Phrases and Idioms Chapter Notes | English Olympiad for Class 2 PDF Download

Idioms

An Idiom is an expression or way of speaking that is used in common parlance. They are the amalgamation of words that convey a separate meaning altogether. 

For Example
His patience was put to an acid test.
His patience was not actually put through an acid test but it means that the effectiveness of his patience was checked. 

Commonly Used Idioms

A Blessing in Disguise
Meaning: A good thing that initially seemed bad

A Dime a Dozen
Meaning: Something that is very common, not unique

Adding Insult to Injury
Meaning: To make a bad situation even worse

Beat Around the Bush
Meaning: Avoid sharing your true viewpoint or feelings because it is uncomfortable

Beating a Dead Horse
Meaning: Giving time or energy to something that is ended or over

Bite the Bullet
Meaning: To get an unfavorable situation or chore over with now because it will need to get finished eventually

Best of Both Worlds
Meaning: The choice or solution has all of the advantages of two contrasting things at the same time

Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: Not having the capacity to take on a new assignment or task that is just too taxing

By the Skin of Your Teeth
Meaning: Just barely making it

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
Meaning: Not judging something by its initial appearance

Doing Something at the Drop of a Hat
Meaning: Doing something at the moment of being asked

Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Not to count on something happening until after it’s already happened

Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Meaning: Making a choice between two unpleasant choices

Costs an Arm and a Leg
Meaning: Something that is overpriced or very expensive

Cutting Corners
Meaning: Not performing a task or duty correctly in order to save time or money

Devil’s Advocate
Meaning: To take the side of the counter-argument, or offer an alternative point of view

Feeling Under the Weather
Meaning: Not feeling well, or feeling sick

Fit as a Fiddle
Meaning: Being in good health

Getting a Taste of Your Own Medicine
Meaning: Being treated the way that you have been treating others

Getting a Second Wind
Meaning: Having energy again after being tired

Giving the Benefit of the Doubt
Meaning: Believing someone’s story without proof even though it may seem unbelievable

Giving Someone the Cold Shoulder
Meaning: Ignoring someone

Going on a Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: Doing something that is pointless

Heard it on the Grapevine
Meaning: Hearing rumours about someone or something

Hitting the Nail on the Head
Meaning: Performing a task with exactness

Killing Two Birds With One Stone
Meaning: Accomplishing two different tasks in the same undertaking

Letting Someone Off the Hook
Meaning: Not holding someone responsible for something

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag
Meaning: Sharing information that was intended to be a secret

No Pain, No Gain
Meaning: You have to work hard in order to see results

On the Ball
Meaning: Doing a good job, being prompt, or being responsible

Once in a Blue Moon
Meaning: Something that doesn’t happen very often

Piece of Cake
Meaning: A task or job that is easy to complete

Phrases

A Phrase is a collection of words that stands together as a single unit in a sentence, typically as part of a clause or a sentence.
A Phrase does not contain any subject and verb so it cannot convey any thought. 

Examples of Phrases

There are different types of Phrases in the English language. 

Noun Phrase

• A group of words that consists of nouns and any modifiers.

Verb Phrase

• A group of words that consists of nouns and modifiers.

Prepositional Phrase

• A group of words that begins with a preposition and helps to explain the relationship between two things. 

Examples of Phrases

• The brown hat
• Blowing away
• In the wind

Example of Phrases Put Together in a Sentence

• The brown hat was blowing away in the wind.

Examples of Noun Phrases

• The brown hat
• My English teacher
• The grocery store

Examples of Verb Phrases

• Ran quickly
• Has been raining
• Stopped

Examples of Prepositional Phrases

• On the boat
• Above the stove
• Around the corner