English Idioms
English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part
of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and
spoken English. Because idioms don't always make sense literally,
you'll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of
each idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but learning idioms
is fun, especially when you compare English idioms to the idioms
in your own language.
Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make your
English sound more native, so it's a good idea to master some of these
expressions. The tables below are organized by how common the
idioms are in American English. You can start by learning the very
common English idioms, since these are the ones you'll encounter
regularly watching American movies or TV, or visiting the United
States. When you've mastered those, move on to rest. None of the
idioms on this page are unusual or old fashioned, so you can be
confident using any of them with native English speakers from all
English-speaking countries.
Familiar English Idioms
And Proverbs
These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily
understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually
used in everyday conversation. If you haven't mastered the more
frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're
already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will
further spice up your English.