sheet, blanket, pillow, mattress, wardrobe, alarm, curtains

Expressions with sheet

• change the sheets
• clean / dirty sheets

Expressions with blanket

• an extra blanket
• a warm blanket

Expressions with pillow

• prop (yourself) up with a pillow
• cry into your pillow

Expressions with mattress

• sleep on a firm mattress
• It’s a very hard / soft mattress.

Expressions with wardrobe

• open / close the wardrobe
• hang (your shirts) in the wardrobe
• a fitted wardrobe

Expressions with alarm

• set the alarm (for 7 o’clock)
• the alarm goes off / rings
• hear the alarm

Expressions with curtains

• open / close the curtains
• draw the curtains

1. Verb and adjective collocations

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the above verbs or adjectives:

1. I …… the wardrobe, chose a shirt, then tried to decide what tie to wear with it.
2. It was colder than usual, so I put an …… blanket on my bed.
3. My mother always …… the sheets on our beds on a Sunday because Monday is her washing day.
4. I …… the alarm for seven, but it didn’t…That’s why I was late for work.
5. Jack and Sue want to stay over on Saturday night. Could you put some …… sheets on the bed in the spare room?
6. The first thing I do when I get out of bed in the morning is to …the curtains, and see what the weather’s like.
7. All the bedrooms in our new flat have …… wardrobes, so there’s plenty of storage space for our clothes.

2. Preposition focus

Complete the sentences with the correct preposition:

1. Can you hang these trousers …… the wardrobe please?
2. I prefer to sleep …… a firm mattress. If it’s too soft, I find it gives me a sore back.
3. I propped myself up …… a couple of pillows, so that I could read comfortably in bed.
4. When I went into her room, Farah was crying …… her pillow. She was obviously still upset about splitting up from her boyfriend.

Note

1. Note these expressions:

   • I was so tired last night. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow!
   • When my parents turn the lights out, I read my book under the blankets with a torch.

2. Note that we usually refer to an alarm clock as ‘an alarm’.

   • Don’t forget to set the alarm.We have to be up early tomorrow.

3. Draw the curtains can mean either open or close them.