Activities connected with idioms for ESL students

1. IDIOMS RELATED TO COLORS

2. The black sheep
 Match the idioms below with the right picture and
explanation.
someone who is thought to be a bad
person by the rest of their family
something that you say which means
someone should not criticize another
person for a fault that they have
themselves
The pot calling the
kettle black
A black day
a day when something very
unpleasant or sad happens
Black and
white if you think facts or situations are black
and white, you have a simple and very
certain opinion about them, often when
other people think they are really more
complicated.
In black
In written
Say that
black is white
to say the opposite of what is really
true
Black or white?

3. As you see, we have omitted the idioms from the following
sentences. Now, you have to complete them with a phrase or word
that most fits the context.
1. She was ...that she was chosen to represent her class at the convention.
2. He is not very flexible and always sees everything...
3. The federal government finally gave the city ... to go ahead and build the new airport
4. Our company has been ...for over three years now
5. It was a... day when the first person was sent to space in a rocket.
6. My brother passed the test to become a police officer... so we were all very happy.
7. They came and told us ...that our factory would be closing next month.
8. Her mother ...when the girl came home at 3 o`clock in the morning
9. He argued with his wife until he was ...but still she wouldn`t agree with him.
10. I go to the swimming pool only ...although I love to swim.
Now, here you have the
idioms that correspond to each
sentence. Compare their
meanings with the words you
have written and explain to
your partner how you have
inferred the idioms meaning
from the context:
1. Tickled pink/2. in black
and white/3. the green
light/4. in the red/5. red-
letter/6. with flying
colours/7. out of the blue/8.
saw red/9. blue in the face/
10. once in a blue moon

4. An add-on colourful story
Here you have a list of idioms. As you see the story is already started with
an idiom. You will have to add to the story by each contributing one sentence
containing a new expression
To catch someone red-handed
In the red
See red
Red herring
Look at the world threough rose-
colored glasses
White elephant
White as a ghost
White lie
White sale
 Once upon a time there was a
man called Thomas who was
very optimistic and used to look
at the world through rose-
colored glasses. But one day...
………………………………
………………………………
………………………………
………………………………
………………………………

5. Sometimes idioms related to colours differ or not depending on their culture. For
example, in both English and Spanish we say to kill the goose that lays the golden
eggs= Matar a la gallina de los huevos de oro. However, there are many differences
in many other expressions.
Match the following sentences with their translation in Spanish. Then tell your
partner if the colour used in the sentence is the same, different or if it dissappears
when translated.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
To feel blue
A blue joke
Once in a blue moon
To give a green light
In the pink
To be a red
White coffee
Off-colour
To have blue blood in one’s veins
To give somebody a black eye
to be in someone black’s books
Dirty old man
Green with envy
Dar luz verde
Bien de salud
Ser un comunista
Tener sangre azul
Estar en la lista negra
Verde de envidia
Entre la espada y la pared = the colour has disappeared
Estar triste
De higos a brevas
Viejo verde
Pachucho
Tener sangre azul
Cafe con leche
Chiste verde

6. Colors. Self-Assessment
 Many people feared that the new millennium would cause___outs because of
problems with electricity production.
 What a beautiful car! I'm____ with envy.
 Don't rely on him under pressure in battle. He's__________
 There is so much_____ tape that needs to be completed before adopting a baby.
 Jack Thomas was put on Hollywood's___ list during the McArthy era
 She was such a difficult child that her family always treated her like a ___sheep.
 Mr. Jackson is very important to the success of this program. Make sure to roll
out the___ carpet when he arrives.
 We're looking for a new home in the ____belt
 It's not quite as___ and ___as you think.
 Try to cheer Susan up. She is feeling rather these days.
 I had to tell a____ lie in order to get accepted into the program
 Jack gave me the_____ light on the project
red,
black,
green,
white,
blue,
yello
w

7. Idioms related to food

8. Do you fancy a bite of this junk stodgy food?
Example: Don´t put all your eggs in one basket
To egg someone on
Act out the literal meaning and expressions related to eggs
and the class must guess the figurative meaning. You will need to
bring to class some eggs
Don't put all your eggs in one
basket
Don't teach your
grandmother to
suck eggs
To have egg on one's face
Would have eggs must endure the cackling of
hens
To kill the goose that lays the golden
eggTo lay an egg

9. Yum-yum 
A: Poor Maggie was so embarrassed.
B: Yeah. She _____________.
a) She was as cool as a
b) Went as red as a
c) Really knows her
A: How much did your new jeans cost
you?
B: _____________! I got them in the
sales.
a)
b)
c)
A: Uff! I must stop eating hamburgers.
B: Just remember. _____________.
a) Eat every day
b) You have to know your
c) An a day keeps the doctor
A: Anne never panics under stress.
B: I know. She _____________.
a) Is as cool as a
b) Knows her alright
c) Turns as red as
A: I need to ask someone about computers.
B: Ask Javi. He really _____________.
a) Knows his
b) Turns as red as a
c) Knows his
A: So you went to the interview on the wrong
day!?
B: It was terrible. I _____________.
a) I went as red as a
b) Knows his
c) Is as cool as a
Choose the best option and explain its meaning to your partner

10. Are you peckish, famished or off your oats?
 Make groups of five and prepare choosing some of the following idioms a Chant in which you
illustrate the meaning of them
As easy as apple pie
A rotten apple
Compare apples and oranges
Polish the apples
Eat ones cake and have it too
Icing on the cake
Piece of cake
A slice of cake
To take the cake
Bread and butter
The greatest thing since
sliced bread
Half a loaf is better than
none
cook up
Too many cooks spoil the bread
One’s goose is cooked

11. Quizz: The good trencherman that eats like a horse
1.The "cream of the crop" means it is____
a) the worst
b) The best
2. To "egg on" means to
a) Encourage
b) Discourage
3. If it's "just your cup of tea", it is ___.
a) Perfect
b) All wrong
4. If you are "cool as a cucumber", you are ___.
a) panicked
b) calm
5. If you "have a finger in the pie", you are ___ in something
a) Involved
b) Desinterested
6. "Use your noodle" means ___.
a) Act
b) Think
7. "In a nutshell" means ___.
a) Concisely
b) It is finished
8. "In the soup" means ___.
a) In serious trouble
b) Having a good time
9. "A hot potato" is a question which ___.
a) Answer itself
b) It is difficult to settle
10. If you "eat humble pie" you ___.
a) Accept shame
b) Are defensive

12. More food for thought
a mess, an unsatisfactory situation
to have other more important things to do
to be packed in very tightly
something that one finds attractive partly because it is
illegal/immoral/prohibited
almost everything that one can think of
a difficult person or thing to deal with
briefly, in a few words
someone who spends a lot of time on a couch watching
television
a question or argument that is controversial and difficult to
settle
basic simple and good food, simple tastes
everything from soup to nuts
in a nutshell
couch potato
hard nut to crack
fine kettle of fish
packed in like sardines
have bigger fish to fry
forbidden fruit
hot potato
meat and potatoes
 Match the follwing explanations with
their appropiate idioms.

13. Idioms related to animals

14. every dog
has its day
he's as sly as a fox
as blind as a bat
he's a wolf in
sheep's clothing
as stubborn as a mule
a wolf in sheep's clothing
as sly as a fox
A.How can such a horrible person be so lucky?
B.Well I suppose ____.
Pass me my glasses, will you please? I'm ____.
Once Paco has made his mind up, there's no way he'll change it.
He's ____.
• Did you know that John's taking Sofi out to dinner on
Friday?
B: Wow! That man really is ____.
A: I've tried to persuade her but she won't listen.
B: I know. She's ____.
Esther seemed like a really nice person at first but then I realized
she was ____.
I found out this morning that Carlos won the lottery about 2 years
ago. That man's ____.
A: I can't believe Dave's passed his driving test.
B: Well I guess ____.

15. Poor critter
A: Rosie wasn't really sad about
David's divorce from Clare.
B. Yeah. She____
a) Cried tears.
b) Had a in her bonnet.
c) Shes a in the grass.
A: The boss is in a very strange mood
this morning.
B: I know. She's _______________
a) being as slippery as an
b) got a in her bonnet
c) being a in the grass
A: I don't trust that new guy in the
office.
B: Me neither. I think he
_________________.
a) Cried tears.
b) Has a in his ear
c) Is a in the grass
A: Shaun never gives me a straight
answer.
B: I know. He ________________
a) is a in the grass
b) has a in his ear
c) is as slippery as an
A: What's up with Pete? He
seems upset.
B: Yes. He's definitely
_____________________.
a) Got a in his ear.
b) a in the grass
c) as slippery as an
A: Nobody seemed very sad at the
funeral.
B: I know. I saw more than a few
_____________.
a) in people's bonnets.
b) in people's
ears.
c) tears.
 Choose the correct answer trying to guess first the meaning of
the pictures below.

16. A little bird told me
A scaredy cat
Its raining cats and dogs
Its a dog-eat-dog world
Have a cow
Seems a little fishy to me
Speaking
In pairs, try to guess the meaning of the following figurative expressions
related to animals.
To take the bull by the horns
You can take a horse to water but you cant make it drink.
You cant teach an old dog new things

17. Am I a pooch, a moggie, a gee-gee or just a moo-cow?
In groups of 3, decide which animal belongs to each group of
expressions:
 Curiosity killed the_____means that
being too nosy may lead a person into
trouble.
 Fight like the_____ and dogs means
to argue and fight with someone.
Let the_____ out of the bag is to tell
something that is supposed to be a secret
To play _____ and mouse with
someone is to tease or fool someone
 To be as awkward as a___ on roller skates
is to be very awkward
A _____in a china shop is a tactless person
who upsets others or upsets plans
A cash______ is a product or service that
makes much money
A sacred______ is a person or thing that is
never changed or criticized.
 A top ____is the most important person in an
organization
Let sleeping____ lie is not to make trouble if
you dont have to
To lead a ____’s life is to bad a miserable life
Go to the ___is to deteriorate, to become bad
Every___ has his day is that everyone will
get what he deserves.
As sick as a ___is to be very sick
 As sick as a_____ is to be very sick
To eat like a ____ is to eat a lot
To work as a____ is to work very hard
 Straight from the ____’s mouth is directly from the
person who said something
To put the cart before the____ is to do things in the
wrong order.

18. (like a) bat out of hell
bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush
birds-eye view
birds of a feather flock together
chicken feed
dead duck
duck soup
early bird catches the worm
eat like a bird
kill two birds with one stone
 Try to draw an example of the
figurative meaning of these idioms.

19. IDIOMS RELATED TO PARTS OF THE BODY

20. I like your kisser, peepers and
ticker
You did it. You have to face the music.
Yes. You hit the nail on the head
You two don't see eye to eye
You have to learn it by heart
You are an old hand at teaching
That's great! You keep everything under
your thumb
You don't want to stick your neck out,
do you?
You have to memorize it.
You're experienced.
You have control of the situation.
You don't want to take the risk.
You have to accept the consequences of
you actions.
You don't agree with each other.
You're absolutely right.
Match the following idioms with the equivalent
phrases

21. Talking about hearts
Read the following text:
The word heart is in our daily life. Sometimes we wear our hearts on
our sleeves when we take heart in the fact of doing something that we
want or that we have ours hearts set on. We often do these things with
all ours hearts even though sometimes we dont search our hearts nor we
open them. So, when things go wrong, we have to try not to lose heart
even though we have a heavy heart. We must talk heart-to-heart with
our friends and family and breaking that heart of stone that mankind
sometimes has. Even if we make a lot of mistakes, our hears should be in
the right place so that people will remind us for our heart of gold. Doing
things from the heart and trying to get to the heart of the problems will
help us to survive.
Now, underline all the expressions that contain the word heart and write a
sentence with each one.

22. have one's
nose in
something
lead by the
nose
pay through the
nose
make eyes
at
keep an
eye on
hit between the
eyes
flea in
one`s ear
believe
one`s ears
all ears
 Look at the following
idioms and make sentences
with them. Do you know
more?
Speaking

23. 1. You took the words right out of my mouth. a. I felt anxious.
2. The trouble with you is that you're all mouth and trousers. b. I felt hungry.
3. Why are you so down in the mouth today? c. I felt passionate.
4. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. d. I felt thirsty.
5. I had my heart in my mouth. e. It created a bad impression.
6. It left a nasty taste in my mouth. f. I gave me an upset stomach.
7. It made my mouth water. g. I was born into a rich family.
8. Stop putting words in my mouth. h. I was born with a speech impediment.
9. Since I came to London, I've been living from hand to mouth. i. Life has been a struggle.
10. You look as if butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. j. Life has been easy.
k. Somehow you knew what I was going to say.
l. Stop misquoting me.
m. Support your words with actions
n. You're all talk and no action, aren't you?
o. You're not as harmless as you seem to be, are you?
p. You're ruled by your heart and not your head.
q. You're very miserable, aren’t you?
This makes my mouth water

24. Her family has a skeleton in
the cupboard
Find out their meanings
To curl one´s hair To have rocks in one´s head

25. Attention to Diversity: Fast-learners
In pairs write it down the meaning of the
following idioms:
1. He was all ears when his boss talked.
2. He is a chip off the old block.
3. He is thick in the head.
4. The bank robbers were armed to the teeth.
5. His comments threw a wet blanket on the discussion.
6. They were beat after three days of hard work.
7. Jack was hard up to pay his rent.
8. The storm left them all in the same boat.
9. The house fire meant we had to start from scratch.

26. Attention to Diversity: Slow learners
cross one`s
mind
cat get`s
one`s
tongue
by the skin
of one`s
teeth
bonehead
boggle the
mind
bad-mouth blue in the
face
big head
IdiomBingo
 Play the following bingo. The first one to cross all the
idioms out and explain them will be the winner