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Have you ever heard a sentence on TV where you knew every single word but the meaning still felt like a mystery? You know the words individually but you have no idea what they're actually saying. |
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Like, someone tells you they need to "get something off their chest". You know what a chest is. You know what "get off" means. But put them together and suddenly you're lost. |
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Or your friend says, "I'm going to play it by ear", and you're thinking... "Play what? And why are you talking about ears? I asked you if you were going hiking tomorrow." |
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This is VERY common in English.
It's because native speakers don't always speak literally. Instead, we use idioms: phrases and expressions where the meaning is completely different from what the individual words suggest.
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We use them in everyday conversation, at work, at home, in texts, in emails… everywhere! It's how we naturally speak. Just like you probably do in your first language. |
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- Instead of saying "I'm going to deal with that problem later," we say "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
- Instead of saying "she accidentally revealed the secret," we say "she let the cat out of the bag."
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Instead of saying "I'm feeling unwell," we say "I'm a bit under the weather."
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But this creates a big problem for English learners: there are hundreds and hundreds of these expressions and you can't figure out their meanings from the words alone. Translating them directly into your first language often doesn't work.
And most English courses barely scratch the surface (oops, sneaked an idiom in there) when it comes to teaching them.
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So you end up in this strange position where your English is really good, but there's a whole layer of meaning that keeps you from feeling truly fluent. |
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The good news is that this little problem of yours is completely fixable. And honestly, once you start learning idioms, it's one of the most satisfying things you can do for your English.
Suddenly, all those phrases you've been hearing for years start to make sense.
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I've got more to share with you about this over the next couple of days. And I'll be honest, I might be slightly obsessed with idioms. You'll see why. |
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P.S. Want to practise speaking English without pressure and get instant feedback? Try Langua, the world's most advanced AI for language learning. Save 20% on the Unlimited Annual Plan with the code ENGLISH20. |
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