A-Idioms and change Idioms frequently change in English. Although many idioms last for a long time, some disappear very quickly. Therefore, some idioms that were popular 50 years ago may sound very old-fashioned and odd today. For example, the idiom as stiff/ straight as a ramrod [sitting or standing with a very straight and stiff back] is not frequently used nowadays. It is therefore important to be careful if you learn an idiom from, say, an older novel, as it may sound unnatural if you use it in your own speech or writing. In this book we focus only on up-to-date idioms which are still commonly used.
B-What are idioms used for? • For emphasis, e.g. 'The singer's second album sank like a stone.' [failed completely] • To agree with a previous speaker, e.g. A: Did you notice how Lisa started listening when you said her name? B: Yes, that certainly made her prick her ears up. [start listening carefully] • To comment on people, e.g. 'Did you hear Tom has been invited for dinner with the prime minister? He's certainly gone up in the world!' [gained a better social position - or more money - than before] • To comment on a situation, e.g. 'The new finance minister wants to knock the economy into shape.' [take action to get something into a good condition] • To make an anecdote more interesting, e.g. 'It was just one disaster after another today, a sort of domino effect.' [when something, usually bad, happens and causes a series of other things to happen] • To catch the reader's eye. Idioms - particularly those with strong images - are often used in headlines, advertising slogans and the names of small businesses. The writer may play with the idiom or make a pun (a joke involving a play on words} in order to create a special effect, e.g. a debt of dishonour instead of the usual debt of honour. [a debt that you owe someone for moral rather than financial reasons] • To indicate membership of a particular group, e.g. surfers drop in on someone, meaning to get on a wave another surfer is already on. This kind of group-specific idiom is outside the focus of this book.
C-Where will you see or hear idioms? You will see and hear idioms in all sorts of speaking and writing. They are particularly common in everyday conversation and in popular journalism. For example, they are often found in magazine horoscopes, e.g. You'll spend much of this week licking your wounds [trying to recover from a bad experience], or in problem pages, e.g. 'Do you think that my relationship has run its course?' [come to a natural end] However, idioms are also used in more formal contexts, such as lectures, academic essays and business reports, e.g. 'It is hoped the regulations will open the door to better management.' [let something new start]
Language help Look out for idioms being used in headlines and advertisements. Make a note of any interesting examples that you find .
-English Idioms in Use Advanced
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