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Common and Useful English Idioms

Idioms are fixed phrases whose meaning is different from the individual words, like "a piece of cake" (very easy). Learn them as whole phrases and use them in informal conversation and everyday work talk.

  • CEFR B1
  • 8-question quiz
  • 2 exercises
Idioms help us enrich our language. They can be funny, but they can also help us say or express something in fewer words. For a language learner, using idioms is a wonderful way to sound more like a native speaker. Here are some common and useful English idioms.

1. a piece of cake – something very easy

2. to see eye to eye (with someone) – to agree with someone

3. to toot your own horn – to tout oneself, to brag or boast

4. to swim against the tide – to do something that is in opposition to the prevailing opinion

5. to get a second wind – to feel new energy after feeling tired

6. bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – happy and full of energy

7. to piggyback – to use something that someone else has made or done in order to get an advantage

8. to hit the ground running – to begin something energetically and successfully

9. between a rock and a hard place – faced with a tough choice between two options

10. to spill the beans – to (accidentally) share information/a secret

11. to rock the boat – to disturb an existing situation

12. to nip something in the bud – to stop a bad situation from getting worse by taking early action

13. to be in hot water – to be in (serious) trouble

14. to go with the flow – to be relaxed and accept a situation

15. to be down to earth – to be practical and realistic

16. to bark up the wrong tree – to look in the wrong place or accuse the wrong person

17. to walk on eggshells – to be very careful about what you say or do to someone

18. to fly off the handle – to lose control of one’s emotions

19. to be thrown in the deep end – to be put in a completely new situation without any help or preparation

20. to burn the midnight oil – to work late into the night

21. to shoot from the hip – to react or speak suddenly or without careful consideration

22. to take a rain check – to decline an offer now while suggesting you accept it another time

23. to run something into the ground – to ruin or destroy something

24. to fly under the radar – to go without being noticed, detected, or addressed

25. to cut corners – to do something in the easiest, cheapest or fastest way

26. to break the ice – to do something to reduce shyness/tension

27. to miss the boat – to miss your chance to do something

28. to bite the bullet – to force yourself to do something unpleasant

29. to hit the nail on the head – to do or say something precisely right

30. to be/sit on the fence – to be unable to make a decision, to be undecided

31. to jump on the bandwagon – to join a popular trend, activity, or opinion

32. to take something with a grain of salt – to view something with skepticism

Want to learn more phrases that will have you sounding like a native speaker in no time? Check out our free English lessons and find your level with the placement test!

Key vocabulary

WordMeaningExample
a piece of cakesomething very easyThe new expense software is a piece of cake to use.
to see eye to eyeto agree with someoneMy manager and I don't always see eye to eye on deadlines.
to hit the ground runningto start something new with energy and quick successOur new sales rep hit the ground running and closed two deals in her first week.
to spill the beansto tell a secret, often by accidentDon't spill the beans about the surprise party for Tom.
to be in hot waterto be in troubleHe's in hot water for missing the client call.
to burn the midnight oilto work late into the nightWe burned the midnight oil to finish the proposal.
to take a rain checkto say no to an invitation now but suggest doing it another timeCan I take a rain check on lunch? I'm swamped today.
to cut cornersto do something in the cheapest or fastest way, often badlyWe can't cut corners on safety testing.
to break the iceto do or say something to make people feel more relaxedWe started the workshop with a short game to break the ice.
to hit the nail on the headto describe something exactly rightYou hit the nail on the head. The problem is our pricing.

Practice: Common and Useful English Idioms

Work through the exercises, then test yourself with the quiz. Learn from your mistakes and try again as often as you like.

Exercises

Complete the idiom

Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.

  1. Don't worry about the test. It's a piece of ______.

    very easy

    Show answer

    cake

  2. I had to burn the midnight ______ to finish the report.

    work late at night

    Show answer

    oil

  3. Who spilled the ______ about the merger?

    told the secret

    Show answer

    beans

  4. The team leader told a funny story to break the ______.

    make people relax

    Show answer

    ice

  5. If you cut ______, the customer will notice.

    do it the cheap, fast way

    Show answer

    corners

  6. Exactly! You hit the nail on the ______.

    said it exactly right

    Show answer

    head

  7. I'd love to come, but can I take a rain ______?

    do it another time

    Show answer

    check

  8. She's still on the ______. She can't decide which job offer to take.

    undecided

    Show answer

    fence

  9. We need to nip this problem in the ______ before it gets worse.

    stop it early

    Show answer

    bud

  10. Everyone is happy with the plan. Let's not rock the ______.

    cause problems

    Show answer

    boat

Match the situation to an idiom

Write the idiom that fits each situation. Compare yours with the model answer.

  1. Your new colleague starts work and is productive from day one.

    ground

    Show answer

    She hit the ground running.

  2. You must choose between two bad options.

    rock

    Show answer

    I'm between a rock and a hard place.

  3. Your boss gets very angry very suddenly.

    handle

    Show answer

    He flew off the handle.

  4. You must be very careful what you say around a sensitive coworker.

    eggshells

    Show answer

    I have to walk on eggshells around him.

  5. You didn't apply in time and the job is gone.

    boat

    Show answer

    I missed the boat.

  6. You hear a rumor but don't fully believe it.

    salt

    Show answer

    I take it with a grain of salt.

Quiz: 8 questions

1. "The exam was a piece of cake." What does this mean?
2. Which idiom means "to agree with someone"?
3. "I'm in hot water with my manager." How does the speaker feel?
4. A friend invites you to dinner, but you are busy. What can you say?
5. "He always toots his own horn." What does he do?
6. Which idiom means "to force yourself to do something unpleasant"?
7. "The new intern was thrown in the deep end." What happened?
8. "If you think I took your stapler, you're barking up the wrong tree." What does the speaker mean?

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