Understanding idioms

If I was to tell you "I'm over the moon" you may be surprised to learn that I'm not talking about space travel! I'm just expressing my joy by using the idiom 'over the moon'.

English idioms are not easy to understand at first, especially if English is your second language. The thing is, understanding their meaning is crucial if you want to understand native speakers and if you want to sound like a native speaker yourself. These unique expressions add substance, flair and even humor to our daily conversations. When used correctly they show creativity and demonstrate control over the language. The Oxford English dictionary defines the word 'idiom' as a 'group of words established by usage, having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words'.

In many cases idioms are a short way of converying something that would otherwise require many sentences. For example, the idiom 'missed the boat' which means to fail to take advantage of an opportunity and to be too late to pursue an option or course of action.

If you are not aware of idioms their real meanings are difficult to establish. For example, if we say "this man loves blowing his own trumpet", it has nothing to do with music. This idiomatic expression highlights that a person loves talking about his own accomplishments without any humility.
If you are finding idioms confusing you are not alone. Idioms are challenging due to the fact that the whole phrase often does not relate to the literal meaning of the individual words.
The good news is I'm here to help you, actually I'd be over the moon to help you! For this reason I've created a discount for all students wishing to take my already very affordable class called 'Understanding Idioms'. I hope to see you there!

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