Today, let’s focus on some idioms that we can use to talk about how we are feeling emotionally.
All you need to do is match the idioms with their literal meanings. How are you feeling today?
Lesson by Caroline
To Get The Upper Hand
If you get the upper hand, you take a dominant position.
There is still some question as to where this saying comes from, but it is generally acknowledged that the phrase originated from American children in playgrounds.
In order to determine who gets first choice of player for their teams when playing baseball, one team captain grabs the bat at the bottom, and then the other captain takes hold above the first’s hand.
Excuse my French
This phrase is used in conversation when someone swears or curses, and is a request for forgiveness for using taboo language.
Of course, both the speaker and the listener are very much aware that whatever was said was in English and not French.
The expression originates from the 19th century, and was used literally.
Here’s a list of idioms that all include a type of food, but can you remember which food completes which idiom? When you’ve finished filling them in, see if you can explain what each idiom means. Good luck!
Lesson by Caroline
Read the following short story. Pay attention to the idioms:
Lesson by David, EC London English school
An Agony Aunt is a newspaper writer who answers questions and offers advice on personal problems to people who write in. Take a look at this example letter and then write your own advice. There's also a vocabulary exercise to do.
(Lesson by David, EC London English School)
Dear Abby,
I woke up this morning with a terrible head cold. I’m now writing this lesson in bed surrounded by tissues and orange juice and I’m feeling very sorry for myself! So, why not write a lesson based on illness idioms, I thought...that will make me feel better! In the following idioms, which do you think is the correct missing word?
Lesson by Caroline
Today we take a look at two meanings of the expression, give someone a lift:
Give someone a lift: to provide transportation for someone e.g. take someone somewhere in your car. Give someone a 'ride' is also used:
How hungry are you? As hungry as an elephant? A wolf? A bear? In this exercise I’m going to introduce you to some expressions using animal similes.
Firstly, match the animals with their definitions.
I have recently moved in with my best friend. As with many close relationships, we speak in a type of code and part of that code is idioms! I’ve made a list of idioms that are used when we are talking about relationships. Can you fit the correct idiom into each sentence? Good luck!
PS: I’d like to point out that sentence 1 is completely fictitious...obviously!
Lesson by Caroline
