5 Essential American Idioms
5 Essential American Idioms
Hello!
This is Teacher Ben at E52. I’ve listed some common American idioms below that will help you navigate the English language like a pro!
1. Butterflies in my stomach
She had butterflies in her stomach right before her allotted time at the open mic.
Do you ever feel nauseous right before something stressful or important? It feels like butterflies are flying around in your stomach, which is why we say this when we feel nervous or anxious.
2. Get something off of your chest
Janice needed to get something off of her chest that had been bugging her for a while – she had cheated on her entrance exam.
When you want to talk about something that has been bothering you for a long time or you want to admit something that you’ve done wrong, you need to “get something off of your chest”.
3. Put your foot in your mouth
James really put his foot in his mouth at that party when he asked Andrew and Jane if they planned on having kids right after they had discovered Jane was infertile.
To put your foot in your mouth means you said something inappropriate or you said something you shouldn’t have said.
4. Piece of cake
George passed the exam with no problem, later calling it a piece of cake.
When something is extremely easy to complete and lacks any challenge, it is called a “piece of cake”.
5. Down in flames
His musical career went down in flames when the entire television audience discovered that he had been lip-syncing his hit song the entire time.
When something goes “down in flames”, it fails very suddenly and dramatically. Imagine a plane that’s on fire and quickly falling from the sky, about to crash.
Feel free to add these idioms into your everyday speech and add more idioms that you use below!
- Ben at E52
This is Teacher Ben at E52. I’ve listed some common American idioms below that will help you navigate the English language like a pro!
1. Butterflies in my stomach
She had butterflies in her stomach right before her allotted time at the open mic.
Do you ever feel nauseous right before something stressful or important? It feels like butterflies are flying around in your stomach, which is why we say this when we feel nervous or anxious.
2. Get something off of your chest
Janice needed to get something off of her chest that had been bugging her for a while – she had cheated on her entrance exam.
When you want to talk about something that has been bothering you for a long time or you want to admit something that you’ve done wrong, you need to “get something off of your chest”.
3. Put your foot in your mouth
James really put his foot in his mouth at that party when he asked Andrew and Jane if they planned on having kids right after they had discovered Jane was infertile.
To put your foot in your mouth means you said something inappropriate or you said something you shouldn’t have said.
4. Piece of cake
George passed the exam with no problem, later calling it a piece of cake.
When something is extremely easy to complete and lacks any challenge, it is called a “piece of cake”.
5. Down in flames
His musical career went down in flames when the entire television audience discovered that he had been lip-syncing his hit song the entire time.
When something goes “down in flames”, it fails very suddenly and dramatically. Imagine a plane that’s on fire and quickly falling from the sky, about to crash.
Feel free to add these idioms into your everyday speech and add more idioms that you use below!
- Ben at E52
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
Extra (This is a slang word not an idiom)
-when you describe a person who acts dramatically. Similar meaning as Drama queen.
-when you describe a person who acts dramatically. Similar meaning as Drama queen.
Last edited by ts112 on Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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boyd-narak
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
Don't sweat it.
Don't sweat it! We've got plenty of time to practice before our show
it mean don't worry anything it will be fine.
Don't sweat it! We've got plenty of time to practice before our show
it mean don't worry anything it will be fine.
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boyd-narak
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:20 pm
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
In the bag
The game is in the bag. We will win easily!!
it mean sure!! you know to make it's easy.
The game is in the bag. We will win easily!!
it mean sure!! you know to make it's easy.
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
Break A Leg:
A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite.
A superstitious way to say 'good luck' without saying 'good luck', but rather the opposite.
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
"Blue in the face"
The young boy was blue in the face because his father wouldn't buy him an bicycle.
When you are weakened or tired after trying many times. It also means extremely angry, frustrated, annoyed, embarrassed or upset.
The young boy was blue in the face because his father wouldn't buy him an bicycle.
When you are weakened or tired after trying many times. It also means extremely angry, frustrated, annoyed, embarrassed or upset.
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marilynalvardoq
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 9:43 pm
Re: 5 Essential American Idioms
"Skeletons in the closet"
The journalist discover that the president have many skeletons in the closet.
It mean that the person have a lot of bad secrets.
The journalist discover that the president have many skeletons in the closet.
It mean that the person have a lot of bad secrets.