Common Idioms for

Speaking
By Min Nyo Sin

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Three Questions !
 What is Idiom?
 Why do we need to learn idioms?
 Are they easy or hard?

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 Answers here !

• “A group of words in a fixed order that has a particular meaning

that is different from the meanings of each word on its own”
(Cambridge dictionary)

Expectation Reality

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Classification of idioms
According to grammatical function, there are five types of
idioms. They are -
1. Nominal idioms
2. Adjectival idioms
3. Verbal idioms
4. Adverbial idioms
5. Sentence idioms

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 15 common idioms

1. Cut to the chase

We use it to get directly to the point, leaving out all of the
unnecessary details.
Eg (1) - He was busy with his work, so I cut to the chase and
told him that the project had been cancelled.
Eg (2) - We don’t have time for this right now. Can you
cut to the chase ?

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2. You’ve got me (there)
We use it when we don’t know the answer to a question that
someone just asked or the solution to a problem that someone has
presented.
Eg - A: What time will they be arriving? B: You’ve
got me there. I didn’t ask.
You’ve got me
What time will there. I didn’t
they be arriving? ask.

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3. The Gloves are off
This means that the people are ready to begin a fight
or argument.
Eg (1) - The gloves are off, this is now the end game and
there should be nothing left. 
Eg (2) - I tried to explain her but her response was
''The gloves are off !''

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4. Give someone a hand
We use it to offer a help to someone or we can also request from
others.
Eg (1) - Give me a hand with this.
Eg (2) - You’ve got both arms full of groceries. Can I
give you a hand opening the door?

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5. Take something with a pinch of salt
We use it to say that we should not always completely
believe what a particular person says.
Eg (1) - It's best to take what he says with a pinch of salt. 
Eg (2) - Nowadays, we should take the news on social media with
a pinch of salt.

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6. Break a leg
This means “Good luck”.
Eg (1) - I know you can do it. Break a leg !
Eg (2) – I hope you break a leg in the exam.

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7. Under the weather
We use it when we feel a bit ill.
Eg (1) - I don't feel like hanging out today. I'm feeling a bit
under the weather.
Eg (2) - No, it's nothing serious. I just feel under the weather today.

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8. Raining cats and dogs
We use it when we want to describe the heavy rain.
Eg (1) - I think I'll stay home today. It's raining cats and dogs
and I don't want to drive.
Eg (2) - I love the sound when it's raining cats and dogs outside.

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9. Hands down
It means “without much effort”. It is also the same with
“definitely”.
Eg (1) - If we had a race, he’d win hands down.
Eg (2) - It's hands down the best movie of the year.

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10. An arm and a leg
We use it when we want to describe “a very large amount of money”
Eg (1) - I want to buy a house by the beach, but it may cost me
an arm and a leg.
Eg (2) - Joseph bought a sports car. He paid an arm and a leg for it.

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11. So far so good
We use it to say that things have been happening successfully
until now.
Eg (1) - We’ve reached the semi-finals. So far so good.
Eg (2) - A: "How's your new job?“
B: "So far so good." 

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12. Beat around the bush
We use it to talk about lots of unimportant things as we want to
avoid talking about what is really important.
Eg (1) - Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth !
Eg (2) - Don’t beat around the bush darling. Tell me if you don’t
love me anymore.

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13. A piece of cake
We use it to say something that is easy to do.
Eg (1) - The exam paper was a piece of cake.
Eg (2) - The project is a piece of cake.  It can be finished in five
minutes.

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14. Spill the beans
We use it to tell something that someone wanted us to keep as
a secret.
Eg (1) - He spilled the beans about the surprise party.
Eg (2) - Don't spill the beans. It's supposed to be a secret.

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15. Hit the book
We use it when we have to study. So literally, it has the same
meaning with the word “study”.
Eg (1) - I can't go out tonight. I need to hit the books.
Eg (2) - We better hit the books if we want to pass the exam on
Friday.

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Be careful of using idioms !
It is fine to use idioms in an informal letter, as long as you use
them correctly. However, using them in a formal letter is not
appropriate and you will lose marks. So we can’t use idioms in
academic writing.

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for your attention

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