If You Know These 15 Idioms, Your English is Excellent

If you know these 15 idioms,  your English is excellent.

Welcome back to JForrest English.

Of course.

I'm Jennifer.

Now let's get started.

You're going to learn these idioms as a quiz.

You'll see a sentence on the screen with a blank,  

and you need to complete  the idiom in five seconds.

After you'll learn the correct idiom,  

you'll review an example sentence and and  you'll listen to natives using that idiom.

Are you ready?

Question one.

At the beginning of our meeting, we  shared our favorite food to break.

To break the ice To break the ice.

This is an idiom that means to  have conversation or activities  

to overcome initial awkwardness or tension  when people are meeting for the first time.

For example, you can share your favorite  food or play a little game to break the ice.

Now remember that idioms are words in a  fixed order that have a non literal meaning.

Because they're in a fixed order.

You cannot say we broke ice that isn't correct.

You can't say we broke an ice that isn't correct,  and you definitely can't say we broke ice cubes.

You must say we broke the ice.

And of course, here your verb to  break is conjugated in the past.

Simple.

Don't worry about taking notes because I  summarize everything in a free lesson PDF.

You can find the link in the description.

It was just.

Break the ice and and now  let's have some fun, you know?

Yeah.

I shake some hands.

I break the ice and make small  talk about their backgrounds.

I take a genuine interest in the people.

Question 2.

Great job with the presentation  you knocked it out of.

Out of the park to knock  something out of the park.

This is a fun idiom.

It means to do something exceptionally well.

So you can use this to compliment someone.

For example, the team knocked it out of the  park with their innovative product launch.

Now notice how I used it before  I specified the something,  

which was the innovative product launch.

You can do it the other way and say  the team knocked the product launch.

The something the team knocked the  product launch out of the park.

The team did exceptionally well.

So hopefully you're thinking  this lesson is amazing.

Jennifer knocked it out of the park.

Of course, the IT is this lesson.

So do you agree?

Am I or did I knock it out of the park?

If you agree, but that's right, that's  right, but that's right in the comments.

Whatever it is, you knock it out of the park  because you're educated at this great college.

Traditional public schools knock  it out of the park in many places.

My guess is they'll continue to thrive.

The ones that are good.

Very rarely is your first movie  going to knock it out of the park.

Question three I was offered my  dream position but if I accept it,  

I have to move to another  city away from my family.

I'm between a rock and A and a hard place.

Did you get this one to be  between a rock and a hard place?

This means to be faced with two  difficult or undesirable options.

He's between a rock and a hard place,  

having to choose between a  promotion and moving to a new city.

So notice how I use the idiom first,  

and then I identified the two  undesirable or difficult options.

You could also say I'm between  a rock and a hard place.

If I tell the truth, it could hurt my friend.

So the other option is implied.

You tell the truth or you don't tell the truth.

They were caught between a rock and a high.

Place and they.

Ended up choosing the high place,  really between a rock and a hard place.

And to find that officers sometimes make mistakes.

I think it's understandable.

It's to be expected.

They're between a rock and a  hard place in economic policy.

Question 4.

The party is on Saturday, but it's a surprise.

Don't spill the  

Don't spill the beans.

To spill the beans.

This means to reveal a secret or  disclose information unintentionally.

So for example, I accidentally spilled  the beans because it's not intentional.

I accidentally spilled the  beans about their engagement.

I didn't know it was a secret.

Or you could reassure someone  your secret is safe with me.

You know I won't spill the beans.

I won't reveal your secret.

And he would try to get kids to  spill the beans on the family.

You know, like, my mother's pregnant.

My daddy doesn't know.

The authorities thought if he was  tortured he might spill the beans,  

but there weren't any beans to spill.

If you don't spill the beans now.

We're going to.

Finish this talk down at the station.

Question five.

You don't have to work  tonight and miss your party.

I was just pulling your.

I was just pulling your leg to pull one's leg.

Your leg.

This means to tease or joke  with someone in a playful way.

For example, to joke with your coworker.

You could say the boss wants us to  work late tonight and organize all  

the boxes in the storage room and  your Co worker could reply back and  

say seriously that will take hours  and I have tickets to Taylor Swift.

And then your Co worker can  say I'm just pulling your leg.

You're teasing your Co worker.

Enjoy the show.

I was just pulling your leg.

Pressed his nose up against mine, gave me this  evil smile and said I was just pulling your leg.

I was.

Just.

I was just.

Pulling your leg I I pull.

Stuff up all the time.

Question 6 I got Taylor Swift tickets.

I'm cloud 9.

I am on cloud 9 because this expression is to be  on cloud 9, which means to be extremely happy.

He's been on cloud 9 since he got engaged.

Remember to conjugate that verb to be.

The team was on cloud 9 after  winning the championship game.

I'm in cloud 9.

Yes.

And then guess what?

Does it last?

Yeah, I think that honestly, I I'm still kind  of on cloud 9 from Sunday when Aquafina won.

As you can imagine, I was pretty much on cloud 9.

Then question 7.

The client didn't like the  proposal, so we have to start from.

Start from scratch To start from scratch.

This means to start from the very  beginning, so you have to do it again.

For example, my computer crashed and now I have  

to start from scratch because  you lost your entire project.

Or you could say I started learning English  from scratch last year or three years ago.

From the very beginning.

Hello, how are you?

The very beginning.

So I guess you're going to  have to start from scratch.

So they had to start from scratch.

McMillan most recently had to start from scratch.

Question 8 As the project manager, Jane  calls the when it comes to the timeline.

Jane calls the shots.

A great position to be in.

To call the shots means to be in control.

This is my house.

I call the shots.

Or if someone is new to a team, they  might ask who calls the shots around here?

Who is in control?

Well, then you're destined to have the  existing power structures to call the shots.

Instead, pharmaceutical companies call the shots.

The FDA effectively allows them  to monopolize drugs via patents.

If I get the chance to call the shot,  we're not going to be this stupid.

Question Nine.

Since this is the first time you  missed a deadline, I'll let you off.

I'll let you off the hook  to let someone off the hook.

This is a relief because it means  to be released from responsibility,  

punishment or a difficult situation.

So you are not going to punish the person  even though they did somewhat something wrong.

I can work late tonight and finish the proposal.

You're off the hook.

You're relieved of that responsibility.

Or perhaps if I let you off the hook,  you have to promise to never do it again.

God.

I don't want to let him off the hook.

That means that may be hard to swallow,  but it also means we're off the hook.

It's not my fault.

The way I feel now, sales does not  get off the hook with this process.

How are you doing so far?

Question 10.

The flight was delayed because of the weather.

There's no use crying over.

Spilled milk To cry over spilled milk.

This means to be upset about something  that can't be undone or fixed.

For example, the client fired us  because we missed the deadline.

Let's not cry over spilled milk.

Let's make sure this never happens again.

Or you could say the client  didn't let us off the hook.

Instead of crying over spilled milk, getting  

upset over something we can't change,  let's brainstorm how we can improve.

Because it's too late to cry over spilled milk.

So I can cry over spilled milk or I can do what  

I need to do and I'm going  to do what I need to do it.

It's like the old saying,  don't cry over spilled milk.

It's a little thing.

Question 11 I finally the  bullet and organize my taxes.

I finally bit the bullet.

Did you get the correct verb conjugation?

The idiom is to bite the bullet  bit is the past simple and this  

means to do something unpleasant  or difficult that is necessary.

I must do my taxes, for example.

I hate filing paperwork, but I'll  just have to bite the bullet.

I have to do it anyway or the garage is a mess.

Let's bite the bullet and  clean it up this weekend.

So I thought, you know, bite the  bullet, don't put a voice in there.

Wish they would have the courage  to simply bite the bullet.

And tell us.

The truth?

I'm just going to bite the bullet and reshape the  butter block because that's the right thing to do.

Question 12.

We're going to hot water when the boss  finds out we didn't send the proposal.

We're going to be in hot water, which  means you're going to be in trouble after  

forgetting his anniversary, John found  himself in hot water with his wife or.

The company violated safety  protocols and is now in hot water.

The captain of Flesh says you're in hot water.

Now look, she made.

Sure, both he.

And his tech ended.

Up in hot water.

His company, Tesla, has already  been in hot water this year.

Question 13 Stop beating around  and just tell me the final price.

Stop beating around the Bush.

This means to avoid the main issue or topic.

So it means to speak indirectly, and we usually  do this if the topic is sensitive or awkward.

But you might tell your friend when you ask your  boss for a raise, don't beat around the Bush.

Ask your boss directly.

Be direct.

Or you could say after beating  around the Bush for 10 minutes  

talking indirectly about the main  topic, he finally asked me out.

Which means he asked me on a romantic date.

If you beat around the Bush with people,  they'll say, well, I'll give you a small gift.

I say no, no, I need to.

I need.

I really need your help.

Big help.

Let's not.

Beat around the Bush.

You know, you've thought about it,  and today we're going to answer it.

There's no need to beat around the Bush here.

Your preview just needs to tell your reader  exactly what you have in store for them.

Question 14.

Everyone in California on the bandwagon and  learning how to play pickleball is jumping.

The idiom is to jump on the  bandwagon and this means to join,  

support or start doing something  because it's popular or trendy.

For example, I jumped on the bandwagon and learned  how to make the famous Dubai chocolate bar.

This sounds like I learned how to make it  simply because it's popular or trendy right now.

You could also say many companies have  jumped on the influencer bandwagon.

So notice here I'm using an adjective  influencer to describe the bandwagon so  

they know the topic of popularity  or trend influencer the success.

Of one.

Film or genre inspires others to.

Jump on the bandwagon, we're.

Kind of hoping to.

Jump on the the bandwagon that  drags it back the other direction.

Not a good time to jump on the bandwagon.

Question 15.

Influencers are all a dozen these days,  a dime a dozen, which means very common.

It can also mean inexpensive or easy to find.

Now keep in mind this sounds negative because it  implies a lack of uniqueness or special value.

For example, nowadays pickleball  teachers are a dime a dozen.

They're very easy to find.

Everyone is a pickleball teacher because  everyone's jumping on the bandwagon,  

the pickleball bandwagon, or you could  say talented singers are a dime a dozen.

In this competition, everyone is a talented  singer, so you really need to stand out to win.

You need to do something more  than just sing beautifully.

Investors know that ideas are a dime a dozen.

But execution.

Is what really matters.

Cocktail consultants are a dime a dozen, and  they come and put together menus and there's not.

Really.

A bar.

Manager necessarily doing that.

So how many of these idioms did you know?

And even if you knew zero, you  just learned 15 new idioms.

That's awesome.

So put, let's go, let's go, put, but let's go.

If you want me to make  another lesson just like this.

And of course, make sure you like this lesson,  

share it with your friends and subscribe so  you're notified every time I post a new lesson.

And you can get this free speaking  guide where I share 6 tips on how  

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You can click here to download it or  look for the link in the description.

And let's see if you know these 15 words.

Watch it right now.