Idioms can be very colorful, but they can also be extremely hard for non-native speakers to understand. Some idioms are widely understood. Idioms like, “This is a piece of cake”- meaning it is easy- have many variations in other languages as well. To help you out (assist you) here is a list of ten common English idioms, their meaning, and how they are used.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example of use |
|---|---|---|
| used to | Accustomed to/ comfortable with | I am not used to running so far. That is why I am tired. |
| take place | To happen/ to occur | The party took place at Jim’s house. |
| stick with (something) | To continue / to not quit (especially with difficulties) | It was hard, but I stuck with my piano lessons. Now I can play well. |
| show up | To appear/ to arrive/ to be present | I did not think the teacher was going to show up today, but he was just late. |
| A dime a dozen | Common/ easy to get | I thought that my baseball card was rare, but the man told me it was a dime a dozen. |
| A slap on the wrist | A mild punishment | When he broke the window he should have gotten thrown out of school. Instead, he just got a slap on the wrist. He has to go to a week of detention. |
| An arm and a leg | Very expensive/ a large amount of money | A nice laptop computer will cost you an arm and a leg. |
| On the other hand | However/ in contrast/ looking at the opposite side of a matter | I like your idea of skipping class today, but on the other hand I need to keep my grades up. |
| For sure | Without doubt/ certainly/ surely | I am going to meet you for sure this weekend. |
| For good | Permanently | Did you hear? They are closing the store for good tomorrow! |
This guest post is contributed by Debra Johnson, blogger and editor of full time nanny. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: - jdebra84 @ gmail.com.
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