American English is filled with thousands of idioms – colloquial expressions for which the meanings cannot be determined based on literal translations of the individual words in the phrase. For example, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret, and has nothing to do with cats or bags.
The mark of true English fluency is being able to understand and use idioms in appropriate contexts. It can be a challenge for teachers of English language learners to deal with idioms. This article contains tips and suggestions for teaching idioms to ESL students.
Tips for Teaching the Meanings of Idioms
Generally, a literal knowledge of the vocabulary of an idiom provides little help in understanding it’s colloquial meaning. In some cases, knowing the origin of the phrase can help. In other cases, it’s the context that provides the clue. A discussion of these wordplays will help English language learners experience less confusion when they hear or read them, and learn to use favorite ones appropriately.
Here are some suggestions for working with ESL students as they learn to understand and use various American English idioms.
- Have students search for illustrations of specific idioms on the Internet.
- Have students create posters illustrating both literal and euphemistic meanings of favorite idioms.
- Create an anchor chart that is work-in-progress list of idioms that can be added to as students encounter and discuss the phrases.
- Work with students to categorize idioms based on their general usage. For instance, some idioms, such as “We’re not out of the woods yet” or “time to face the music” are used when things go wrong. Some idionms, such as “sitting pretty,” are used when things are going well. Others are used in reference to finances or health or the way someone looks. Create a chart with headings agreed upon by the students, and list the idioms under that headings that best describes when they are to be used.
- Challenge students to determine when an idiom is a compliment or an insult, or if it is simply a comment or descriptive phrase.
- Role play proper and improper context/uses of selected idioms. Students can create written dialogues or improve-style skits around situations when a particular idiom or category of idioms might be used. Then students can read aloud or act out the dialogues.
- Pair an idiom with a phrase from the student’s native language that expresses the same sentiment.
- Idioms are popular in music. Look for songs or have the students keep an ear out for favorite songs containing idioms.
Sample Idioms to Use for English Language Study
Some idioms can be interpreted fairly literally. Examples include:
- A work in progress
- Quiet as a mouse
- All thumbs
- Time is running out
- Like finding a needle in a haystack
- Moving at a snail’s pace
Some idioms will require study of their history, use, and appropriate context in order to be understood. Examples of more complex idioms include:
- It’s a zoo out there
- Cat got your tongue?
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Pay through the nose
- Tongue in cheek
- Pulling your leg
- Play it by ear
- Get off my back
- Vegging out
- Driving me up a wall
- Who spilled the beans?
- Hit the hay
- Jump the gun
- Kicked the bucket
- Gave it his best shot
- Put your money where your mouth is
- Back in the day
- A lightbulb moment
Reference Books About Idioms
Having a collection of resource books to help with the study of idioms is invaluable. Possible titles include:
- Webster’s New World American Idioms Handbook [Webster’s New World, 2003]
- American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003]
- Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms by Marvin Terban [Scholastic, 2006]
- In a Pickle and Other Funny Idioms by Marvin Terban and Giulio Maestro [Scholastic, 2007]
Learning to understand and use idioms takes English language study to an advanced level. For some ESL students learning to use idioms may be frustrating; for others it may be a fun challenge. But learning to identify when an idiom is being used, understanding its meaning based on context, and even incorporating some idioms into everyday speech will help language learners become more fluent in their English.
Margaret M. Williams - Margaret M. Williams (Peggy) has been a teacher for over 25 years. She currently teaches first grade in a classroom that combines native ...
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