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Lesson 230 of 240

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Everyday idioms in English

Ana's Wednesday English class at the library is over. Tasha meets her outside, and Ana wants to try the new idioms from class.

These lines do not mean what the words look like. A piece of cake is not food. Under the weather is not rain.

By the end, you'll use six everyday idioms in speech, and you'll say the meaning, not the picture.

Tasha will tease Ana, then they'll call it a day for real.

By the end of this lesson

Use a handful of common American idioms in speech, and say the meaning, not the picture.

  • It's a piece of cake.This is very easy.
  • I'm a little under the weather.I feel a bit sick.
  • Let's call it a day.Let's stop working now.
  • That should break the ice.That should help us start talking easily.
  • We're on the same page.We understand this in the same way.
  • That's no big deal.That is not a problem.

Scene — after class

Wednesday evening class is done. Ana and Tasha stand on the library steps. The street is quiet.

Ana has her notes in her tote bag. She wants to try the new lines before she forgets them.

Tasha zips her green jacket and waits, already smiling.

Ana and Tasha pause together on the library steps after their evening class.

Learn — everyday idioms

Six idioms sit on this page. Each one has a meaning that is not the picture in the words.

Learn the meaning, then say the line as one piece.

  1. Ana reacts with easy confidence while practicing a line from class.

    It's a piece of cake.

    This is very easy.

    When to use it: Say this when a task feels very easy.

    Do not take this as food; it means the task is easy.

    Say it: Of can sound like 'uhv'.

  2. Ana pauses on a lower step with a hand resting lightly at her middle as Tasha listens.

    I'm a little under the weather.

    I feel a bit sick.

    When to use it: Say this when you feel a bit sick, but not very sick.

    This is not about rain; people say it when they feel sick.

    Say it: Use your voice for th in weather.

  3. Ana closes her tote and turns toward the sidewalk while Tasha remains on the steps.

    Let's call it a day.

    Let's stop working now.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to stop work or class for now.

    You will hear this at the end of work, not as a phone call.

  4. Ana gestures warmly toward Tasha as she describes how a conversation got started.

    That should break the ice.

    That should help us start talking easily.

    When to use it: Say this when something will help people start talking.

    This is not about ice; people say it when a first talk feels hard.

  5. Ana and Tasha sit aligned on the same step and nod together over shared instructions.

    We're on the same page.

    We understand this in the same way.

    When to use it: Say this when you both understand a plan the same way.

    This is not about a book; it means you understand things in the same way.

    Say it: Stress same.

  6. Ana gives an unbothered shrug as Tasha makes a small apologetic gesture beside her.

    That's no big deal.

    That is not a problem.

    When to use it: Say this when a small mistake or delay is not a problem.

    This is not a business deal; it means the problem is small.

    Say it: Stress deal at the end.

Story — tasha teases

Watch Ana try the new idioms with Tasha after class. Tasha teases her, then they stop for real.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Class is over. Ana and Tasha stand on the library steps. The street is quiet.
  2. TashaSo, how was class tonight?She asks about Ana's evening lesson.
  3. AnaIt's a piece of cake.This is very easy.
  4. TashaThat's a confident review. Did you finish every exercise?She teases Ana about how easy she says class was.
  5. AnaMost of them. I'm a little under the weather, though.She says most of the class was easy, but she feels a bit sick.
  6. TashaYou should head home if you're not feeling well.She says Ana should go home because she feels sick.
  7. AnaI'm not feeling well, but I can walk slowly.She says she feels sick but can still walk.
  8. TashaAll right. Tell me about the new student you mentioned.She asks Ana to tell her about the student.
  9. AnaShe was quiet, so I asked if she'd been to Milwaukee.Ana says she asked a quiet classmate about Milwaukee.
  10. TashaAnd did that help you start talking?She asks if Ana's question helped start a conversation.
  11. AnaYes. That should break the ice.That should help us start talking easily.
  12. TashaWhat did you talk about after that?She asks what they discussed next.
  13. AnaWe read the instructions the same way, and we're on the same page.They understand the instructions in the same way.
  14. TashaSorry I kept you outside after class.She says she is sorry she kept Ana waiting.
  15. AnaThat's no big deal.That is not a problem.
  16. TashaAnd break a leg at your presentation next week.She wishes Ana good luck before a presentation.
  17. AnaThanks. You've heard every idiom I learned tonight.She thanks Tasha and jokes that she used all her new expressions.
  18. TashaYou sound like a walking phrasebook. Let's call it a day.She teases Ana, then says they should stop for now.

Practice — meaning not picture

Ten short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

The wrong answers take the words as pictures, not as meaning.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    I'm a little under the weather.

  3. Match the pairs

    English

    It's a piece of cake.Drop the Simple English here
    I'm a little under the weather.Drop the Simple English here
    Let's call it a day.Drop the Simple English here
    That should break the ice.Drop the Simple English here
    We're on the same page.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  4. Fill the gap

    Let's stop working now.

    ____ call it a day.

  5. What do you say?

    You asked a quiet new classmate about Milwaukee, and you started talking. Tell Tasha what your question should do.

  6. Build the line

    We understand this in the same way.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    Sorry I kept you waiting outside after class.

    She is sorry she made you wait.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    A friend is about to give a presentation. Wish them luck with this expression.

  9. True or false?

    This line means I feel sick.

  10. Fill the gap

    That is not a problem.

    That's ____ big deal.

Say it — say the idioms

Now you're Ana after class. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. TashaSo, how was the homework?She asks about Ana's homework.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her the homework was very easy.

    It's a piece of cake.

    This is very easy.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
It's a piece of cake.This is very easy.
I'm a little under the weather.I feel a bit sick.
Let's call it a day.Let's stop working now.
That should break the ice.That should help us start talking easily.
We're on the same page.We understand this in the same way.
That's no big deal.That is not a problem.
Next: lesson 231Back home and here

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these idioms handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the meanings ready, not the pictures.

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