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John Millen

These are two very useful adjectives that can be used in a variety of ways. But when does long become short and short become long? Read on to find out.
Long adjectives
The meanings of these adjectives have been mixed-up. Match each adjective  with its correct meaning
1. long-awaited
2. long-drawn-out
3. long-haul
4. long-lasting
5. long-lost
6. long-suffering
7. long-term
8. long-winded
a) Taking much more time than is necessary
b) Describes a person or an object that has not been seen for a long time
c) Going on for a long period of time
d) Continuing for a long time into the future
e) Having been expected for a long time
f) Travelling a along distance
g) Describes something that goes on so long it becomes boring
h) Used to describe a person who is patient despite being annoyed for a long time
Useful long phrases
1. to cut a long story short - to not give all the details about something
To cut a long story short, I'm not going out with Zak any more.
2. a list as long as your arm - a very, very long list
Do you want to know all the jobs you've got to do this weekend? I've got a list as long as your arm.
3. to be long in the tooth - to be too old to do something
He's a bit long in the tooth to wear clothes like that.
4. to think long and hard - to think very carefully about something before making up your mind
I've thought long and hard and I'm not going to marry you.
5. to have come a long way - to have made a lot of progress
I've come a long way since Mr Ho became our maths teacher.
6. before very long - soon
I know he'll get into trouble before very long.
Short and sweet
What phrases involving the word short have the following meanings? There are more suggestions in the answer list than you will need.
1. a quicker way of doing something to save time or effort
2. getting angry very easily
3. not long in a way that gives pleasure
4. lasting for a very short time
5. to stop someone talking before they have finished what they want to say
6. to forget things easily
7. to finish something very quickly
a) to make short work of something
b) a short circuit
c) to have a short memory
d) short-lived
e) to cut somebody short
f) short-tempered
g) short and sweet
h) a short cut
i) in short
And to finish with
Complete these sentences with either long or short
1. Thank goodness that maths lesson this morning was _________________________ and sweet.
2. My sister's going out with her fifth boyfriend this year. All her relationships with boys are __________________-lived.
3. I don't bother reading my brother's emails from the UK, they are always so _________________-winded.
4. You've got a very _______________ memory. I lent you $500 last week and you said you would give it me back at the weekend.
5. You will do __________________-lasting damage to your skin if you don't use a high-protection cream when you are sunbathing.
6. I'm going to cut you___________________. You shouldn't talk about him behind his back like that.
7. Yesterday, the boss told me about my ____________________-awaited pay rise.
8. To cut a ________________ story _______________, I'm never going to speak to him again.
Answers
Long adjectives
1. e, 2. a, 3. f, 4. c, 5. b, 6. h, 7. d, 8. g
Short and sweet
1. h, 2. f, 3. g, 4. d, 5. e, 6. c, 7. a
And to finish with
Short, short, long, short, long, short, long, long, short



The long and short of it