IDIOMS

You can
do it
too!

DEFINITION
An idiom is a group of words whose
meaning must be known as a whole
because it cannot be learned from the
meaning of the same words used
separately.
There is a problem when you cannot look
up individual words in a dictionary and
find the meaning. Thats what you usually
do with unfamiliar words. With idioms,
you must learn the whole group of words.

WHY LEARN IDIOMS FOR

RECOGNITION?
It is really valuable to recognize idioms
when you hear them or read them.
Knowledge of idioms is essential for
understanding spoken English. People
use them all the time instead of more
formal ways of expressing themselves.
You will hear them often in movies, on
TV, in songs, and through peoples
everyday language use.

WHY USE THEM

YOURSELF?
Idioms add life and vitality to language.
Without idioms, language can be correct,
but it may be very dull.
When you are able to use idioms
comfortably in your own speech and
writing, then you have achieved a higher
level of mastery and fluency in the
language.

THIS PRESENTATION
Here is a sample of 30 commonly-used
idioms in 10 groups.
The dialogues show what kind of
situation an idiom may be used in.
After each dialogue, an equivalent of
each missing idiom is provided to help
you.
Theres a short test handout at the
end (with answers).

Youd better leave early

for the airport before
___________ starts.

(period of heavy

from the word

go
I love Canada and want
for good
to stay here ___________.
rush hour
traffic)

(always)

The Titanic, that huge

ship that sank on its first
voyage, was a disaster
___________________.
(from the very beginning)

TIME
(the
answers)

from the
word go
for good
rush hour

Youd better leave early

for the airport before
RUSH HOUR starts.
I love Canada and want
to stay here FOR GOOD.
The Titanic, that huge
ship that sank on its first
voyage, was a disaster
FROM THE WORD GO.

REALISTI
C
it stands to
reason
down-toearth
draw the
line

____________________ Obama
won. He was younger,
fitter, and more exciting
than his opponents. (it is logical
that)

No, I wont lend you $50. I

have to _______________
somewhere. (set a limit)
Mr. Kim is a practical and
____________ boss. He grew
up in a poor family in Seoul.
(showing good sense)

REALISTIC

IT STANDS TO REASON
(the
Obama won. He was
answers)
younger, fitter, and more
exciting than his
it stands
opponents.
to reason
down-to No, I wont lend you $50.
earth
I have to DRAW THE LINE
draw the
somewhere.
line
Mr. Kim is a practical and
DOWN-TO-EARTH boss.
He grew up in a poor
family in Seoul.

CRITICA
L
he really
thinks hes
something
gone
downhill
par for the
course

It was a nice mall when it

first opened, but it has
_________________ since
then. (become less attractive, deteriorated)
He behaves like a very
important man, but he is
not.
_______________________. (hes
conceited and egotistical, arrogant)

My cable TV company
cancelled my service
during the soccer finals.
Isnt that
______________________? (typical)

BEING
CRITICAL
(the
he really
thinks hes
answers)

something
gone downhill
par for the
course

It was a nice mall when it

first opened, but it has
GONE DOWNHILL since
then.
He behaves like a very
important man, but he is
not. HE REALLY THINKS
HES SOMETHING.
My cable TV company
cancelled my service
during the soccer finals.
Isnt that PAR FOR THE
COURSE?

ENCOURAGI
Its a difficult job, but
NG OR
___________________.
PRAISING
(make an attempt)

take a crack at it
Ive got to hand
it to you
no news is good
news

They havent heard

from their son in
Canada? Oh well,
__________________. ( when
you dont hear from someone, things are probably fine)

I thought you were

wrong, but now
__________________.
wrong, and I must congratulate you)

(I was

NG OR
PRAISING
(the
answers)

take a crack at it
Ive got to hand
it to you
no news is good
news

Its a difficult job, but

TAKE A CRACK AT IT.

They havent heard

from their son in
Canada? Oh well, NO
NEWS IS GOOD NEWS.
I thought you were
wrong, but now IVE
GOT TO HAND IT TO
YOU.

MATTER
S

Only ______________
people can drive a
Mercedes car.
(rich)

out of pocket
bread and
butter
well-to-do

Well pay all your

expenses, so you
wont be____________.
(spending your own money)

She likes playing

piano, but accounting
is her __________.

(main source

of income)

MATTERS
(the
answers)

out of pocket
bread and
butter
well-to-do

Only WELL-TO-DO
people can drive a
Mercedes car.
Well pay all your
expenses, so you wont
be OUT OF POCKET.
She likes playing piano,
but accounting is her
BREAD AND BUTTER.

ANGER OR
FRUSTRAT When they started to
laugh and joke in class,
ION
cut it out
pain in the neck
hit the
roof/ceiling

he told them to
______________________.
(stop it)

Shes a ________________,
always complaining and
being negative.
(annoying person or

thing)

When he saw them

cheating, he _________.
(became very angry)

ANGER OR
When they started to laugh
FRUSTRATION
and joke in class, he told
(the answers)
them to CUT IT OUT.

cut it out
pain in the
neck
hit the
roof/ceiling

Shes a PAIN IN THE NECK,

always complaining and
being negative.
When he saw them
cheating, he HIT THE ROOF.

SURPR
ISE
a real eyeopener
caught me off
guard
did a double take

I _______________ when
I saw my boss drunk in
a bar.
(looked again to make sure)

It was
_________________ when
he shouted at me at 8
in the morning.
(a surprise,

revelation)

His anger ____________.

(really surprised me )

SURPRISE
(the
answers)

a real eyeopener
caught me off
guard
did a double take

I DID A DOUBLE TAKE

when I saw my boss
drunk in a bar.
It was A REAL EYEOPENER when he
shouted at me at 8 in
the morning.
His anger TOOK ME
OFF GUARD.

PAIR
S
neither here
nor there
the ins and
outs
rank and file

She understands
_________ of her job.
Thats why she is
excellent. (the details)
That he is left-handed is
______________________.
He can do the work very
well.
(irrelevant, of no concern in this case)

Ask the __________ as

well as the managers.
ordinary members)

(the

PAIRS
(the
answers)

neither here
nor there
the ins and
outs
rank and file

She understands THE INS

AND OUTS of her job.
Thats why she is
satisfactory.
That he is left-handed is
NEITHER HERE NOR
THERE. He can do the
work very well.
Ask the RANK AND FILE as
well as the managers.

SOCIAL
LIFE
on the wagon
many happy
returns
for old times
sake

Dont give him a beer.

Hes ________________.

(not

drinking alcohol)

She wished me
___________________ when
it was my birthday.

(expression of

best wishes)

Lets go to our student

reunion and have a glass
of wine with our old
friends
_____________________.

(to relive

memories)

LIFE
(the
answers)
on the wagon
many happy
returns
for old times
sake

Dont give him a beer.

Hes ON THE WAGON.
She wished me MANY
HAPPY RETURNS when it
was my birthday.
Lets go to our student
reunion and have a glass
of wine with our old friends
FOR OLD TIMES SAKE.

SPOR
TS

a ballpark
figure
out in left field
going to bat
for

Thanks for
__________________ me
with my citizenship
application. I needed
your support. (giving your support)
$5 million is only
_____________ for the
colleges addition. (a rough
estimate)

His ideas are really

_________________, so we
shouldnt listen to him.
(unrealistic)

SPORTS
(the
answers)
a ballpark
figure
out in left field
going to bat
for

Thanks for GOING TO BAT

FOR me with my
citizenship application. I
needed your support.
$5 million is only A
BALLPARK FIGURE for the
colleges addition.
His ideas are really OUT
IN LEFT FIELD, so we
shouldnt listen to him.

LETS SEE IF WE KEPT YOU ON YOUR TOES.

HAVE SOME FUN. TAKE THE HANDOUT TEST.
IF YOU PASS, GOOD FOR YOU.
IF YOU DONT, IT MAKES SENSE FOR YOU TO
WORK ON