-word into other languages. Some metaphors are fixed expressions, and changing one word may sound unnatural. For example, English says slim chance, not “thin chance” in most contexts. Similarly, fat chance is ironic because it actually means almost no chance at all.

\n\n\n\n\n\n

Metaphor Type	Examples	Meaning
Body	head a team, foot the bill	lead / pay
Weight	heavy burden, light heart	seriousness / happiness
Movement	hit the rocks, jump to conclusions	failure / deciding too quickly

Exercise 1 – Match the Metaphor

foot the bill
head a team
have an eye for
slim chance
run into difficulties
light reading
jump to the conclusion
hit the rocks

Match them with: a) easy entertainment b) fail c) notice details d) pay e) experience problems f) little possibility g) decide too quickly h) lead

Exercise 2 – Complete the Sentences

The manager agreed to ______ the blame for the mistake.
There is only a ______ chance of snow in July.
Maria has an ______ for design.
The negotiations hit the ______ after two weeks.
Good health often goes hand in ______ with exercise.
He walked straight into a ______ after graduation.
The article was only light ______.
They ran into serious ______ during the project.

Image placeholder: Cartoon of someone happily reading a magazine labelled “light reading” beside another person carrying a huge “weighty tome”.

Exercise 3 – Rewrite Using Metaphors

The company paid for dinner.
She accepted reality.
He became extremely angry.
The relationship ended badly.
I quickly got a new job.
The issue is very serious.
She notices details well.
He made a conclusion too quickly.

Exercise 4 – Multiple Choice

A “weighty matter” is: a) funny b) serious c) tiny
If someone is hopping mad, they are: a) athletic b) calm c) furious
To keep someone on their toes means: a) relax them b) make them alert c) confuse them
Light reading is usually: a) difficult b) academic c) entertaining
Footing the bill means: a) avoiding payment b) paying c) counting money
Running into trouble suggests problems appear: a) unexpectedly b) slowly c) never
A heavy burden may be: a) responsibility b) happiness c) celebration
A slim chance means: a) certainty b) no possibility c) small possibility

Exercise 5 – Error Correction

She had a skinny chance of success.
He jumped into the conclusion.
The boss footed the blame.
They hit the stones after arguing.
I have a nose for detail.
He walked directly into difficulties.
The article was a weighty reading.
She shouldered the bill.

Exercise 6 – Discussion Prompts

Describe a time you had to face the facts.
Who usually shoulders the blame in group projects?
What kinds of books do you consider light reading?
Have you ever jumped to the wrong conclusion?
What heavy responsibilities do students face today?
Why do some relationships hit the rocks?
What keeps you on your toes at work or school?
Do qualifications always go hand in hand with success?

Metaphor Practice Page 2

Metaphorical collocations often appear in journalism, fiction, and everyday speech. Advanced learners should practise recognizing both literal and figurative meanings. For example, a “heavy book” may literally weigh a lot, but a “weighty tome” only refers to difficult content.

Image placeholder: Newspaper headlines using metaphorical collocations such as “Company Foots the Bill” and “Minister Faces the Facts”.

Exercise 1 – Choose the Best Collocation

She has a good eye / shoulder / foot for colour.
The company agreed to foot / jump / hit the bill.
He was hopping / walking / heading mad.
The negotiations hit the rocks / toes / facts.
There is a slim / skinny / weak chance.
Students often run into / walk into / jump into trouble.
The article is excellent light / heavy / weighty reading.
He had to shoulder / foot / face the blame.

Exercise 2 – Literal or Metaphorical?

The suitcase was a heavy burden.
Caring for three children is a heavy burden.
The professor wrote a heavy book.
The lawyer discussed weighty matters.
The athlete ran into a wall.
The company ran into difficulties.
She left with a light heart.
The lamp cast light on the painting.

Exercise 3 – Sentence Transformation

The manager leads the research group. → The manager ______.
The business paid for the event. → The business ______.
The marriage ended badly. → The marriage ______.
He became very angry. → He became ______.
I accepted the unpleasant truth. → I ______.
The student quickly found employment. → The student ______.
She notices quality naturally. → She ______ quality.
The team experienced problems. → The team ______.

Image placeholder: A rocky coastline with a small boat labelled “relationship” crashing into rocks.

Exercise 4 – Fill in the Missing Word

weighty ______
light ______
______ the facts
______ a team
______ mad
go hand in ______
foot the ______
run into ______

Exercise 5 – Short Writing Tasks

Write a sentence using “light heart”.
Write a sentence using “weighty problems”.
Write a sentence using “keep someone on their toes”.
Write a sentence using “walk straight into a job”.
Write a sentence using “fat chance”.
Write a sentence using “jump to the conclusion”.
Write a sentence using “heavy responsibility”.
Write a sentence using “go hand in hand with”.

Exercise 6 – Identify the Meaning

Which metaphor means “pay”?
Which metaphor means “lead”?
Which metaphor means “be alert”?
Which metaphor means “accept reality”?
Which metaphor means “very little possibility”?
Which metaphor means “relationship failed”?
Which metaphor means “be excellent at noticing”?
Which metaphor means “experience unexpected problems”?

Metaphor Practice Page 3

Native speakers often combine metaphorical collocations with intensifying adverbs. For example, someone may be absolutely hopping mad or deeply burdened by responsibility. Learning these combinations helps learners sound more fluent and natural in both speech and writing.

Image placeholder: Student carrying oversized books labelled “weighty tome” while another relaxes with “light reading”.

Exercise 1 – Complete the Dialogue

A: Who paid for dinner? B: The company ______.
A: Why is she stressed? B: She has a heavy ______.
A: Did he get the job easily? B: Yes, he walked straight into a ______.
A: Why are you upset? B: I had to face the ______.
A: What happened to their marriage? B: It hit the ______.
A: Is there hope? B: Only a slim ______.
A: Why is the coach strict? B: He keeps players on their ______.
A: Why is he angry? B: He’s hopping ______.

Exercise 2 – Synonym Matching

weighty matters
light reading
shoulder the blame
jump to the conclusion
run into trouble
head a team
have an eye for
fat chance

Match with: a) notice well b) impossible c) easy entertainment d) lead e) decide too quickly f) serious issues g) accept responsibility h) experience problems

Image placeholder: Busy office team leader standing at the front while workers stay “on their toes”.

Exercise 3 – Odd One Out

slim chance / fat chance / skinny possibility
head a team / lead a group / foot a team
light reading / easy magazine / weighty tome
hopping mad / extremely angry / quietly relaxed
run into trouble / encounter difficulties / walk into problems
weighty matters / serious issues / cheerful jokes
have an eye for / notice detail / smell detail
hit the rocks / fail badly / become successful

Exercise 4 – Create Headlines

Use “foot the bill”.
Use “hopping mad”.
Use “slim chance”.
Use “weighty matters”.
Use “walked straight into a job”.
Use “run into trouble”.
Use “jumped to the conclusion”.
Use “keep workers on their toes”.

Exercise 5 – Advanced Collocation Practice

Choose the best intensifier for “ashamed”: absolutely / thoroughly / slightly
Choose the best collocation: highly interested / highly unlikely / highly enjoy
Choose the best adverb: wildly accurate / wildly inaccurate / wildly correct
Choose the best collocation: absolutely delighted / absolutely happy
Choose the best phrase: deeply offensive / deeply tiny
Choose the best phrase: faintly ridiculous / faintly huge
Choose the best phrase: thoroughly enjoy / thoroughly separate
Choose the best phrase: strongly influence / strongly appreciate

Exercise 6 – Reflection Questions

Why are metaphors important in advanced English?
Which metaphor from this unit is easiest to remember?
Which expression would be useful in business English?
How do metaphors make news headlines more interesting?
What kinds of books are “weighty tomes”?
When might someone leave with a light heart?
Why do people sometimes jump to conclusions?
What responsibilities can become heavy burdens?

English Collocations in Use Advanced Luyện tập: Register

English Collocations in Use Advanced