Idioms

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 1

Idioms

Idioms

"an Idiom is an common expression used informally that cannot be understood by the literal meaning of its words, but only by common knowledge of what the expression means."For example, "under the weather" is an idom universally understood to mean sick or ill. .

If idioms were literal...

cost an ... and a ...

missed the ...

kill two ... with one ...

give it a ...

shot

birds, stone

boat

arm, leg

"cost an arm and a leg"

"give it a shot"

"kill two birds with one stone"

"Don't look a gift horse 

in the mouth."

"Een gegeven paard niet in de bek kijken."

"Wees niet te kritisch bij iets wat je cadeau hebt gekregen."

What do you think the idiom
"Read between the lines."
means?

1. to try to understand someone's real feelings or intentions from what they say or write
2. to read someone's writing very closely as someone's handwriting is badly written

What do you think the idiom
"A Fish Out Of Water"
means?

1. feel uncomfortable, like you don’t belong in a particular situation
2. in a difficult situation – especially one that is beyond the level of your abilities – or in trouble

Don't take them literally!

Exercise 1: Read the text

Using a highlighter identify the idioms in the following story (check your classroom). There are at least 10 idiomatic expressions in the story. Can you find them all?

Exercise 2: What do the idioms mean?

Write down what the 10 idioms truly mean and hand them the assignment in, in your classroom.

Exercise 3: New idioms

A. In a group of 2 or 3, you will get a "new" idiom.

B. Find 1 TRUE English definition & come up with 1 FALSE English definition.

C. Put the idiom in an English example sentence (voorbeeldzin).

D. Write it down on paper / on the back of your idiom / on your laptop.. as long as it gets to your teacher by the end of class.

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