Some common idioms

Last lesson we looked at an introduction to idioms (if you have not seen this lesson yet, go back and do the lesson before this one), so this week we are going to look at some common useful phrases.

Informal/Spoken

Some idioms are quite informal, and so should only be used in speech, or maybe in informal writing (such as letters/emails to friends) and should not be used in academic or formal writing.

For example:

to have a lot on your plate

= to be very busy (I have a lot on my plate tonight so I can’t go out.)

to do something around the clock

= to do something all day/for a long time (I have been studying around the clock for the past week.)

to be a piece of cake

= to be very easy (My test was a piece of cake! I am sure I have passed.)

to know something like the back of your hand

= to know something very well (I know these streets like the back of my hand. I wouldn’t ever get lost.)

to take it easy

= to relax (This weekend I am just going to take it easy because I am so tired.)

to hang out (with someone – usually friends)

= to go and meet someone, but not do very much (I love to go and hang out with my friends in the park. = to be with friends, but probably just chatting, not doing anything active.)

to give/lend someone a hand

= to help someone (I am going to John’s house to lend him a hand with his homework.)

to cost an arm and a leg

= to be really expensive (I wanted to get a new phone, but the one I looked at would cost an arm and a leg.)

to be over the moon

= to be really happy (I was over the moon when I got the IELTS score I needed.)

Academic Idioms

While the above idioms should only really be used in informal situations, the following could be used in informal situations and in academic writing/formal situations:

as a matter of fact

= actually (Most people are unaware of the effects. As a matter of fact, a survey showed that only 2% of people knew what was happening.)

back and forth

= when something moves one way, and then back again; often for conversations/discussions/arguments (The argument regarding free education has gone back and forth for many years, and there is still no decision being made.)

in a way

= to a certain degree, a little (The main problem, in a way, is that the designers were unable to visualize their ideas before they started construction.)

to be open to something

= to be agreeable, able to accept new ideas (Most of them were actually quite open to the idea of changing the system completely.)

to be up in the air

= to be undecided (Whether the rules will be changed or not has been up in the air for a great deal of time.)

EXERCISE:

Fill in each gap with an appropriate idiom from above:

1. The discussion went ………………………….. for hours, but they finally agreed with each other.

2. “Could you ………………………….. please? This box is really heavy!”

3. I am usually very ………………………….. new things, but I really don’t like their latest song.

4. He wants me to go out with him tonight to ………………………….. at the bar, but I ………………………….. with study and work.

5. My GPS device ………………………….. but it was well worth the money as I’ve been able to do a lot of exploring with it, and now I know this city ……………..

Answers:

1. The discussion went back and forth for hours, but they finally agreed with each other.

2. “Could you lend me a hand please? This box is really heavy!”

3. I am usually very open to new things, but I really don’t like their latest song.

4. He wants me to go out with him tonight to hang out at the bar, but I have a lot on my plate with study and work.

5. My GPS device cost an arm and a leg, but it was well worth the money as I’ve been able to do a lot of exploring with it, and now I know this city like the back of my hand.

FURTHER PRACTICE:

Read from a variety of sources and try to find more idioms. Try to guess their meaning, and then check using an online dictionary.

Don’t forget to record the ones that are useful in your vocabulary journal.

This material is provided by the Australian Centre for Education and Training (ACET).