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

Failure Idioms: Referring to not succeeding in something
all washed up as useless as a fifth wheel bail out
beyond the pale bite the big one bite the dust
bite the hand that feeds you blow it (something) botch it
buckle under burn one’s bridges behind one cast pearls before swine
cast the first stone come a cropper come to nothing
cook one's goose cop out cry uncle
dead duck dead end dig your own grave
do out of down and out down the drain
drop by the wayside drop out (of school) eat away
eat crow eat dirt eat humble pie
fall apart fall flat fall from grace
fall off the wagon fall through fat chance
fizzle out flash in the pan get the ax
get the worst of give oneself up give out
give up give up the ghost give up the ship
give way go back on go from bad to worse
go haywire go nowhere fast go to pot
go up in smoke/flames goose is cooked gum up
in a pig’s eye in vain kick out
knock one’s head against the wall knock out lay an egg
lay waste let down lose out
lost cause (a) louse up miss out on
miss the boat no-show on the blink
on the fritz out of line out of order
shut out snowball’s chance in hell stand (someone) up
strike out take its toll throw up one’s hands
to pieces wash out wild goose chase
will not hear of