MOST COMMON IDIOMS

B2 FIRST – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

Idioms related to clothes

• Comfortable as an old shoe

• Have something up your sleeve
• Pull your socks up
• A stuffed shirt
• Take my hat off to you

Idioms related to computer

• Spread like wildfire

• Be a doctor phenomenon
• To be a silver surfer
• Boot up your computer
• Be a cog in the wheel

Idioms related to travelling

• Get itchy feet

• Sail through
• Be in the same boat
• A mile a minute
• Hit the road
Idioms related to animals

• Look a gift horse in the mouth

• A wolf in sheep’s’ clothing
• Feel like a fish out of the water
• Have a whole of a time
• Take the bull by the horns

Idioms related to feelings and mood

• Keep your chin up

• Be on cloud nine
• Be under the weather
• Jump out of my skin
• Be in two minds about

Idioms related to performing arts

• It takes two to tango

• Break a leg
• The show isn’t over until the fat lady sings
• A backup singer
• Being in the spotlight

Idioms related to sports

• Set the ball rolling

• The ball is in your court
• Come out of the left field
• To play the game
• Move the goalpost
Idioms related to work

• Give a blank check

• Business is business
• Work your fingers to the bone
• Roll up your sleeves
• To learn by the ropes

Idioms related to workplace

• Break your back

• Back to the salt mines
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained
• Do the donkey work
• Talk shop

Idioms related to advertising and money

• Sell like hotcakes

• Have the Midas touch
• Break the bank
• Be in the red
• Be back on your feet

Idioms related to space

• A space cadet
• Once in a blue moon
• The sky is the limit
• It’s not rocket science
• Be in another planet
Idioms related to technology

• Reinvent the wheel

• Get your wires crossed
• Be on the same wire length
• Find my feet
• Be light years ahead

Idioms related to people and personality

• A pain in the neck

• To be a layabout
• Be quick-tempered
• Be a know-it-all
• Be as good as gold

Idioms related to education

• Pass with flying colors

• Be the teacher’s pet
• Hit the books
• As easy as ABC
• Go back to the basics

Idioms related to the word plants

• Be around the bush

• Everything is coming up roses
• Barking up the wrong three
• Be as fresh as a daisy
• Shaking like a leaf
Idioms related to the word food

• The apple of someone’s eyes

• Bring home the bacon
• Spill the beans
• As cool as a cucumber
• It’s no use crying over spill milk

Idioms related to hobbies

• Be a (history) buff
• Be an avid sports fan
• A social butterfly
• A party animal
• To be a homebody person

Idioms related to the word book

• Be an open book
• Do everything by the book
• Have your nose in the book
• Judge a book by its cover
• Be a someone’s good book

Idioms related to body

• Have it on the tip of my tongue

• To have my heart in my mouth
• To give someone a piece of my mind
• Turn a hair
• To pull my leg