Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Common Idioms List
Common Idioms List
HCM
Website: https://ieltstolinh.vn/_ Hotline: 096 542 5489
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/ieltstolinh.vn/
Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tonghopbaigiangieltsfree/
LIST 1
over the moon Extremely pleased or happy I was over the moon when he
asked me to marry him.
jump the gun Doing or starting something ou are taking your IELTS test
too early next week? Aren’t
you jumping the gun. You’ve
only just started studying.
chip on s.o’s shoulder Feeling inferior or having a He’s got a chip on his
grievance about something shoulder.
a drop in the ocean A very small part of The money sent by comic
something much bigger relief to help poverty in Africa
is just a drop in the ocean.
They need far more than this.
a blessing in disguise Something positive that isn’t Getting a low score the first
It's a small world. Meeting someone you would I bumped into Jenny in town
not have expected to the other day. It's a small
world.
LIST 2
Back to the drawing board When an attempt to do Oh well, I got 5.5 in IELTS
something fails and it's time to again. Back to the drawing
start all over again using board!
different methods
between a rock and a hard Having two very bad choices. I hate my job so much I can’t
place. bare going to work, but if I
quit I don’t think I can get
another job. I’m really stuck /
caught between a rock and a
hard place.
cut to the chase Leave out all the unnecessary Come on, cut to the chase.
details and just get to the point We haven’t got all day!
put all your eggs in one Putting all of ones resources Are you putting all of your
basket. into one possibility savings into that company?
Don’t put all your eggs in
one basket.
Every cloud has a silver Believing that every bad Try not to worry about
lining. situation has a positive side / it. Every cloud has a silver
eventually leads to something lining.
good
fixed in their ways Not wanting to change from My parents are very fixed in
the normal ways of doing their ways. They won’t start
things using the internet.
got up on the wrong side of To refer to someone who is I think he got up on the
the bed this morning having a bad day wrong side of the bed this
morning. He is in a terrible
mood.
go the extra mile Doing much more than is My mother will always go the
required when doing extra mile to help people.
something
LIST 3
hit the nail on the head Say exactly the right thing I think you’ve hit the nail on
the head. That’s the reason he
didn’t get the job.
If it’s not one thing, it’s the When everything seems to be Today’s going so badly. If it’s
other. going wrong not one thing, it’s the other.
the heat of the moment. Saying or doing something I just said it in the heat of the
suddenly without thinking moment. I was angry. I know
about it I shouldn’t have.
Keep an eye on him Watch someone or something Keep an eye on him. I think
carefully he may cheat in the exam.
let sleeping dogs lie Avoid a conflict I don’t want to argue with him
again. It’s better to let
sleeping dogs lie.
let the cat out of the bag Tell someone something that I told him what gift you have
you were not supposed to bought him for his birthday.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to let the
cat out of the bag
bite the hand that feeds you. Hurt or upset someone who is Don’t tell her what you really
helping you think of her if she’s helping
you with your English!
Don’t bite the hand that
feeds you.
sit on the fence Not making a firm decision I’m not sure which party he is
between different choices going to vote for. He’s sitting
on the fence.
LIST 4
Practice makes perfect Continuously doing something Let’s keep studying for
to improve IELTS. Practice makes
perfect.
pull your leg Joking around Don’t get upset about what he
said. He’s just pulling your
leg
take a rain check To decline an offer that you Sorry but I think I’ll take a
will take up later rain check on that.
smell a rat To sense that something is not I can smell a rat. He said he
right has a PhD but he can’t even
remember which university he
studied at.
the spitting image To look exactly like someone She’s the spitting image of
else her mother
The ball's in your court Telling someone it's now their The ball's in your court now.
turn to make a decision What are you going to do?
until the cows come home For a very long time Unfortunately I think he’ll be
studying for IELTS until the
cows come home. His English
is very poor