Intermediate · B1–B2
Idioms
Idioms are fixed expressions whose meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words. Mastering common idioms makes your English sound natural and fluent.
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a phrase whose figurative meaning is different from its literal meaning. They are extremely common in spoken English and informal writing.
Literal vs. idiomatic
Literal: It is raining heavily outside.
Idiomatic: It is raining cats and dogs. (= raining very heavily)
Common idioms by theme
Time and effort
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| burn the midnight oil | Work late into the night | She burned the midnight oil to finish the project. |
| bite off more than you can chew | Take on too much | He bit off more than he could chew with three jobs. |
| cut corners | Do something poorly to save time/money | Don't cut corners on safety. |
| on the fence | Undecided | She's still on the fence about the offer. |
Difficulty and problems
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| in hot water | In trouble | He's in hot water with his boss. |
| hit a brick wall | Reach a point of no progress | The negotiations hit a brick wall. |
| back to square one | Start again from the beginning | The plan failed — it's back to square one. |
| the tip of the iceberg | A small visible part of a bigger problem | These complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. |
People and relationships
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| see eye to eye | Agree | They don't always see eye to eye. |
| get on like a house on fire | Get along very well | They got on like a house on fire. |
| give someone the cold shoulder | Ignore someone deliberately | She gave him the cold shoulder. |
Register: Idioms are mostly informal. Avoid them in formal academic writing — use precise literal language instead.
Tip: Learn idioms in context — understanding the situation they describe helps you remember them. Don't try to translate them literally.