"He's the spitting/living/very image of his mother". Is this a common expression...?
"He's the spitting/living/very image of his mother". Is this a common expression that two people look very alike?

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Hi,
You would say 'he is the spitting image of his mother' but not 'he is the very image of his mother' or 'he is the living image of his mother'.
'Spitting image' is a common phrase.

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Spitting Image was also a very popular British comedy show in the 1980s and 1990s:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitting_Image
Very common phrase!

Also  "he's the spit of..." (shorter, more slang version)

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Both "living image" and "very image" are also valid and I disagree with Rebecca that they aren't said. Spitting image is simply more common.

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Yes, definitely

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Yes it is. Most people would say, "he/she is the spitting image of their mother/father"