2. What are idioms?
Idioms and slang are special words and
language used within a culture or a group
People use food, colors, numbers and
animals when talking about a situation or a
person
Americans use idioms and slang a lot,
which makes it hard to understand them
3. Examples
It’s raining cats and
dogs outside
Meaning: It’s raining
very hard outside
How time flies
Meaning: Time has
gone by quickly
4. Discussion
Have you ever watched a movie where the
character used a sentence that didn’t
make sense?
Can you think of any situations where you
might have heard idioms or slang?
In which situations is it the hardest to
understand English?
5. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
6. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
7. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
8. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
9. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
10. Common American Idioms
A. Time to hit the books
B. I’m under the weather
C. She twisted my arm
D. The decision is up in
the air right now
E. Sit tight, I’ll be back
1. She convinced me
2. The decision is
uncertain right now
3. Time to study
4. Wait there, I’ll be
back
5. I’m feeling sick
11. Idioms with Sweets
Idiom
A. It was a piece of cake!
B. As easy as pie
C. It was like giving candy
to a baby
D. She’s one tough cookie
Meaning
12. Idioms with Sweets
Idiom
A. It was a piece of cake!
B. As easy as pie
C. It was like giving candy
to a baby
D. She’s one tough cookie
Meaning
A-C all mean “it was easy!”
D. She is very
strong/tough/determined
13. Idioms with Animals
Americans tend to compare things or people
to animals
A. She is as quick as a
______
B. I’m so hungry I could eat
a_____
C. He’s as sneaky as
a_____
D. You have to be as quiet
as a _____
E. She’s as busy as a
_____
14. Idioms with Music
Idiom
A. Does that ring a bell?
B. She sounds like a
broken record
C. Don’t blow your own
horn
Meaning
15. Idioms with Music
Idiom
A. Does that ring a bell?
B. She sounds like a
broken record
C. Don’t blow your own
horn
Meaning
1. Does that sound
familiar?
16. Idioms with Music
Idiom
A. Does that ring a bell?
B. She sounds like a
broken record
C. Don’t blow your own
horn
Meaning
1. Does that sound
familiar?
2. She talks about the
same thing a lot
17. Idioms with Music
Idiom
A. Does that ring a bell?
B. She sounds like a
broken record
C. Don’t blow your own
horn
Meaning
1. Does that sound
familiar?
2. She talks about the
same thing a lot
3. Don’t be arrogant
18. Group Work
Do people in Italy use idioms or slang?
Do younger people use different idioms
than older people?
List 1-2 idioms in Italian that you like
19. Differences between American
and British English
What are some differences that you know
of?
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwbpY4e
NOgE
What other differences did you hear?
21. Discussion
What do you think of accents? Are they
hard to understand sometimes?
Are there different accents in Italy? What
are some examples?
What accents do you like?
23. Charades!
She’s one tough cookie
She is as quick as a
rabbit
I’m so hungry I could eat
a horse
He’s as sneaky as a fox
She’s as busy as a bee
Does that ring a bell?
She sounds like a broken
record
Don’t blow your own horn
Its raining cats and dogs
outside
How time flies
Time to hit the books
I’m under the weather
She twisted my arm
The decision is up in the air
right now
It was a piece of cake
As easy as pie
It was like giving candy to a
baby
