20 ENGLISH IDIOMS TO SOUND LIKE A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER (+ Free PDF & Quiz)

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- Hello everyone, and welcome back to English with Lucy.

Today I'm going to show you 20 idioms that you can use

to sound like a native English speaker.

This video is really going to help you

improve your vocabulary.

But if you want to improve

your listening and pronunciation skills even further,

then I highly recommend the special method

of combining reading books

with listening to the audiobook version on Audible.

It sounds weird, reading and listening at the same time,

but it's such an effective method.

Let me explain, take a book

that you have already read in English,

or a book that you would like to read in English.

I've got lots of recommendations for books and audio books

down below in the description box.

And as you read that book,

listen to the audiobook version at the same time.

Reading alone will not help with your pronunciation,

or you're listening for that matter (chuckles).

English is not a strictly phonetic language,

the way a word is spelt or written in English

might not give you any indication

as to how that word is pronounced.

That's why pronunciation in English

is so hard for my students.

But if you listen to a word as you read it,

your brain will start making connections.

And the next time you see that word,

you'll know exactly how it's pronounced,

how it's supposed to sound.

And the next time you hear that word,

you'll know how it's spelt, how it's written.

It's such an effective method,

and the best part is, you can get one free audio book,

that's a 30-day free trial on Audible.

All you have to do is click on the link

in the description box and sign up.

Give it a try because it really, really works.

Right, let's get started with the lesson.

Idiom number one is, a drop in the ocean,

a drop in the ocean.

I think we have a song called a Drop In The Ocean,

I used to really like that when I was at school.

A drop in the ocean means a very small,

or insignificant part of something big or whole.

For example, the government's pledge

to increase health funding by 100 million

is a drop in the ocean compared to the billions

that need to be spent.

Number two is a lovely one,

I think they're all lovely actually

because I chose that myself for you (laughs).

Number two is, actions speak louder than words.

Actions speak louder than words,

this means that it's better to actually do something

rather than just talk about it.

For example, stop apologising to me

and prove to me that I can trust you,

actions speak louder than words.

That's a good one to use in your next fight with someone

who has lost your trust.

Number three is, to add fuel to the fire.

To add fuel to the fire.

This simply means to make a problem worse,

to exacerbate a problem.

We learned exacerbate in another class,

didn't we recently, comment down below

if you remember which it was.

For example, don't tell her about the delays,

you'll just be adding fuel to the fire.

Number four is, the ball is in your court.

The ball is in your court,

this means that it's your turn

to make the next step or decision.

For example, I've done all I can do,

the ball is in your court now.

Number five is, to bend over backwards.

To bend over backwards,

this means to do whatever it takes to help someone.

For example, our company is bending over backwards

to satisfy our customers.

Sometimes it can mean that you've helped too much,

you've put in too much effort.

Oh, I've been bending over backwards

trying to solve his problems

and he hasn't given me the time of day.

To give someone the time of day,

is to give someone the proper attention.

Number six, to bite off more than you can chew.

To be bite off more than you can chew,

this means to take on a task that is too big.

For example, I think I've bitten off

more than I can chew with this project.

This is something I said all the way

through my university degree.

I was working, I had a YouTube channel,

I was doing projects, I'd taken on extra work.

I bit off more than I could chew,

and I suffered the consequences, but it was worth it.

I'm okay now, actually homework here.

Have you ever bitten off more than you could chew?

Let me know about the situation

in the comment section down below.

Maybe you were studying and working at the same time,

maybe you were trying to maintain

a long distance relationship whilst doing an internship,

I don't know, let me know.

Oh, number seven is a good one.

This is one my mom uses a lot,

it's by the skin of one's teeth,

by the skin of your teeth.

This means to only just succeed something

by a very narrow margin, by the enamel on your teeth,

but we say skin, we don't normally say skin of teeth.

But for this particular saying we do.

An example, I think I might have passed that exam

by the skin of my teeth, only just.

Number eight is derived from a fable, I think,

or a childhood story.

It's to cry wolf, to cry wolf.

This means to call for help when you don't need it.

And I think the story is,

I wonder if you have this in your own country and culture.

A boy kept pretending that there was a wolf,

so that people would come.

And in the end, when a wolf did actually come,

he called for help and no one came

'cause they always thought that he was crying for help

when he didn't actually need it.

An example, My new flatmate is always crying wolf.

Number nine is, to cut somebody some slack.

To cut somebody some slack,

this means to give someone a break,

to stop judging them so hard.

For example, you need to cut the intern some slack,

they are still learning.

Number 10 is, to cut to the chase.

To cut to the chase

this means to leave out all of the unnecessary details

and just get to the point.

An example, To cut to the chase,

I'm not comfortable working alongside John anymore.

Number 11, to get one's head around something.

To get your head around something.

This means to come to understand something,

to work to understand something.

For example, I'm going to spend a night

trying to get my head around this new legislation.

Number 12 is, to hear on the grapevine.

To hear on the grapevine,

this means to hear a rumour or an unconfirmed story.

For example, I heard on the grapevine

that our receptionist will be leaving us soon.

Number 13, a personal favourite, it takes two to tango.

It takes two to tango.

You've got to be comfortable with the T sound to say that,

it takes two to tango.

This means that actions or communications

need more than one person.

For example, don't just blame him for the affair,

it takes two to tango,

two parties were involved in that bad behaviour.

Number 14 is, to miss the boat, to miss the boat.

This means to miss the opportunity to do something.

For example, I think you've missed the boat

on that application,

they've already started interviewing candidates.

Number 15 is a lovely one.

It is a piece of cake, a piece of cake.

This means really easy.

That pop quiz was a piece of cake.

Number 16 is, pull yourself together.

Pull yourself together.

This means calm down and act normally,

it's normally said when somebody is stressing out.

For example, I think you need to pull yourself together

and stop stressing about the presentation.

Number 17 is, to sit or to be on the fence.

To sit on the fence, to be on the fence.

This means to stay neutral and to not take sides.

For example, I'm sitting on the fence on this one,

I don't want to offend anyone.

Number 18 is, to step up one's game,

to step up your game.

This means to start performing better.

For example, if you really want to get this promotion,

you'll need to step up your game.

Number 19 is, to sell someone out.

To sell someone out, this means to snitch on someone,

or to let their secret out.

For example, I asked you

to keep that information to yourself,

I can't believe you've sold me out like that.

And number 20 is, your guess is as good as mine.

Your guess is as good as mine.

This means I don't know, or I have no idea.

For example, we just don't have enough data,

your guess is as good as mine.

Right, those were our 20 idioms

that you can use to sound like a native speaker.

I've got some more homework for you,

this is the official homework.

The other homework was just spare of the moment homework.

Spare of the moment means on impulse,

or without advanced planning (chuckles).

The real homework is to write in the comment section,

five sentences using five of your favourite idioms

that we have talked about today.

If you'd like to add some sentences with additional idioms

that you've heard native speakers say,

then feel free to do so

and we can all learn from each other.

Don't forget to check out Audible,

the link to claim your free audio book

is in the description box.

And don't forget to connect with me

on all of my social media.

I've got my Facebook, my Instagram, and my Twitter

and I shall see you soon for another lesson.

(lou kisses)

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