English Idioms

If you’re learning English, you will have probably heard people using phrases that don’t always make sense.

You might have heard people say things like:

“He’s driving me nuts. ”

“Your guess is as good as mine”

“I’ve had it up to here with you”

These phrases are known as idioms. Idioms exist in every language, but what are they?

An idiom is a phrase or an expression that does not make sense literally. Instead, it has a figurative meaning that is different from its literal meaning.

If somebody says, “He’s driving me nuts”, it does not mean that somebody is driving, and it has nothing to do with nuts.

In fact, “He’s driving me nuts” means “He is annoying me”.

Native speakers of English will naturally inherit idioms because they will have heard them growing up. However, if you are learning English as a second language and it is not your native language, idioms can be extremely difficult to understand.

This course is for non-native speakers of English who want to improve their comprehension skills. The course is taught entirely in English by Kieran Ball, a native British English speaker, and we’re going to look at the most useful idioms in English.

So, let’s crack on.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Learn some common idioms used in everyday speech
Improve your comprehension and communication skills

Learn to use the idioms in your own conversations by looking at the meaning and grammar behind them
Look at some real-life examples of the idioms in use

Learn some common idioms used in everyday speech
Improve your comprehension and communication skills
Learn to use the idioms in your own conversations by looking at the meaning and grammar behind them
Look at some real-life examples of the idioms in use

Syllabus

Introduction

Here's a quick video that goes through all of the grammatical terms that we'll be using in this video

A bit of grammar

Idioms 1 to 10

Let's do a short quiz to recap the first ten idioms that we've been learning

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on comprehension and communication skills, which are essential for non-native speakers aiming to improve their English fluency

Explores common idioms used in everyday speech, providing practical knowledge for understanding and participating in conversations with native speakers

Includes quizzes to recap the idioms, reinforcing learning and helping learners retain new vocabulary and expressions through active recall

Taught entirely in English by a native British English speaker, offering learners exposure to authentic pronunciation and usage of idioms

Examines the meaning and grammar behind idioms, enabling learners to use them correctly and confidently in their own conversations

Features real-life examples of idioms in use, giving learners context and practical application for understanding how idioms function in communication

Reviews summary

Practical english idioms for fluency

According to learners, this course offers a largely positive experience for those wanting to improve their English fluency. Many found the explanations of common idioms to be clear and easy to understand, delivered by a helpful native British speaker. The practical selection of idioms and the reinforcing quizzes were frequently highlighted as beneficial for practice and understanding everyday English conversation. Students appreciate how the course helps them understand native speakers better and feel more confident using idioms themselves.

Instructor is easy to listen to.

"Kieran is a great teacher, very engaging and easy to follow."

"I enjoyed the lessons and the instructor's teaching style."

"His clear British accent was a bonus and made listening pleasant."

Quizzes reinforce understanding well.

"The quizzes after each section were really helpful for remembering the idioms."

"Practicing with the quizzes made a big difference in recalling the meaning."

"I liked checking my understanding with the quiz questions, it helped solidify the learning."

Helped me understand native speakers.

"My comprehension when listening to native speakers has really improved since taking this course."

"I feel more confident recognizing and using idioms now in conversations."

"This course helped me bridge the gap in understanding everyday English speech."

Focuses on common, useful phrases.

"These are idioms I hear native speakers use all the time in real conversations."

"Very practical phrases that I can use right away to sound more natural."

"Good selection of common everyday idioms that are actually used."

Instructor explains idioms clearly.

"The instructor explained the idioms so clearly, finally I understand what these phrases mean!"

"I finally understand what these phrases mean! This course gave me clear explanations and context."

"The explanation for each idiom was very easy to follow and remember, making learning effective."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in English Idioms | ESL lessons to improve fluency with these activities:

Review Basic Grammar Concepts

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Strengthen your foundation by reviewing basic grammar concepts before starting the course.

Browse courses on Grammar

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Review parts of speech.
Review sentence structure.
Review verb tenses.

Common American Idioms

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Expand your knowledge of American idioms with a dedicated resource.

View Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of the book.
Read through the book, focusing on idioms that are new to you.
Make notes on the meanings and usage of the idioms.
Try to use the idioms in your own conversations.

Idioms Organiser

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Supplement the course material with a comprehensive idioms dictionary to deepen understanding and broaden exposure.

View McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and... on Amazon

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Acquire a copy of the dictionary.
Browse the dictionary to familiarize yourself with its structure.
Look up idioms encountered in the course for more detailed explanations.
Use the dictionary to explore related idioms and expand your vocabulary.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Idiom Flashcard Deck

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Reinforce learning by creating a personalized flashcard deck of idioms covered in the course.

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Select idioms from the course that you find challenging.
Write the idiom on one side of the flashcard.
Write the definition and an example sentence on the other side.
Review the flashcards regularly to improve recall.

Idiom Conversation Practice

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Improve fluency and confidence by practicing using idioms in conversation with a peer.

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Find a language partner or fellow student.
Choose a topic to discuss.
Try to incorporate idioms from the course into your conversation.
Provide feedback to each other on idiom usage.

Idiom Usage Exercises

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Solidify understanding through repetitive exercises focused on using idioms in context.

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Find online resources with idiom practice exercises.
Complete exercises focusing on idioms from the course.
Pay attention to the context in which the idioms are used.
Review your answers and identify areas for improvement.

Idiom Story

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Deepen understanding and improve retention by writing a short story that incorporates several idioms from the course.

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Choose a theme or topic for your story.
Select several idioms from the course to include in your story.
Write a short story that naturally incorporates the idioms.
Review your story to ensure the idioms are used correctly and effectively.

Career center

Learners who complete English Idioms | ESL lessons to improve fluency will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

ESL Instructor

An English as a Second Language instructor helps non-native speakers learn English. This course on idioms may be particularly useful for their work. The course is designed to improve the comprehension skills of non-native speakers, and it looks at real-life examples of idioms in use. Therefore, an ESL instructor can draw from the content of this course to gain expertise on teaching idioms, which are a challenging part of English language learning. This course can help the ESL instructor better explain complex linguistic concepts to their students.

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English Teacher

An English teacher instructs students on the English language, and this course on English idioms may be particularly useful for those teaching English to non-native speakers. This course focuses on improving comprehension and communication skills, and the curriculum includes common idioms used in everyday speech. A teacher can draw from this knowledge for lesson plans or to better understand the struggles of their students. This course can help an English teacher improve their ability to explain the nuances of the English language, particularly its idiomatic expressions, to their students.

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Content Creator

A content creator produces various forms of media, and this course may be useful for those who wish to produce content for an English-speaking audience. This course provides a comprehensive overview of many of the most common idioms, and knowing these expressions will help a content creator sound more like a native speaker. Content creators who seek to build trust with an audience will find this course helpful. Those who wish to create engaging content must know how to use the natural phrases that are used by native speakers.

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Translator

A translator converts written or spoken text from one language to another, and this course may be useful because it focuses on nuances of the English language. This course delves into the figurative meanings of common phrases, and knowing these idioms is important for any translator who wants to accurately convey the message in a text. Because the course focuses on idioms in contemporary speech, the knowledge is quite relevant to tasks that may require cultural sensitivity. This is very important for a translator who needs to effectively communicate the meaning of a text.

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Communications Specialist

A communications specialist is responsible for internal and external communications, often within a company or organization. This course may be useful for improving communication through a better understanding of English. The course focuses on idioms, which are important to master to communicate fluently with native English speakers. In addition to covering the meanings of idioms, the course also focuses on grammar. This would benefit anyone who needs to communicate in clear and effective ways.

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Copywriter

A copywriter writes advertising and marketing materials. This course may be useful for those writing for an English speaking audience. This course goes through common idioms, and it provides many real-life examples. Copywriters often seek to write copy that sounds natural to a target audience, so by using common idioms, a copywriter can enhance their writing. This course can help a copywriter produce more persuasive and engaging advertising copy.

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Public Relations Specialist

A public relations specialist manages the public image of an individual or organization. This course may be useful for those in this role who work with an English speaking audience. This course covers common idioms, and it aims to improve communication skills. This is important for a public relations specialist who must craft clear messages that will resonate with their target audience. The course can help a public relations specialist to become more skilled at delivering clear and impactful messaging.

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Journalist

A journalist researches stories and writes articles for publication. This course may be useful for journalists who need to engage with the public through their writing. This course covers common idioms, and in journalism it is important to have a strong understanding of the nuances of language. This includes a familiarity with idiomatic expressions. This course can be especially useful to a journalist who seeks to communicate effectively with their audience.

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Social Media Manager

A social media manager is responsible for the content posted by an organization on social media. This course may be useful for a social media manager who works with an English speaking audience. This course focuses on many common idioms used in everyday speech. This can help a social media manager craft more authentic and engaging posts. In social media, it is very important to sound natural, and this course will teach the idioms that are used by native English speakers.

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Technical Writer

A technical writer creates instruction manuals and other technical documents. This course may be helpful to technical writers who work on documents for an English speaking audience. The course focuses on idioms, which can be confusing to non-native speakers. This can help a technical writer think about language from the perspective of the user. Therefore, technical documents can be written with greater clarity. Many technical documents are international, and this course can help the technical writer consider the clarity of written documents.

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Grant Writer

A grant writer composes proposals to persuade organizations to grant funding. This course may be beneficial to a grant writer who works in an English language context. This course provides practice in common English idioms, and this may add to the persuasive power of the grant writer if used correctly. The course focuses on the meaning and grammar behind these expressions, which is very helpful for a grant writer who needs to communicate with accuracy and precision. This may help a grant writer write more convincing proposals.

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Blogger

A blogger writes content for a blog. This course may be useful for a blogger who writes in English for an English speaking audience. This course offers insight into common idioms and phrases, and learning these expressions will help a blogger sound more like a native speaker. In particular, the course uses many real-life examples to highlight the nuances of English. This is useful for a blogger seeking to write engaging and persuasive content for their target audience.

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Foreign Correspondent

A foreign correspondent reports news from another country, and this course may be useful to them. This course on idioms can help with their communication because idiomatic expressions are essential for understanding the cultural nuances of a language. The course emphasizes real-life examples. This will help a foreign correspondent better understand conversations and how the local population communicates. The course can therefore help the foreign correspondent to write more accurate and culturally informed news reports.

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Speech Writer

A speech writer writes speeches for others, and this course may be useful for a speech writer who crafts speeches for an English speaking audience. A speech that uses idioms correctly can make it sound more natural, and this course teaches many common idioms. The course has many real-life examples of idioms in use. Therefore, a speech writer can take this knowledge and use it to sound more like a native speaker of English. This enhances the persuasiveness and appeal of the speeches they write.

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Linguist

A linguist studies language, and this course on English idioms may be helpful because idioms are an important part of any language. The course covers how idioms have figurative meanings, and it examines how idioms are used by native speakers. This knowledge can be particularly interesting for a linguist because it also addresses how expressions have evolved and been adopted into common usage. This course may also be useful for a linguist working on cross-cultural communications.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in English Idioms | ESL lessons to improve fluency.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idoms and...

Save

This dictionary comprehensive resource for understanding American idioms and phrasal verbs. It provides clear definitions, examples of usage, and helpful notes on the origins and cultural context of each idiom. valuable reference tool for ESL learners who want to expand their vocabulary and improve their comprehension of spoken and written English. It adds depth to the course by providing a broader range of idioms and more detailed explanations than can be covered in the lessons.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and...

Paperback

Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms

Save

Provides a comprehensive overview of common American idioms, with clear definitions and examples of usage. It is particularly helpful for ESL learners who want to improve their understanding of spoken and written English. This book is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference. It adds breadth to the course by exposing students to a wider range of idioms and cultural contexts.

Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms (Barron's...

Paperback

Handbook of Commonly Used American Idioms

Paperback