COMMON Idioms
Idioms are phrases or expressions that have a figurative meaning different from their literal meaning. Understanding idioms can enhance your ability to communicate effectively in English
Learning Goals
Understand Idioms: Learn what idioms are and how they can be used to express ideas differently in English.
Expand Vocabulary: Increase your range of expressions by incorporating idioms into your vocabulary.
Improve Communication: Use idioms to make your speech and writing more engaging and natural.
Content
Idioms are commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and media. They can make your language sound more native-like and interesting.
Practical Examples
Break the ice: To initiate conversation in a social setting.
- “She told a joke to break the ice at the party.”
Hit the nail on the head: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
- “You hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the problem.”
Piece of cake: Something very easy to do.
- “The test was a piece of cake.”
Once in a blue moon: Something that happens very rarely.
- “I see him once in a blue moon.”
Cost an arm and a leg: Something very expensive.
- “The new car cost an arm and a leg.”
Bite the bullet: To force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult.
- “I decided to bite the bullet and start exercising.”
Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret.
- “She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.”
Under the weather: Feeling ill.
- “I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.”
Spill the beans: To give away a secret.
- “Who spilled the beans about the surprise?”
Hit the books: To study hard.
- “I need to hit the books and prepare for the exam.”
The ball is in your court: It is up to you to make the next decision or take action.
- “I’ve done all I can; now the ball is in your court.”
Burn the midnight oil: To work late into the night.
- “She has been burning the midnight oil to finish her project.”
Caught between a rock and a hard place: Facing a difficult decision with no easy options.
- “I was caught between a rock and a hard place when deciding whether to move or stay.”
Kick the bucket: To die.
- “Unfortunately, the old dog kicked the bucket last night.”
Pull someone’s leg: To joke with someone.
- “Don’t worry, I’m just pulling your leg.”
Throw in the towel: To give up.
- “After several unsuccessful attempts, he decided to throw in the towel.”
A blessing in disguise: Something that seems bad at first but results in something good.
- “Losing that job was a blessing in disguise.”
Cut corners: To do something in the easiest, cheapest, or fastest way.
- “They cut corners to finish the project on time.”
Through thick and thin: In good times and bad times.
- “She has supported me through thick and thin.”
Actions speak louder than words: What you do is more important than what you say.
- “He promised to help, but actions speak louder than words.”
Additional Resources
Learning activities
EGB
Idiom Matching Game
Objective: Reinforce understanding of idioms through a fun and interactive game.
Instructions:
- Preparation: Cards with idioms on one set and their meanings on another set.
- Group Work: You will work in small groups to match the idioms with their correct meanings.
- Class Review: We will discuss each idiom and its meaning with the entire class. Each group explains their matches and provides an example sentence.
Idiom Charades
Objective: Use body language and creativity to convey common idioms, helping you and your classmates understand their meanings in a fun, engaging way.
Instructions:
- Preparation: Write down common English idioms on slips of paper and place them in a box.
- Task: In teams, take turns picking an idiom from the box. Without speaking, act out the idiom while your teammates try to guess what it is. Once guessed, discuss the meaning of the idiom and use it in a sentence.
- Class Activity: After all idioms have been acted out and discussed, each team will choose one idiom to explain and use in a creative sentence in front of the class.
- Gamification Element: Points are awarded for each correct guess and sentence. The team with the most points wins a reward, such as a class privilege or additional “Krugs.”
Example Idioms:
- Idiom: “Piece of cake”
- Meaning: Something very easy to do.
- Sentence: “The math test was a piece of cake for me.”
BGU
Idiom Story Creation
Objective: Apply idioms in context by creating short stories.
Instructions:
- Individual Work: Each student will pick 5 idioms from the list and write a short story incorporating all of them.
- Pair Work: Pair up with a classmate and share your stories.
- Class Sharing: Select a few stories to be read aloud in class, and discuss how idioms were used in context.
Idioms in Movies – Scene Analysis
Objective: Recognize and understand the use of common idioms in a popular movie or TV series.
Instructions:
- Preparation: Watch a selected clip from a popular TV series or movie that contains several common English idioms. A good example could be from the TV series Friends or The Simpsons as they often use idioms in their dialogues.
- Task: Pay close attention to the scenes and identify the idioms used by the characters. Write down the idioms and their meanings based on the context of the scene.
- Class Activity: After watching the clip, discuss in pairs what each idiom means and how it was used in the scene. You will then share your findings with the class.
- Gamification Element: Each correctly identified idiom and its meaning earns you points. The pair with the most points at the end of the discussion wins a reward, such as extra “Krugs” (K-learning reward points).
Example:
- Clip: Friends – The episode where Ross says, “We’re on a break!”
- Idioms to Identify: “Break the ice,” “Hit the nail on the head,” “Bite the bullet.”
Idioms Match-Up Challenge
Objective: Match common English idioms with their meanings and practice using them in sentences.
Instructions:
- Preparation: You will receive a set of cards with idioms written on them and another set with the meanings. These cards will be shuffled and placed face-down on the table.
- Task: In small groups, take turns flipping over two cards at a time to find matching pairs of idioms and their meanings. Once you find a match, explain the idiom to your group and use it in a sentence to earn points.
- Class Activity: After all pairs have been found, the group will present one idiom and its usage to the class.
- Gamification Element: Each correct match and explanation earns your group points. The group with the most points wins a reward, such as a bonus in the next class or additional “Krugs.”
Example Idioms:
- Idiom: “Let the cat out of the bag”
- Meaning: To reveal a secret.
- Sentence: “I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.”
