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English
Quarter 2 – Module 4:
Idioms: Other Ways to Say
English – Grade 8
Quarter 2 – Module 4: Idioms: Other Ways to Say
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education – Region XI

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Office Address: DepEd Building, Provincial Governent Center Mankilam, Tagum City,
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E-mail Address: [email protected]

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English
Quarter 2 – Module 4:
Idioms:Other Ways to Say
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to
use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress
while allowing them to manage their own learning at home.
Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as
they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own
learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different
activities in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be
reminded of the following:
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on
any part of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in
answering the exercises.
2. Do not forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking
your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are
done.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this
module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always
bear in mind that you are not alone. We hope that through this
material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep
understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

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 Let Us Learn

Sometimes expressing our thoughts, beliefs or opinions seems to be

very convenient nowadays especially that we can easily use social media
platforms as easy as ABC. However, there are times that we are often
misunderstood or misinterpreted by others no matter how careful we maybe
in choosing our words. So, to solve this dilemma, most netizens would prefer
using memes or figurative expressions intentionally to avoid public criticism.

As we journey together in this module, you will be expressing what

you believe-in and compare it with other neighboring countries’ beliefs and
convictions.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. interpret idiomatic expressions figuratively;

2. compare and contrast one’s beliefs/convictions using Venn

diagram; and

3. express one’s beliefs or opinion using idiomatic expressions.

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 Let Us Try

As a kick off to your journey in this module, let us first see if you have
prior knowledge of the topic at hand. Try to match each statement from
Column A to its appropriate expression in column B. Write only the letters of
your chosen answer in your notebook.

A B

____1. A practice execution of a procedure a) go along (with)

____2. To take the blame for something b) dry run
one did not do
c) Fourth Estate
____3. Follow the example laid down by
someone else d) go down in flames
____4. To set a limit to what one will e) carry the can
accept
f) flash in the pan
____5. Be given by an unclear or evasive
answer to a question g) follow in someone’s
footsteps
____6. Fail in a spectacular way
____7. Agree with something, often h) get the run around
provisionally
i) draw the Line
____8. A one-time occurrence, not a
permanent phenomenon
____9. The media and the newspaper

Some of those statements may have been familiar to you already. You
may have heard your teachers used it while having classes. Perhaps, you
might have used it unknowingly or read it from a book or online as way of
expressing thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and convictions.

These words or phrases are simple in form but complex in meaning –

which are commonly referred as idioms or idiomatic expressions.

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 Idiomatic expression is a type of informal language that has a
meaning different from the meaning of the words in the expression.
Here's an example of an idiomatic expression:

Hold your tongue.

This idiom does not actually mean that you should stick your fingers
in your mouth and grab a hold of your tongue. It means that you should not
talk.
People "hold their tongues" when they are in situations where they
want to talk, but it would be better if they did not. So, while their tongue is
ready to do some talking, they "hold" it and don't say anything.
Idioms are other ways of saying things differently. Below are idioms
commonly used in expressing beliefs/convictions or opinions. Try to
familiarize them since you will be encountering them as you finish the tasks
henceforth.

Idioms Meaning
Over my dead body I will never let you do this
Beat around the bush Avoiding the main topic
Speak your mind Say exactly what you think, in a very direct
way
Sitting on the fence. Remain neutral about a decision
To play the devil’s advocate Be the person who likes to argue just to
make conversation interesting
It’s out of the question Not worth considering because of being too
difficult or impossible
Points taken You get the message
Fair enough Used to show you understand and accept
what is said
You can say that again I completely agree with you

Now you’re talking You have finally had a good idea

Hit the nail on the head You express the point exactly how it is

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 Let Us Study
Pre-Reading Activity

To prepare you to fully understand the text you are about to

read, I would like you to observe the italicized words that are used in the
sentences below and give the correct meaning from the options indicated
inside the box below. Write your answers in your notebook.

Ex. Bata makes hay while the sun shines.

Ans. Act while the opportunity exists

1. The wife of Anpu was beaten black and blue.

2. Knowing the wife‘s dishonesty, blood pours into his face.
3. After killing the wife, Anpu was blue in the face.
4. Bata had made an easy way out to the mountains.
5. In good faith, Bata supported his brother Anpu.
6. Anpu felt a pain in the neck when he heard his wife‘s
explanation.
7. She bent her knees for forgiveness.
8. Anpu‘s wife accepted the dose of her own medicine.
9. Bata kept company with god- Ra to seek consolation.
10. Anpu took the law into his hands.

a. surrender
b. seeking comfort in times of sever loss or suffering
c. face becomes red due to emotion
d. exhausted from exertion, anger, or exasperation
e. to experience the same manner of harm you inflicted
to others
f. an easy solution
g. thoroughly beaten that bruises are visible
h. punish someone in your own way without involving
the police or the courts
i. any kind of annoyance or source of grief
j. honesty or sincerity of intention

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 The selection that you are about to read is considered the oldest
literary piece believed to have been written 3000 years before Christ. Find
out the similarities of Egyptians and Filipinos in terms of culture, beliefs,
respect and love for family and reverence to God as depicted in this
selection.

Tale of Two Brothers

Egyptian Folktale

Once there were two brothers. Anpu was the elder, and Bata was the
younger. When their parents died, Anpu was already married and had a
house of his own, so he took his little brother with him and treated him like
his son. When the little brother grew to be a young man, he became an
excellent worker. He did the plowing. He harvested the corn, and there was
no one his equal in the whole land. Behold, the spirit of the god was within
him.
Every morning, the younger brother followed his oxen and worked all day
in the fields, and every evening, he returned to the house with vegetables,
milk, and wood. He laid all these before his elder brother, and he took with
him his bread, and he drove the cattle into the field.
Because Anpu loved his younger brother very much, his wife became very
jealous and she wanted to destroy Bata. One day, when Anpu and Bata were
in the fields, they needed some corn, so Anpu sent Bata home to get some.
The younger brother found the wife combing her hair and said to her, “Get
up and give me some corn that I may run to the field for my elder brother is
in a hurry. Do not delay.”
At eventide, Anpu returned home earlier than his brother because Bata
had much work to do in the fields. Anpu was met by his wife, who was
crying bitterly. She showed him her arms and legs which he had painted
black and blue and accused Bata of having beaten her up. She pretended to
be in great pain. She did not give him water to wash his hands with. She did
not light the fire for him. She pretended that she was very sick.
Anpu became very angry. He sharpened his knife and waited for Bata in
the stable. When the sun went down, Bata came home as usual, loaded with
herbs, milk and wood. As he entered the door, he saw the feet of his brother

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and the sharp knife hanging by his side. The brother sprang from him and
Bata fled praying to the god Ra. “My good Lord! Save me from death, thou
who divines the evil from the good.” Ra heard his cry. He made a river flow
between one brother and the other and filled it with crocodiles.
Bata asked his elder brother, “Why do you seek to kill me? Am I not your
brother and have you not always treated me as if you were my father? Has
not your wife been as mother to me? Now since you want to kill me, I shall
go to the Valley of the Acacia.”
Anpu answered, “Why did you beat up my wife and almost kill her.”
Bata answered, “I did not do such thing. Have I told you that I have
always looked upon her as my mother?”
So, Anpu went home. He found his wife near the river washing off the
black and blue dye with which she had painted herself. Filled with great
anger, Anpu killed his wife and cast her to the dogs. Then, he sat down,
poured ashes on his head and mourned for his younger brother.
Bata reached the Valley of Acacia. Since there was no one with him, he
slew wild beasts for food, built himself a house and met the Nine Gods who
knew of his innocence and goodness. Ra said to the god Khunumu, “Behold,
frame a woman for Bata that he may not remain alone.” So Khunumu made
for Bata a wife to dwell with him. She was indeed more beautiful than any
other woman in the whole land. She was like a goddess, and Bata loved her
very much.

Post-Reading Activity
After reading the story, I’d like you to answer the questions below in your
notebook.
1. Why did the wife get jealous of Bata?
2. What did the wife do to get the attention of Anpu? Do you agree
with what she had done? Why so?
3. If you were Bata, what would you do? Do you agree with him in
leaving the house? Why so?
4. If you were Anpu, would you believe your wife’s explanation?

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 5. Do you agree with the beliefs and traditions they practice? Which
of those bring unity and harmony? Which do not?
6. Study the Venn Diagram below. Enumerate the traditions of the
Egyptians as revealed in the story and write these in the circle
marked “Egyptians”. Next, write the Filipino traditions in the circle
marked “Filipinos”. Then, identify the Egyptian and Filipino
traditions/practices which are similar. Write these in the
overlapping circle.

Egyptians Filipinos
Both
Filipinos

&

Egyptians

7. If you were in the shoes of Anpu, would you also have taken the
law in your hands? Express your opinion regarding his actions
towards his brother and wife.

Now, you are slowly going deeper into understanding human nature
and the experiences of other people of different races. Have you realized
something? Are human thoughts, feelings, and emotions universal? Do they
manifest in every race and culture?

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 Let Us Practice
There are many idiomatic expressions in our language. One is that
several words are combined which lose their literal meaning and express
something very remotely suggested such as ; birds of a feather, blacklist,
layup, toe the line, make out, bed of roses, dark horse, heavy hand, open
house, read between the lines, no ax to grind, hard row to hoe.

A second statement about idioms is that parts of the human body

have suggested many of them: burn one‘s fingers, all thumbs, fly in the face
of, stand on one‘s own feet, keep body and soul together, keep one‘s eyes
open, step on someone‘s toes, rub elbows with, get one‘s back up, keep one‘s
chin up.

A third generalization is that hundreds of idiomatic phrases contain

adverbs or prepositions with other parts of speech. Here are some examples:
walk off, walk over, walk-up; run down, run in run off, run out; get nowhere,
get through, get off.

Usage should conform to the idiomatic word combinations that are

generally acceptable.

Directions: Choose the appropriate idiomatic expressions to be used in

the following sentences. Write the piece of cake, odds and ends, pros and
cons or ups and down in the blanks to your notebook.

1. The teacher asked us to talk about the ___________ of industrial

development.
2. Do not worry about the problems you have in your business. You
know there are always ___________ in business.
3. The police found nothing special in the house of the criminal as
he had taken all the important documents with him leaving just
_____________.
4. If you think that doing this math problem is __________, just try it.

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 Let Us Practice More

Choose the appropriate word to complete the meaning of the idiom.

Write ocean, music, rags, cold and pie in your notebooks.

1. All these promises the politicians make are just ____ in the sky.
2. The small amount of money donated is just a drop in the _____
compared to the large sum of money needed.
3. He has been successful in life. He went from ____ to riches.
4. They had a dispute yesterday. That is why she gave him a ___ shoulder.
5. I had to face the ____ all by myself, although I was not the only
responsible for the problem.

Let Us Remember

Expressing our beliefs and convictions maybe difficult and fearful

at times. Idioms when used correctly and appropriately can amplify
messages in a way that draws readers or listeners in and helps to awaken
their senses. Remember that an idiom is an expression with a figurative
meaning that differs from the literal meaning. We hear idioms everyday –
both in conversation and in the media.
You’ve got to be familiar with these idioms not only to sound like a
native speaker of the English language but also to understand the
expressions being used in reading selections or viewing material that you

will surely encounter in your academic pursuit.

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 Let Us Assess

Shown below are few illustrations of commonly used idioms in

expressing beliefs and convictions or opinions. Write in your notebook the
correct idiomatic expression of each illustration and find out what it means
figuratively by using it in making a dialogue between two or three persons
sharing about their opinion on a specific issue or topic on your own choice.

1.

2.

3.

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 Let Us Enhance

Using your smartphones or laptop, search in the internet the

figurative meaning of the idiomatic expressions listed below. Write your
answers in your notebook then use each of in a sentence.
1. Blessing in disguise
2. Beat around the bush
3. Give the benefit of the doubt
4. Can't judge a book by its cover
5. It takes two to tango
6. Kill two birds with one stone
7. Make a long story short
8. Once in a blue moon
9. Piece of cake
10. Picture paints a thousand words

You may download the list of 50 English idioms commonly used from this
link below https://www.smart-words.org/quotes-sayings/idioms-
meaning.html

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 Let Us Reflect

Every language has idioms and they can be difficult to learn if you
are not a native speaker of that language. If English is not your native
language, the best thing that you can do is have conversations with native
speakers and ask them about phrases that you don't understand. Since
idioms are influenced by the culture, learning the idioms of a language can
be very interesting and enlightening!

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Let Us Try Let Us Assess
1. B 1. Speak your mind – express
2. E one’s feelings or opinions
3. G frankly
4. I 2. Hold your horses – be
5. H patient
6. D 3. Think outside the box
7. A
8. F Let Us Enhance
9. C 1. Something good that isn’t
recognized at first.
Let Us Study 2. Avoiding the main topic.
Not speaking directly about
PRE-READING ACTIVITY the issue.
1. G 3. Believe someone’s
2. C statement, without proof.
3. D 4. Cannot judge something
4. F primarily on appearance.
5. J 5. Actions or communications
6. I need more than one person.
7. A 6. Means to accomplish two
8. E different things at the same
9. B time.
10. H 7. Come to the point – leave
POST-READING ACTIVITY out details.
Answers may vary 8. Meaning: happens very
rarely.
Let Us Practice 9. A job, task or other activity
1. pros and cons that is easy or simple.
2. ups and downs 10. A visual presentation is far
3. odds and ends more descriptive than
4. piece of cake words.
Let Us Practice More
1. pie
2. ocean
3. rags
4. cold
5. music
Answer Key
 References

Gina, A., et.al. 2013. Voyages in Communication English Learner’s

Module. First Edition, pages 154-156.

Idiomatic Expressions – English Grammar Revolution (n.d.). Retrieved

August 30, 2020 from https://www.english-grammar-
revolution.com/idiomatic-expressions.html

Idiomatic for expressing opinion (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2020 from
https://quizlet.com/144389480/idioms-for-expressing-opinion-
flash-cards

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Region XI

F. Torres St., Davao City

Telefax: (082) 291 – 1665; (082) 221-6147

Email Address: [email protected]

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