ESL Idioms
and Worksheets
Animal Idioms
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Animal Idioms List with Meanings and Examples
Idiom / Phrase Meaning Example Sentence
someone told me a
a little bird told me secret A little bird told me that you're getting married.
ants in your pants anxious or nervous Frank had ants in his pants before taking his exam.
look in the wrong place He asked me if I broke his laptop. I said he was barking
bark up the wrong tree or falsely accuse up the wrong tree.
someone carries
another person’s I will never be your beast of burden. You have got to
beast of burden problems deal with your own problems.
dwell on a topic I told you several times that I won't do it. Don't beat a
beat a dead horse beyond resolution dead horse!
unaccepted group Tom was the black sheep of the family and preferred to
black sheep member do things on his own.
cat nap a short sleep My father always takes a cat nap after work.
said when someone What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? You haven't said a
cat got your tongue doesn't speak word since we arrived.
avoid doing something
chicken out because of fear Mary was going to go skydiving, but she chickened out.
Tom always clams up when you ask him about his
clam up become quiet ex-girlfriend.
someone who copies
copy cat another You're such a copy cat! Do your own work!
Her little daughter always cries crocodile tears to get
crocodile tears fake tears whatever she wants.
The dog days of summer are really humid and
dog days very hot days uncomfortable.
don't plan for Zoe bought the dress before anyone asked her to the
don't count chickens something that may not prom. I told her not to count her chickens before they
before they hatch happen hatch.
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The other candidates dropped like flies at the end of the
drop like flies die or give up quickly election.
someone who is
excited about She's such an eager beaver when checking updates on
eager beaver something Instagram.
someone who likes to Sara is such an early bird. She gets up before the sun
early bird wake up early rises.
a sensitive unaddressed The couple's money problem was an elephant in the
elephant in the room issue room. They never talk about finances.
Something fishy is going on. He takes his wedding ring
fishy strange or suspicious off whenever he leaves the house.
Don't have a cow! It's not like I scratched the car on
have a cow get upset purpose!
hold your horses wait and be patient Hold your horses! I'll be ready in a minute.
holy cow that is surprising Holy cow! Did she really dye her hair blue?
horse around play roughly Stop horsing around kids. You're in the library.
in the dog house in trouble The coach won't let me play. I'm in the dog house.
kill two birds with one accomplish two things Why not kill two birds with one stone and brush your
stone at once teeth in the shower?
kitty corner diagonally across from Starbucks is kitty corner to the gas station.
let the cat out of the
bag reveal a secret Don't let the cat out of the bag about the birthday party.
the majority of You took the lion's share of the money. All I got was a
lion's share something couple pennies.
monkey see, monkey silly people copy each Monkey see, monkey do. Your brother spilt ketchup on
do other his shirt too.
She has a huge nest egg, so she doesn't have to work
nest egg saved money anymore.
pig out eat a lot Last night, I pigged out on a bag of potato chips.
plenty of other fish in there are many other Don't worry. You'll find another girl. There are plenty of
the sea available partners other fish in the sea.
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raining cats and dogs raining heavily It's raining cats and dogs. Remember your umbrella.
rat race competitive struggle I escaped the rat race in the office and moved to Hawaii.
Carl really screwed the pooch on the exam. He's the
screw the pooch fail only one who failed.
shooting fish in a For my brilliant little brother, setting up the WiFi
barrel easy or not challenging connection is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Before pulling the trigger, he told the gangster to sleep
sleep with the fishes die with the fishes.
I smell a rat. I know I left my wallet on my desk, but it's
smell a rat suspect deception gone.
straight from the directly from the The boss said we're bankrupt. The news came straight
horse's mouth source from the horse's mouth.
take the bull by the be brave and face a If you want to be rich, take the bull by the horns and
horns challenge work harder.
I remember learning about the birds and the bees in
the birds and the bees sex education middle school.
She was upset because her sister got the lion's share of
the lion's share the majority the inheritance.
until the cows come
home for a long time She can watch Netflix until the cows come home.
water off a duck's a harmful remark that
back has no effect on She insulted me but I didn't care. It was like water off a
someone duck's back.
lengthy undertaking Making the playoffs is now a wild goose chase. The
wild goose chase that accomplishes little team should focus on player development.
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Animal Idioms - Worksheet A
Instructions: Write the meanings of the idioms and create sentences.
Idiom / Phrase Meaning Example Sentence
a little bird told me
ants in your pants
bark up the wrong tree
beast of burden
beat a dead horse
black sheep
cat nap
cat got your tongue
chicken out
clam up
copy cat
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crocodile tears
dog days
don't count chickens
before they hatch
drop like flies
eager beaver
early bird
elephant in the room
fishy
have a cow
hold your horses
holy cow
horse around
in the dog house
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kill two birds with one
stone
kitty corner
let the cat out of the bag
lion's share
monkey see, monkey
do
nest egg
pig out
plenty of other fish in
the sea
raining cats and dogs
rat race
screw the pooch
shooting fish in a barrel
sleep with the fishes
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smell a rat
straight from the horse's
mouth
take the bull by the
horns
the birds and the bees
the lion's share
until the cows come
home
water off a duck's back
wild goose chase
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Animal Idioms - Worksheet B
Instructions: Underline the idioms in the sentences and write the meanings.
Sentences with Idioms / Phrases Meaning
A little bird told me that you're getting married.
Frank had ants in his pants before taking his exam.
He asked me if I broke his laptop. I said he was
barking up the wrong tree.
I will never be your beast of burden. You have got
to deal with your own problems.
I told you several times that I won't do it. Don't beat
a dead horse!
Tom was the black sheep of the family and
preferred to do things on his own.
My father always takes a cat nap after work.
What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? You haven't
said a word since we arrived.
Mary was going to go skydiving, but she chickened
out.
Tom always clams up when you ask him about his
ex-girlfriend.
You're such a copy cat! Do your own work!
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Her little daughter always cries crocodile tears to
get whatever she wants.
The dog days of summer are really humid and
uncomfortable.
Zoe bought the dress before anyone asked her to the
prom. I told her not to count her chickens before
they hatch.
The other candidates dropped like flies at the end of
the election.
She's such an eager beaver when checking updates
on Instagram.
Sara is such an early bird. She gets up before the
sun rises.
The couple's money problem was an elephant in the
room. They never talk about finances.
Something fishy is going on. He takes his wedding
ring off whenever he leaves the house.
Don't have a cow! It's not like I scratched the car on
purpose!
Hold your horses! I'll be ready in a minute.
Holy cow! Did she really dye her hair blue?
Stop horsing around kids. You're in the library.
The coach won't let me play. I'm in the dog house.
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Why not kill two birds with one stone and brush
your teeth in the shower?
Starbucks is kitty corner to the gas station.
Don't let the cat out of the bag about the birthday
party.
You took the lion's share of the money. All I got
was a couple pennies.
Monkey see, monkey do. Your brother spilt ketchup
on his shirt too.
She has a huge nest egg, so she doesn't have to
work anymore.
Last night, I pigged out on a bag of potato chips.
Don't worry. You'll find another girl. There are
plenty of other fish in the sea.
It's raining cats and dogs. Remember your
umbrella.
I escaped the rat race in the office and moved to
Hawaii.
Carl really screwed the pooch on the exam. He's the
only one who failed.
For my brilliant little brother, setting up the WiFi
connection is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Before pulling the trigger, he told the gangster to
sleep with the fishes.
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I smell a rat. I know I left my wallet on my desk,
but it's gone.
The boss said we're bankrupt. The news came
straight from the horse's mouth.
If you want to be rich, take the bull by the horns
and work harder.
I remember learning about the birds and the bees in
middle school.
She was upset because her sister got the lion's share
of the inheritance.
She can watch Netflix until the cows come home.
She insulted me but I didn't care. It was like water
off a duck's back.
Making the playoffs is now a wild goose chase. The
team should focus on player development.
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Animal Idioms - Worksheet C
Instructions: Read the meanings and write the correct idioms.
Meaning Idiom / Phrase
someone told me a secret
anxious or nervous
look in the wrong place or falsely accuse
someone carries another person’s problems
dwell on a topic beyond resolution
unaccepted group member
a short sleep
said when someone doesn't speak
avoid doing something because of fear
become quiet
someone who copies another
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fake tears
very hot days
don't plan for something that may not happen
die or give up quickly
someone who is excited about something
someone who likes to wake up early
a sensitive unaddressed issue
strange or suspicious
get upset
wait and be patient
that is surprising
play roughly
in trouble
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accomplish two things at once
diagonally across from
reveal a secret
the majority of something
silly people copy each other
saved money
eat a lot
there are many other available partners
raining heavily
competitive struggle
fail
easy or not challenging
die
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suspect deception
directly from the source
be brave and face a challenge
sex education
the majority
for a long time
a harmful remark that has no effect on someone
lengthy undertaking that accomplishes little
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Animal Idioms - Worksheet D
Instructions: Review and practice creating more sentences with the idioms that you had difficulty with.
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Animal Idioms Crossword
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Crossword Clues
Across
2. said when someone doesn't speak
3. dye or give up quickly
5. someone carries another person’s problems
6. unaccepted group member
7. a sensitive unaddressed issue
11. anxious or nervous
13. avoid doing something because of fear
14. someone who is excited about something
15. get upset
16. very hot days
17. look in the wrong place or falsely accuse
18. fake tears
Down
1. don't plan for something that may not happen
4. dwell on a topic beyond resolution
8. a short sleep
9. someone told me a secret
10. become quiet
12. strange or suspicious
13. someone who copies another
19. someone who likes to wake up early
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Answer Key
Across
2. CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE
3. DROP LIKE FLIES
5. BEAST OF BURDEN
6. BLACK SHEEP
7. ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
11. ANTS IN YOUR PANTS
13. CHICKEN OUT
14. EAGER BEAVER
15. HAVE A COW
16. DOG DAYS
17. BARK UP THE WRONG TREE
18. CROCODILE TEARS
Down
1. DON’T COUNT CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH
4. BEAT A DEAD HORSE
8. CAT NAP
9. A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME
10. CLAM UP
12. FISHY
13. COPY CAT
19. EARLY BIRD
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