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

Location Category Idioms: Referring to where something is positioned or situated
as the crow flies at bay at your fingertips
blow this joint bring up the rear coast is clear
come back come from cut across
dead ahead dead center double back
down the tubes drop back eat out
elbow room exit stage left fall back
far and wide flag a cab funny bone
get lost give a wide birth to hang around
hang back hang up hang your hat
head off here and there high and dry
high and low high seas hit the hay
hit the sack hither and thither hole in the wall
hook-up hot on your heels in the first place
jumping off place lay low lay over
leave behind lie in state lie in wait
lay low line up live out of a suitcase
look (something) up lose one’s way lover’s lane
make oneself scarce make the scene make way
neck of the woods needle in a haystack off the beaten track
on a dime on board on hand
on the move on the road out of the way
out of thin air pick up a trail / scent pick up
pin down pitch a tent play hooky
pop up pull over put in
put one’s finger on something rain closet run around
run into (someone) run off with (someone) run over
scatter around scrounge around shut up
sit back sitting duck skid row
speak of the devil stamping / stomping grounds stand clear of something
stand off run away with stay away from
stay put steer clear of someone stick around
stone's throw (a) stop by stop off
stop over swan song sweep under the rug
take a trip throw off tie up
turn out turn out wrong side of the tracks
zero in on