Learn English
If you?ve been learning English for very long, then you have heard some idioms. You may understand the individual words, but you don?t understand how they work together. Idioms are strange like that. An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is only understood based on the common use of that expression, separate from the literal meaning of the words. There are estimated to be over 25,000 idioms in the English language.
Idioms can be very colorful, but they can also be extremely hard for non-native speakers to understand. Some idioms are widely understood. Idioms like, ?This is a piece of cake?- meaning it is easy- have many variations in other languages as well. To help you out (assist you) here is a list of ten common English idioms, their meaning, and how they are used.
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- English Idioms: Money - More Fun Cartoons To Learn English
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Learn English
10 Common English Idioms You Should Know
If you?ve been learning English for very long, then you have heard some idioms. You may understand the individual words, but you don?t understand how they work together. Idioms are strange like that. An idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is only understood based on the common use of that expression, separate from the literal meaning of the words. There are estimated to be over 25,000 idioms in the English language.
Idioms can be very colorful, but they can also be extremely hard for non-native speakers to understand. Some idioms are widely understood. Idioms like, ?This is a piece of cake?- meaning it is easy- have many variations in other languages as well. To help you out (assist you) here is a list of ten common English idioms, their meaning, and how they are used.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example of use |
|---|---|---|
| used to | Accustomed to/ comfortable with | I am not used to running so far. That is why I am tired. |
| take place | To happen/ to occur | The party took place at Jim?s house. |
| stick with (something) | To continue / to not quit (especially with difficulties) | It was hard, but I stuck with my piano lessons. Now I can play well. |
| show up | To appear/ to arrive/ to be present | I did not think the teacher was going to show up today, but he was just late. |
| A dime a dozen | Common/ easy to get | I thought that my baseball card was rare, but the man told me it was a dime a dozen. |
| A slap on the wrist | A mild punishment | When he broke the window he should have gotten thrown out of school. Instead, he just got a slap on the wrist. He has to go to a week of detention. |
| An arm and a leg | Very expensive/ a large amount of money | A nice laptop computer will cost you an arm and a leg. |
| On the other hand | However/ in contrast/ looking at the opposite side of a matter | I like your idea of skipping class today, but on the other hand I need to keep my grades up. |
| For sure | Without doubt/ certainly/ surely | I am going to meet you for sure this weekend. |
| For good | Permanently | Did you hear? They are closing the store for good tomorrow! |
This guest post is contributed by Debra Johnson, blogger and editor of full time nanny. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: - jdebra84 @ gmail.com.
- English Idioms: Shhh! - Learn English The Fun Way Using Cartoons
Do you know how you can tell someone to lower their voice in an informal way? In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples to understand the meaning of idioms that you can use to tell someone to be quiet, when you may not agree with what someone...
- English Idioms: The Body - Learn English The Fun Way Using Cartoons
Do you know the meaning of ?being all ears?, ?having a sweet tooth? or ?eye-catching?? They are just a sample of English idioms using parts of the body, these idioms are generally used to explain ideas. In this post we introduce some cartoons and examples...
- English Idioms: Food - More Fun Cartoons To Learn English
Have you ever been told that you are an ?egg head?, ?big cheese?, ?bad apple? or ?top banana?? Did you understand that the other person meant by that? If you were unsure then this post will definitely help. In this post we introduce some very interesting...
- English Idioms: Money - More Fun Cartoons To Learn English
Do you know the meaning of idioms like ?bring home the bacon?, ?go Dutch? or ?cook the books?? If you?re not sure then this post is definitely for you!:) In this post we introduce some very interesting and useful idioms related to money. You can also...
- Mastering English Slang And Idioms
Good students of English can know all the English words there are to know, yet still feel like a fish out of water if they don't take the time to master English slang and idioms. Now pause from reading this for just a few seconds. Did you notice...