Everyday idioms
Understand and use common English idioms: a piece of cake, under the weather, hit the nail on the head, on the fence, cost an arm and a leg.
In this lesson you will
- Understand 20 common idioms
- Use idioms in the right register
- Avoid overusing idioms
Learn
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning isn’t obvious from the words: It’s a piece of cake = it’s very easy.
Feelings and health: under the weather (ill), over the moon (very happy), on edge (nervous), fed up (annoyed/bored). Difficulty: a piece of cake, a tall order (hard to achieve), an uphill battle.
Decisions and opinions: on the fence (undecided), hit the nail on the head (be exactly right), have second thoughts, the best of both worlds. Money and time: cost an arm and a leg, on a shoestring, in the nick of time, once in a blue moon.
Use idioms carefully: they’re informal — fine in conversation and informal emails, but usually avoided in formal essays. Don’t change the words (a piece of cake ✓, a slice of cake ✗ as an idiom).
Examples
- I’m feeling a bit under the weather today.
- You hit the nail on the head — that’s exactly the problem.
- We travelled around Asia on a shoestring.
- I’m still on the fence about the new job.
Vocabulary
idiom
a phrase with a special meaning
under the weather
slightly ill
on the fence
not decided
on a shoestring
with very little money
in the nick of time
just before it was too late
Practice
“The exam was a piece of cake” means it was…
Speaking
Tell an informal story (1–2 minutes) about a stressful day that ended well, naturally using at least five idioms.
Writing
Write an informal message (100–120 words) to a friend about your week, using four idioms appropriately.
Lesson quiz
“Under the weather” means…
Review
Key points
- Feelings: under the weather, over the moon, fed up.
- Difficulty: a piece of cake, a tall order.
- Decisions: on the fence, hit the nail on the head.
- Money/time: an arm and a leg, on a shoestring, in the nick of time.
What you learned
- ✓ I understand common idioms.
- ✓ I use them in the right register.
- ✓ I don’t change their words.