IDIOMS EXERCISES

1. What is an idiom? Provide an example.

2. Match the idioms with the correct definition.

 living a dangerous and/or unusual everyday life
 there is practically no limit
 think in an original or creative way.
 to get very angry
 to not talk about something
 a person or thing that someone loves very much
 a person or thing with no protection against an attack
 think of the future
 used as an observation that time seems to pass very quickly.
 excitement about an unimportant matter
 an obvious truth that is deliberately ignored by everyone in a situation
 a person who takes little or no exercise and watches a lot of television.

Now, choose five idioms and provide one example per each idiom.

3. Read the headlines below and then insert the idioms from the box above.

LOSES FACE A DOG’S LIFE

DRIVES SOMEONE UP THE WALL PARTY ANIMAL

NEW ZOO DIRECTOR IS A

CAT OWNERS LEAD
__________________________ ________________________
Likes celebrating and socialising Unsatisfying, hard and with little pleasure

FORUMLA 1 STAR
________HIS BOSS__________ MASK MANUFACTURER
_____________________
Makes someone angry
Is humiliated or suffers decrease in respect
IDIOMS EXERCISES

4. Read the dialogues and try to guess the meaning of the highlighted idioms.
Meaning:
Sam: Gee, learning to rollerblade isn’t easy. I keep falling down!
Sarah: I know, it’s so hard! I feel like a fish out of water.

Meaning:
Sam: I really want to buy that cool hat. But I’m completely broke.
Sarah: Would you like to borrow some money?
Sam: That’d be great. I promise, I’ll pay you back later.

Meaning:
Sarah: Hey, Sam! Remember, you need to let us know by tomorrow if you’re going to go on the
class trip with us.
Sam: That’s right. I’m still up in the air. I need to figure out my work schedule first and see if
they’ll let me have a few days off work.
Sarah: I see. Well, let us know. I hope you can come!

Meaning:
Sarah: I ran into Sallie yesterday and we had a nice conversation at the coffee shop, catching up
with each other.
Sam: Oh, really? Last time I saw her, she gave me the cold shoulder. I couldn’t figure out what
I had done to make her angry.
Sarah: Well, it probably doesn’t help that you are dating her best friend.

Meaning:
Sam: Sarah, why are you so happy today?
Sarah: Well, I made a perfect score on my English test. I also won first prize in an English
writing contest and received a $100 prize. So yes, I’m a happy camper today.
Sam: Wow, congratulations!

Meaning:
Sarah: Sam, are you okay? What happened?!
Sam: I fell down the stairs and now my leg really hurts.
Sarah: Sit tight! I’ll go call 9-1-1.
IDIOMS EXERCISES

Meaning:
Sarah: Sam, what are you writing?
Sam: I’m writing a letter to my new girlfriend.
Sarah: Ooh, really? You just wrote to her yesterday. You must be head over heels!
Sam: I really am. I want to marry her.

Meaning:
Sam: Have you started the English class project yet?
Sarah: No, not yet. I need to ask the teacher a few more questions first.
Sam: You better get the ball rolling! The project is due next week!
Sarah: Don’t worry about me. I’ll get it done.

Now think about four more idioms. Write their meaning and a small dialogue. Then, you will be
taking turns to read aloud your dialogues and the class will try to guess the idioms and their
meaning.