IDIOMS – ARE PHRASES THAT YOU CAN NOT TRANSLATE INTO YOUR OWN

LANGUAGE, BECAUSE THEY MEAN SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN YOU THINK.
FOR EXAMPLE – ‘RAINING CATS AND DOGS’ DOES NOT MEAN THAT ANIMALS FALL FROM
THE SKY, BUT THAT IT IS ‘A VERY HEAVY RAIN’. YOU CAN LEARN IDIOMS BY MEMORIZING
THEM, OR YOU CAN … DRAW THEM AND LEARN FASTER AND HAVE MORE FUN!

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE IDIOMS CONNECTED WITH ANIMALS? MATCH THE PICTURES TO THE
IDIOMS.
C
A C
A B
B

D
D

1. SICK AS A PARROT
2. PUT THE CART BEFORE THE
HORSE E
E
3. RED HERRING
4. TEACHER’S PET
5. COOL CAT
6. PIG-HEADED G
G
7. DARK HORSE
8. POOR AS A CHURCH MOUSE
9. RAINING CATS AND DOGS
10. AS CROW FLIES
11. DOG TIRED
12. SMELL A RAT
13. WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHES
14. COLD TURKEY
15. STRAW THAT BROKE THE
F
F CAMEL’S BACK
16. DRUNK AS SKUNK
J
J

I
H I
H
 K M
K M

L
L

P
P

N O
N O

EXERCISE 1. MATCH THE IDIOMS TO THEIR ENGLISH DEFINITIONS.

1 SICK AS A PARROT A VERY POOR, HAVING NO MONEY AT ALL

2 PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE B SOMETHING THAT TAKES PEOPLE’S ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE MAIN
SUBJECT THAY TALK ABOUT
3 RED HERRING C A VERY HEAVY RAINSTORM
4 TEACHER’S PET D EXTREMELY TIRED, EXHAUSTED
5 COOL CAT E THE LAST THINK BEYOND YOUR LIMIT, “THE LAST DROP OF WATER THAT
MAKES THE GLASS OVERFLOW”
6 PIG-HEADED F A CONDITION WHEN YOU FEEL VERY BAD, BECAUSE YOU QUITTED
SMOKING, DRINKING ALCOHOL OR TAKING DRUGS; YOU DON’T USE
THEM ANYMORE AND YOU FEEL TERRIBLE (SHAKING HANDS, ETC.)
7 DARK HORSE G A FRIEND IN DISGUISE, SOMEONE YOU THOUGHT IS YOUR FRIEND BUT
WHO LIES AND CHEATS
8 POOR AS A CHURCH MOUSE H A PERSON WHO BECOMES VERY SUCCESSFUL WHEN NOBODY EXPECTED
IT
9 RAINING CATS AND DOGS I TO DO THE THINGS IN THE WRONG ORDER
10 AS CROW FLIES J EXTREMELY DRUNK, UNDER AN ENORMOUS ALCOHOL INFLUENCE
11 DOG TIRED K STRAIGHT, MOVING ON A STRAIGHT LINE, NOT TURNING
12 SMELL A RAT L A RELAXED PERSON WHO DOESN’T CARE MUCH ABOUT ANYTHING
13 WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHES M TO SUSPECT THAT SOMETHING IS NOT OK, THAT SOMETHING IS
WRONG
14 COLD TURKEY N THE TEACHER’S FAVOURITE STUDENT
15 STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK O TO BE FRUSTRATED, DISSAPOINTED AND SAD ABOUT SOMETHING
16 DRUNK AS SKUNK P EXTREMELY AND STUPIDLY STUBBORN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

EXERCISE 2. FILL THE BLANKS WITH CORRECT IDIOMS.

1. Well, it doesn’t matter to him whether he’s got 100% or 0% on this test. All that matters to
him are his friends and his music –he’s a real _________________.

2. Don’t trust him, I heard him telling your secret to all who wanted to listen, he’s
_________________ .

3. Mary is a real _________________ , she sits in the first row, always takes notes and has the
highest grades of us all.

4. I’m _________________, I’ve been learning English all night.

5. Stop spending all your money on clothes, because in two years time you’ll be
_________________ .

6. - Excuse me, how can I get to the supermarket?

- Just go _________________ and in 5 minutes time you’ll see it in front of you.

7. John was _________________ when he heard Manchester had lost the match.

8. Did you hear about this young runner, John Smith? He was a real _________________ in the
last race – not only he won it but he also beat the world record!

9. Did you take an umbrella? They said in the weather forecast that it’ll be
_________________ today.

10. I really need some candies right now! I’m addicted to chocolate and if I don’t eat some soon
I’ll definitely get _________________ .

11. Mark and his friends go to the club every Friday, and I’ve never seen him sober on Friday. On
the contrary, he was always _________________ .

12. It was a ________________ to talk with our teacher about the film that was on last night,
because we were supposed to have a very difficult test.

13. Deciding what to wear before Lisa invited you to the party is like you ___________________,
isn't it?

14. I spent 12 hours at work, working at the computer, then the boss asked me if I could stay two
extra hours to help him finish the project, and I said OK although I was extremely tired. But
when he asked me whether I can drive 5 kilometers to buy him a sandwich I just couldn’t
take it. It was _________________ !

15. Why there’s a light in our window? And the door is open? I’m sure I locked it before we went
out. Hmmm, I _________________ ….

16. She just hates other colours than pink. She has pink clothes, pink room, even her mobile is
pink. And if you beg her to change her mind and try something else she just refuses. She’s so
_________________!