1. I think you should try and be as optimistic as you can.
I think you should try and look on the bright side of things. (=optimistic=lạc quan)
2. Local residents said they were against the new traffic scheme.
Local residents expressed (showed/voiced) their disapproval of the new traffic scheme.
3. Fish for breakfast doesn’t appeal to everyone.
Fish for breakfast isn’t to everyone’s taste. (thị hiếu)
4. We agreed that each of us would do the washing up on alternative.
We agreed to take turns to do the washing up. (lần lượt)
5. Jack and Rose never agree on how to bring up their children.
Jack and Rose never see eye to eye on how to bring up their children. (đồng quan điểm)
6. Most stores will accept a credit card instead of cash.
Most stores will accept a credit card as an alternative to cash.
7. You can avoid tooth decay by brushing your teeth regularly.
Brushing your teeth regularly can prevent tooth decay.
8. Some of Peter’s expressions make me think of my brother.
Some of Peter’s expressions remind me of my brother.
9. When do you think this bridge was built?
How old do you think this bridge is?
10. That old typewriter is not worth repairing.
It is pointless to have that old typewriter repaired. (ko mục đích, vu vơ)
11. They share a lot of hobbies and interests.
They have a lot of hobbies and interests in common. (with sb/sth: có chung đ2, lợi ích)
12. This train should have left 30 minutes ago.
This train was meant to be off 30 minutes ago. (vốn có ý định)
13. Alcohol is bad for your health, and so are cigarettes.
Neither alcohol nor cigarettes is good for your health.
14. Nobody helped me at all.
Nobody lifted a finger to help me. (mó tay vào)
15. You’re far more practical than I am. (= very)
Nowhere else am I as practical as you are.
16. The result of the match was never in doubt. (ko chắc chắn)
At no time was the result of the match in doubt. (=never)
17. The firm is going to raise everybody’s salary.
Everybody is going to be given a raise. (tăng lương)
18. We were just going to bed when the earthquake happened.
We were on the point of going to bed when the earthquake happened. (doing sth: vừa vặn, sắp làm cái gì)
19. The stories he tells about his war experiences are unbelievable.
The stories he tells about his war experiences are beyond belief. (vô lí, phi lí)
20. It’s a month now since she fell down the stairs but you can still see the bruises.
It’s a month now since she fell down the stairs but the bruises still show.
21. Things are always going wrong in a job like this.
Things are always going wrong in a job of this sort. (kiểu)
22. Tony bought Stella a necklace as a compensation for not having a holiday.
Tony bought Stella a necklace to make up for not having a holiday. (=compensation=thay thế, đền bù)
23. There is no need to telephone me when you arrive.
Don’t bother to telephone me when you arrive. (ko phiền)
24. The garden is too small for us to build a swimming pool.
There is no room in the garden for a swimming pool to be built. (chỗ)
25. That hotel is a bit too expensive for us, I’m afraid.
That hotel is a bit beyond our reach, I’m afraid. (beyond one’s reach: quá tầm với của ai)
26. I don’t personally care if they came or not.
It doesn’t matter to me whether they came or not.
27. After 2 hours the bridegroom had still not arrived.
After 2 hours, there was still no sign of the bridegroom. (dấu hiệu)
28. We didn’t go to the island that stormy weekend in case we couldn’t get back.
We didn’t go to the island that stormy weekend for fear that we couldn’t get back. (sợ rằng, e rằng)
29. Rosalind found the heat and humidity quite intolerable. (ko thể chịu nổi, quá quắt)
Rosalind couldn’t bear the heat and humidity. (chịu đựng)
30. Go and ask Winfred. I’m sure she’ll know the answer.
Go and ask Winfred, she is bound to know the answer. (be bound to: chắc chắn)
31. Who gave you my name and address?
Who put you in touch with me? (in touch with sb: liên lạc với ai)
32. All of a sudden, Alice thought of a solution to the problem.
A solution to the problem occurred to Alice. (chợt nảy ra)
33. It’s very interesting to talk to him.
He is an interesting to talk to you.
34. Your hair is much too long, dear.
Your hair needs cutting.
35. There is no ice-cream left.
We have run out of ice-cream.
36. I usually walk to work but today I drove.
Today I drove to work instead of going on foot.
37. Would you like to go for a coffee in 10 minutes or so?
How about going for a coffee in 10 minutes or so?
38. I would like to express my thanks for everything you have done or me.
I’d like to say how thankful I am for everything you have done for me.
39. Don’t you regret not learning to swim?
Don’t you wish you had learnt to swim?
40. I think this word comes from ancient Greece.
I think this word is derived from ancient Greece. (có nguồn gốc)
41. I like to spend a lot of time in the open air.
I like to spend a lot of time out of doors.
42. I don’t think you mean what you say about helping me.
I don’t think you are in earnest about helping me. (sốt sắng)
43. Paul went to see the bank manager about getting a loan.
Paul went to see the bank manager with a view to getting a loan. (doing sth: với ý định, hi vọng làm cái gì)
44. This miserable weather isn’t funny any more!
This miserable weather is beyond a joke. (get/be beyond a joke: trở nên nghiêm túc)
45. It’s uncertain whether the band’s tour will take place.
The band’s tour is in the balance. (be in the balance: ko chắc chắn)
46. I wish I knew what to do about the problem.
I wish I had the solution to this problem.
47. You can walk to the station easily from the hotel.
The station is within easy walking distance of the hotel.
48. Karen received a medal for her services.
Karen received a medal in recognition of her services. (one’s services: huân chương để công nhận sự phục vụ của ai)
49. You have to pay your son’s debts as he is under age.
You are liable for your son’s debts as he is under age. (sth: có bổn phận, trách nhiệm (theo pháp luật)
50. I don’t think there will be any applicants for this post. (đơn cho chức vụ)
There is little (no) likelihood that there will be any applicants for this post.
51. It was difficult for Susan to believe the good news.
Susan (could) hardly believed the good news. (khó lòng)
52. You must make allowances for his inexperience. (chiếu cố)
You must take account of his inexperience. (sth/take sth into account: chiếu cố)
53. This contract is not binding until we both sign it.
We are not bound by this contract until we both sign it. (=bind=ràng buộc)
Neither of us is bound until we both sign it.
54. He wasn’t to blame for the . (sth: chịu trách nhiệm)
The wasn’t his fault/was no fault of his.
55. You shouldn’t take his help for granted. (take sth/sb for granted: cho điều gì là đúng, hiển nhiên)You shouldn’t assume that he will help you. (cho rằng)
Don’t assume that he will help you.
56. Mr.Watson managed to repair the garage roof only because his neighbour help him.
Without his neighbour’s help, Mr.Watson would not (never) have repaired the garage roof.
57. Nobody is infallible.
Everybody makes mistakes.
We all make mistakes.
58. The last Olympic Games were held in Seoul.
The last Olympic Games took place in Seoul. (tổ chức)
59. He talked about nothing except the weather.
His sole subject/topic of conversation was the weather.
60. I’m very familiar with this neighborhood. (sth/sb: biết rõ về cái gì/ai)
I know this neighborhood like the back of my hand. (know sth/s.o like the back of one’s hand: biết cặn kẽ về ai đó) 
61. She did very well on her final exams.
She passed her final exam with flying colours. (thành công rực rỡ) 
62. The food at that new restaurant isn’t as good as the food at Mario’s.
The food at that new restaurant is a far cry from the food at Mario’s. (sth/doing sth: một kinh nghiệm rất khác từ cái gì/làm cái gì) 
63. David can’t go to Alice’s party and neither can I.
David and I are in the same boat. (cùng cảnh ngộ, cùng hội cùng thuyền)
64. I’m not in agreement with him on this proposal.
I don’t see eye to eye with him on this proposal.
65. Alfred is in trouble with his boss.
Alfred is in hot water with his boss. (be in hot water/get into hot water: lâm vào k2, bị ghét bỏ) 
66. His name doesn’t sound familiar to me at all.
His name doesn’t ring a bell with me at all. (nghe quen quen)
67. You’d better leave if you want to get home by midnight.
You’d better hit the road if you want to get home by midnight. (lên đường)
68. Will the concert start soon?
Will the concert get/be under way soon? (tiến hành, bắt đầu)
69. Don’t try to do sth more than you can manage.
Don’t bite off sth more than you can chew. (cố làm việc gì quá sức mình)
70. Very little money was raised by the charity appeal. (lời kêu gọi từ thiện)
The response to the charity appeal was very poor.
71. His irresponsibility attitude is endangering his career as a doctor.
His irresponsible attitude is putting his career as a doctor in jeopardy. (nguy cơ)
72. That wasn’t what I meant at all. You’ve completely misunderstood me as usual.
That wasn’t what I meant at all, you’ve got (whole of) the wrong and of the stick as usual. (hiểu nhầm hoàn toàn điều người khác nói) 
73. I don’t like him because he boast a lot. (khoác lác)
I don’t like him because he has a big mouth. (nói nhiều, nhất là hay lộ bí mật)
74. He liked the new job straight away.
He took the new job like a duck to water. (như cá gặp nước)
75. The desk was too crowded for him to put his book down.
There was no room on the desk for his book.