1.

Idioms & Colloquialism

Uses & Differences

2.Headers & Tails

Structure of English 2

Prepared by: ARDAMIAN

 Idiom • An idiom
(Idiomatic Expressions)
(also called idiomatic expression)
is an expression, word, or phrase
that has a figurative meaning
conventionally understood by
native speakers. This meaning is
different from the literal meaning
of the idiom's individual elements.
In other words, idioms don't mean
exactly what the words say.
 Idiom
(Idiomatic Expressions) • An idiom is a phrase or
expression that typically
presents a figurative, non-literal
meaning attached to the
phrase; but some phrases
become figurative idioms while
retaining the literal meaning of
the phrase. Categorized as
formulaic language, an idiom's
figurative meaning is different
from the literal meaning.
•  Wikipedia
Learning to use common idioms and expressions will make
your English sound more native, so it's a good idea to master
some of these expressions.

• English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are

an important part of everyday English. They
come up all the time in both written and
spoken English. Because idioms don't always
make sense literally, you'll need to familiarize
yourself with the meaning and usage of each
idiom. That may seem like a lot of work, but
learning idioms is fun, especially when you
compare English idioms to the idioms in your
own language.
• Getting fired turned out to be a blessing in disguise. - Getting Common Idioms
fired (normally a negative event) turned out to be a good
thing.
• These red poppies are a dime a dozen. - These red poppies are
very common.
• Don’t beat around the bush. - Just say what you really mean.
• After some reflection, he decided to bite the bullet. - After
some reflection, he decided to do the undesirable thing he was
avoiding.
• I’m going to call it a night. - I’m going to bed
• He’s got a chip on his shoulder. - He’s holding onto a grudge
or grievance that’s making him very angry or callous.
• I’m sorry but I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. - I’m
sorry but I just can’t seem to understand.
• Wow, you can say that again. - I totally agree.
•Would you cut me some slack? - Don’t be so hard on me.
•Don’t cut any corners. - Don’t take any shortcuts and produce
Common Idioms
shoddy work.
•She let things get out of hand. - She lets things get out of control.
•I’m going back to the drawing board. - I’m going to start over.
•Hang in there. - Stick with it.
•Don’t jump the gun. - Don’t do something before the allotted
time.
•He decided to let her off the hook. - He decided to release her
from her responsibility.
•I’m feeling under the weather. - I’m feeling sick.
•We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. - We’ll solve that
problem when the time comes.
•He missed the boat. - He missed out on an opportunity.
•I go out for walks once in a blue moon. - I go out for walks Common Idioms
very rarely.
•Pull yourself together, man! - Calm down.
•She seriously rubbed me the wrong way. - I did not like her
at all.
•There he is, speak of the devil. - There he is; we were just
talking about him.
•That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. - My
patience has finally run out.
•Well, she’s got the best of both worlds. - She’s receiving
benefits from both of her current situations or opportunities.
•Why are you so bent out of shape? - Why are you so upset?
 Colloquialism
• Colloquial language is language that
is informal and conversational. A
colloquialism is a word or expression
that is commonplace within a specific
language, geographic region, or
historical era. Colloquialisms are
useful in many ways as literary
devices. They can provide personality
and authenticity to characters and 
dialogue in a literary work.
Colloquialisms can also indicate the 
setting of a literary work in the 
context of time and place by
establishing a historical era or
geographic area.
Colloquialism
•Colloquialism or colloquial
language is the linguistic style
used for casual communication. It
is the most common functional
style of speech, the idiom
normally employed in
conversation and other informal
contexts. Wikipedia
Some additional key details about colloquialism:
• Colloquialism occurs frequently in
everyday speech, and is also used
frequently in poetry, prose, and drama.
• Writers often use colloquialism in 
dialogue or first-person narration, both
because it helps make their characters
seem more lifelike and because the
way a character speaks may be one of
their defining qualities.
• The word colloquialism comes from the
Latin word colloquium, which
means speaking together.
 •In Minnesota, people may refer to a casserole as
a hotdish.
•In the Northeast of the United States, wicked is
commonly used as an intensifier similar
Common Examples to very or really. So if it's really cold, a person from
of Colloquialism in Maine might say, "It's wicked cold out."
Everyday Speech •In parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic US, people
top their ice-cream with jimmies instead of sprinkles.
•Submarine sandwiches, subs, Italian
sandwiches, heroes, and hoagies are all different
words that appear in different parts of the United
States that refer to the same type of sandwich.
•In the American South, people refer to avocados
as alligator pears.
•The words pop, soda, and coke are all used to refer
to soft drinks in different parts of the United States.
 • firewall
 - (colloquial) the application of maximum thrust; "he move
d the throttle to the firewall"
Common • fix
Examples of  - something craved, especially an intravenous injection of 
Colloquialism in a narcotic drug; "she needed a fix of chocolate"
Everyday Speech • heavy lifting
 - difficult work; "the boss hoped the plan would succeed b
ut he wasn't willing to do the heavy lifting"
• biz, game
 - your occupation or line of work; "he's in the plumbing ga
me"; "she's in show biz"
• no-brainer - anything that requires little thought
• crapshoot
 - a risky and uncertain venture; "getting admitted to the co
llege of your choice has become a crapshoot"
 •proboscis - the human nose (especially when it is large)
•physiognomy, visage, smiler, kisser, phiz, countenance, mug
Common  - the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal te
Examples of rms for `face' and `phiz' is British)
•can of worms
Colloquialism in  - a source of unpredictable trouble and complexity
Everyday Speech •hang-up - an emotional preoccupation
•think
 - an instance of deliberate thinking; "I need to give it a good thi
nk"
•crosshairs
 - a center of interest; "the war on terrorism has put Saddam Hu
ssein in the crosshairs"
•turn-on - something causing excitement or stimulating interest
•negative stimulation, turnoff
 - something causing antagonism or loss of interest
•plague - an annoyance; "those children are a damn plague"
Idiom Colloquialism
a manner of speaking that is natural to most common functional style of speech
native speakers
Idioms are influenced by the culture casual words that are appropriate in casual
speech, ordinary conversation used in
ordinary places
form of communication that requires Usually regional or local dialect
cultural agreement to permit effective
communication
Categorized as formulaic language, an occurs frequently in everyday speech, and
idiom's figurative meaning is different from is also used frequently in poetry, prose, and
the literal meaning. drama.
come up all the time in both written and Not formal or literary
spoken English
part of a dialect of a country or place Can be confused for slangs or jargon
• Colloquialism
HEADERS ANDvs. Idiom
TAIL OF ENGLISH
iGRAMMAR

• Headers and tails are common in

speaking, but very uncommon in
writing. We use headers when we
place information at the front of
what we say.
• Colloquialism
HEADERS vs. Idiom
i
• Headers can consist of a noun phrase or noun phrases or whole
clauses. The header is followed by a pronoun (underlined in the
examples) which refers back to the header:

• Examples:
1) Maggie, cousin of Ms. Cruz, she will be
leaving for Japan tomorrow.
2) The new car, it is Mr. Lozanos?
3) Watching Korean Dramas, that’s what my
friend likes to do on her free time.
4) Mr. Solomon, father of Jude, he will be our
professor.
 TAILS
 Tails occur at the end of what we say. They are
commonly noun phrases. Tails refer back to a pronoun
(underlined in the examples), and commonly give more
information about it. Like headers, they help a listener
to understand more easily what we are referring to:s.
Idiom
Examples:

1. They’re not fake gadgets, gadgets in Japan.

2. She really dance’s gracefully, Marilyn.
3. He’s the crowd favorite, Peter, my cousin.
4. It’s the Summer capital in the Philippines,
Baguio City.
1. Idioms &
Thank
Colloquialism You
Uses & Differences
for
2.Headers & Tails
Listenin
Structure of English 2
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Prepared by: ARDAMIAN