Idioms are an important part of language learning and are something that students often struggle with. The idiom worksheets in this section are some of the ways teachers have found to address this topic with learners of various levels and ages. This idioms worksheet, for example, includes stories, pictures and a comprehension question for many common idioms. You could use this with any level but they were created with pre-intermediate and intermediate classes in mind. The file is a large packet of idiom worksheets; you can choose to do just one or two at a time and this might be a better approach. There are 168 worksheets available in this section so you can also find material on other idioms and for more advanced learners.
While many teachers leave idioms for advanced learners, you can start practicing idioms with your students much earlier. Intermediate and even some beginner classes will be able to benefit from the introduction of simple idioms. Just like learning new vocabulary, students need to understand the meaning of idioms, complete pronunciation practice exercises, and have sufficient practice using them in order to commit them to memory and feel comfortable using them.
Create awesome-looking custom word searches in seconds!
Make A Word Scramble:
Instantly create custom word/sentence scrambles for your class!
Make A Double Puzzle:
Generate double puzzles your students will love - hours of fun!
ESL Articles
View our latest knowledgebase articles that will help you become a better English teacher. Learn from
professional teachers and put a bit of your own creativity into it!
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use.
This lesson is designed for two sessions of one hour each. It features two scenes from the film "When Harry Met Sally." It includes grammar (a review of defining and non-defining relativ ...
This listening comprehension activity: Are you at your level of competence?
is for Intermediate and Upper-intermediate levels to practice vocabulary relating to jobs in the wor ...
This conversation-based lesson is to get students to compare seasons and use comparatives and superlatives and spring-related idioms, especially spring compared to other seasons. Student ...
This comprehensive lesson on spring is a fun and engaging conversation-based lesson to get students talking about spring. It includes discussion questions, learning spring-related idioms, watc ...
This grammar guide covers the topic of Numbers idioms. It contains eight pages of idioms and expressions connected with ‘numbers’. Including definitions, example sentences, a ...
This grammar guide contains five pages of idioms and expressions connected to the weather. It includes definitions, example sentences, and a few illustrations. In alphabetical order, exa ...
This new grammar guide contains seven pages of idioms and expressions connected with money. It includes definitions, example sentences, and a few illustrations. Suitable for different le ...
This is a new grammar guide about idioms.
This resource contains five pages of idioms and expressions connected with colors: black, white, red, green, brown, silver, color, etc. It includ ...
This comprehensive grammar guide consists of nine pages of idioms about Sport. It includes expressions, definitions, example sentences, and a few pictures on the topic. Examples are Ball ...
This grammar guide contains 14 pages of idioms and expressions connected with the human head. It includes definitions, example sentences, a few pictures and is in alphabetical orde ...
This grammar guide has nine pages of idioms and expressions connected to the house and furniture. It includes definitions in alphabetical order of example sentences and a few pictures: B ...
For intermediate students and upwards, this worksheet includes examples of the infinitive as a future tense as used in news articles, formal instructions, formal arrangments and events. ...
This collection of idioms describes some amazing things to have, e.g. money to burn. It contains three easy exercises to match the idioms, guess their meaning and complete the sentences ...
This collection of 10 idioms describes a body part, e.g. a green thumb, and shows the amazing things you can have. Suitable for self-study, there are three exercises: guess the meaning, ...
This grammar guide of idioms contains expressions relating to everyday clothing and accessories and includes definitions and example sentences with a few illustrations. Easy to read, it& ...
This Powerpoint Presentation will help students get to know eight common idioms and their meaning. An idiom is presented with multiple choice options for its possible meaning. Your stud ...
This activity and worksheet is to be paired with the read aloud Butterflies in my Stomach and other School Hazards. I prepared this for my adult ESL students. Students should read the book as a c ...
This is a new grammar guide about Music Idioms. There are five pages of idioms and expressions including definitions, example sentences and a few pictures. Either the idiom or the definition is a ...
This is a worksheet about clothes. There are ten activities: blanks exercises, matching exercises (clothes, gloves), analogies, patterns, idioms, put the words in the appropriate box, choose the ...
A grammar guide about the topic: Sleep idioms. Four pages of idioms and expressions including definitions, example sentences and a few pictures. Either the idiom or the definition is about sleep. ...
This is my second grammar guide about idioms. It contains 15 pages of idioms and expressions connected with animals. Including definitions, example sentences and a few pictures. British English. ...
A worksheet for anyone who needs (or is interested in) Business English. Some of the expressions can be heard in everyday English too. Many of them originated in American English, but I have used ...
Many of my students who come to work in the UK find that although their English is pretty advanced, they struggle to cope with native speakers' use of idioms. This worksheet includes a dialogue in ...
This is a shouting dictation designed to practice a number of "home" idioms. Students begin with the shouting part of the activity then proceed to a matching-type activity where they match they i ...
Shouting dictation for food idioms - suitable for a good class pre-int and above. Contains a shouting dictation for the idioms which can then be used as group or paired discussion questions. A g ...
1 18,726Pre-IntIntAdvExam
Got a great worksheet on
Idiom?
Tell us about it and become a BusyTeacher contributor!