One of the keys to speaking like a native is the ability to use and understand casual expressions, or idioms.
American English is full of idioms. You won’t learn these expressions in a standard textbook. But you will hear them all the time in everyday conversations. You’ll also meet them in books, newspapers, magazines, TV shows, and on the Internet. Idioms add color to the language. Master idioms and your speech will be less awkward, less foreign. You’ll also understand more of what you read and hear.
Here are some idioms you're likely to meet in everyday life.They're taken from the book, Speak English Like an American.
better off - in a more fortunate position
Example 1: We're better off leaving for France on Thursday evening, so we can spend the entire weekend there.
Example 2: If you're interested in studying languages, you'd be better off attending Northwestern University than the University of Chicago.
Note: This expression is often used with conditional tense (would), especially when you're giving advice: "you would be better off doing something" or "you'd be better off doing something."
Big deal! - So what? That doesn't really matter.
Example 1: You won five dollars in the lottery? Big deal!
Example 2: Your father has a job with a big company in New York City? Big deal!
(to) blow things out of proportion - to exaggerate; to make more of something than one should
Example 1: They sent a 12 year-old boy to jail for biting his babysitter? Don't you think they're blowing things out of proportion?
Example 2: Sally called the police when her neighbor's party got too loud. I think that was blowing things out of proportion.
(to) burn someone up- to make someone angry
Example 1: Jenny didn't vote for Nicole. That really burns Nicole up.
Example 2: I can't believe Kristen and Andrew didn't invite us to their wedding. That really burns me up!
(to) call it a night - to stop an activity for the rest of the night
Example 1: We spent a few hours walking around downtown Chicago. It was so cold that we were ready to call it a night by nine o'clock.
Example 2: Let's call it a night and meet back at the office at seven o'clock tomorrow morning to finish preparing our report.
Note: There is also the expression "to call it a day" which means to stop activity for the day.
dime a dozen - so plentiful as to be nothing special; common
Example 1: Reality TV shows are a dime a dozen these days.
Example 2: There are so many Starbucks coffee shops in Manhattan, they're a dime a dozen.
Note: This expression comes from the fact that a "dime" is worth only ten cents (very little value).
(to) do the trick - to achieve the desired results
Example 1: Juan changed the light bulb and said, "That should do the trick!"
Example 2: My house is difficult to find, so I'll put 10 large balloons on my mailbox on the day of the party. That should do the trick.
(to) give someone the cold shoulder - to be cold to someone on purpose; to snub someone
Example 1: When Lisa saw Amber at the mall, she didn't even stop to talk to her. She really gave her the cold shoulder.
Example 2: I can't understand why Joe would give you the cold shoulder. I thought you two were good friends!
(to) get the ball rolling - to get started
Example 1: Let's get the ball rolling on this project. We've only got one week to finish it.
Example 2: If we don't get the ball rolling on our vacation plans soon, we'll end up going nowhere.
(to) go back to the drawing board - to start a task over because the last try failed; to start again from the beginning
Example 1: Frank's new business failed, so he had to go back to the drawing board.
Example 2: The president didn't agree with our new ideas for the company, so we had to go back to the drawing board.
happy camper [slang] - a happy person; a satisfied participant
Example 1: When Linda's passport was stolen in Florence, she was not a happy camper.
Example 2: Steve is taking five difficult courses this semester. He's not a happy camper!
Note: This expression is usually used in the negative (not a happy camper).
(to) have a heart of gold - to be very kind and giving
Example 1: Alexander has a heart of gold and always thinks of others before himself.
Example 2: You adopted five children from a Romanian orphanage? You've got a heart of gold!
(to be) head over heels in love - very much in love
Example 1: During the first years of their marriage, Brad and Jennifer were head over heels in love with each other.
Example 2: Sara is head over heels in love with Mark. Unfortunately, he doesn't even know her name!
(to) hit the nail on the head - to be right
Example 1: Dawn hit the nail on the head when she said that Tiffany is jealous of Amber.
Example 2: Steve hit the nail on the head with his idea of moving his company's manufacturing facility to China.
(to) learn the ropes - to learn the basics
Example 1: Mark learned the ropes of the restaurant business by working as a cook at Outback Steakhouse.
Example 2: David worked at a big law firm for 10 years where he learned the ropes. Now he runs.
and many more...
Feel Free to contact me.
My training comprise of basic, intermediate and advanced modules. I firmly believe that if the students are given maximum space to express themselves and engage in banter about their daily and mundane chores, though initially they might falter, a time finally dawns when they flawlessly begin to speak English fluently.
American English is full of idioms. You won’t learn these expressions in a standard textbook. But you will hear them all the time in everyday conversations. You’ll also meet them in books, newspapers, magazines, TV shows, and on the Internet. Idioms add color to the language. Master idioms and your speech will be less awkward, less foreign. You’ll also understand more of what you read and hear.
Here are some idioms you're likely to meet in everyday life.They're taken from the book, Speak English Like an American.
better off - in a more fortunate position
Example 1: We're better off leaving for France on Thursday evening, so we can spend the entire weekend there.
Example 2: If you're interested in studying languages, you'd be better off attending Northwestern University than the University of Chicago.
Note: This expression is often used with conditional tense (would), especially when you're giving advice: "you would be better off doing something" or "you'd be better off doing something."
Big deal! - So what? That doesn't really matter.
Example 1: You won five dollars in the lottery? Big deal!
Example 2: Your father has a job with a big company in New York City? Big deal!
(to) blow things out of proportion - to exaggerate; to make more of something than one should
Example 1: They sent a 12 year-old boy to jail for biting his babysitter? Don't you think they're blowing things out of proportion?
Example 2: Sally called the police when her neighbor's party got too loud. I think that was blowing things out of proportion.
(to) burn someone up- to make someone angry
Example 1: Jenny didn't vote for Nicole. That really burns Nicole up.
Example 2: I can't believe Kristen and Andrew didn't invite us to their wedding. That really burns me up!
(to) call it a night - to stop an activity for the rest of the night
Example 1: We spent a few hours walking around downtown Chicago. It was so cold that we were ready to call it a night by nine o'clock.
Example 2: Let's call it a night and meet back at the office at seven o'clock tomorrow morning to finish preparing our report.
Note: There is also the expression "to call it a day" which means to stop activity for the day.
dime a dozen - so plentiful as to be nothing special; common
Example 1: Reality TV shows are a dime a dozen these days.
Example 2: There are so many Starbucks coffee shops in Manhattan, they're a dime a dozen.
Note: This expression comes from the fact that a "dime" is worth only ten cents (very little value).
(to) do the trick - to achieve the desired results
Example 1: Juan changed the light bulb and said, "That should do the trick!"
Example 2: My house is difficult to find, so I'll put 10 large balloons on my mailbox on the day of the party. That should do the trick.
(to) give someone the cold shoulder - to be cold to someone on purpose; to snub someone
Example 1: When Lisa saw Amber at the mall, she didn't even stop to talk to her. She really gave her the cold shoulder.
Example 2: I can't understand why Joe would give you the cold shoulder. I thought you two were good friends!
(to) get the ball rolling - to get started
Example 1: Let's get the ball rolling on this project. We've only got one week to finish it.
Example 2: If we don't get the ball rolling on our vacation plans soon, we'll end up going nowhere.
(to) go back to the drawing board - to start a task over because the last try failed; to start again from the beginning
Example 1: Frank's new business failed, so he had to go back to the drawing board.
Example 2: The president didn't agree with our new ideas for the company, so we had to go back to the drawing board.
happy camper [slang] - a happy person; a satisfied participant
Example 1: When Linda's passport was stolen in Florence, she was not a happy camper.
Example 2: Steve is taking five difficult courses this semester. He's not a happy camper!
Note: This expression is usually used in the negative (not a happy camper).
(to) have a heart of gold - to be very kind and giving
Example 1: Alexander has a heart of gold and always thinks of others before himself.
Example 2: You adopted five children from a Romanian orphanage? You've got a heart of gold!
(to be) head over heels in love - very much in love
Example 1: During the first years of their marriage, Brad and Jennifer were head over heels in love with each other.
Example 2: Sara is head over heels in love with Mark. Unfortunately, he doesn't even know her name!
(to) hit the nail on the head - to be right
Example 1: Dawn hit the nail on the head when she said that Tiffany is jealous of Amber.
Example 2: Steve hit the nail on the head with his idea of moving his company's manufacturing facility to China.
(to) learn the ropes - to learn the basics
Example 1: Mark learned the ropes of the restaurant business by working as a cook at Outback Steakhouse.
Example 2: David worked at a big law firm for 10 years where he learned the ropes. Now he runs.
and many more...
Feel Free to contact me.
My training comprise of basic, intermediate and advanced modules. I firmly believe that if the students are given maximum space to express themselves and engage in banter about their daily and mundane chores, though initially they might falter, a time finally dawns when they flawlessly begin to speak English fluently.
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