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IDIOMS IN ESSAY
 

What Is An Idiom...?

An idiom is an expression consisting of a combination of words that have a figurative meaning. The
figurative meaning is comprehended in regard to a common use of the expression that is separate from
the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.Idioms are numerous and they occur
frequently in all languages.

Can I Use Idioms In My Essay...? 

 Students are encouraged to  use idioms in PT3 and SPM examinations. Using relevant and
suitable idioms in an essay will help students to get a better mark for their essay. 
 Don't simply use idioms just for the sake of getting better grades for your essay paper, this will
backfire if the idioms you use are irrelevant or out of place. 
 You can use idioms in the beginning paragraph or in the body paragraph or in the closing
paragraph. It all depends on the topic and suitability of the idioms used. 
 Be careful not to over do it.You might be impressed but it does not necessarily mean the examiner
would be.
 Do not use idioms when writing formal letters or business letters.
 So, for a better grade use at least three idioms.If you can't write three at least write one idiom in
the closing paragraph.

Sample Sentences  With Idioms...

 

1. The suffering Adam went through in life was actually a blessing in disguise,for it has taught him
to be prudent and thrifty with his finances. 
2. Many obese Malaysians are actually  couch potatoes.They just like to sit and eat on a couch all
day long watching movies without moving an inch.
3. Students who like to drag their feet will not be able to finish their school project on time.
4. Students need to widen their horizons in order to face the challenges of globalisation.
5. People who like to be mules for drug traffickers must learn to face the musicif caught by the
authorities.
6. Sam has a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen today.
7. Parents need to have a heart to heart talk with their teenage children often.This will help them
to  understand the emotional turmoil their teenage children are going through better.
8. Reading helps a person to be knowledgeable about his surroundings and not be in the dark
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9. Parents need to keep an eye on their children's after school activities.

10. We packed our things and headed to the remote village in Manjala. The journey was quite
challenging and dangerous but we managed to steer clear of danger and reached the village safe and
sound. 

1. My father and mother are always at loggerheads, they never once agreed on anything,
always pointing fingers at one another over silly matters.
2. Sandy was on cloud nine as she got through her SPM examination withflying colours.
3. After waiting for six long years, Pat and Mandy finally tied the knot. Their parents gave
them an out of this world wedding reception as a wedding gift.
4. Henry is quite wrapped up with his construction work. He just can't afford totake a break or put
up his feet even for a second.
5. Miranda has put on weight after giving birth to her baby girl. She plans towork out more to
shed the extra pounds.
6. Starting from 2013, every student must pass their History paper. Students are worried that they
might not be able to sail through it because History is  all Greek to them. 
7. The old house opposite my house has a ghostly presence, it gives me goose bumps just looking at
it.
8. The bank was robbed in broad daylight. The police are not leaving any stones unturned, they are
working out a game plan to catch the mastermind.
9. People around the world must have an attitude of give and take in order to enjoy continuous
peace. Insensitive words or religious undertones will only create ripples which can turn into a vicious
cycle of unnecessary violence.
10. The two opposing political parties are hoping for a landslide victory this coming election.
Working committes from both parties have rolled up their sleeves for some serious campaining .
For reports

1. We put our best foot forward to make the event a success. (buat habis baik)
2. Our school had been looking forward to the event since early of the year.( menunggu-nunggu).
3. The event kicked off on the dot. (tepat seperti yang dirancang)
4. Our team was in the limelight since we were the strongest. ( popular, terkenal)
5. We took part by playing the game fair and square. (adil)
6. We work hard around the clock to make sure nothing goes wrong during the celebration. ( tanpa
henti)
7. 3 Amanah stands out during the competition because they win most of the competitions.
(cemerlang).
8. We were all ears listening to the principal’s speech. ( tekun mendengar)
9. We were all eyes watching the game. ( tekun menonton)
10. It was a red- letter day for our school. (hari yang penting)
11. Next, we carried on with our next activity. ( teruskan)
12. The best will be achieved if you put your heart and soul into it. (usaha dengan tekun)
13. Everybody got their hands dirty to make sure the school compound is spick and span.
(membanting tulang)( bersih)
14. Everybody was as busy as a bumblebee . (sangat sibuk)
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For informal letter

1. I hope you are in the pink. ( sihat)

2. My family and I are as fit as a fiddle. (sangat sihat)
3. I am feeling a bit under the weather. (tidak berapa sihat)
4. I have to pen off now. ( berhenti menulis)
5. I am looking forward to your reply. ( menunggu-nunggu).
6. Do keep in touch! (Teruskan berhubung)

Sequence connectors

1. In a nutshell, exercise is more important than diet. ( kesimpulannya)

2. In the long run, we will succeed if we work hard. (Akhirnya)
3. In a twinkling of an eye, the money disappeared. ( Sekejap sahaja)
4. First and foremost, we have to consume a balanced diet.
5. Last but not least, I want to remind all of you to be alert of your surrounding.

Feelings

1. I was over the moon when he proposed to me. (sangat gembira)

2. I was on cloud nine when I knew I was the champion. (gembira)
3. I feel sorry for your loss .( simpati)
4. You drive me up the wall! ( sangat marah)
5. I had butterflies in my stomach. ( sangat nervous, gemuruh)
6. I was dead beat. ( sangat penat)
7. I am feeling on top of the world! ( sangat gembira)
8. Take things easy! (Rileks)
9. I almost blew my top when I knew he cheated during the test. ( sangat marah)
10. The scenery took our breath away. ( terpegun)
11. With heavy heart, we had to leave our house because the flood water was rising. ( dengan berat
hati)
12. Why are you at sixes and sevens about the matter?( berbelah-bahagi)
13. You broke my heart.( patah hati)
14. I feel at ease. ( rasa selesa).

15. I was taken aback by your behavior ( sedih)

16. Before the contest, she got cold feet.( takut).
17. You got on my nerve! ( buat saya marah)

Examination

1. The examination is just around the corner ( sangat hampir)

2. Students have to give their arms and legs to succeed in the examination. (berusaha keras)
3. Do not study at the eleventh hour ( last minute)
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4. I have to step up my revision because I don’t have much time before the examination.
( percepatkan)
5. She was so busy during the day. So, she decided to burn the midnight oil to do her revision.
6. I want to pass with flying colours in my examination so I can further my study at a good
university.

50 IDIOMATIC EXPRESSSIONS YOU MUST KNOW 

The correct use of idiomatic expressions will earn you merit points when you write your essays.

1 ace 
Get an "A" on a test, homework assignment, project, etc. 
I heard that Susie aced the test yesterday
2 As easy as a pie 
very easy 
The test was as easy as a pie.
3 at the eleventh hour 
at the last minute; almost too late.
He finished the project at the eleventh hour and he nearly lost his job.

4 all ears 
eager to hear what someone has to say. 
Tell me about your latest trip overseas. I’m all ears.

5 be broke 
be without money. 
I need to borrow some money. I am broke.

6 be on the go 

be very busy (going from one thing or project to another). 
I am very tired. I've been on the go since 5 in the morning.

7 beat 
exhausted; very tired 
I need a break after this. I'm beat!"

8 beat around the bush 

evade an issue; avoid giving a direct answer. 
Stop beating around the bush! Just tell me what happened to my car.

9 bite off more than one can chew 

take responsibility for more than one can manage. 
Mrs Lee finds it difficult to finish all her work. She has bitten off more than she could chew!"

10 blow one's top 

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become extremely angry. 

My father blew his top when he found out I had taken his car without his permission.

11 burn the midnight oil 

study/work all night or until very late at night. 
Johan is not ready for the test. He will have to burn the midnight oil."

12 call it a day 
stop work for the day. 
The labourers call it a day after working for five hours on the field.

13 can't make heads or tails of something 

can't understand something at all;
find something confusing and illogical. 
I cannot make heads or tails of your notes. Were you sleepy during the class?

14 catch one's eye 

attract one's attention/interest. 
This colourful advertisement caught my eye when I was in the bus.

15 change one's mind

decide to do something different from what had been decided earlier. 

David did not go to Australia. He changed his mind when he heard that his mother is ill.

16 cost (someone) an arm and a leg cost a lot; 

be very expensive. 
This car costs him an arm and a leg. He has to get another job to help pay for it.

17 couch potato 
someone who spends too much time watching TV. 
You are becoming a couch potato. You need to get out and do some exercise.

18 Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch (they've hatched) Don't assume that
something will happen until it has happened. 
I think you should not count your chickens until they’ve hatched. Wait till the boys win the
competition this Sunday.

19 drop someone a line 

write to someone 
Do drop me a line when you have time.

20 drag one's feet delay; 

take longer than necessary to do something. 
Why are you dragging your feet? You should have finished your homework by now.
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21 an eager beaver 

a person who is always willing to volunteer or do extra work. 
Rahim is an eager beaver. He is the first to volunteer for any job to be done.

22 feel blue 
feel sad and depressed. 
Rita is feeling blue because she has not heard from her boyfriend for a long time.

23 fire someone 
dismiss someone from a job because of poor performance. Lokman might be fired if he continues
to be late for work.
24 get it 
understand something (often negative). 
I don’t get it. Could you please explain it to me again?

25 get on one's nerves 

irritate someone; make someone upset. 
His constant chatter is getting on my nerves. Please tell him to keep quiet.

26 get out of hand: 

become out of control; become badly managed. 
The situation is getting out of hand. The relief centre can only hold forty people but we have one
hundred people to care for.

27 give someone a hand 

i. help someone.
ii. applaud someone 
Please give a hand to the poor old lady. She is trying to cross the road.
The gardener has done a wonderful landscaping job. Let’s give him a hand.

28 Hard-headed
have one's hands full stubborn; inflexible; unwilling to change. 
It’s pretty difficult to get Simon to change his mind. He is hard-headed.

29 have one's hands full 

extremely busy
Peggy usually has her hands full in the beginning of a new school term.

30 in the black: 

profitable; not showing a financial loss. 
The company is back in the black after suffering from great losses the last two months.

31 in the red: 

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unprofitable; showing a financial loss. 

The company is in the red. We have to stop some of the workers if the situation continues.

32 keep an eye on
check something regularly. 
Please keep an eye on the children while I go to the bank.

33 keep one's fingers crossed 

hope for the best. 
He is keeping his fingers crossed while waiting for the results of his interview.

34 lend someone a hand 

help someone. 
Can you please lend a hand at the relief centre for the flood victims?

35 live from hand to mouth 

survive on very little money; have only enough money
to pay for basic needs. 
Ros and the children live from hand to mouth after the fire destroyed their house.

36 make a mountain out of a molehill 

make something seem much more important than it really is. 
Susila is making a mountain out of a molehill. I am sure the boys are perfectly capable of
looking after themselves.

37 make up one's mind 

decide what to do 
Moses has to make up his mind whether to continue his studies or take up a job.

38 on the dot exactly at a given time. 

If you do not come on the dot, we will leave without you.

39 (on the) cutting edge 

using the most recent technology 
This car boasts of having a cutting edge technology. It has a computer and tracking system.

40 pull someone's leg tease someone by trying to make her/him believe something that's untrue. 
She pulled my leg when he said that he had quit his job to get married.

41 Rain or shine 
no matter what the weather
"We're leaving for Cameron Highlands, rain or shine."

42 rain cats and dogs 

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Rain heavily 
It’s raining cats and dogs now. You better leave later.

43 read someone's mind: 

know what someone is thinking. 
I can read your mind. I know you are very hungry and I have ordered pizza.

44 rub someone the wrong way

irritate someone 
I cannot stand Robert. He seems to rub me the wrong way every time we discuss something.

45 sleep on it take some time to think about something before making a decision.
You should sleep on it first and we will discuss again tomorrow.

46 To make his own bed; now let him lie in it. 
Someone has caused his/her own problems; he/she will have to solve them himself/herself. 
He insisted that he should take up the project alone. So, he has made his own bed, let him lie in
it.

47 under the weather 

ill; unwell. 
Susan was feeling under the weather yesterday, so she decided not to go to work."

48 until you're blue in the face 

forever 
You can advise him until you're blue in the face, but he won’t change his ways.

49 wet behind the ears inexperienced and naive. 

I do not think Suresh is suitable for this project. He is still wet behind the ears, having only
joined us last month.

50 wishy-washy: 
without an opinion of one's own. 
You better check with the other members. John can be wishy-washy at times.

PROVERBS

A bird in hand is worth two in  It is better to keep what you have rather
a bush. than to risk losing it by searching for
something better.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. Someone who helps you when you are
in trouble is a real friend.
A friend to all is a friend to none. Someone who is a friend to everyone

A friend's eye is a good mirror.
A good beginning makes a good end. If a task is carefully planned, there's a
better chance that it will be well done.
A good name is better than a good
face.
A rotten apple spoils the barrel.
Absence makes the heart grow
fonder
All good things come to those who
wait.
All work and no play makes Jack a
dull boy.
An apple a day keeps the doctor
away.
(The) best helping hand is at the end
of your sleeve.
Better late than never.
Better safe than sorry.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Blood is thicker than water.
Charity begins at home.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Diligence is the mother of good
fortune.
Early to bed, and early to rise, makes  It is much better for you to go to bed
a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
(The) early bird catches the worm.
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makes none of them feel special.
A real friend will tell you the truth.
A good reputation is better than a good
appearance.
A dishonest or immoral person can have
a bad influence on a group.
When you are away from someone you
love, you love them even more.
If you are patient you will be rewarded.
Everybody needs a certain amount of
relaxation. It is not good to work all the
time.
Eating an apple every day can help to
keep you healthy.
The best way to get something done is
to do it yourself.
It's better to do something, even if it's
late, than not do it at all.
It's better to be too careful than to be
careless and regret it later.
People of the same sort are usually
found together.
Family relationships are stronger than
relationships with other people.
A person's first duty is to help and care
for his own family.
A clean body is just as important as a
pure soul.
Hard work brings rewards.
early and to get up early in the morning;
Act early, or before anyone else, if you

Every cloud has a silver lining.
A) flower blooms more than once.
Gardens are not made by sitting in
the shade.
God helps those who help
themselves.
Health is better than wealth.
Honesty is the best policy.
Knowledge is power.
Look before you leap.
Many hands make light work.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
Practice makes perfect.
Practice what you preach.
Prevention is better than cure.
Punctuality is the soul of business.
Where there's a will there's a way
When a person really wants to do something, he will find a way of doing it.
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want to have an advantage or be
successful.
There is a positive or hopeful side to
every situation.
If you miss an occasion, you can avail
yourself of it another time.
Nothing is achieved without effort.
Success comes to those who make a
real effort to achieve it.
It's better to be in good health than to be
rich.
It's always better to be honest.
It is easier to make progress or be
successful if you are educated or
possess a lot of information.
Consider possible consequences before
taking action.
Sharing work makes the task easier.
Don't miss opportunities that come
along.
Doing something repeatedly is the only
way to become good at it.
Do yourself what you advise others to
do.
It is easier to prevent something from
happening than to repair the damage or
cure the disease later.
You should always be on time for your
business appointments.
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