Vocabulary Idioms Lesson 11 _LEVEL 7_

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Idioms | Lesson 11

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

Example Dialogue

Ed : So, how was the costume party yesterday?

Mat : Well...

Ed : Spill the beans! What happened?

Mat : Okay. First of all, the party slipped my mind, to be honest. I only

remembered when Noah gave me a call 30 minutes before the party!

Ed : Youre pulling my leg! That cant be true.

Mat : No, Im totally honest. I got ready and got there in 30 minutes.

Ed : Ha-ha! Is that even possible? Anyway, how was the party itself?

Mat : Well, it was great until Simon got drunk. He was like a hot potato. Everyone

was avoiding him. The last straw was when he tripped and broke an expensive vase!

Ed : What?! Im glad I didnt go!

Try to figure out the meaning of these idioms.

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

1
Copyright since 1998 DMM Rights Reserved.
Vocabulary Idioms Lesson 11 _LEVEL 7_
http://eikaiwa.dmm.com/

Idioms | Lesson 11

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

Example Passage

Jenn and Thomas were childhood friends. They always had a great relationship;

however, this year, Thomas has annoyed Jenn too many times. First, her birthday

slipped his mind. Jenn was furious. I always give him a phone call on his birthday!

And he didnt even care to write me a message, she thought. Jenn didnt want to talk

to Thomas, so she was avoiding him like a hot potato. One day Thomas saw Jenn and

asked her what happened: Spill the beans! What are you mad about? Jenn looked

at him and said: Are you pulling my leg? Dont you understand? You forgot all about

my birthday! Thomas was shocked. But that was weeks ago! Youre still mad?

Thomas asked. Jenn couldnt believe what he had just said: You remembered and

didnt even send me belated congratulations?! This is the last straw! Dont talk to me

unless you want to apologize.

Again, try to figure out the meaning of these idioms.

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

2
Copyright since 1998 DMM Rights Reserved.
Vocabulary Idioms Lesson 11 _LEVEL 7_
http://eikaiwa.dmm.com/

Idioms | Lesson 11

A hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

Definitions

a hot potato | something that is difficult or dangerous to deal with

The topic was a hot potato nobody wanted to discuss it.

This issue has become a political hot potato in my country.

spill the beans | to give away a secret or surprise

Spill the beans already! Everyone knows that youre hiding something.

I apologize for spilling the beans about your wedding.

pull somebodys leg | to deceive or play a joke on someone

I knew you were pulling my leg! There was no way the cat could have gotten

into the freezer!

I thought he was being serious but he was just pulling my leg.

slip ones mind | to forget or overlook something

Mothers day slipped my mind! I should call my Mom today.

I was planning to write him an e-mail, but it slipped my mind.

the last straw | something that makes a person lose their patience; the last

thing a person can tolerate

This prank is the last straw! You are grounded for a week, young man!

Him being late again this morning was the last straw. He is getting fired.

Make sure you can understand the meaning of these idioms.

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

3
Copyright since 1998 DMM Rights Reserved.
Vocabulary Idioms Lesson 11 _LEVEL 7_
http://eikaiwa.dmm.com/

Idioms | Lesson 11

A hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms (in the correct form) to complete the dialogue.

1 | Lets not talk about this topic; its amongst my friends.

2| was his rudeness towards the principal. They will probably expel him

for it.

3 | I hate it when my friends try to ; I dont like their pranks at all!

4 | Usually, things tend to , so I keep a journal of things I have to do.

5 | She was ; there was no snake in the garden.

6 | They knew he had lost his job recently, so talking about it was .

7 | Adam asked Sally to because he wanted to know the secret.

8 | Im sorry! Your birthday completely. Will you forgive me?

9 | How does the book end? already. I have to know!

10 | We broke up because he was very mean to me. was when he hit me.

APPLICATION: Create your own sentences using these idioms.

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

4
Copyright since 1998 DMM Rights Reserved.
Vocabulary Idioms Lesson 11 _LEVEL 7_
http://eikaiwa.dmm.com/

Idioms | Lesson 11

A hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct idioms (in the correct form) to complete the dialogue.

(Hiro and Noah are talking about a secret concert.)

Noah : What are you doing this weekend, Hiro?

Hiro : Actually, theres a concert coming up. Mia had an extra ticket and she is

going to give it to me.

Noah : Cool! She isnt , is she?

Hiro : I hope not. I wish shed and tell me what kind of concert it is. I

wont go, otherwise.

Noah : Yeah! It might be a polka concert.

Hiro : Oh, no. That would be .

Noah : Ha ha! Polka is for you, isnt it?

Hiro : It certainly is!

Noah : Oh, god! I should be somewhere else now. It totally . See you

later, Hiro. Tell me about the concert afterwards!

Hiro : You got it.

APPLICATION: Create your own dialogue using these idioms.

a hot potato | spill the beans | pull somebodys leg | slip ones mind | the last straw

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Copyright since 1998 DMM Rights Reserved.