Word Family Worksheets

✔ GET/SHIFT/KICK INTO HIGH GEAR - start working faster, at a high/intense level of activity 

● I work for a toy store and every year at Christmas we shift into high gear.

✔ AT BREAKNECK SPEED/PACE - extremely fast 

● Things in this industry are changing at breakneck speed, so it’s important to stay up-to-date.

✔ AT FULL TILT - to do something very quickly

● We were working at full tilt to finish the project.

✔ IN NOTHING FLAT - to do quickly and without any delay

● There was no traffic, so I got to the office in nothing flat.

✔ LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS - to do something very quickly and with a lot of enthusiasm.

● He ate that pizza like nobody’s business.

✔ ON THE DOUBLE - to do something twice as fast as you usually do it.

● Jack! Come in here on the double. I have some news!

✔ AT THE DROP OF A HAT - to do quickly and immediately, without hesitation.

● I've got great friends. They're ready to help out at the drop of a hat.

✔ AT/IN ONE FELL SWOOP - if something is accomplished at (or in) one fell swoop, it is done in a single action, usually rapidly and ruthlessly. 

● The three houses were demolished at one fell swoop.

✔ BEAT TO THE DRAW - if you beat someone to the draw, you react more quickly and manage to do something before they do. 

● Ross was determined to be the first to arrive. He managed to beat the others to the draw.

✔ BEFORE THE INK IS DRY - if people reach an agreement, and then change their minds immediately afterwards, the change occurs before the ink is dry. 

● You can never tell when he's serious. He's capable of changing his mind before the ink is dry!

✔ BEFORE YOU KNOW IT/BEFORE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE - if something takes place so rapidly that you don't have time to become aware of it, it happens before you know it or before you know where you are. 

● The doorbell rang, and before we knew it a surprise birthday party was underway!

✔ GET A MOVE ON - if someone tells you to get a move on, they are asking you to hurry up. 

● You'd better get a move on or you'll miss the bus!

✔ IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE - if something happens in the blink of an eye, it happens so fast or instantaneously that you have hardly enough time to notice it. 

● The pickpocket disappeared in the blink of an eye.

✔ LIKE WILDFIRE - if something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast. 

● As soon as the nomination was announced, the news spread like wildfire.

✔ AS FAST AS LIGHTNING - Incredibly quickly or speedily. 

● Rachel ran away as fast as lightning when she saw a cockroach on the table.

✔ AS FAST AS (one's) LEGS CAN CARRY (one) - as fast as one can run away. 

● You need to get away from here as fast as your legs can carry you—it's too dangerous!

✔ MAKE IT SNAPPY - (informal) used to tell someone that you want them to do something immediately and to do it quickly.

● A crocodile sandwich please - and make it snappy.