Using Idiomatic Expression

Every language has its unique collection of sayings and phrases. These expressions,
known as idioms, often contain meanings that may not be obvious by simply looking at
the individual words.

An idiom is a widely used saying or expression containing a figurative meaning that

differs from the phrase’s literal meaning. The word “idiom” comes from the Greek word
“idioma,” meaning peculiar phrasing.

For example, “under the weather” is an idiom universally understood to mean sick or ill.
If you say you’re feeling “under the weather,” you don’t literally mean that you’re
standing underneath the rain.

Go belly up Go bankrupt (informal); to break or malfunction, fail or come to an end.

The implied comparison is with a dead fish or other animals floating upside down in the
water.

Below the belt Unfair or unfairly; not regarding the rules.

From the notion of a low, and therefore illegal, blow in boxing.

On bended knee (or knees) Kneeling, especially when pleading, asking for something
or showing great respect.
Bended was the original past participle of bend, but in Middle English it was superseded
in general use by bent. It’s now archaic and survives only in this phrase.

Better late than never. It's preferable for something to happen or be done belatedly
than not at all.
An expression used in Latin (Livy IV.ii potius sero quam nunquam) and known in its
current form in English from the mid-15th century.

Bite the hand that feeds one Deliberately hurt or offend a benefactor; act ungratefully.

As blind as a bat Having very bad eyesight.

Probably arising from the bat’s nocturnal habits and its disorientated flutterings if it’s
disturbed by day; A mid-17th-century collection of idioms has this expression in the form
“blind as a bat at noon”. The poor eyesight of bats (and less frequently, moles) has
been proverbial since the late 16th century.

How you can easily understand idioms

Firstly, you need to know that idioms and phrases are everywhere: anything that doesn’t
have a literal, physical meaning is an idiom. Let’s look at some idiom examples:

● I find his excuses hard to swallow, he’s lying.

● The police have been digging around in his accounts looking for evidence of
fraud.
● He’s a really bright spark, so I think he’ll do well at school.

These sentences all contain idioms, because you can’t swallow words or dig in a bank
account in any literal or physical way – and how can a ‘spark’ do well at school? You’ll
also notice that a literal translation into most languages won’t make sense.

7 Ways to Make Idioms and Phrases Easier to Understand:

1. Listen to context.

Idioms are unusual expressions. So ask yourself ‘Why is that person using an unusual
expression?’ The reasons are likely to be connected with emphasis, exaggeration, or a
high state of emotion! So check the context – and the facial expression!

2. Check to see if you understood.

Use expressions like; ‘so you’re pretty angry about that right?’ or ‘OK, you mean that
you’re too busy at the moment.’
3. Be honest when you don’t understand.

Try using; ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.’

4. Never translate idioms.

Idioms from your own language may use the same imagery or concepts (and it is
always interesting to notice these similarities) but they are unlikely to translate word-for-
word into English expressions.

5. Listen to how native speakers use idioms.

A native English speaker NEVER says ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ – so why should an
ESL student? Listen to what native speakers actually say in a given situation, and copy.

6. Take notes.

Keep a notebook of your favorite expressions in English and add anything new that you
hear. Try to use new expressions soon after you learn them, this is called ‘use it or lose
it.’

7. Tolerate your mistakes.

You will definitely make mistakes and create confusion when you use idiomatic
expressions, so be brave and allow yourself the space to try, fail, and try again.

How to Use Idioms in Writing

Idioms are a type of figurative language writers can use to add dynamism and character
to otherwise stale writing. Writers can also use idioms to:

● Add humor: Idiomatic expressions can help transform flat descriptions with the
help of a funny turn-of-phrase. For instance, rather than describing someone as
not very smart, you could say they are “not the sharpest tool in the shed” or “not
the brightest star in the sky.” In addition to conveying that the subject in question
 is not intelligent, the inherent comparison of a person’s brain to a toolbox or a
star is unexpected and humorous.

● Engage the reader: By inserting an idiomatic phrase into your writing, you force
the reader to shift from thinking literally to abstractly. This can help focus and
excite the reader, as they must activate a more conceptual part of their brain to
comprehend the idiom’s meaning. For example, the idiom “biting off more than
they can chew” describes someone taking on a challenging task. Using this idiom
can encourage the reader to conjure a visual image in their head.

● Evoke a specific region: Certain idioms can be unique to a particular group of

people or world area. For instance, “that dog won’t hunt” is a common idiom in
the Southern United States that means something doesn’t work or make sense.
On the other hand, if someone were to refer to a mess or a debacle as a “dog’s
dinner,” they are likely British. In fiction writing, the strategic employment of
specific idioms can often add a regional flavor and authenticity to your
characters.

● Share a point of view: Idioms can express commonly shared or universal ideas,
so there are often dozens of idioms that apply to the same concept. However,
depending on which idiom you choose, you can convey an entirely different
attitude or point of view about the subject. For example, several idioms express
the concept of death. If you were to write that someone “passed away,” you are
using an idiom to describe death in a graceful, delicate way. Alternatively, you
could say that a person “kicked the bucket,” a much cruder way of describing the
act of dying. Though both idioms ultimately mean the same thing, they convey
entirely different attitudes toward death.

● Simplify complex ideas: Often, idioms can help express a large or abstract idea
in a way that is concise and easy to understand. For instance, you could say that
two things are impossible to compare to one another because they possess
different traits or meanings. Or you could say it’s like “comparing apples to
oranges.” In this case, using an idiom helps express the same idea in a much
simpler way.

4 Tips for Incorporating Idioms into Your Writing

When writing idioms, consider the following tips:

1. Avoid clichés: The overuse of idioms can lead to them becoming a cliché, like
the phrase “there are other fish in the sea.” Over Reliance on common idioms
can cause the reader to become bored with your writing.

2. Create idiolects for characters. Including idioms in books for characters who are
native English speakers can be a challenge, mainly if the story is outside English-
speaking countries. For his part, author Salman Rushdie creates idiolects to ease
translations. “One of the difficulties that I had in some of the books I've written
that deal with South Asia is that the characters would not realistically be speaking
English,” Salman says. “If you give them English speakers' idioms, that can
sound completely idiotic coming out of their mouths. So you have to create an
idiom. You have to create an idiolect, which is a way for their speech to be
represented in English, indicating to the reader that this is a translation from
another language.”

3. Identify repetitive descriptions. Read through your work with an eye for
language that feels dry or monotonous. Look for instances where replacing rote
character descriptions with an idiom would add clarity or texture. If you describe
a character as being angry often, you might change the language to include
phrases like “seeing red,” “up in arms,” or “flying off the handle.”

4. Use idioms sparingly. Though a strategic use of idioms can add color to your
writing, too many idioms in a piece of writing can feel stale or confusing.

Strategies in Teaching Idioms

Only introduce a few idioms at a time. Don’t overwhelm students by throwing lists of
phrases at them. Even if they are all common, useful idioms, students aren’t going to
remember a few dozen things from one lesson. Instead, introduce a few idioms at a
time. It can also help to keep them all related to a theme. For example, focus one
lesson on a few animal-related idioms, such as “work like a dog,” “dog days,” “raining
cats and dogs,” and “the cat’s out of the bag.”
Use stories. Telling a story can help students understand and remember the meaning
behind the words. “Kill two birds with one stone,” for example, lends itself well to a
simple story. You can then have your kids discuss the meaning of the phrase, and
come up with other ways that they could “kill two birds with one stone.”

Use visuals. Whether it’s pictures or acting something out, visuals are another great
way to convey meaning and help students remember what they’ve learned. After all, a
picture is worth a thousand words, and actions speak louder than words. Drawing or
acting out idioms can make a great review game, too. Have students draw or act out an
idiom while the other students try to guess it.

Use conversations. Introducing idioms through simple conversations can give students
an idea of how the idioms are used in real-life situations. It’s also a good exercise for
inferring the meaning of an unfamiliar idiom based on context.

Say the idioms regularly in the classroom. Keep track of the idioms that you’ve
taught your students, and make it a point to use them every now and then in class. This
will not only help students remember the phrase and its meaning, but will also help them
get a feel for how the idiom is used in everyday speech.

Keep it fun and light. Teaching idioms is about helping the students communicate and
understand conversational English. Whatever activities or games you do, keep it low-
stress and focus on getting your students comfortable with understanding and using the
idioms that they know.

7 Ways to Practice Idioms in Class

1. Posters
When you hang idioms posters around your class, your learners will be exposed
to them daily.
2. Make their own poster
Have students make their own posters! where they write the idioms and draw an
image that represents the idiomatic meaning (have them try to include the literal
meaning as well, if they can). This creative exercise will help students visualize
and retain the meanings,

3. Skits
Writing dialogues and presenting skits is a fun, entertaining way to practice
idioms, and students will get a lot of exposure both by writing their own
dialogues and watching their classmates’ skits.

4. Matchup
Write out a list of idioms and definitions that you’ve been studying in class. Or,
better yet, have pairs or small groups of students write out the definitions in their
own words. Cut up the word lists, hand them to another pair or group, and get
students to match up the idioms and meanings.

5. Speaking
Sharing a personal experience really helps to plant an idiom firmly in your
students' minds. Put students into small groups, give them a list of idioms, and
have each student choose one idiom. They will then talk about (or make up) an
experience where that idiom applied to them.

6. Writing
Use one or more of the idioms as a prompt for a story that students can write in
class or for homework. Try having students share and discuss their stories in
small groups the next day—it’s a good way to include pronunciation and
speaking practice into this writing assignment. When you check their work,
seeing the idiom(s) explained in context will let you know if the student has truly
understood the meaning(s).

7. Quizzes
Put students into pairs or small groups, and have them create a quiz for another
pair/group. They should write at least five sentences that demonstrate an idiom in
context, along with a blank where the idiom would be written in.