‘We are turning over a new leaf and if we put our shoulder to the wheel and keep our eye on the ball, we will enjoy success and never come back to the mundane life we used to have.’
What is an idiom? It is a fixed word combination whose meaning is not transparent. It creates a picture through which an idea is communicated to you. Can you find 3 idioms in the first sentence of this news item?
Why study idioms? There are at least three valid reasons:
a. to sound more interesting E.g. Which sentence sounds better: It is easy. or It is a piece of cake?
b. to give importance to what you are saying, to make it more expressive Compare: His new film failed. or His new film sank like a stone.
c. to break the ice or bring a smile to another person’s face: The film was so boring – like watching paint dry
Can you add more reasons to the list?
Test yourself on the commonest English idioms. Choose the right answer:
1. If you don't have any plan, you are going to play it by ...
a. eye b. ear c. nose d. mouth
2. When you make a mistake and look stupid, you lose ....
a. heart b. head c. face d. soul
3. When you are in a situation that you cannot control, you are out of your ....
a. width b. depth c. length d. breadth
4. If you are unable to take advantage of something because you come too late, you miss ...
a. the ship b. the train c. the plane d. the boat
5. A complicated situation which is not easy to resolve is a can of
a. worms b. bugs c. beetles d. flies
6. If you want to watch others without getting noticed, you want to be ....
a. a butterfly in the air b. a fly on the wall c. a hare in the bushes
7. Something that is very expensive but useless is
a. a black panda b. a grey wolf c. a white elephant d. a calico cat
What is an idiom? It is a fixed word combination whose meaning is not transparent. It creates a picture through which an idea is communicated to you. Can you find 3 idioms in the first sentence of this news item?
Why study idioms? There are at least three valid reasons:
a. to sound more interesting E.g. Which sentence sounds better: It is easy. or It is a piece of cake?
b. to give importance to what you are saying, to make it more expressive Compare: His new film failed. or His new film sank like a stone.
c. to break the ice or bring a smile to another person’s face: The film was so boring – like watching paint dry
Can you add more reasons to the list?
Test yourself on the commonest English idioms. Choose the right answer:
1. If you don't have any plan, you are going to play it by ...
a. eye b. ear c. nose d. mouth
2. When you make a mistake and look stupid, you lose ....
a. heart b. head c. face d. soul
3. When you are in a situation that you cannot control, you are out of your ....
a. width b. depth c. length d. breadth
4. If you are unable to take advantage of something because you come too late, you miss ...
a. the ship b. the train c. the plane d. the boat
5. A complicated situation which is not easy to resolve is a can of
a. worms b. bugs c. beetles d. flies
6. If you want to watch others without getting noticed, you want to be ....
a. a butterfly in the air b. a fly on the wall c. a hare in the bushes
7. Something that is very expensive but useless is
a. a black panda b. a grey wolf c. a white elephant d. a calico cat
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