Idioms For

everyone

Flor Can & Dalia Ku

The following guide aims to help students practice uncommon
idioms in the English language through different types of
activities that will be very useful when you want to increase
your vocabulary. As any other language, idioms show language
proficiency and reflect the background of a culture. That is
why in this guide you will find definitions, exercises (inspired in
reliable resources), illustrations and examples with enough
complexity that will exercise your brain with fun topics and
interesting meanings. Regarding the level, this guide was
designed for B2+ students, that is why we suggest paying
attention to each explanation to be able to perform the
exercises where you will also find clear instructions to follow to
achieve the purpose of each activity.
We hope you develop new skills through this guide and gain
new knowledge.

Good luck!
Dalia and Flor

Editors
 INDEX

What are idioms? ................................................ 4

Exercises ................................................................. 5

Idioms with cat and dog .................................... 6

Idioms with white and red ................................ 7

Idioms with ears and hands ............................. 8

Idioms with emotions and feelings ................ 9

Idioms with food ................................................... 11

Credits ..................................................................... 12
 What are idioms?
Idioms are expressions which have a meaning that is not
obvious from the individual words. For example, the idiom drive
someone round the bend means make someone angry or
frustrated, but we cannot know this just by looking at the
words.

The best way to understand an idiom is to see it in context.

If someone says:

That noise is driving me round the bend! it’s so annoying!

Then the context and common sense tells us that drive round
the bend means something different from driving a car round a
curve in the road. The context tells us the noise is annoying and
that it’s having an effect on the person hearing it.

Remember!
There are different types
of idioms that you can use
depending on what you
want to say, some of them
are related to feelings,
animals, colors, numbers,
etc.
 Exercises
How much can you guess about the meaning of these idioms
just by looking at the context? Tick ✓ the phrases according to
what you can understand about the words in bold.

1. I decided I was going to get a place at university by hook or

by crook. It had always been my dream to study for a degree
in history.
a) means using illegal methods if necessary.
b) means nothing will stop me.
c) means i was very determined.

2. The government and the unions are

at loggerheads; there may be a general
strike.
a) means have a good relationship.
b) means hate each other.
c) means disagree very strongly.

3. We had to pay through the nose to get our visas in five days
instead of the usual 30 days.
a) means suffer in some way.
b) means pay a small sum of money.
c) means pay a large sum of money.
 Idioms with...
Cat and Dog
1. Like the cat that got the cream: very
pleased or happy about something
that you have achieved.
2. To fight like cat and dog: to fight a lot.
3. A dog's life = is constantly worried,
troubled or miserable.
4. To work like a dog: to work a lot

Exercise
Choose the correct answer.
1. I think you are very tired because________ _______ ________.
You shouldn't worry so much.
2. Ellen works hard every day and at weekends she has
to take care of her family. She never goes out, I think she
has ___ ____ ______.
3. Although they're best friends now when they were
kids, they used ____ _____ ___ ______ ______ over every little
thing.
4. After receiving a promotion at work, Sarah walked into
the office with a big smile on her face, looking ____ ___
_____ ____ ______ ______ ______.
 Idioms with...
White and red
Look at the following chart with the
meaning of each idiom and then choose
the suitable sentence and place it in the
<examples> column.

Idiom Meaning Examples

as white as a very pale, as a result of

sheet. fear or shock.

an important or
memorable day
a red-letter day
because something
good happened on it.

possession that is
a white elephant useless and often
expensive to maintain.

o see red become very angry.

May 20th is the day we met for the first time, remember? For
me, it's (write the idiom here).

He started to criticize me in a way that made me (write the

idiom here).

I told him a thousand times to get rid of that expensive car

that he doesn't even use. He doesn't realize that it's (write
the idiom here).

She went as (write the idiom here) when I told her the news.
 Idiom Meaning

Be all ears
Listen with attention and
interest

To play by ear

Play an instrument from

memory.
To have one's hands full

Be extremely busy.

To show one's hand

Let others know one's

intentions.

Exercise

1. Match te following idioms with the image.

Be all ears

To have one's hands full

To play by ear

To show one's hand

 Emotions and
feelings

Extreme happiness

There are many informal idioms which mean

extremely happy:
I’m thrilled to bits.

I’m over the I’m in seventh

moon. heaven.

I am/feel on top of I’m on cloud nine.

the world.

And sadness (look at this example):

 1 slightly unhappy or slightly ill

2 unhappy (informal)

3 what has happened won’t cause any serious problems

someone who complains all the time and is

4 accept a situation you don’t like because you can’t change it

5 someone who complains all the time and is never

happy (very informal)

6 being jealous about something you can’t have

7 stop an occasion from being enjoyable (sometimes

dompener is used instead of damper)

Exercises

1. Combine the words in the box in order to make five expressions

meaning extremely happy. Use each word once only.

bits cloud heaven in moon nine of on on over

seventh the the thrilled to top world

2. Correct the mistakes in these idioms.

1 The child was thrilled for bits to have her photo in the paper.
2 I felt as if I was floating in air as I ran down the hill into his arms.
3 Why does Marti look so out of sort today?
4 Don’t make such a fuss. It’s not the finish of the world!
 {Idioms with food}
$ $
The salt of the A very good and
earth honest person.
Full of beans
The cream of the Full of energy
crop
As cool as a The best of all.
cucumber
Relaxed, calm.
Examples:
Jack is the salt of the earth.
She was full of beans this morning!
He was the cream of the crop in her
graduating class.
The driver was as cool as a cucumber
when the police stopped him.
Exercise:
1. Marcos had his final exams yesterday but he
was _________ ____ ______.
2. Out of all the candidates, he ___ ____ ____ ____
____ ______.
3. Even in stressful situations, she remains _____
____ _____ _____ _____.
4. Despite his long journey, he ___ ____ ____ ____
and eager to explore the new city.
 Credits

Contenido: Vocabulary - English idioms - frases idiom

ticas o modismos en ingl s. (s. f.). Cambridge
University Press.

Editoras: Flor Can, Dalia Ku

Asesoría: Frank Pool

Diseño: Flor Can, Dalia Ku

 Copyright © Flor Can & Dalia Ku

School of education

Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán

English Language Teaching

Mérida, Yucatán 2023