BEWILDERING WORLD OF

Asst.PROF.DR.Elif DEMİREL

What is an idiom?

A group of words whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual.

Let the cat out of the bag

Let the cat out of the bag

• make known a secret, without realizing what you are doing

Let the cat out of the bag(informal)

My mother did not know I had been dissmissed

from the company until my sister let the cat out of the bag.

Get/Have a frog in your throat

Get/Have a frog in your mouth

• Not be able to speak clearly because your throat is sore, you want to cough, etc.

Get/Have a frog in your mouth(informal)

• The prime minister had a frog in his mouth, so he drank a glass of water before he delivered his final speech broadcasted on national television.

A cat and mouse game

Play a cat and mouse game with someone

• keep somebody in a state of uncertainty, being

sometimes kind, sometimes cruel

Play a cat and mouse game with someone (informal)

• Her husband has been playing a cat and mouse game with her; letting her go outside in the hope that she would come late and then he could hit her.

The apple of somebody’s eye

The apple of somebody’s eye

• a person, usually, a child, who somebody loves very much

The apple of somebody’s eye (saying)

• The first child, Kardelen, is the apple of her father’s eye.

Penny for your thoughts

Penny for your thoughts

• used to ask somebody what they are thinking

about

Penny for your thoughts (saying)

• A penny for your thoughts, Tom. You have not mentioned what you think about the results.

Be barking up the wrong tree

Be barking up the wrong tree

• be mistaken about something

Be barking up the wrong tree (informal)

• If you think that I was guilty, you are barking up the wrong tree. I was at home when it happened.

Curiosity killed the cat

Curiosity killed the cat

• used to tell somebody not to ask many questions, especially in reply to a question

that you do not want to answer

Curiosity killed the cat (saying)

• X: What were you discussing all along?• Z: Now, now. Curiosity killed the cat!

FINAL REMARKS

BENEFITS OF USING IDIOMS

quick way to improve your writing, speaking, listening, and reading skills.

help you to become familiar with cultural and traditional issues.

FINAL REMARKS

DISADVANTAGES OF USING IDIOMS

• do not use them much because it may sound strange or amusing for the native speakers.

• Be aware of the type of language the idioms are used: formal, slang, offensive, literary, informal, etc.

For further studying

• Benefit from idioms dictionaries, watch some videos related to the idioms and then imitate them in your writing.

My References

INFORMATION • Oxford Idioms Dictionary for Learners Of English• http://www.athabascau.ca/courses/engl/egh/

idioms.php IMAGES• kibishipaul.com idiom-magic.com • ecenglish.com myenglishpages.com• kids-learn.org abaenglish.com • cccoe.net ispilledthebeans.com