English Idioms

Idioms

Understanding Idioms in the TOEFL Exam Introduction:

The TOEFL exam is known for its challenging language components, one of which includes idiomatic expressions. Idioms are phrases or expressions that carry a figurative meaning different from their literal interpretation. Understanding idioms is crucial for achieving a high score on the TOEFL exam, as they frequently appear in listening, reading, and speaking sections. In this article, we will explore the importance of idioms in the TOEFL exam and provide some useful strategies for mastering them.

1- What are Idioms?

Idioms are fixed expressions that have a figurative meaning that is not immediately apparent from the individual words used. They often reflect cultural and linguistic nuances and are an integral part of native English communication. Idioms can be classified into various categories, including animal idioms, body idioms, food idioms, and more.

2- Importance of Idioms in the TOEFL Exam

a) Listening Section: Idioms frequently appear in conversations and lectures in the listening section. Understanding the intended meaning behind idiomatic expressions is crucial for accurately answering questions and comprehending the overall context.

b) Reading Section: Idioms are also prevalent in reading passages. Recognizing idiomatic expressions helps in interpreting the writer’s message and understanding the text as a whole.

c) Speaking Section: Using idiomatic expressions appropriately in the speaking section demonstrates a strong command of the English language and enhances communication skills.

3- Strategies for Mastering Idioms

a) Contextual Clues: Pay attention to the surrounding words and sentences to grasp the intended meaning of an idiom. Often, the context provides valuable hints about the figurative interpretation.

b) Study Common Idioms: Familiarize yourself with commonly used idiomatic expressions. Make a list of idioms related to different topics and practice incorporating them into your speaking and writing exercises.

c) Read Widely: Read books, articles, and newspapers to expose yourself to a wide range of idiomatic expressions. Keep a vocabulary notebook to jot down new idioms and review them regularly.

d) Listen to English Language Content: Engage with podcasts, movies, TV shows, and songs in English to hear idioms in natural conversations. Pay attention to the context in which they are used and try to infer their meanings.

Conclusion: Mastering idiomatic expressions is essential for success in the TOEFL exam. By understanding the figurative meanings of idioms, you can enhance your listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. Remember to practice regularly, expose yourself to idiomatic expressions in various contexts, and integrate them into your language proficiency. With dedication and consistent effort, you can confidently tackle idioms in the TOEFL exam and achieve your desired score.

English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are essential to everyday English communication, whether it’s spoken or written. Idioms don’t always have a literal meaning, so it’s important to understand their usage and meaning in context. While learning idioms may seem like a daunting task, it can be fun, particularly when comparing English idioms to those in your own language.

Learning common idioms and expressions will help you sound more like a native English speaker. It’s a good idea to start with the most frequently used idioms, which you’ll come across regularly in American movies, TV shows, or during a visit to the United States. After mastering these, you can move on to the rest. None of the idioms listed are uncommon or outdated, so you can confidently use them with native English speakers from any English-speaking country.

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	Go to sleep	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	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	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	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
Don’t cry over spilt milk	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	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	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	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
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	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
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	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	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
It takes two to dango	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 …….. .

Answers:

1- 3

2- 10

3- 6

4- 2

5- 8

6- 9

7- 1

8- 7

9- 5

10- 4

English idioms

1- Although it’s warm today, I think you should take a sweater, just to be on the safe side. (Not 3)

2- A: What do you usually do on weekends, Fred? B: As a rule, I stay at home, but next weekend I’m going to San Francisco with a friend. (Not 10)

3- I forgot my notebook for class, but I think I can do without it. (Not 6)

4- A: You’re looking a bit tired today. B: Well, I think I’m coming down with the flu. (Not 2)

5- I don’t have physics every day. I have it every other day. (Not 8)

6- Reynaldo is an excellent tour guide because he knows all the ins and outs of traveling. (Not 9)

7- Since Alberto does not like the ballet, we only go once in a blue moon. (Not 1)

8- A: The weather is absolutely perfect today. B: You can say that again! (Not 7)

9- I’m sorry I won’t be able to go to the art exhibit with you tonight, I’m feeling under the weather. (Not 5)

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 well worth the trouble. (Not 4)

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.

Answer:

1. 4

2.10

3. 7

4. 6

5. 8

6. 1

7. 9

8. 3

9. 5

10. 2

1- A: Thank you so much for helping me get my car started. B: Think nothing of it. It was no problem at all. (Correct: 4)

2- A: Do you get pay raises where you work? B: Yes, but they are few and far between. (Correct: 10)

3- Michael felt like a fish out of water because he was the only man in a room full of women. (Correct: 7)

4- A: I’ve got a great idea for our class reunion. B: I knew you’d come up with something. (Correct: 6)

5- A: Is this story boring you? B: Not at all. I find it fascinating. (Correct: 8)

6- As a rule, Carlos is very punctual, but he was late tonight. (Correct: 1)

7- A: You’re probably too tired to play another game of racquetball, right? B: I’m not that tired, really. As a matter of fact, I’d enjoy another game. (Correct: 9)

8- How did you come up with such a strange idea? (Correct: 3)

9- A: That old paint that you have stored in your garage is a fire hazard. B: You’re right. I should get rid of it. (Correct: 5)

10- A: Has Fred gotten in touch with you lately? B: No, he hasn’t. I don’t think he has my new telephone number. (Correct: 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.

Answer:

1. 4

2. 7

3. 5

4. 10

5. 2

6. 9

7. 1

8. 6

9. 3

English idioms

1- There are so many interesting dishes on the menu that it’s hard for me to make up my mind which one I want. (Correct: 4)

2- A: I’m nervous about my interview. B: Take it easy. You’ll make a better impression if you’re relaxed. (Correct: 7)

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 few and far between. (Correct: 5)

4- A: Are you moving to Baltimore for good? B: No, just for the time being. I’ll be back here in a month or two. (Correct: 10)

5- Can you give me a hand with this luggage? It’s too heavy for me to carry myself. (Correct: 2)

6- The company may lose some money now, but in the long run, this is a good investment. (Correct: 9)

7- Write down your ideas right away. If you wait to write them down, you may forget them. (Correct: 1)

8- A: You did a fine job on this research paper, especially on the bibliography. B: Thanks. I make a point of getting the bibliography exactly right. (Correct: 6)

9- A: What did Professor Spencer say when you asked him if the final exam could be postponed? B: He said that it was out of the question because there’s no time to reschedule the test. (Correct: 3)

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?

Answer:

1. 5

2. 1

3. 6

4. 2

5. 7

6. 9

7. 3

8.8

9.10

10.4