You have probably heard of idioms. They are also called sayings, proverbs, phrases or idiomatic expressions. You might have read about them and learned some of them in school when you were a child. Beyond that the vast majority of people are probably unaware of how widespread and important idioms are in their own language - their mother tongue. Most of us don't think much about idioms. We might not realise how hugely important they are in the speaking of our own language. We use them without thinking, accepting that they are part of the language and that most of our fellow native speakers will know what they mean. But to anyone learning any new language like English as a second language, idioms can present quite a problem!
An idiom is a commonly used phrase or saying that actually has two meanings - and this is where the difficulty lies. An idiomatic expression has a literal meaning, which may or may not make logical sense (problem number one) and it also has a figurative or metaphorical meaning which is often quite different from the literal meaning of the words (problem two). The connection between the literal and the metaphorical meanings is not always easy to grasp, as sometimes an idiom has come about gradually, with twists and turns in its development, and there is a whole story to its origin and use (problem three). Deciphering idioms could be a full time job, and indeed it is for the writers of our Idioms dictionaries and other resources which can aid the learner to develop a better understanding of the English language as it is actually used by the native speakers.
These are some common idioms and their figurative (non-literal) meaning:
» Kill two birds with one stone - accomplish two different things at the same time; solve two problems with one single action.
» On the ball - knowledgeable and competent; alert, in command of senses, attentive.
» Face the music - accept criticism for something that you (or someone else) have done; deal with consequences no matter how unpleasant.
» It takes two to tango - both people involved in a situation are equally responsible for it.
The intended meaning of each of these phrases does not match with their literal meaning. On the ball does not refer to any actual ball, and It takes two to tango is not about dancing. It takes a leap of logic, often in lateral thinking, to understand the meaning of the idiom, but this is the fun and interesting part. All of these four expressions are commonly in use by English speakers today, and the majority of native speakers understand them. But for the English learner, a little help is required! Theidioms.com website presents the largest collection of idioms for English learners, kids and teachers, with comprehensive meaning, examples and accurate origin details.
The idioms of a language are what give it authenticity as a real, living, evolving language spoken by real people. The metaphorical meanings of these everyday sayings tell us a great deal about the lifestyle, outlook and attitudes of the native speakers. They are quirky, interesting, and sometimes funny. The way that the idiom links one idea (the literal meaning of the words) with another seemingly unconnected idea (the metaphorical, or figurative meaning) in order to show a similarity that exists between the two situations, can be clever and cunning, and that is often the pleasure that can be gained from learning and using idioms. They give fresh insight into everyday situations. They are a creative way of explaining and referring to aspects of life that most of us share. They colour and illustrate the language, using funny, clever or beautiful imagery. They can be mysterious, intriguing and fun. Some English learners become fascinated by idioms and eager to learn how to use these descriptive expressions. And there is no shortage of new idioms to learn! The English language is thought to contain at least 25,000 idiomatic expressions!
It is not easy (not a walk in the park) to learn the idioms of another language besides your own. Perhaps even harder to remember them and know how to use them in sentences. That's where “The Idioms” website comes in - this site makes it easy for you to learn a variety of phrases, with all of the different contexts that an idiom can be used in, so that you can get a real sense of and feel for the language of the sayings. Plenty of easy to remember example sentences are also provided; the one thing that learners always ask for and most sites don't provide. To have examples to understand the correct usage of the phrase is extremely important, not least because in English classes and Standard English learner’s exams, students are always asked to use the phrase in a sentence, to demonstrate understanding. And then you can also know where, when and how any idiom has originated. A team of several authors and English experts work with The Idioms website who are engaged in mobilizing the right information for their valued consumers and visitors. Fiona Mackenzie from Scotland is the editor-in-chief of the website, who keeps an eye on the article quality and accuracy on the website.
The Idioms website has a search mechanism that will easily and quickly let you find the meaning of a particular idiom. Apart from this you can use alphabetic index listing to find your idiom or you are can also search phrases through the topics. Also, in many ways you can use this website for learning English grammar, as it also contains helpful articles on aspects of grammar. The site's responsive design provides you great ease of use on all types of devices like mobile phone, tablet, laptop and computers. Experience its pleasure for yourself and inform everyone about it, because it can make your path to learning difficult idioms a whole lot easier!
According to a survey, this website is used mostly by teachers, children and new English learners, so if you are such a person, or want to help someone who is, be they friend or family member, then this website can prove to be very useful for them.
Or if you are preparing for any of these types of exams, it will also be a boon for you.
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Nowadays as the use of English is increasing, becoming the one language that everybody needs to know to be effective in the world of internet commerce, international business and even social media connections, so the number of English learners is also increasing.
With the kind of useful tools that are available on apps and interactive websites like the Idioms, the learning process gets easier, and far more enjoyable.
More info: theidioms.com
The Idioms
