Enhance Vocabulary: Idioms and Expressions

• This lesson covers 20 common English idioms, 10 at an intermediate level and 10 at an advanced level.
• A free PDF worksheet with all 20 idioms, sample sentences, definitions, and a challenge question is available via a link in the description.

Intermediate Level Expressions

• Hands down: Definitely, absolutely the best.
  • Example: "This is hands down the best burger restaurant I have ever been to."
• Right off the bat: Immediately.
  • Example: "When you move to a new city, you cannot expect to make friends right off the bat."
• In a rush: In a hurry
  • Example: "It's better to leave your house early so that you're not in a rush on your way to work."
• At the last minute: Just in time.
  • Example: "I found my plane tickets at the last minute."
• In over my head: Overwhelmed with too much to do, feeling out of control.
  • Example: "I realized that I was in over my head when I bought the old house that had too many issues".
  • The possessive pronoun can change, e.g., "he is in over his head".
• Back in the day: A time that feels like a long time ago.
  • Example: "Back in the day, I couldn't look things up on the Internet Because the Internet didn't exist"
• All year round: Throughout the entire year.
  • Example: "My mother likes to buy Christmas presents for her grandchildren all year round."
• Steer clear: Avoid because there's some kind of problem.
  • Example: "There's a lot of traffic today I would steer clear of the downtown area"
  • Can also apply to people.
  • Example: "Steer clear of the boss today he's in a bad mood"
• Out of the blue: Unannounced, without any planning.
  • Example: "In some cultures it's acceptable to drop by your family's house out of the blue".
• On their side: Agreeing with someone, supporting someone.
  • Example: "I thought you were on my side".
  • The possessive pronoun changes depending on who is being discussed

Advance Level Expressions

• Why not...?: Offering a suggestion
  • Example: "If you want to make money playing music, why not set up a stand on the side of the road and start playing?"
• It turns out that: Used to describe the result of something, often unexpected.
  • Example: "He planned to go to college, but it turns out that his application was rejected."
• To have a hand in: Participating in, helping in a process.
  • Example: "She had a hand in naming the new restaurant."
• To have an eye for: Being good at noticing a particular quality.
  • Example: "Everyone asks her fashion advice because she has an eye for beautiful clothes."
• Off the beaten path: A place that is not a main tourist destination, a hidden place.
  • Example: "Whenever I visit a new city, I like to visit places that are off the beaten path"
  • The 't' in beaten is often swallowed in American English, creating a glottal stop.
• When it comes to: Introducing a topic.
  • Example: "When it comes to baking bread, she always asks her neighbor for help."
• Up the ante: To increase something, make things more difficult.
  • Example: "The coach decided to up the ante and add two extra exercise days each week."
  • Originates from betting.
• Under his breath: Saying something quietly so no one else can understand, usually when angry.
  • Example: "After his mother yelled at him, he mumbled something under his breath."
  • Possessive pronoun can vary depending on the situation.
• To shoot the breeze: To chitchat, have a casual conversation.
  • Example: "Every Friday we have our neighbors over to play a game and just shoot the breeze."
• To have a say: To be involved and have an equal opinion in a decision.
  • Example: "I have a say in every important decision that happens in my house."
  • Can also be used negatively to indicate one does not have a decision.
  • Example: "You don't have a say in the decision."

This lesson focuses on mastering common English idioms and expressions to improve fluency and comprehension. It is designed for intermediate to advanced learners. By the end of this vocabulary lesson, learners should be able to effectively use idioms and expressions.