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


Free American English Online Idiom Lessons




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

Time category idioms: Referring to a period of time
about time about to do something ahead of time
all along all at once all day long
all in a day's work all of a sudden all teed up
all the time around the clock as usual
as yet at first at first blush
at last at the crack of dawn at the drop of a hat
at this point in time before you can say Jack Robinson brand new
buy time by and by by fits and starts
call it a day cliffhanger cold turkey
crack of dawn crop up down the line
down to the wire drag it out drag on
drag one’s feet/heels draw first blood every dog has his day
every other every so often fall out of use
first come, first served firsthand for good
for keeps for once for the time being
forever and a day from day one  from now on
from the get go from the word go from time to time
from way back full plate get (something) over with
get a move on get a wiggle on get around to
get in on the ground floor get-go go on
golden opportunity golden years hang-up
here and now high time hold good
hold off hold on hold over
in a rush in advance in due course
in good time in no time in nothing flat
in one’s tracks in store in the course of
in the long run in time in two shakes of a lamb’s tail
jump the gun just now keep at
keep good time keep on (doing something) keeps good time
keep time lead off long haul
make a beeline for something make a day of it make time
mark time a month of Sundays nick of time
nip in the bud to no end no end to (of)
now and then off and on old as the hills
on and on hours on end on hand
on the button on the dot on the spur of the moment
on time once and for all once in a blue moon
once in a while once or twice out of the blue
over the long run over with pressed for time
put in (time) rain check red letter day
right away right off the bat roll around
short and sweet shove off sight unseen
sit tight so far, so good sooner or later
spur of the moment (on the) square one strike while the iron is hot
string out take effect take off (time)
take one`s time take place take up
time after time time out (in a game) touch off
turn the clock back unearthly hour until hell freezes over
up to / till / until while away the time while back
year round zero hour