25 Common Idioms in English with Meanings and Examples for TOEFL iBT®
"Explore the 25 most common idioms in English with meanings and examples for TOEFL success. This guide offers clear explanations, relevant examples, and practical usage tips to boost your language skills and test scores."
Key Highlights
Idioms are phrases whose meanings cannot be deduced from the individual words. They are very commonly used in everyday English conversations, academic discussions, and even in formal writing. Understanding such expressions will greatly enhance your comprehension and allow you to sound more natural and fluent in your responses as you take the TOEFL iBT®.
Let’s discuss some of the most common Idioms used in English along with their meanings and examples.
25 Common Idioms in English with Meanings and Examples
Here’s a list of the most common idioms in English along with their meanings and examples.
1. Break the ice
Meaning: To initiate social interaction or ease tension
Example: The professor started the class with a joke to break the ice.
2. Hit the books
Meaning: To study intensively
Example: With finals approaching, I need to hit the books this weekend.
3. Piece of cake
Meaning: Something very easy to do
Example: The math exam was a piece of cake for the well-prepared students.
4. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: To be extremely expensive
Example: Studying abroad can cost an arm and a leg, but it's often worth the investment.
5. Get the hang of
Meaning: To understand or become skilled at something
Example: It took me a while, but I finally got the hang of using the university's online library system.
6. Pull an all-nighter
Meaning: To stay up all night, usually to study or complete work
Example: I had to pull an all-nighter to finish my research paper before the deadline.
7. Catch someone off guard
Meaning: To surprise someone or catch them unprepared
Example: The pop quiz caught many students off guard.
8. Beat around the bush
Meaning: To avoid talking about something directly
Example: Don't beat around the bush; just tell me what you think of my presentation.
9. On the same page
Meaning: To have the same understanding or agreement
Example: Let's review the project guidelines to make sure we're all on the same page.
10. Cut corners
Meaning: To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example: Some students try to cut corners by plagiarizing, but it's never worth the risk.
11. Get cold feet
Meaning: To become nervous or unsure about doing something
Example: I was excited about giving the speech, but I got cold feet just before going on stage.
12. Back to square one
Meaning: To start over from the beginning
Example: Our experiment failed, so we're back to square one with our research.
13. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To work late into the night
Example: During exam season, many students burn the midnight oil at the library.
14. In a nutshell
Meaning: To sum up briefly
Example: In a nutshell, the professor's lecture was about the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.
15. Take the bull by the horns
Meaning: To deal with a difficult situation directly and confidently
Example: When faced with a challenging group project, Sarah decided to take the bull by the horns and became the team leader.
16. Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point without wasting time
Example: The busy professor asked the student to cut to the chase and explain the main argument of his paper.
17. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on more responsibility than you can manage
Example: By enrolling in six courses this semester, I'm worried I've bitten off more than I can chew.
18. Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: To accomplish two things with a single action
Example: By joining the debate club, I improved my public speaking skills and made new friends, killing two birds with one stone.
19. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret accidentally or prematurely
Example: I didn't mean to let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party for our professor.
20. Sit on the fence
Meaning: To avoid taking sides in a dispute or discussion
Example: In class debates, it's often easier to sit on the fence, but the professor encourages us to form and express our opinions.
21. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To join an activity or trend because it is popular
Example: When sustainable living became trendy, many students jumped on the bandwagon and started using reusable water bottles.
22. Scratch the surface
Meaning: To deal with only the superficial aspects of something
Example: Our introductory course only scratches the surface of quantum physics; the advanced class goes much deeper.
23. Speak volumes
Meaning: To express or indicate a great deal without using words
Example: The student's consistent preparation and participation in class discussions spoke volumes about her dedication to her studies.
24. Play it by ear
Meaning: To decide how to act in a situation as it develops, rather than planning in advance
Example: I'm not sure if I'll have time to attend the study group, so I'll play it by ear depending on how much work I get done today.
25. Put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: To risk everything on a single venture
Example: It's not wise to put all your eggs in one basket when applying to colleges; it's better to have several options.
Practice these idioms in conversations and writing, and observe how they are used by native speakers. This will not only help you in the TOEFL iBT but also beyond it in your future academic and professional communication in English.
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