Vocabulary:

Idiomatic expressions
What is an idiomatic expression?

An idiomatic expression is a common word or phrase which means something different from its
literal meaning, but it can be understood because of its popular usage.

In English, for example, we say ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’, but it doesn’t mean that cats and
dogs are falling from the sky! It means that it is raining heavily.

Here are some of the most used idiomatic expressions in English are listed in the table
below.

Idiomatic expression Meaning Example

1-something is in the bag. you are certain to get or I am revising all my lesson. The
achieve it. baccalaureate exam is in the bag.

2-to be a dead loss.
3-to do something with flying
Colours.
4-don’t let something slip
Through your fingers.
5-to go cold turkey.
To be very bad at a particular
activity or subject.
Complete success.
Seize all opportunities.
To suffer because of
something.
I am really good at football; but
when it comes to basketball, I am
a dead loss.
Ahmed has an amazing voice; he
will pass the auditions with flying
colors.
You are leading 4 – 0. Be careful!
Do not let the match slip through
your fingers.
After 10 years of smoking, my
uncle finally gave up. But
sometimes he goes cold turkey.

Practice:
Student’s book page 38, exercise C