Learning English

As dead as a...donkey? doornail? doughnut?! 

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To do

Can you remember the phrases and expressions with dead we've been looking at? Try this final quiz to find out how well you have learnt them...

Over to you!

We asked you to imagine that Will and Thomas are in their favourite pub, the Duck and Whistle. They're talking about the broken door in the theatre. Here's the start of their conversation:

   Will
   Have you fixed that door yet Thomas? 

   Thomas
   Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

   Will
   ...  ... ...

And then we asked you to continue their conversation, using the phrases from these pages. Here are some of your dialogues...

Jessica 

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas? 

Thomas
Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

Will
Did you hit the nails on the heads?

Thomas
Right, I didn’t know you can hit the nails on the feet.

Will
Oh, who is that gorgeous, over there?

Thomas
Where? Him! He is not gorgeous, he is drop-dead gorgeous, David, he is the Gorgeous itself.

Will
David who? The one who lives next door to the village blacksmith?

Thomas
Yeah, right, that is him, Beckham.

Will
Do you know him well, Tom? Can you get him to be our Romeo in the play?

Thomas
Not a problem at all. I am going to have a chat with him. Wait for the good news.

Will
Yes! Go Tom, go nail it!

5 minutes later

Thomas
All done, everything is set. I even hammered the deal home by getting him to sign this.

Will
Wonderful news indeed! Good job. Anybody else wants to get this year’s Shakespeare Award will have to climb over my dead body!

Thomas
One question Will, is Romeo Italian?

Will
Yes, why?

Thomas
David normally wouldn’t be seen dead in those tight leggings…

Will
Right, David wouldn’t but Romeo has to. What do we do now?

Thomas
How about some top fashion Victorian’s Secret designer clothing? I tried some on myself the other day. I looked like a dead ringer for Julius Caesar. Quite sure those clothes will work.

Will
Okay, let’s see if Vicky is willing to help.

Thomas
No, no, no, don’t phone her yet. She had a late night yesterday, and is still dead to the world. I will see to it tomorrow.

Will
OK, fine. Hello, barman, over here, two super-sized lager please.

___________________

Rashad, Egypt

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas?

Thomas
Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

Will
Oh yea yea, I remember now,you did,yet I had been inspired with the perfect line for your character,do you still remember it? 

Thomas
Hmmm, the perfect line, what perfect line is that ?

Will
you must being dead to the world, wake up

Thomas
yea yea , I think this one is " I pray god I may never eat grass more", isn't it?

Will
Damn,stop drinking any more Thomas,It's " as dead as ..........?

Thomas
A mmm donkey, no no , mmm dormouse ,no no either , yea yea I get it,it's a doornail, isn't it

Will
yea it's "as dead as a doornail"  and you will play The rebel leader. and it's gonna be another classic shakespeare line, so you have to hit the nail on the head

Thomas
head!!!!! no you mean the door not the head, you must stop drinking either

Will
you know, thomas, you will take the main role over my dead body

___________________ 

Mohamad

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas?

Thomas
I told you that I had to hit the nails hard

Will
Why didn't you do to nail it?

Thomas
I tried to hammer something home.

Will
Do you want to say that you hit the nail on the head?

Thomas
Yes I do.

Will
Thomas look at this picture there, what an attractive woman.

Thomas
Yes, you are right. She is drop-dead gorgeous.

Will
Is she a dead ringer for Marilyn Monroe?

Thomas
Yes she is a very similar to Marilyn Monroe.

Will
Do you want to kiss her?

Thomas
Over my dead body, I love my wife.

Will
Do you like come here more?

Thomas
I tried to hammer something home.

___________________ 

Ira Lucava, Ukraine

-  Have you fixed that door yet, Thomas?

-  Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard.

-  I really hope, when we get back, we’ll find nobody being as dead as a doornail and lying under the door…

-  Oh, Will! Your imaginary scares me sometimes. Though you’ve hit the right nail on the head. I must fix the door properly, otherwise you’ll write a new tragedy.

-  Aha!  Listen to me, Thomas:

He was a splendid actor.

A drop-dead gorgeous man.

A ringer for Adonis.

But weird doors were fatal!

His hour had struck…

-  Nuts!

-  Don’t you think it’s dead easy?

-  No, I don’t. I wouldn’t be seen dead rhyming.

-  Why? Just try it, dear friend.

-  Over my dead body! I’ve got to repeat your lines. That seems enough to me.

-  Really? So:

Let’s tackle beer. Yummy!

We’ll nail it. Yes, for sure!

Be careful, friend Thomas.

And hammer warnings home.

The beer might just leave you

Dead to the world! Oh, Thomas!

-  Will! Your pub poetry is driving me dead! 

___________________

Welton, Brazil

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas?

Thomas
Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

Will
I know, I know Thomas! Hit the nails hard will bother me in my work on Henry VI and I need finish it as fast as I can. That loudly noisy is so annoying I cant not to nail it properly.

Thomas
Maybe I should wait you finish your work first. But, as you know, the next presentation is coming up. We need the scenery ready to the preliminary assays.

Will
I will tell you why you are my best actor. Because now you hit the nail on the head. We can not waste any time with silly mistakes. Everything should be properly perfect on the opening night.

Thomas
I am seeing in your face how concerned you are, but do not worry, nothing goes unnoticed in front of my eyes. Everything gonna be alright. Over my dead body something could be wrong!

Will
I really trust you Thomas! Thank you for your help. You are a lovely person and I am glad you are working with me. I do not know what I can do without you. But unfortunately something let me quite nervous.

Thomas
Tell me exactly what are bothering you? You need to hammer something home. This way perhaps I know what to do!

Will
I have not finished the work yet. Unless I finish the work, I will be nervous. I wouldn't be seen dead without finish my work on time! That would have made me very ashamed indeed.

Thomas
Oh dear William! This is it? I know and mostly you know that this is dead easy for you. You work really very well and everybody appreciated your latest history play. I believe you will take part on the literary history. I am proud with you as well as England. The people love you. This love make you feel well and inspire you in order to write better and better.

Will
Alright! You are absolutely a lovely person. Thank you so much indeed! So, just for relax, would you like a cup of wine? The last few weeks we are working hard and we deserve it sometimes, and after that, a good night of sleep. If we do not  rest enough we will feel as dead as a doornail.

Thomas
I know what are you talking about. One day, after I had made three presentations on the theatre I was so tired I had fallen asleep so deep, and when you tried awaken me up, I could not do that. Do you remember? So you told me I was dead to the world. Sometimes you are so funny Will.

Will
Hey Thomas look that girl over there, she is beautiful, isn't it?

Thomas
Yes, she is. She is drop-dead gorgeous.

Will
For sure!

Thomas
What do you think about invite her for a test as an actress to the next play you are writing?

Will
I don't think so. We need actress with good skills in presentation.

Thomas
You are alright. It is just a suggestion.

Will
I have to go home now. Tomorrow I intend to finish my work.

Thomas
I will see you tomorrow.

Will
Have a lovely night.

 ___________________

Bernard 

Will: have you fixed that door yet Thomas?

Thomas: will,i told you that i had to hit the nails hard!

Will: Oh yeah,you told me but did you hit the nail on the head ?

Thomas: yes i did!

Will: I hope you will nail it by this time tomorrow.

Thomas: I wouldn't be seen dead fixing doors tomorrow.

Will: what will you be doing tomorrow in the morning.

Thomas: on the morning at that time i will be dead to the world.

Will: your absence won't hammer something home  yet?

Thomas: Over my dead body i will find another job!

Will:  you must have be outing with your girlfriend tomorrow Thomas.

Thomas: Maybe

Will: you have got a drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend.

Thomas: don't be green eyes monster!

Will: The other her twin mate sister has engaged me yesterday which is a dead ringer for your girlfriend.

Thomas: I don't believe you yet,Wil?

 ___________________

Juan Carlos, Colombia

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas? 

Thomas
Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

Will
oh yes, I forgot it, but I think that the task was dead easy 

Thomas
You think that,  do you?

Will
sorry but,  if I was you, I would have fixed the door with a drill and screws

Thomas
I thought that, but the drill was as  dead as a doornail

Will
I can't believe it. you aren't  able to fix nothing.

Thomas
What did you said?. I am an actor, I'm not a Carpenter

Will
Exactly. You have hit the nail on the head.  you are  a good actor,but you are not good carpenter.

Thomas
Will, the next time  you will fix  the door.

Will
Over my dead body! my friend.

___________________

Iurii Kushnarov

Will
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas? 

Thomas
Will, I told you that I had to hit the nails hard!

Will 
You are hit the nail on the head.

Thomas
Will, I did not understand last part of your new play "Hamlet". Can you hammer something home?

Will
Well,Thomas. Wait one minute I want to drink my ale, after that I will nail it.

Thomas
Will, look who is dead to the world at the bar? It is our frend Robert Harley. 

Will
Thomas, he looked like a dead ringer for farther Hamlet in scene when Claudius poured poison into the ear of henbane sleeping brother.

Thomas
We can to joked over him? We may write lover note and toss barmaid Bess from Robert. We write that Bess drop-dead gorgeous person.

Will
No, I wouldn’t be seen dead. Over my dead body!

___________________

Catherine, Belarus

Will:        
Have you fixed that door yet Thomas? 

Thomas:  
I told you I had to hit the nails hard. I wanted to do it yesterday but something happened…

Will:        
Over my dead body! What could intercept you mending the door?

Thomas:  
Oh, my dear Will! I’ve met a lady yesterday evening. She’s so beautiful, so drop-dead gorgeous! I had crush on her at first sight. But the first time in my life I’m afraid. She’ll never  look at me. Trying to draw her attention to my humble person is a wild goose chase. Her father is an extremely high-powered man. And she’s a dead ringer for Angelina Jolie. I found myself stuttered trying to make a conversation with Mary. This is her name. And now I wish I hadn’t talked to her and hadn’t eaten my words. Mary is the apple of her father’s eye and we’ll be together when pigs fly. Using this line of reasoning I draw dull conclusions. Been fairly depressed I went home and then I was dead to the word for some time.

Will:      
Oh, Thomas! Please, don’t dramatize the situation! It’s my job in the end! Now tell me what was the reaction of this lady to your attempt of making acquaintance?

Thomas:  
She smiled and was friendly…And I’ve managed to get the number of her cell phone…

Will:          
That’s great! The number of her cell-phone! You’re a lucky guy. You nailed the acquaintance!

Thomas:  
But maybe Mary gave me it only because she’s a kind-hearted person and didn’t want to offend me?

Will:          
Even extremely kind-hearted ladies don’t give their cell-phone numbers to unwished strangers. Thomas, believe me, you have a real chance! Don’t use your previous line of thinking. I hope you wouldn’t be seen dead so depressed. Did you hammered that home?

Thomas:    
Oh, Will! Really, how could I be so stupid!? You hit the nail on the head! Thank you so much!

Will:            
Dear Thomas, you’re welcome! And I hope you’ll hammer the nails thus our door will be fixed.

___________________

Ia Tabagari, Georgia

Will
Have  you  fixed  that  door  yet  Thomas?    

Thomas
Will, I  told  you  that  I  had  to  hit  the nails  hard!

Will 
It’s   important  to hit  the  nail  on  the  head, you  know.

Thomas
To  hammer  something  home  as  well….

Will
Well, I am always  ready to nail  it - I mean my  play  I’m  working  on .Just  my enemies  gave  me such  good  ideas !   ... ...As  they  say  all  my  plays  are dead  ringers  for  one  another  because  of  the fact  that  I  don’t  have  a  diploma. Based  on  this  weakness  they  are  going  to  send  me  packing…

Thomas
Pigs  might  fly …

Will 
I  worked  hard  yesterday so  it’s  going  to  be  drop-dead  gourgeous. And  now  I feel  like I ‘m dead  to the world .I’m sure  my  success will  be  the  best  revenge. A  pound of  flesh ? No , I  wouldn’t   be  seen  dead.  But  spotless  reputation  is  valuable   and  they  will  never  managed  to give  me a  bad  name ,to lose  my  face. Over  my  dead  body ! So  all  the  rumours  will  be  as  dead  as  a  doornail !

 ___________________

End of session

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