Idiomatic expressions are groups of words with an established meaning unrelated to the meanings of the individual words.  Sometimes called an expression, an idiom can be very colorful and make a ‘picture’ in our minds.

Some common idiomatic expressions:

• He let the cat out of the bag (accidentally told a secret).
• She got off Scott-free (escaped without punishment).
• He flew off the handle (went crazy).

 From an English language-learner’s point of view, they are the ‘icing on the cake’ much like phrasal verbs. But how do we remember what they mean and how to use them?

We can memorize a few, and try to use them as often as we can (probably too often!), but how do we manage an idiom that we are meeting for the first time?

Firstly, you need to know that idioms and phrases are everywhere in English: anything that doesn’t have a literal, physical meaning is an idiom. Let’s look at some idiom examples:

• I find his excuses hard to swallow, he’s lying.
• The police have been digging around in his accounts looking for evidence of fraud.
• He’s a really bright spark, so I think he’ll do well at school.

These sentences all contain idioms, because you can’t swallow words or dig in a bank account in any literal or physical way – and how can a ‘spark’ do well at school? You’ll also notice that a literal translation into most languages won’t make sense.

These kinds of idioms are far more common, and therefore far more important, than the more colorful expressions like ‘He’s kicked the bucket’ (died), ‘She’s hitting the books’ (studying), or ‘Break a leg!’ (Good luck!), and without them students often sound too formal – saying things like:

• I don’t believe his excuses.
• The police have been investigating his accounts looking for evidence of fraud.
• He is a very intelligent student, so I think he’ll succeed at university.

So how can you learn idioms without memorizing huge lists of English expressions? 

1. Listen to context.

Idioms are unusual expressions. So ask yourself ‘Why is that person using an unusual expression?’ The reasons are likely to be connected with emphasis, exaggeration, or a high state of emotion! So check the context – and the facial expression!

2. Check to see if you understood.

Use expressions like; ‘so you’re pretty angry about that right?’ or ‘OK, you mean that you’re too busy at the moment.’

3. Be honest when you don’t understand.

Try using; ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.’

4. Never translate idioms.

Idioms from your own language may use the same imagery or concepts (and it is always interesting to notice these similarities) but they are unlikely to translate word-for-word into English expressions.

5. Listen to how native speakers use idioms.

A native English speaker NEVER says ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ – so why should an ESL student? Listen to what native speakers actually say in a given situation, and copy.

6. Take notes.

Keep a notebook of your favorite expressions in English and add anything new that you hear. Try to use new expressions soon after you learn them, this is called ‘use it or lose it.’

7. Tolerate your mistakes.

You will definitely make mistakes and create confusion when you use idiomatic expressions, so be brave and allow yourself the space to try, fail, and try again.