Reading 5 Name ________________ _____ Score 1st Q

Module 6
Using Idioms
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English idioms is an important part of everyday English. It come up all the time in both written and spoken English.
Because idioms don't always make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each
idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the
idioms in your own language.
Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it's a good idea to
master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in American English. You
can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you'll encounter regularly watching American
movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you've mastered those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page
are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English-
speaking countries.
These idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in English. You will hear them in movies and TV
shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

Idiom Meaning Usage Make a long story Tell something as part of a

short briefly sentence
A blessing in a good thing that as part of a
disguise seemed bad at first sentence as part of a
Miss the boat It's too late
sentence
as part of a
A dime a dozen Something common You have to work for
sentence No pain, no gain by itself
what you want
Avoid saying what
Beat around the you mean, usually as part of a
bush because it is sentence
uncomfortable
Idiom Meaning Usage
Better to arrive late
Better late than To joke with as part of a
than not to come at by itself Pull someone's leg
never someone sentence
all

Pull yourself
To get something Calm down by itself
as part of a together
Bite the bullet over with because it
sentence
is inevitable
Things are going well
So far so good by itself
so far
Break a leg Good luck by itself

The person we were

Stop working on as part of a
Call it a day Speak of the devil just talking about by itself
something sentence
showed up!
Cut somebody as part of a
Don't be so critical That's the last My patience has run
some slack sentence by itself
straw out
Doing something
as part of a The best of both as part of a
Cutting corners poorly in order to An ideal situation
sentence worlds sentence
save time or money

You don't notice how

Easy does it Slow down by itself Time flies when
long something lasts by itself
you're having fun
when it's fun
as part of a
Get out of hand Get out of control
sentence
To get bent out of as part of a
To get upset
shape sentence
Get your act
Work better or leave by itself
together
To make matters Make a problem as part of a
worse worse sentence
as part of a
Hit the sack Go to sleep
sentence
as part of a
Under the weather Sick
sentence
It's not rocket
It's not complicated by itself
science
You can say that
That's true, I agree by itself
again
To not hold someone
Let someone off the as part of a
responsible for
hook sentence Your guess is as
something I have no idea by itself
good as mine
 That's the last My patience has run as part of a
by itself Under the weather Sick
straw out sentence

The best of both as part of a You can say that

An ideal situation That's true, I agree by itself
worlds sentence again

To get bent out of as part of a Your guess is as

To get upset I have no idea by itself
shape sentence good as mine

To make matters Make a problem as part of a

worse worse sentence

Reading 5 page 2 1st Q

CHALLENGE YOURSELF!
FT1 Underline the idiom in each sentence below and give the meaning of the idiom.
1. Sharon had butterflies in her stomach before the championship game. Meaning: feel nervous
2. My dad blew his stack when he saw my poor grades on my report card. Meaning: to be angry
3. Jennifer was a bundle of nerves before getting her driving test results. Meaning: worried
4. Last night, it was raining cats and dogs. Meaning: raining heavily
5. My parents rolled out the red carpet for our visiting relatives. Meaning: to prepare
6. When I tried to get into the good school, the process involved a lot of red tape. Meaning: involves money to make the
process
7. The athlete is as fit as a fiddle. Meaning: being healthy
8. I am having a field day with my final exam. Meaning: to get stress/tired
9. The dog days of summer are starting to wear on me. Meaning: to talk about hot plans for summer
10. He was being a good Samaritan because he helped me out. Meaning: a good and generous person.
11. The pitch was close but no cigar. Meaning: to be unsuccessful
12. Now the player has a chip on his shoulder. Meaning: having unpleasant attitude
13. Once in every blue moon do you fail to succeed. Meaning: rarely
14. I caught you with your pants down during the scrimmage. Meaning: to find out something embarrassing.
15. We need to get back to the basics. Meaning: to make it simpler
FT2 Write the meaning of each idiom below and then write a sentence.
1. Break a leg -_____good luck______ Sentence
2. Raining like cats and dogs- __raining heavily____ Sentence
3. A back seat driver -___someone who give unwanted advice____ Sentence
4. Be in the dumps-__to feel very sad___ Sentence
5. A bull in a China shop-___someone who always make mistakes Sentence
6. In the doghouse -_to be trouble__ Sentence
7. As fit as a fiddle - healthy Sentence
8. Cry over spilled milk - _to cry something that are not worthy__ Sentence
9. A pain in the neck - __source of annoyance__ Sentence
10. Speak of the devil - _____ The person we were just talking about showed up!_______________ Sentence
FT3
1. save time time – cutting corner
2. to be jealous and violently at the same time – fight like cats and dogs
3. my patience run out - That's the last straw
4. you have to work for what you want – no pain, no gain
FT4 Read each sentence and correct idiom to use in the question. Then, explain what each idiom means.
1. Can your order at a restaurant be (messed up /messed down)? Meaning: ____to be wrong
2. Can a car (come out of the blue / out of the red)? Meaning: ___suddenly appear
3. If you’re in trouble are you in the (dog house/ cat’s house)? Meaning: _____to be in trouble
4. Can your coach put their (foot down /foot upside down)? Meaning: ___to stop something from happening
5. Can you be (skating on thin ice /swimming on thin ice)? Meaning: to do something dangerous
6. Can a sports team (throw in the donut / throw in the towel)? Meaning: to give up
7. The football player felt (out of place/ wrapped up) at the ballet. Meaning: to feel not belong
8. My little brother likes to (make believe/ never mind) that he’s a superhero. Meaning: ____to pretend
9. The sergeant was (tired out of/in charge of) the squadron. Meaning: to be responsible
10. We need to be at the appointment at five (on the dot/ make it up). Meaning: to be on time
11. It’s (wait a minute/ up to you) how much success you will achieve in life. Meaning: all by yourself
12. After being picked on by the bully for weeks, the little boy finally decided that it was time to (rub it in/ put his foot
down). Meaning: to tell them it’s bad
13. She couldn’t (pass up/ back out of) the extra piece of chocolate cake. Meaning: __give up/ignore/can’t deny
14. The serious injury caused all the basketball player’s future dreams to go (like a needle in a haystack/ down the
drain). Meaning: to go wasted
15. My sister has (a different tune/ a soft spot) for small puppies. Meaning: love for something
16. It should (go without saying/ do the trick) that practice makes perfect. Meaning: _to believe
17. We had to brainstorm for hours before our plans for the science fair could even (get off the ground/ go through
 the motions). Meaning: _____to operate
FT5 Choose seven idioms from the table of idioms in the notes. Then use them in the sentence.
1.
2.
3.
END!