As you learn more and more about English, you may feel confuse | British Council | IELTS™

As you learn more and more about English, you may feel confused when you see odd phrases that just don’t make sense. One of your friends may say, “It’s raining cats and dogs!”. When you look up at the sky, however, you can’t see any domesticated pets, only water!

These phrases are called “idioms”. Idioms are phrases (groups of words) that have a hidden meaning which isn't clear when reading the words literally. They might seem baffling or random to you, but most idioms were born hundreds of years ago, and have slowly become part of everyday English speech.

Here are 7 of the most common idioms that are easy to use in daily conversation:

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Meaning: What you have is worth more than what you might have later
Usage: by itself

A penny for your thoughts
Meaning: Tell me what you're thinking
Usage: by itself

A penny saved is a penny earned
Meaning: Money you save today you can spend later
Usage: by itself

A perfect storm
Meaning: the worst possible situation
Usage: as part of a sentence

A picture is worth 1000 words
Meaning: Better to show than tell
Usage: by itself

Actions speak louder than words
Meaning: Believe what people do and not what they say
Usage: by itself

Add insult to injury
Meaning: To make a bad situation worse
Usage: as part of a sentence

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