This blog is about 20 Idioms in English that are commonly used in daily life. But, before moving straightforwardly to the list of Idioms, you need to understand what Idioms are? And why do you need them to improve your level of English? Do you need to learn most of the idioms in the English language?
I know you have such questions in your mind. But, let’s start with the answer to the first question:
What is the definition of Idioms?
There are countless definitions of Idioms in dictionaries. However, in a layman’s language, an idiom is a phrase whose symbolic meaning is different from its literal meaning. To understand what they mean, you have to understand two words- literal and metaphorical.
On the one hand, literal means the normal or usual meaning of a word; on the other hand, metaphorical stands for words used as symbols for something else. It is the opposite of literal. Therefore, you cannot understand the meaning of idioms by just looking at the words. You have to find out what the metaphor means.
For example,
It has been raining cats and dogs since morning.
Everyone knows the literal meaning of cats and dogs, they are just the name of animals, but in the sentence mentioned above, raining cats and dogs means raining heavily. That’s why it represents the symbolic meaning.
Idioms are an integral part of all languages, and you may wonder how many idioms are in the English language? The answer is there are more than 20000 Idioms in the English language. However, you don’t need to learn all idioms, you can just start with 20 idioms in English that are commonly used in daily life mentioned in this blog.
How do I use Idioms effectively in my speech?
You should solely use idioms if you know how they are used in the right context, and to learn them correctly, you should understand idioms and their meanings. It all depends on the context, and in case you don’t use them properly, they may sound unnatural. One of the things that separate native English speakers from those learning the second language is idioms’ correct use. That’s why it is crucial to use them correctly in your speech.
Why do we need Idioms to improve our level of English?
As mentioned above, idioms are an integral part of every language. It means that if you want to improve your English speaking skills, then learning idioms are essential. They help you to sound like a native speaker. They have the same importance in the English language as they have in the Hindi language. Therefore, you should first try to understand idioms’ meaning and then practice them regularly in sentences can help you sound more confident in their usage. You can start with 20 Idioms in English mentioned in this blog that you can help you in daily conversation.
Do we need to learn most of the idioms in the English language?
No, you don’t need to mug up thousands of idioms in the English language. To start with, ask yourself: What are the most popular idioms in your native language? Then, make a list of those idioms that you commonly use in your language. The next step is to learn those idioms from Hindi to English. This technique will help you to grasp them quickly. Thereupon, learn the most famous idioms in the English language. You can start with 20 Idioms in English provided in this blog.
Can I score higher if I use Idioms in the IELTS Essay Question?
It is generally not recommended to use idioms in your IELTS writing exam because the examiner considers that you have memorized such expressions to make your writing look better even though you use them in the right context. So, instead of learning more and more idioms, you should focus on learning advanced vocabulary, which helps you achieve a high band score in the IELTS writing exam. However, you have to make sure that you are using advanced vocabulary in the right context.
Can I score higher if I use Idioms in IELTS Speaking Exam?
As mentioned above, it is recommended not to use idioms in the Speaking exam as they are not your words, but you have learned them or memorized them. It looks utterly unnatural if you stuff your answers with a few idioms. You can achieve a high band score if you use advanced vocabulary in your answers and use it in the right context. This strategy will help you to boost your score in the IELTS Speaking exam.
In this blog, you will get 10 idioms that are most commonly used by Hindi native speakers and 10 idioms that are widely used by English native speakers.
This first list of idioms is used as complete sentences, which means you don’t need to frame a new sentence. They serve as complete sentences.
Top 10 idioms in English which are commonly used by native speakers of Hindi language :
1. रस्सी जल गई पर बल न गया
Wolves may lose their teeth but not their nature.
2. राई का पहाड बनाना
Make a mountain out of a molehill.
3. चोर की दाढ़ी में तिनका
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
4. दीवारों के भी कान होते हैं।
Even walls have ears.
5. मुसीबत कभी अकेले नहीं आती।
Misfortunes never come alone.
6. बूंद बूंद से सागर बनता है
Little drops make the ocean.
7. भैंस के आगे बीन बजाना
Crying in the wilderness.
8. धोबी का कुत्ता ना घर का रहा ना घाट का
A rolling stone gathers no mass.
9. खाली दिमाग शैतान का घर होता है
An idle man’s brain is a devil’s workshop.
10. अपने मुँह मियाँ मिट्ठू बनना
Self-praise no recommendation.
The following list is about the top 10 idioms in English commonly used by native speakers of the English Language:
11. Once in a blue moon:
Meaning: An event that happens occasionally.
Sentence: “I go to my best friend’s house once in a blue moon.”
12. A piece of cake:
Meaning: Something which is extremely easy to perform.
Sentence: For my mother, cooking is just a piece of cake.
13. Through thick and thin:
Meaning: in good times and bad times
Sentence: I love my parents more than anyone in the world because they always stand by me through thick and thin.
14.Living hand to mouth:
Meaning: To live in extreme poverty
Sentence: My best friend’s family has been living hand to mouth since her father died.
15. A couch potato
Meaning: A lazy and inactive person who likes to sit in front of the TV
Sentence: My sister is a couch potato as she loves to watch TV the whole day.
16. Down to earth
Meaning: A very grounded person
Sentence: Although my uncle remained on high post throughout his life, he is a very down to earth person.
17. Break the ice
Meaning: To start the conversation by talking to strangers
Sentence: My brother is good at breaking the ice whenever he has to talk to strangers.
18. Not one’s cup of tea:
Meaning: A task which you don’t like to do at all.
Sentence: Whenever we travel to the hill station, I like to sit and enjoy the spectacular view of the mountain as camping is not my cup of tea.
19. Giving someone the cold shoulder:
Meaning: Ignoring someone
Sentence: I gave my boss the cold shoulder when I met him at the party last night because he rebuked me in front of everyone in the meeting yesterday.
20.Pulling someone’s leg
Meaning: Teasing someone
Sentence: My relatives generally like to pull my leg.
To conclude, I recommend you not to cram all these idioms in one go. Just learn 2 or 5 idioms each month. Learning countless idioms is not going to help you improve your English. The more you use these idioms in your speech, the better you speak. But, you can learn idioms quickly if you understand their meaning in Hindi or in your regional language. You can start with 20 Idioms in English that you can use in your daily conversation.
However, your focus should entirely be on how many times you use the idioms in your speech. Initially, it would be best to use these idioms deliberately, but you will gradually find out that idioms come naturally in your speech whenever any particular situation occurs.
For instance, if someone boasts of his achievements in front of you, the idiom will naturally come to your mind:
Self-praise, no recommendation.
In the end, remember not to learn more than 5 idioms each month. But, if you are a beginner, stick to 2 idioms each month. By the end of the year, beginners will be able to use 24 idioms each year, and the person on an intermediate level will be able to learn 60 idioms.
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