15 Everyday English Idioms You Must Learn!

Summary

In this engaging video, Maddie from PC English introduces viewers to 15 everyday idioms that are essential for English language learners. Starting with 'piece of cake,' which signifies something easy to do, she progresses through idioms like 'break a leg' for good luck, 'hit the nail on the head' for accurately identifying a problem, and 'let the cat out of the bag' for accidentally revealing a secret. The lesson covers a range of expressions from 'cost an arm and a leg' indicating high cost, to 'under the weather' for feeling unwell, and 'bite the bullet' for facing an unpleasant task. Maddie also explains 'the best of both worlds,' 'speak of the devil,' 'when pigs fly' for something that will never happen, and 'cut to the chase' for getting to the point. She touches on 'add fuel to the fire' for exacerbating a problem, 'go the extra mile' for exceeding expectations, 'out of the blue' for unexpected events, and 'once in a blue moon' for something that rarely occurs. The video concludes with an offer for a comprehensive PDF summary of the lesson and a book containing summaries of all her YouTube videos, available for free on her website.

Takeaways

• 😀 'Piece of cake' means something is very easy to do, and is the inspiration behind the name of Maddie's channel, PC (Piece of Cake) English.
• 🍀 'Break a leg' is an idiom used to wish someone good luck, often before a performance, exam, or test.
• 🔨 'Hit the nail on the head' means to accurately identify the cause of a problem or difficult situation.
• 🐱 'Let the cat out of the bag' refers to accidentally revealing a secret that was not supposed to be told.
• 💸 'Cost an arm and a leg' indicates that something is very expensive, implying it was overpriced or unaffordable.
• 😷 'Under the weather' is a way to say someone is feeling a bit sick or unwell.
• 💪 'Bite the bullet' means to force oneself to do something unpleasant that is necessary.
• 🌐 'Best of both worlds' describes a situation where someone enjoys two very different but beneficial things simultaneously.
• 👻 'Speak of the devil' is used when discussing someone and that person unexpectedly appears.
• 🐷 'When pigs fly' is an idiom that means something will never happen, as it's an impossibility.
• 🏁 'Cut to the chase' urges someone to get to the main point without wasting time.
• 🔥 'Add fuel to the fire' means to make a bad situation worse by contributing to the problem.
• 🚶‍♂️ 'Go the extra mile' implies doing more than what is expected or required, often to provide exceptional service or effort.
• 🌌 'Out of the blue' describes something that happens unexpectedly, without warning.
• 🌙 'Once in a blue moon' means that something occurs very rarely.

Q & A

What does the idiom 'piece of cake' mean and how is it related to the channel name 'P English'?

The idiom 'piece of cake' means something that is very easy to do. It is related to the channel name 'P English' because the 'P' stands for 'Piece of Cake', implying that learning English with their channel is meant to be easy.

What is the meaning of the idiom 'break a leg' and when is it typically used?

The idiom 'break a leg' means 'good luck'. It is typically used before a performance, exam, test, or audition to wish someone success.

Can you explain the idiom 'hit the nail on the head' and provide an example of its usage?

The idiom 'hit the nail on the head' means to accurately identify the cause of a problem or a difficult situation. An example is saying 'You hit the nail on the head when you said that the company needs a new financial strategy', which means the person clearly identified the problem.

What does 'let the cat out of the bag' mean and what is an example of using this idiom?

The idiom 'let the cat out of the bag' means to accidentally reveal a secret. An example is 'I let the cat out of the bag about their surprise party', which means the person accidentally disclosed a secret that was not supposed to be told.

How is the phrase 'cost me an arm and a leg' used and what does it imply about the item's price?

The phrase 'cost me an arm and a leg' is used to describe something that is very expensive. It implies that the item was so costly that it felt like a significant sacrifice was made to acquire it.

What does 'under the weather' mean and how can it be used in a sentence?

'Under the weather' means feeling a bit sick or unwell. It can be used in a sentence like 'I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, so I might stay in'.

What is the meaning of 'bite the bullet' and how does it relate to facing an unpleasant task?

'Bite the bullet' means to force oneself to do something unpleasant that is necessary. It relates to facing an unpleasant task by implying that one must endure the discomfort or difficulty to accomplish what is needed.

Can you describe the idiom 'best of both worlds' and provide a scenario where it might be used?

The idiom 'best of both worlds' describes a situation where someone enjoys two different, yet contrasting, experiences or benefits. A scenario could be 'She works in the city and lives in the country, enjoying the best of both worlds', meaning she gets the benefits of both urban professional life and rural tranquility.

What does 'speak of the devil' mean and when is it used?

'speak of the devil' is used when you are talking about someone and that person unexpectedly appears or arrives. It is a way of expressing surprise when the subject of your conversation shows up.

Explain the idiom 'when pigs fly' and its implication about the likelihood of an event occurring.

The idiom 'when pigs fly' is used to express that something will never happen. It implies that the event being discussed is highly unlikely or impossible.

What does 'cut to the chase' mean and in what context is it commonly used?

'Cut to the chase' means to get to the main point without wasting time. It is commonly used when someone wants to quickly address the most important aspects of a discussion or situation.

How is the phrase 'add fuel to the fire' used and what does it signify?

The phrase 'add fuel to the fire' is used to describe actions that make a bad situation worse. It signifies that instead of helping, the action exacerbates the problem.

What is the meaning of 'go the extra mile' and how can it be demonstrated in a work scenario?

'Go the extra mile' means to do more than what is expected or required. In a work scenario, it could be demonstrated by a person who not only makes a phone call to a customer as expected but also sends an email and a text message to ensure the customer is well informed.

What does 'out of the blue' signify and can you provide an example of its usage?

'Out of the blue' signifies something happening unexpectedly. An example of its usage is 'I hadn't talked to him in years, but out of the blue, I received a letter from him', indicating the surprise of receiving communication after a long period of no contact.

What is the meaning of 'once in a blue moon' and how does it describe the frequency of an event?

'Once in a blue moon' means that something happens very rarely. It describes the frequency of an event as being infrequent or occurring only occasionally.