What is AN IDIOM It is a group

What is AN IDIOM? It is a group of words with a special meaning which is different from the meanings of the separate words. For example, to show a leg , regardless of what the separate words might suggest means TO GET UP.

TYPES OF IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS There are various types of IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS. Some of them are based on: 4 PAIRS OF WORDS 4 NUMBERS 4 NATIONALITIES 4 NAMES 4 FOOD 4 COLOUR 4 PARTS OF THE BODY 4 ANIMALS 4 CLOTHES 4 WEATHER 4 INSTRUMENTS 4 COMPOUND 4 4 ADJECTIVES ALLITERATION IRREGULAR VERBS SIMILIES PREPOSITIONS

PAIRS OF WORDS e. g. safe and sound (undamaged, safe) sick and tired(enough of sth) NUMBERS e. g. to have second thoughts (to form an opinion after reconsidering sth) a four-letter word (a taboo word) NATIONALITIES NAMES e. g. to go Dutch (share the cost e. g. Jack of all trades (sb who of the meal, tickets etc) has an ability to do a lot of different jobs) Indian summer (the period of warm weather towards the end of the summer or in the autumn) every Tom, Dick or Harry (everyone and anyone, an ordinary person)

FOOD e. g. a piece of cake (sth very easy) full of beans (full of life and energy) COLOUR e. g. out of the blue PARTS OF THE BODY e. g. to be two-faced (to be a hypocrite) to see eye to eye with sb (to agree) ANIMALS e. g. a bookworm (sb who (unexpectedly) spends plenty of time reading) to see red (to be extremely a rat-race (a competition for angry) success)

CLOTHES INSTRUMENTS e. g. a blue-collar worker (sb e. g. as fit as a fiddle (in perfect who does hard, dirty work) health) to pull one’s socks up to blow one’s own trumpet (to praise oneself) (to mobilise and improve one’s work) WEATHER e. g. to feel under the weather (to feel unwell) come rain or shine (always) COMPOUND ADJECTIVES e. g. broad-minded (willing to accept opinions of other people) single-handed (alone, without anyone’s help)

SIMILES ALLITERATION ( the repeated use of the same letter or sound) e. g. wishy-washy (thin, watery coffee, tea) sing-song (a repeated rising and falling of the voice in speaking) IRREGULAR VERBS e. g. to beat about the bush (to avoid saying directly what one wants to say) to make up one’s mind (to take a decision) (an expression which describes one thing by comparing it with another) e. g. as drunk as a lord (very drunk) as alike as two peas in a pod (very alike) PREPOSITIONS e. g. down the drain (wasted) out of date (no longer in use or fashion)

PHRASAL VERBS, COLLOCATIONS and SAYINGS can also be classified as IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS.

EXAMPLES OF PHRASAL VERBS (groups of words which consist usually of a verb and preposition): 4 to get away with (avoid punishment) 4 to look down on (to despise)

EXAMPLES OF COLLOCATIONS (groups of words which naturally go together through common use): 4 a heavy smoker (sb who smokes a lot) 4 peace of mind (freedom from troubling thoughts)

EXAMPLES OF SAYINGS (well-known wise statements): 4 The best things in life are free. (You can’t buy the most precious things like freedom, happiness, friendship etc) 4 Life is no bed of roses. (There are problems in life)