Practice
Common English idioms: meaning and safe use
Your colleague says, ‘I am under the weather today.’ There is no weather problem. The phrase means that the colleague feels unwell.
Recognise eight common English idioms and use them in suitable informal conversations or messages.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
break the ice /breɪk ði aɪs/
The short answer
An idiom is a fixed phrase with a meaning that you cannot always work out by translating each word separately.
After the long meeting, Maya said she needed to call it a day.
Why it works: Call it a day means to stop working on something for now.
3 more examples
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The teacher told a short joke to break the ice on the first day of class.
The joke helps new students feel less nervous with each other.
Not this:The teacher told a short joke to
break the ruleson the first day of class. What changes: Break the rules has a different meaning. It means to disobey rules, not to help people relax. -
I will keep an eye on your bag while you buy a ticket.
The speaker will watch the bag carefully for a short time.
Not this:I will
keep a hand onyour bag while you buy a ticket. What changes: This literal phrase suggests physical contact. Keep an eye on means to watch or look after something. -
We can talk about the budget later, but do not beat around the bush.
The speaker asks for a direct answer instead of a slow, indirect one.
Not this:We can talk about the budget later, but do not
change the subject. What changes: Changing the subject moves to a different topic. Beating around the bush stays on the topic without saying the main point clearly.
Read the full guide
Learn the meaning first, then notice the situation around the phrase. These idioms are usually suitable with friends, classmates, and colleagues you know well. In a formal report, plain wording is often clearer.
What makes a phrase an idiom?
With an idiom, the words have a shared meaning. If somebody is under the weather, they feel ill. Looking at weather and under will not give you that meaning.
I am under the weather, so I am going home early.
Four idioms for daily plans
Call it a day means to stop an activity for now. Keep an eye on means to watch something carefully. Get the hang of it means to begin understanding how to do something. Be on the same page means to share the same understanding or plan.
After two practice sessions, Noor got the hang of the new booking system.
Four idioms for conversations
Break the ice helps people become more comfortable when they first meet. Beat around the bush means to avoid saying the main point directly. Under the weather describes feeling slightly ill. Cost an arm and a leg means to be very expensive.
The hotel near the station costs an arm and a leg during the festival.
Choose a setting that fits
At a team meeting, you might say, ‘Are we on the same page about Friday?’ In a job application, write the direct meaning instead. Formal readers may come from many language backgrounds, so plain language reduces confusion.
Informal message: Let us call it a day. Formal update: We will stop work for today and continue tomorrow.
Keep the phrase together
Learn an idiom as a whole phrase. You can change grammar around it, such as called it a day or calling it a day, but do not replace its important words with random synonyms.
We called it a day when the library closed.
Check the meaning from context
Your friend says, ‘This laptop cost an arm and a leg.’ What does the friend mean?
The laptop was very expensive. The friend is using an informal phrase, not speaking about a physical injury.
Before you go
Remember this
Start with a few idioms you can recognise and use comfortably: under the weather, call it a day, break the ice, keep an eye on, get the hang of it, be on the same page, beat around the bush, and cost an arm and a leg.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Common English idioms: meaning and safe use"
What is an idiom in English?
An idiom is a fixed expression with a shared meaning. You often cannot understand it by translating each word separately.
The teacher told a short joke to break the ice on the first day of class.
What does under the weather mean?
Under the weather means feeling slightly ill or unwell. Use it in an informal conversation, message, or spoken explanation.
The teacher told a short joke to break the rules on the first day of class.
What does call it a day mean?
Call it a day means to stop an activity for now, usually because you have done enough work or time has run out.
I will keep an eye on your bag while you buy a ticket.
Can I use idioms in formal writing?
Use familiar idioms carefully in informal writing. In a formal report, plain wording is often easier for every reader to understand.
I will keep a hand on your bag while you buy a ticket.
How can I learn English idioms?
Learn one complete phrase with an example and its situation. Then notice the same phrase in conversation, reading, or a programme.
We can talk about the budget later, but do not beat around the bush.
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