Are you plugged in?

An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning of its own that is not clear from the meanings of the individual words. Idioms are used extensively in conversations, email, presentations, newspapers, magazines, and films. If you don’t understand the idiom, you can feel left out of the conversation or presentation since the idiom is often the “point” of the sentence.

All languages have idiomatic expressions; however, idioms are used very frequently in American culture, especially American business culture. You can learn idioms over time after immersion in a culture, but it can really speed things up to have a systematic approach. Once you become more aware of idiomatic expressions, you will notice them more easily in conversations and newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, which is an excellent source for idioms.

Our approach to teaching idioms also helps improve listening comprehension and pronunciation in English. We present the idioms in the context of a story or dialog. This helps you to hear the idioms in a more natural setting. Audio tracks for each page include four different native speaker models. Then we have a page devoted to each idiom. This page presents the definition and examples of how the idiom can be used in a sentence. We also show how the concepts we teach in the Pronunciation In English program apply to idioms. The pronunciation notes demonstrate how stress, intonation, focus words, reduction and linking apply to each idiom. Idioms in English reinforces all of the concepts presented in the pronunciation program in a new context.

Every idioms page is followed by a scored dictation practice and a focus word exercise, both of which help build listening comprehension. At the end of every chapter is another scored dictation exercise. Once you learn all the idioms, you can check your knowledge with the final exam at the end of the program. It is a lot of fun to spot idioms you’ve learned in everyday conversations, in the newspapers, and in movies. Learning about idioms in English will help you become more fluent in the language as it used every day by native speakers.

 

 

 

 

Idioms In English By, Kathy L. Hans Released Jul 25, 2007 Genre: Spoken Word (P) 2006 Kathy L. Hans

Play hardball

Definition:

Act agressively and ruthlessly to achieve a goal

Examples:

Their lawyers decided to play hardball, so they may delay payment until we sign this new contract.

I don’t like it when he plays hardball in the negotiations; it makes it difficult for us to come to an agreement.

Source:

Using idioms in conversation demonstrates mastery of a foreign language. Idioms in English shows you how to use stress to pronounce an idiom in a sentence like a native speaker.

Underwater

 

Definition:

The current value is less than the original value

Examples:

That stock is underwater now, so he can’t sell it or he’ll lose lots of money on his original investment.

An underwater option would be worthless if it expired today.

Source:

Using idioms in conversation demonstrates mastery of a foreign language. Idioms in English shows you how to use stress to pronounce an idiom in a sentence like a native speaker.

 

Push the Envelope

Definition: Go beyond what is usual or standard; innovate

Examples:

That company is always trying to push the envelope and create something better.

Test pilots are trained to push the evelope and exceed the current speed records.

Source:

Using idioms in conversation demonstrates mastery of a foreign language. Idioms in English shows you how to use stress to pronounce an idiom in a sentence like a native speaker.

Idioms podcast: “Take the bull by the horns” and “Think out of the box”

Kathy L. Hans of AmEnglish.com introduces the concept of idioms in English.

Listeners will learn how to pronounce and use the following idioms:

• Take the bull by the horns
• Think out of the box

Idioms podcast - “Take the bull by the horns” and “Think out of the box”

These examples are taken from the program Idioms in English authored by Kathy L.  Hans

Go Postal

Definition: Act out in an angry way, especially in an outburst of violence

Examples:

I got a really negative reaction. He went postal in the meeting.

Did you read the newspaper? Some guy went postal and shot his co-workers.

Source:

Using idioms in conversation demonstrates mastery of a foreign language. Idioms in English shows you how to use stress in sentences in order to pronounce an idiom in a sentence like a native speaker.

Using idioms: Plugged in

Original	Correction
His friends like to ask him about stock investment because he is really plugged in the financial market.	His friends like to ask him about stock investments because he is really plugged in to the financial market.

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Using idioms: Think out of the box

In the following example the focus words are in bold to show where stress should be placed when pronouncing the sentence. Underlines are used to show the corrections

Original Writing	Correction
The company has financial problem. They need to think out of the box, or they will be facing bankrupt.	The company has financial problems. They need to think out of the box, or they will be facing bankruptcy.

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Using idioms: All on the same page

Original Writing	Correction
I want to talk with my builder before I decided the projects of my house remodeling because I need to make sure we are all on the same page.	I want to talk with my builder before I decide on the projects for my house remodeling because I need to make sure we are all on the same page.

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