bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

John Millen

'Bathe twice a day to be really clean, once a day to avoid being a public menace' Anthony Burgess (1917-1993) - English author
Cleaning up
What do these verb phrases mean?
1 to clean out something 
a. to give something a new coat of paint
b. to remove everything from a room or container and clean the inside
2 to be as clean as a new pin
a. to be extremely clean 
b. to wash the dishes after a meal
3 to clean up after somebody
a. to give someone good advice
b. to get rid of a mess that someone else has made
4 to be clean-shaven
a. to have very pale skin
b. not to have a beard or moustache
5 to come clean
a. to admit the truth about something 
b. to waste someone's time
6 to spring clean
a. to take a long shower
b. to clean your home thoroughly, including parts you don't often clean 
A clean job
Complete these sentences using the correct words from the brackets.
1 My room looks (as clean as a new pin / clean-shaven) now I've thrown all my rubbish away and painted the walls.
2 I think you should (come clean / clean out) and tell the police what you know.
3 This weekend I'm going to (spring clean / come clean) the apartment from top to bottom. 
4 I'm fed up with (cleaning up / coming clean) after my boyfriend all the time.
5 I found these old photos when I was (cleaning up / cleaning out) the cupboards in my bedroom.
6 I'm going to (clean out / clean up) my backpack and see if my keys are in there.
As clean as a whistle
What are the meanings of these phrasal verbs?
1 to wipe the slate clean
a. to get well after a serious illness
b. to forget the bad things in the past and give someone another chance 
2 to be as clean as a whistle
a. to be dirty round the edges
b. to be perfectly clean
3 to make a clean breast of something
a. to start off on a long journey
b. to tell the complete truth about something you have done 
4 to keep your nose clean
a. to have a serious cold
b. to avoid getting into trouble
5 to clean up your act
a. to look for a new job
b. to begin behaving better and stop being irresponsible 
Keep your nose clean
Complete these sentences with the correct words
1 You are going to have to _______________ if you want to be promoted.
a. be as clean as a new pin
b. clean up your act
2 He's just come out of prison and he's trying his best to _______________
a. keep his nose clean 
b. spring clean his flat
3 Peter finally _______________ and admitted he'd stolen the money. 
a. made a clean breast of it
b. wiped the slate clean
4 I'll _______________ and give him another chance.
a. clean up
b. wipe the slate clean
5 Here's my advice. _______________ and stay out of trouble.
a. Keep your nose clean
b. Clean up after yourself 
And finally ...
What do you mean when you say 'A new broom sweeps clean'?
a. Someone new in a position of authority always makes changes to the way things are done.
b. You can expect someone new to make lots of mistakes.
Answers:
Cleaning up: 1. b, 2. a, 3. b, 4. b, 5. a, 6. b
A clean job: 1. as clean as a new pin, 2. come clean, 3. spring clean, 5. cleaning out, 6. clean out
As clean as a whistle: 1. b, 2. b, 3. b, 4. b, 5. b 
Keep your nose clean: 1. b, 2. a, 3. a, 4. b, 5. a
And finally: a



A new broom sweeps clean