English Idioms English idioms Exercise -1 English idioms Exercise -2 English idioms Exercise -3 English idioms Exercise -4 English idioms Exercise -5 English idioms Exercise -6 English idioms Exercise -7 English idioms Exercise -8 English idioms Exercise -9 English idioms Exercise -10 Idioms

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms do not always make sense literally, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms in your own language.

 

Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your English sound more native, so it’s a good idea to master some of these expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the idioms are in American English. You can start by learning the very common English idioms, since these are the ones you’ll encounter regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United States. When you’ve mastered those, move on to rest. None of the idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be confident using any of them with native English speakers from all English-speaking countries.

 

English idioms

The most common English idioms

These English idioms are extremely common in everyday conversation in the United States. You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker.

IDIOM	MEANING	USAGE
A blessing in disguise	A good thing that seemed bad first	as part of a sentence
A dime a dozen	Something common	as part of a sentence
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree	Kids are like their parents(usually used negatively)	as part of a sentence
The apple  of his eye	his favorite girl, the girl he desires	as part of a sentence
Beat around the bush	Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it is uncomfortable	as part of a sentence
Better late than never	better to arrive late than not to come at all	by itself
Bite the bullet	To get something over with because it is inevitable	as part of a sentence
Break a leg	Good luck	by itself
Call it a day	Stop working on something	as part of a sentence
Cut somebody some slack	Don’t be critical	as part of a sentence
Cutting corners	Doing something poorly in order to save time or money	as part of a sentence
Easy does it	Slow down	by itself
Get out of hand	Get out of control	as part of a sentence
Get something out of your system	Do the thing you’ve been wanting to do so you can move on	as part of a sentence
Get your act together	Work better or leave	by itself
Give someone the benefit of the doubt	Trust what someone says	as part of a sentence
Go back to the drawing board	Start over	as part of a sentence
Hanging in there	Don’t give up	by itself
Hit the sack English idioms	Go to sleep English idioms	as part of a sentence
It’s not rocket science	It’s not compicated	by itself
Let someone off the book	To not hold someone responsible for something	as part of a sentence
Make a long story short	Tell something briefly	as part of a sentence
Miss the boat	It’s too late	as part of a sentence
no pain, no gain	You have to work for what you want	as part of a sentence
On the ball	Doing a good job	as part of a sentence
pull something’s leg	To joke with someone	as part of a sentence
pull yourself together	Calm down	by itself
So far so good	Things are going well so far	by itself
Speak of the devil	The person we were just talking about showed up!	by itself
That’s the last straw	My patience has run out	by itself
The best of both worlds	An ideal situetion	as part of a sentence
Time flies when you’re having fun	You don’t notice how long something lasts when it’ s fun	by itself
To get bent out of shape	To get upset English idioms	as part of a sentence
To make matters worse	Make a problem worse	as part of a sentence
Under the weather	Sick	as part of a sentence
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it	Let’s not talk about that problem right now	by itself
Wrap your head around something	Understand something complicated	as part of a sentence
You can say that again	That’s true, I agree	by itself
You guess is as good as mine	I have no idea	by itself

English idioms

Common English idioms & expressions

These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context is appropriate

IDIOM	MEANING	USAGE
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	What you have is worth more than you might have later	by itself
A penny for your thoughts	Tell me what you’re thinking	by itself
A penni saved is a penny earned	Money you save today you can spend later	by itself
A perfect storm	The worst possible situation English idioms	as part of a sentence
A picture is worth 1000 words	Better possibto show than tell	by itself
Actions speak louder than words	Believe what people do and not what they say	by itsef
Add insult toinjury	To make a bad situation worse	as part of a sentence
Barking up the wrong tree	To be mistaken, to be looking for solutions in the wrong place	as party of a sentence
Birds of a feather flock together English idioms	people who are alike are often friends(usually used negatively)	by itself
Bite off more than you can chew	Take on a project that you cannot finish	as part of a sentence
Break the ice	Make people feel more comfortable	as part of a sentence
By the skin of your teeth	just barely	as part of a sentence
Comparing apples to oranges	Comparing two things that cannot be compared	as part of a sentence
Do something at the drop of hat	Do something without having planned beforehand	as part of a sentence
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch	Don’t count on something good happening until it’s be fixed	by itself
Costs an arm and a leg	Very expensive	as part of a sentence
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you	Treat people fairly. Also know as “The Golden Rule”	by itself
English idioms Don’t cry over spilt milk	English idioms there’s no reason to reason to complain about something that can’t be fixed	by itself
Don’t pul all your eggs in one basket	What you’re doing is too risky	by itself
Every cloud has a silver lining	Good thing come after bad things	by itself
Get a taste of your own medicine	Get trated the way you’ve been treating others(negative)	as part of a sentence
Don’t give up your day job English idioms	You are not good at this	by itself
Give someone the cold shoulder	Ignore someone	as part of a sentence
Go on a wild goose chase	To do something pointless	as part of a sentence
Good things come to those who	Be patient	by itself
He has bigger fish to fry	He has Bigger things to take care of than what we are talking about now	by itself
He’s chip off the old block	The son is like the father	by itself
Hit the nail on the head	Get something exactly right	by itself
Ignorance is bliss	You are better off not knowing	by itself
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings	This isn’t over yet	by itself
It takes one to know one	You are just as bad as I am	by itself
It’s piece of cake English idioms	It’s easy	by itself
It’s raining cats and dogs	It’s raining hard	by itself
Kill two birds with one stone	Get two things done with a single action	by itself
Let the cat out of the bag	Give away a secret	as part of a sentence
live and learn	I made a mistake	by itself
Look before you leap	Take only calculated risk	by itself
On thin ice English idioms	On probation. If you make another mistake there will be trouble	as part of a sentence
Once in a blue moon	Rarely	as part of a sentence
Play devil’s advocate	To arque the opposite, just for the sake of argument	as part of a sentence
Put something on ice	Put a projet on hold	as part of a sentence
Rain on someone’s parade	To spoil something	as part of a sentence
Saving for a rainy day	Saving money for later	as part of a sentence
Slow and steady wins the race	Reliability is more important than speed	by itself
Spill the beans	Give away a secret	as part of a sentence
Take a rain check	postpone a plane	as part of a sentence
English idioms Take it with a grain of salt	Don’t take it too seriously	as part of a sentence
The ball is in your court	It’s your decision	by itself
The best thing sience sliced bread	A really good invention	as part of a sentence
The devil is in the details	ıt looks good from a distance, but when you look closer, there are problems	by itself
The early bird gets the worm	The first people who arrive will get the best stuff	by itself
The elephant in the room	The big issue, the problem people are avoiding	as part og a sentence
The whole nine yards	Everything all the way	as part of a sentence
The are other fish in the sea	It’s ok to miss this opportunity. others will arise.	by itself
There’s a method to his medness	He seems crazy but actually he’s clever	by itself
There’s no such thing as a free lunch	nothing is entierly free	by itself
Throw caution to the wind	Take a risk	as part of a sentence
You can’t have your cake and eat it too	You can’t have everything	by itself
Youcan’t junde a book by its cover	This person or thing may look bad, but it’s good inside	by itself

English idioms

Learn 20 idioms in English that will make you sound like a native English speaker. These British and American idioms (expressions) will help you build your vocabulary and speaking skills

 

Familiar English idioms & proverbs

These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation. If you haven’t mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you’re already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English.

Idiom	Meaning	Usage
A little learning is a dangerous thing	People who don’t understand something fully are dangerous	by itself
A snowball’s effect English idioms	Events have momentum and build upon each other	as part of a sentence
A snowball’s chance in hell	No chance at all	as part of a sentence
Astitch in time saves nine	Fix the problem now becouse it will get worse later	by itself
A storm in a teacup	A big fuss about a small problem	as part of a sentence
An apple a day keeps the doctor away	Apples are good for you	by itself
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure	You can prevent a problem with little effort. Fixing it later is harder	by itself
As right as rain	Perfect	as part of a sentence
Bold from the blue	Something that happend without warning	as part of a sentence
Burn bridges	Destroy relationships	as part of a sentence
English idioms Calm before the storm	Something bas is coming, but right now it’s calm	as part of a sentence
Come rain or shine	No matter what	as part of a sentence
Curiosity killed the cat	Stop asking questions	by itself
Cut the mustrad	Do a good job	as part of a sentence
Don’t beat a dead horse	Move on, this subject is over	by itself
Every dog has his day	Everyone gets a chance at leats once	by itself
Familiarity breeds contempt	The better you know someone the less you like him	by itself
Fit as a fiddle English idioms	ın good health	as part of a sentence
fortune favours the bold	Take risks	by itslef
Get second wind	have more energy after having been tired	as part of a sentence
Get wind of something	Hear news of something secret	as part of sentence
Go down in flames English idioms	fail spectacularly	as part of a sentence
Haste makes waste	You’ll make mistakes if you rush through something	by itself
Have your head in the clouds	Not be concentrating	as part of a sentence
He who laughs last laughs loudest	I’ll get you back for what you did	by itself
Hear something straight from the horse’s mouth	Hear something from the person involved	as part of a sentence
He’s not playing with a full deck	He’s dumb	by itself
He’s sitting on the fence	He can’t make up his mind	by itself
He’s off his rocker	He’s crazy	by itself
It is a poor workman who blames his tools	If you can’t do the job, don’t blame it on others	by itself
It is always darkest before the dawn	Things are going to get better	by itself
English idioms It takes two to dango	English idioms One person alone isn’t responsible. Both people are involved	by itself
Jumb on the bandwagon	Follow a trend, do what everyone else is doing	as part of a sentence
Know wich way the wind is blowing	Understand the sitation(usually negative)	as part of a sentence
Leave no stone unturned	Look everywhere	as part of a sentence
Let sleeping dogs lie	Stop discussing an issue	as part of a sentence
Like riding a bicycle	Something you never forget how to do	as part of a sentence
Like two peas in pod	They’re always together	as part of a sentence

English idioms

Exercise-2

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.

1. once in a blue moon	6. do without
2. come down with	7. say that again
3. be on the safe side	8. every other
4. well worth the trouble	9. inns and outs
5. under the weather	10. as a rule

English idioms

1. Although it’s warm today, I think you should take a sweater, just to …….. .

2. A: What do you usually do on weekends, Fred? B: …….. I stay at home, but next weekend I’m going to San Francisco with a friend.

3. I forgot my notebook for class but I think I can …….. it.

4. A: You’re looking a bit tired today.

B: Well, I think I’m …….. the flu.

5. I don’t have physics every day. I have it …….. day.

6. Reynaldo is an excellent tour guide because he knows all …….. of travelling.

7. Since Alberto does not like the ballet we only go …….. .

8. A: The weather is absolutely perfect today. B: You can …….. !

9. I’m sorry I won’t be able to go to the art exhibit with you tonight, I’m feeling …….. . 10. A: Did you have a hard time finding grandmother’s birthday present? B: Yes, but when I saw her expression when she opened it, I knew it was …….. .

1. 3

2.. 10

3. 6

4. 2

5. 8

6. 9

7. 1

8. 7

9. 5

10. 4

English idioms

Exercise-3

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.

1. as a rule	6. come up with
2. get in touch with	7. a fish out of water
3. come up with	8. at all
4. Think nothing of it	9. as a matter of fact
5. get rid of	10. few and far between

English idioms

1. A: Thank you so much for helping me get my car started. B: …….. . It was no problem at all.

2. A: Do you get pay raises where you work? B: Yes, but they are …….. .

3. Michael felt like …….. because he was the only man in a room full of women.

4. A: I’ve got a great idea for our class reunion. B: I knew you’d …….. something.

5. A: Is this story boring you? B: Not …….. . I find it fascinating.

6. …….. , Carlos is very punctual, but he was late tonight.

7. A: You’re probably too tired to play another game ofracquetball, right? B: I’m not that tired, really. …….. , I’d enjoy another game.

8. How did you …….. such a strange idea?

9. A: That old paint that you have stored in your garage is a fire hazard. B: You’re right. I should …….. it.

10. A: Has Fred …….. you lately? B: No, he hasn’t. I don’t think he has my new telephone number.

1. 4

2.10

3. 7

4. 6

5. 8

6. 1

7. 9

8. 3

9. 5

10. 2

Exercise-4

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list.

1. right away	6. make a point of
2. give a hand with	7. take it easy
3. out of the question	8. for the time being
4. make up one’s mind	9. in the long run
5. few and far between	10. for good

English idioms

1. There are so many interesting dishes on the menu that it’s hard for me to …….. which one I want.

2. A: I’m nervous about my interview. B: …….. . You’ll make a better impression if you’re relaxed.

3. A: Why do we need to get gas now? We have quite a bit left. B: This highway goes through some empty country, and gas stations are …….. .

4. A: Are you moving to Baltimore …….. ? B: No, just …….. . I’ll be back here in a month or two.

5. Can you …….. me …….. this luggage? It’s too heavy for me to carry myself.

6. The company may lose some money now, but …….. , this is a good investment.

7. Write down your ideas …….. . If you wait to write them down, you may forget them.

8. A: You did a fine job on this research paper, especially on the bibliography. B: Thanks. I …….. getting the bibliography exactly right.

9. A: What did Professor Spencer say when you asked him if the final exam could be postponed? B: He said that it was …….. because there’s no time to reschedule the test.

1. 4

2. 7

3. 5

4. 10

5. 2

6. 9

7. 1

8. 6

9. 3

English idioms

Exercise-5

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the
verb to the correct tense when necessary.

1. watch out	6. pick out
2. look after	7. keep on
3. put off	8. try out
4. count on	9. look into
5. run into	10. talk over

English idioms

1. I …….. Caroline in the coffee shop.

2. …….. for snakes!

3. A: Who …….. that tie for you? B: No one. I chose it myself.

4. A: What are you going to do about your tropical fish while you’re out of town? B: I’ve asked my sister to …….. them for me.

5. A: Should we stop and spend the night at this motel? B: No, let’s …….. driving for a few more miles.

6. The police are …….. the crime.

7. The couple had to …….. the wedding because the bride was sick.

8. I wish I’d …….. this calculator before I bought it. It doesn’t seem to be working.

9. I’m not sure if this is a suitable topic for a research paper. I need to …….. it …….. with my teacher before I start writing.

10. Can you …….. the students?

1. 5

2. 1

3. 6

4. 2

5. 7

6. 9

7. 3

8.8

9.10

10.4

English idioms

Exercise-6

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the verb to the correct tense when necessary.

1. care for	6. count on
2. find out	7. look after
3. hold up	8. call on
4. bring up	9. figure out
5. drop our of	10. check out

English idioms

1. They …….. their children to be honest.

2. I can …….. my car. It’s very dependable and never breaks down.

3. A: Did you rent this videotape? B: No, I …….. it …….. the library.

4. That saleswoman …….. her clients at least once a month because she thinks personal contact is important.

5. Who …….. your cat while you were out of town?

6. It took me hours to …….. how to record programs on my VCR.

7. Ben had to …….. the university because of financial problems.

8. A: How did you …….. where Warren lives? B: I just looked up his address in the phone book.

9. Albert …….. his grandfather

10.A: What …….. your flight? B: There was a big snowstorm in Denver that delayed a lot of flights.

1. 4

2. 6

3. 10

4. 8

5. 1

6. 9

7. 5

8. 2

9. 7

10. 3

English idioms

Exercise-7

Complete the sentences or dialogues with idioms from the list. Change the verb to the correct tense when necessary.

1. watch out	6. count on
2. care of	7. look after
3. hold on	8. run into
4. pick out	9. figure out
5. turn in	10. get through

English idioms

1. Marcia’s sister …….. her baby while Marcia is at work.

2. I asked my teacher to …….. the mistakes that I made in my essay so that I could correct them.

3. I …….. my old friend Leslie downtown yesterday. I hadn’t seen her for months.

4. If you’re on a crowded bus or subway car, you must …….. for pickpockets.

5. I’ll never be able to …….. all these books on Professor Grey’s reading list.

6. The wind is starting to blow. You’d better …….. to your hat.

7. Lucy doesn’t …….. sweets. Why don’t you get her a basket of fruit?

8. A: Do you happen to have a red notebook and an umbrella here?B: No, but why don’t you give me your phone number in case someone …….. them ?

9. A: Are you coming to my party tomorrow? B: Yes, you can …….. me.

10. Roberto, could you help me, please? I can’t …….. how to put my little sister’s new bicycle together.

1. 7

2. 4

3. 8

4. 1

5. 10

6. 3

7. 2

8. 5

9. 6

10. 9

Exercise-8

Can you complete each sentence in the list with the appropriate phrase from the second?

1. The telephone operator put through	A. lack of hard works
2. I have put by	B. by their younger brothers and sisters
3. She was dreadfully put out	C. his shoulder, playing Rugby
4. If it rains we shall have to put off	D. enough money for a winter holiday
5. How can you put up with	E. your address before I forget it
6. George has put out	F. the barbecue in the garden tonight
7. I must put down	G. the noise and fumes of town life
8. We would be happy to put you up	H. I shall stop smoking
9. We put his failure down to	I. by his unkind remarks
10. If cigarettes are put up	J. if you would like to stay the night
11 .Older children are often put upon	K. a warm jumper and heavy coat
12. When he began to shiver he decided to put on	L. the call from London

1.L	2.D	3.	4.F	5.G	6.?	7.E	8.J	9.A	10.?
11.?	12.?

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