American English Idiomatic Expressions in 52 Weeks :
An Easy Way to Understand English Expressions and Improve Speaking

How can English language learners increase fluency and comprehensibility in their spoken English? The ability to communicate accurately and effectively using English idioms is more important than ever in the globalized economy.

English as a Second Language (ESL) students face difficulties learning English idioms. Non-native speakers often find it very difficult to understand the full meaning of English language conversations because, in many cases, these discussions contain a large number of idioms.

Learning idioms is especially challenging because, compared to standard English vocabulary, understanding these expressions is not found by referring to a dictionary. To assist the 2nd language learner in understanding the meaning of idioms, the American English Idiomatic Expressions in 52 Weeks provides English language learners with a systematic and structured week-by-week method in which to understand and acquire American English idioms.

The classification system created was intended to be intuitive, practical and simple for ESL learners by placing idioms into functional and direct categories.

All Idiom Categories


Communication Idioms: Referring to the process of sending and receiving information through speaking, behavior or writing
actions speak louder than words add fuel to the fire add insult to injury
air one’s dirty laundry all eyes all joking aside
armed to the teeth as a matter of fact ask for the moon
bare your soul bare-faced lie bawling out
beat a dead horse beat around the bush beg your pardon
beside the point blow it out of proportion blow it out your ear
blurt out body language bone to pick
break the ice break the news break the silence
bring up bunch of malarkey butter someone up
button your lip by the way by word of mouth
call a spade a spade call someone's bluff card up one's sleeve
care of someone case in point cat gets one's tongue
catch one's eye chew out (someone) chew the fat
chime in clam up come again
come on strong come out with come to light
come to the point common thread common touch 
cool one's heels cop a plea cramp one's style
cry wolf cut (someone) off  cut both ways
dead giveaway do a number on double-talk
down and dirty down on (someone) drag in
draw (someone) out drive at drop (someone) a line
drop a hint drop by drop in
drown out eat one’s words face time
fall on deaf ears fast talker feel out
fill (someone) in fill out find one's tongue
find out fish for flap your gums
flea in one’s ear for the asking get a word in
get a word in edgewise get down to brass tacks get hold of (someone)
get in touch with someone get off your soap box get one’s own way
get the message get what’s coming to one  get wind of
give a ribbing give away give it a rest
give rise to give someone a piece of your mind give someone the eye
give to understand  give voice to give-and-take
giveaway glad hand gloss over
go off half-cocked go on go without saying
grill you  hammer out hand it to
hand you a line hang on every word harp on
hash it over have a word with rumor has it
have to do with hear from hear me out
heart-to-heart hem and haw hold forth
hold one’s fire hold one’s peace hold one’s tongue
hold something back horn in on hot air
how about how come how’s that
hush up in a nutshell in a word
in one’s shell in other words in the air
 in touch keep in touch keep one’s mouth shut
keep quiet lash out last word
lay into leave alone left-handed compliment
let (someone) have it let (someone) know let down easy
let it all hang out let the cat out of the bag lip service
little pitchers have big ears little thick (a) look a gift horse in the mouth
look in on lose touch with lose track of
loudmouth make a point of make fun of
make no bones about something make one’s hair stand on end man to man
mum’s the word mumbo jumbo off one’s back
off one’s chest on the air on the Q.T.
on the tip of one’s tongue open one’s heart out of one’s shell
over and over pat answer (a) pat on the back
pay attention pep talk pick on
a picture is worth a thousand words a piece of my mind pin down
pipe up play cat and mouse play down
play it by ear play on words play up
point out pointed remark poke fun at
pour oil on troubled waters pour out promise the moon
pull someone’s leg put across put in one’s two cents
put one’s cards on the table put on put our heads together
put someone in the picture put up or shut up put up to
put words in one’s mouth read the riot act right out
ring up rope into round robin (letter)
round robin (meeting or discussion) rub elbows (shoulders) rub something in
run down run over save one’s breath
say a mouthful say one’s piece say the word
score to settle (a) search me send away for something
set forth shoot the breeze / bull shut up
sit in run into the ground sit in on
slip of the tongue snow job sound off
sound out speak for speak one’s piece
speak out speak up spell out
spill the beans stand over stand up and be counted
steal one’s thunder straight from the horse’s mouth straight from the shoulder
straight up sum up sweet talk
take down take down a notch (peg) take exception to
take the words out of someone`s mouth talk back talk big
talk down to someone talk into talk out
talk out of talk over talk shop
talk through one’s hat talk turkey talk up
tear down tell (someone) off tell it like it is
tell it to the marines tell on someone through the grapevine
throw a curve throw off tip (someone) off
token gesture toot (one's) horn touch on (upon)
turn a deaf ear to turn in under fire
under one’s breath waste one’s breath two cents worth
weigh one’s words word for word word of mouth
wisecrack write up you go girl