Idioms

What is an idiom?

An idiom is a phrase that cannot be translated word for word into another language.  For example, in English, when you you have received the shock of your life and have become as pale as a ghost you are as yellow as wax in Spanish.  Similarly, when you are cold and shivery, you have English goosebumps and Chinese chicken skin.

Idioms are fun but too many of them in a story can be considered too much of a good thing such as in the following example. 

Too Much of a Good Thing

When Jill aced the test, even her teacher gave her a high five and said, "All right."

Jill wasn't sure whether her teacher meant that she'd earned a perfect score or whether she had just been indulging in a little idiomatic language.   When Jill looked at her paper, she realized that she had earned a perfect score and then some.

Jill couldn't believe hers luck.  At the eleventh hour, Jill had been as antsy as all get out.  She'd been a real nervous Nellie but had found the test as easy as pie.

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ESL Idioms

Idiom Connections

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