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

Movement Category Idioms: Referring to motion or a change in something's position
at a good clip blow this joint bump and grind
catch a ride chomping at the bit collecting dust
creep up on dig in down the pike
duck out faster than a speeding bullet fits and starts
flew the coop floor it full steam ahead
get along get around get away
get away from it all get back get behind
get cracking get off get off one’s butt
get off the ground get on in years get one’s rear in gear
get out from under get out of the way get over something
get the ball rolling get the show on the road get up
give chase give free rein to give ground
give in give off give out 
give someone an inch and they will take a mile give someone the slip go around
go around in circles go off narrow escape 
go off; went off go off good riddance
good riddance to bad rubbish greased lightning grind to a halt
hand over fist hand over fist hang on
have a go at head out head over heels
head start head-on hedge in
here goes here goes nothing high gear
hit the deck hit the dirt hit the road
hold one’s horses hold still in and out
in tow jazz up keel over
keep pace keep up make a run for it
make away with keep up keep up with
kick off kick over knock about
knock off one’s feet lead a merry chase let out
let up like crazy like mad
line up little by little look (someone) up
meet up with move a muscle shoot up
musical chairs nose down pick up speed
pull up stakes push off rat race
roll in run in run into (something)
run out see out set foot
set forth set in shake a leg
slow down snail’s pace traffic jam
step by step step on it step on the gas
step up stop dead / cold stop in one’s tracks
take a powder take off take to the woods
throw out tie up to and fro
turn off thumb a lift/ride turn on
turn on one’s heel