Learn English idioms (2)

Here are the answers to the idioms exercise from last week. I hope you got some correct.

Answers

1=i to be rushed off your feet means to work very hard or fast because you are busy.
2=e to brush something up means to refresh your memory or renew a skill.
3=j to be from all walks of life means to come from different occupations, professions or social
classes.
4=g to find yourself means to discover what you are good at or what your true ability is.
5=b to have the time of your life means to really enjoy yourself.
6=a the career ladder means the job positions someone works through in an organisation.
7=k to bend over backwards to do something means to make a large effort.
8=c to get out of a rut means to escape a routine course of life that is usually boring and
without opportunities.
9=d no end of something means what seems to be an unlimited supply of something.
10=l to go from strength to strength means to become better and more successful.
11=f to be up your street means to be completely suitable for you.
12=h to make all the difference to means to have a key effect.

Now look at the idioms in some more natural example sentences. When you read them try to think of the context. Who's speaking? Who are they speaking to? Where are they? Why are they speaking?

1) There's only one secretary working for the whole accounts department and the poor woman
is rushed off her feet.

2) I’m trying to brush up my Spanish as i'm going to Milan next month.

3) People from all walks of life come to London every year.

4) After working in a lot of different jobs he found himself and became a successful businessman.

5) I had the time of my life last Saturday, thanks for inviting me.

6) I don’t believe it I bent over backwards to help him and he didn’t say thank you.

7) It’s getting more and more difficult to climb the career ladder these days.

8) I just feel like I need to get out of this rut, I need to make a change.

9) There was no end of people I knew at the conference, it was actually quite fun.

10) My guitar playing’s going from strength to strength, I’ve been practising a lot.

11) That jacket is right up my street, how much is it?

12) The new leisure centre has made all the difference to this area.


Finally, here are some some questions for you to answer using the idioms. Please post you're answers in the comments. Try to use the idioms in your answers.

(As an alternative you could use them as conversation practice with a friend.)

Questions ?

1) How often are you rushed of your feet at work / with your studies?

2) What do you do to brush up your English?

3) Do you have people from all walks of life in your town / city?

4) Do you think you have found yourself?

5) When was the last time you had the time of your life?

6) Are you trying to climb the career ladder at the moment? Do you expect to soon?

7) When did you last bend over backwards to do something?

8) Are you in a rut? If so, what can you do to get out of it?

9) Do you ever feel that you have no end of time to do something and then find yourself rushed
off your feet trying to complete it?

10) What can you do to make your English go from strength to strength?

11) What music is right up your street?

12) What do you think could make all the difference to your happiness?

I hope you have managed to learn an idiom from these posts, come back soon for more English language learning.

Remember: idioms are a really fun way to learn a language and help you to understand a country's culture.