ProNunciation.Workshop.800.Idioms.Manual-[miner].pdf

“IDIOM” - an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself

either grammatically (as no, it wasn’t me) or in having a meaning that cannot be

derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements.

In other words, it’s American Slang which you may not always get. In fact,

idioms can make you totally lost in conversations! We Americans seem to roll

them of our tongues very easily and we are so busy gabbing that we really are

clueless when we even use them!

Yet idioms are nothing to sneeze at. If you wish to make a killing in America,

you must keep your nose to the grindstone and not have your head always in the

clouds. You’ll ind that if you hang in, and knock yourself out with hard work,

before you know it, you will have mastered these hip expressions and come

through with lying colors.

I bent over backwards putting this list together for you. I igured if I gave you a

hand in helping you understand how American English is used on a daily basis,

soon you’ll see that you no longer are just scratching the surface in learning the

language. You’ll realize that you have pulled this of ever so successfully. Before

you know it, not only will your pronunciation be reeling, but soon you’ll be

sounding like a native, understanding the lingo, and realizing that you inally

have it made!

( Tr ansl at ion )

In other words, it’s American Slang which you may not always understand. In fact,

idioms may make you totally confused in conversations! We Americans seem to say

them very easily and we are so busy talking that we really are unaware when we

even use them!

Yet idioms are not easy. If you wish to be successful in America, you must work hard

and not be day dreaming. You’ll ind that if you don’t give up, and are diligent,

before you know it, you will have mastered these popular expressions and inish with

tremendous success.

I did everything I could putting this list together for you. I igured if I assisted in

helping you understand how American English is used on a daily basis, soon you’ll

see that you no longer are just merely beginning to understand the language. You’ll

realize that you have accomplished something remarkable. Soon, not only will your

pronunciation be great, but soon you’ll be sounding like a native, understanding

our expressions, and realizing that you are enjoying tremendous success!

This manual accompanies the video training program in American English Pronunciation available only at www.PronunciationWorkshop.com.

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THE 800 MOST COMMONLY USED IDIOMS IN AMERICA

PRONUNCIATION WORKSHOP MANUAL - Session 1

THE800MOSTCOMMONLY

USED IDIOMS IN AMERICA

(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

– legitimate, legal. She knows it shouldn’t be kept a

secret. She wants to keep everything above board .

– including everyone or everything. he

company had a successful year. All salaries were increased by 10%

across the board .

– discuss personal problems

openly. He is a very private person. If he has a problem in his family he

doesn’t want to air his dirty laundry in public .

– all the time. She was accepted into the university, but

she knew all along that she’d get in.

– eager to listen. I was excited to hear about her vacation.

When she told me about it, I was all ears .

– clumsy, unable to ix things. Don’t ask me to put that

clock back together. I’m all thumbs .

an arm and a leg

– a large amount of money. It cost an arm and a

leg to ix the stove.

– nervous, anxious. He wasn’t sure if he would

be chosen to win the award. He had ants in his pants.

– being similar to

a parent or family member. He acts just like his father. You know, the

apple doesn’t fall far rom the tree .

10.

– someone special, usually a son or daughter.

Although he loves his son, his daughter is the apple of his eye .

11.

– responsible for making errors. He is at fault for all the

errors on the computer.

12.

at odds

– in disagreement. He is at odds with his boss.

13.

– always ready to do what is ordered.

Whenever she calls him, he’s always helping her. He is at her beck and call .

above board

across the board

air one’s dirty laundry in public

all along

all ears

all thumbs

ants in one’s pants

apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, the

apple of one’s eye

at fault

at one’s beck and call

THE 800 MOST COMMONLY USED IDIOMS IN AMERICA

PRONUNCIATION WORKSHOP MANUAL - Session 1

14.

– anxious, frantic. I need to speak with him to

inish the report by tomorrow but he’s not available. I ’m at my wit’s end !

15.

– desperate, with nowhere to turn. I’ve

tried every which way to igure out this problem but I can’t. I’m at the

end of my rope !

16.

– inancially or physically healthy again. Since

sales improved, he is doing better and he’s getting back on his feet .

17.

– withdraw, end an obligation or promise. I made a

deal with my friend to help him at work. When I became too busy, I

had to back out of it .

18.

– rethink an idea, need to start

over. When my supervisor told me that our idea would not work, we

had to go back to the drawing board to come up with something else.

19.

– courage. He has no backbone because he was afraid to

reprimand her.

20.

– passenger who tells you how to drive. I’ll never

drive Joe to the airport again. He kept on wanting me to take another

road which I knew was wrong. He is such a backseat driver.

21.

– help. hanks for picking me up when my car broke

down. You really bailed me out of a bad situation.

22.

– approximate amount. When I asked the

contractor how much it would be to remodel the kitchen, he gave me a

ballpark igure .

23.

– value for the money spent. Newspaper

advertising works well for us because we get the best bang for the buck .

24.

bank on it – be sure of, count on.

I’ll be there to help you.

You can bank on it .

25.

– short work hours. He loves his job because on

Friday, he gets to work banker’s hours .

26.

– make a wrong choice or a false

assumption. If he thinks that I’m going to help him paint his house,

well he’s barking up the wrong tree .

27.

– have a perfect record. He is so happy that

everyone he invited to the party is coming. He’s batting a thousand.

28.

– show emotion. He was illed with emotion during

his speech, but she didn’t bat an eyelash .

at one’s wit’s end

at the end of one’s rope

back on one’s feet

back out of

back to the drawing board

backbone

backseat driver

bail one out

ballpark figure

bang for the buck

banker’s hours

bark up the wrong tree

bat a thousand

bat an eyelash

THE 800 MOST COMMONLY USED IDIOMS IN AMERICA

PRONUNCIATION WORKSHOP MANUAL - Session 1

29.

bawl out

– reprimand. he team was bawled out ater they lost the

game.

30.

– be very upset. I was so mad when I heard

that she was making up stories about me that I was beside myself.

31.

– avoid giving a clear answer. I didn’t want

to hurt his feelings and tell him that he wasn’t selected for the team.

So when he asked me if I had any information, I basically beat around

the bush .

32.

– do something before someone else

can. She was going to buy the last red dress that the store had, but I

beat her to the punch and bought it irst.

33.

– escape punishment. here was not enough evidence

to convict him, so he beat the rap and was set free.

34.

– in trouble. My department is late on its

deadline. We are behind the 8-ball .

35.

bend over backwards

– try very hard. He’ll bend over backwards

to help any of his friends.

36.

– wait patiently for the right opportunity. I’m just

going to bide my time . I know that eventually a position will open.

37.

– important person. Since he was given a promotion, he’s

been acting like a big shot .

38.

– an angry and loud complaint. She made a big stink when

her meal was served cold.

39.

- facts about sex and birth. he girl’s mother told

her daughter about the birds and the bees during the summer holidays.

40.

– trying to do more than one

can physically and mentally handle. I told her I would help her in her

job, but it seems that’s all I’ve been doing lately. I think I bit of more

than I could chew .

41.

– keep oneself from speaking. I had to bite my

tongue in order not to tell him that he won the rale.

42.

– die, disappear. Our old TV didn’t work yesterday. I

guess it inally bit the dust.

43.

– talk too much. She is always blabbing about her supervisor’s

personal life to her friends.

be beside one’s self

beat around the bush

beat someone to the punch

beat the rap

behind the 8-ball

bide one’s time

big shot

big stink

birds and bees

bit off more than one can chew

bite one’s tongue

bite the dust

blab

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