American English · B2 · Unit 20
Idioms and sayings
Idioms and sayings
By the end you can
- Use common idioms naturally
- Explain what a saying means
- Understand idioms in speech
Words and phrases
| American English | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a piece of cake | very easy | The test was a piece of cake. |
| break the ice | start a conversation in an awkward situation | He told a joke to break the ice. |
| what does that mean? | a question about an expression you don't know | 'Spill the beans'? What does that mean? |
| under the weather | a little sick | I'm feeling under the weather today. |
| it's not rocket science | it's not difficult | Come on, it's not rocket science. |
| as they say | as the saying goes | Better late than never, as they say. |
| spill the beans | tell a secret | Come on, spill the beans! |
| cost an arm and a leg | be very expensive | That car must cost an arm and a leg. |
| once in a blue moon | very rarely | We eat out once in a blue moon. |
| the ball is in your court | it's your turn to decide or act | I've made my offer. The ball is in your court. |
| hit the hay | go to bed (informal) | I'm exhausted, I'm going to hit the hay. |
| call it a day | stop working for today | It's six o'clock, let's call it a day. |
Then talk it through
A friend uses a saying you don't know and explains it. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.