Idioms

All languages have idiomatic expressions or idioms,

which are a vocabulary items.

When a person lets the cat out of the bag, there is not
cat, there in not bag, and there is no cat in the bag.
 Idioms

An IDIOM doesn’t make to much sense unless you heard

it before and you knew what it meant.

to walk on air

The word walk / air could be used in a different way

when they are used in the idiom walk on air.
 let the cat out of the bag

to reveal a secret or a
surprise by accident

 How did Mom find out we were planning a surprise party

for her? Who let the cat out of the bag?

 When Margarita decided she was going to quit her job, she
told her best friend not to let the cat out of the bag.
 Idioms Strategy (Holmes, 2014)
1. Make a note of the idiom.

2. Define and explain it in understandable words (including

synonyms.)

3. Give some sample sentences to illustrate how the expression is

used in context.

bark up the wrong tree kill two birds with one stone
 That’s an Idiom
1. No way
2. cost an arm an a leg
3. be bummed
4. miss the boat
5. kill two birds with one stone
6. give it a shot
7. be a bull in a china shop
8. be cold feet
9. change your mind
10.be in the same boat
 That’s an Idiom

11. rain cats and dogs

12. be a piece of cake
13. draw a blank
14. let the cat out of the bag
15. have a blast
16. be over the moon
17. hit the nail on the head
18. let’s play it by ear
19. crocodile tears
20. come out of the blue
 That’s an Idiom

21. can’t have your cake and eat it, too

22. barking up the wrong tree

23. by the skin of one’s teeth

24. break the ice

25. get bigger fish to fry

 Thas’t an Idiom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls5Ew9PJcO8&t=10s
https://edu.glogster.com/glog/learning-idioms/3uex3phalt2
1
1. a blessing in disguise

something that appears to be

bad at first and results in
something very good in the end

 Her dad’s illness was a blessing in disguise since it brought

the family together for the first time in years.

 Losing that job was a blessing in disguise for her.

2. apple of (one’s) eye

a person that is precious

or loved above all

 Richard is so attached to his daughter that he would do

anything for her. She’s definitely the apple of his eye.

 The boy misbehave in school, but you can’t convince his

parents about it because he’s the apple of their eye.
3. call it a day (a night)

to stop working, either at one's

job or on a particular task,
for the rest of the day

 Our boss was mad because Jimmy called it a day at noon and
went home.

 Mariana, you know, tomorrow is going to be busy, so let’s call

it a night.
4. can’t make head or tails of something

not to be able to
understand something

 I can’t hear you clearly because the telephone connection is

bad. I can’t make heads or tails of what you’re saying.

 First my niece turned the book one way, then the other. She
couldn’t make heads or tails of the picture she was looking at.
5. don’t count your chickens before they hatch

don’t make future plans based

on something that has not
happened yet

 When my mom heard that I was preparing my campaign

before even being nominated, she warned me, "Don't count
your chickens before they hatch.“

 The contract is not signed yet, so don't count your chickens

before they hatch.
6. (the) elephant in the room

an obvious problem, especially

one regarded as embarrassing or
undesirable, that people don’t
want to talk about

 We all sat sipping our tea quietly; no one wanting to bring up

the elephant in the room about John's expulsion from college.

 The fact that his 35-year-old brother was still living with his
parents was the elephant in the room at every family
gathering.
7. face the music

to accept/confront a difficult
or unpleasant situation

 Paul took his parents’ car without permission and put a big
dent in it. He knew they would find out, so he decided he’d
better face the music and tell the truth right away.

 If we do nothing to curb this pollution, I guarantee we will face

the music in the future.
8. (go) back to square one

to return to the
beginning

 The editor didn’t like the article I wrote for the newspaper. She
told me to redo it, so I guess I’ll have to go back to square one.

 The builders constructed a building that didn’t meet the city’s

requirements. Now they’ll have to tear it down and begin
building again. They’re back to square one.
9. have bigger fish to fry

to have something more

important or more
interesting to do

 I want Chris to help me with this project, but he claims he has

bigger fish to fry right now.

 I am so sorry but I can’t stay here much longer. I have bigger

fish to fry.
10. hit the nail on the head

to be exactly right
about something

 Oscar hit the nail on the head when he said that the company
lacked clear vision and focus.

 I think Liliana hit the nail on the head when she said that
people won't want to buy this product.
11. in hot water

in trouble

 I got in hot water with my parents because I failed my calculus

final exam.

 Monica borrowed her mother’s best silk blouse without

permission and spilled soda on it. She knew she’d be in hot
water when she got home.
12. let the cat out of the bag

to reveal a secret or a
surprise by accident

 How did Mom find out we were planning a surprise party

for her? Who let the cat out of the bag?

 When Rachel decided she was going to quit her job, she told
her best friend not to let the cat out of the bag.
13. make a mountain out of a molehill

to exaggerate a
minor difficulty

 You got 3.9 and you're acting like you're failing the class. You sure
are making a mountain out of a molehill.

 I know you feel hurt because Jean didn’t invite you to her
wedding, but it was a very small wedding, with just family
members and very close friends. You’re making a mountain out of
a molehill if you get upset about it.
14. neck of the woods

a neighborhood or nearby
area; the area around
where one lives

 I don’t recognize you and I know just about everyone in this

town. You must not be from this neck of the woods.

 Next time you find yourself in my neck of the woods, give me

a call and I'll show you around.
15. a needle in a haystack

something extremely
hard to find

 Trying to find my contact lens on the floor was like looking f

or a needle in a haystack.

 Looking the piece of paper I need in this huge pile of

documents is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
16. (let’s) play it by ear

to act spontaneously and

according to the situation

 Let’s get in the car and go for a drive. We don’t have to decide
before we start where we’re going; let’s just play it by ear.

 Ana: Are we meeting at noon on Saturday?

Camilo: Around then. I have to run some errands in the
morning, so let's play it by ear.
17. spill the beans

to tell people secret

information

 We had everything organized for Sofia's surprise party, but

Kate accidentally spilled the beans to her at work.

 Luis’ wife is afraid to spill the beans about the cost of her
purchases.
18. take a rain check

refuse an offer or invitation

but with the hope or promise that
it can be postponed or accepted
at a later date or time

 Thanks for asking me to have lunch with you today. Can I

take a rain check? I’m free for lunch almost any day next
week.

 I’d love to go to the cinema but we’re busy on Sunday. Can

we take a rain check?
19. take something with a grain of salt

to be skeptical or cautious
about believing a story
or an explanation

 Nick is just making things sound worse than they really are.
Take it with a grain (pinch) of salt.

 You can’t believe everything Mary says. She’s inclined to

exaggerate, so you have to take what she says with a grain
of salt.
20. walking on air
.

to be vey happy

 Lucy met Frank three weeks ago and fell madly in love with
him. She’s been walking on air ever since.

 If Sebastian gets accepted by Harvard Law School on a full

scholarship, he will be walking on air.