Transcript PowerPoint Idioms

What do you think it means…
if I told you that
learning about idioms
is a piece of cake?
You’re right!
But, how did you know
what a piece of cake
means?
So, what is an idiom anyway?
An idiom is a group of words which, when
used together, have a different meaning
entirely, than when used separately.
There are more than 15,000 idioms in the
English language. Most of the time, we use
idioms without ever realizing that we are.
Would an example help?
Look at the following words defined separately :
couch = something we sit on
potato = vegetable we eat
But, when the words are used together,
as in couch + potato,
...the words take on a whole different meaning.
A couch potato is
an idiom that
describes someone
who is lazy and
spends a lot of time
watching television.
Do you know someone who is a couch potato?
You might have heard people say…
It’s raining cats and dogs outside.
Have you ever seen cats and dogs
falling from the sky?
So, do you think an idiom
is meant to be a lie?
No, of course not.
Idioms are more like a code. People use idioms
to make a point. They say one thing, but really
mean another.
Raining cats and dogs
is just another way of
saying it is raining really
hard outside.
What is weird…
is that even though idioms mean something
drastically different from what we actually say,
everyone else seems to understand exactly
what we really mean!
…well, everyone who speaks the same language.
Let me explain.
Every language has its own idioms.
If you are trying to learn a second language,
you are going to be very mixed up when you
hear idioms from another language.
For Example:
If you heard someone say “this
problem is driving me up the wall,”
YOU would know that it means to
be really annoyed.
But, can you imagine if you heard
someone say this and you
understood very little English?
Should idioms be taken literally?
No, if you take idioms word for word,
they do not make much sense at all.
For example:
To bury your head in the sand, means to ignore
something that is obviously wrong.
Do you think this would be a very good idea?
This may be a familiar idiom…
Maybe someone has
told you to zip your
lips!
You did not really zip
your mouth. You
knew this really
meant to be quiet,
no talking.
See if you can figure this one out…
Your right!
Put your foot in your mouth
What do you think this idiom means?
Correct. It means to say something you regret.
These next few slides are a bit more
challenging…
So, I suggest you
might want to put on
your thinking cap!
See if you can figure these out…
You are correct!
Skeletons in the closet
What might this idiom be referring to?
That’s right.
A hidden or shocking secret that you don’t
want others to know.
How about this one?
You are correct!
The cat’s got your tongue.
What do you think is the meaning of this phrase?
When someone says, “the cat’s got your tongue,” it
means you are at a loss for words or speechless.
Have you ever heard this idiom?
Barking up the wrong tree
Can you take a guess what this idiom means?
It means going about something the wrong way.
Why do you think people say this?
Try and name this idiom
Your right again!
It is when pigs fly.
Can anyone use this idiom in a sentence correctly?
Are these idioms just too easy
OR
are you just too smart?
Okay, now it is time to…
Why should we use idioms in our writing?
We need idioms because…
• Idioms enhance the quality our
writing.
• Using idioms makes our writing
interesting, more vivid, and
descriptive.
• Idioms can be really funny, too!
But, idioms are most effective when used sparingly.
The bad news
Sometimes, idioms can be very difficult to
understand unless you can guess the meaning
by using context clues or pictures.
But, the good news is…
There are many helpful dictionaries and online
resources available to help us better
understand and practice using idioms.
I hope everything you learned about idioms
didn’t go in one ear and out the other?
Because, now it is quiz time!
Eye On Idioms
Now it is your turn
Explore the following websites:
http://www.idiomsite.com/
http://usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/
http://humanities.byu.edu/elc/student/idioms/idiomsmain.html
http://www.funbrain.com/idioms/
Make a list of idioms you might use in your writing.
Be sure to write down the idiom’s meaning so you
will remember it.