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Appreciate it. Today, we are going to work on 20idioms.
20 expressions that native speakers use everysingle day.
Not in textbooks.
In real conversations.
At work. With friends. At home.
And before we start, we want to recommend a book.
A book we genuinely love.
We use it in our in-person English classes.
Martin uses it with his students every singleweek.
It is called English Vocabulary in Use.
Upper Intermediate by Michael McCarthy.
If you do not have it, get it.
It is one of the best vocabulary books everwritten for learners at this level.
Today's 20 idioms come directly from that book.
Units 78 and 82.
Here is what you will learn today.
20 idioms with their meaning, their usage, andtheir cultural nuance.
A full story using all 20 of them in naturalcontext.
A role play where you get to choose the rightidiom yourself.
And three practice questions at the end.
The answers are in the episode description.
Let's go!
Part 1
The Story
I want to tell you about Daniel.
Daniel moved to London from Madrid three yearsago.
He had a new job at a small tech startup.
He was nervous.
Very nervous.
Back home in Spain, Daniel was a big fish in asmall pond.
He had been the best developer in his company.
Everyone knew him.
Everyone respected him.
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But London was different.
London was a very, very big pond.
On his first day, Daniel was quiet.
Too quiet.
His new colleagues thought he was a cold fish.
Distant, unfriendly, hard to talk to.
But that was not the truth.
Daniel was just adjusting.
He was actually a rough diamond.
Talented, genuine, full of potential.
Just unpolished.
Just finding his feet.
His manager, Sarah, saw something in himimmediately.
She told her colleague,
Daniel is a dark horse.
Watch him.
And she was right.
But first, things had to get a lot worse.
Before they got better.
In his second week, Daniel volunteered to lead thecompany's biggest project of the year.
His colleague, Marcus, who was, to be honest, areal pain in the neck, laughed out loud.
He just arrived, Marcus said.
He has no idea what he is getting into.
And honestly?
Marcus was not entirely wrong.
Daniel had bitten off more than he could chew.
The project was enormous.
Three teams, six clients, four differentplatforms.
Within two weeks, things were getting out of hand.
Deadlines were missed.
Budgets exploded.
The whole thing cost the company an arm and a legto fix.
And Daniel was in hot water.
Sarah called him into her office.
Daniel walked in, expecting the worst.
But then something unexpected happened.
Marcus, the pain in the neck, had been talking.
He had told the whole team that Daniel's originalplan was actually brilliant.
He had let the cat out of the bag.
About a secret presentation Daniel had prepared.
A presentation that solved every single problemthe project had created.
Daniel had never planned to show it.
But now everyone knew.
Marcus had also spilled the beans to the CEO.
Daniel was furious.
At first.
You had no right, he told Marcus.
He was on thin ice with the whole team.
He nearly burned his bridges completely.
He was about to send a very angry email.
But Julia, can I just say something here?
Of course.
This is the moment where Daniel had a choice.
Exactly.
And he made the right one.
He took a breath.
He went back to square one.
He looked at everything.
06:00
Calmly.
And he realized Marcus had actually helped him.
The presentation was a hit.
The CEO stood up and said.
Daniel, you have hit the nail on the head.
This is exactly what we needed.
The room applauded.
Marcus leaned over and said.
I told you he was a dark horse.
Even the CEO laughed and said.
Were you pulling my leg this whole time, Daniel?
You made yourself look like a beginner for twoweeks.
And then you walked in with this.
Daniel smiled.
He said.
The budget disaster.
That was just the tip of the iceberg.
There are ten more ideas where this came from.
The CEO nodded slowly.
I think, she said.
That we have been looking at a very big fish in avery small pond.
It is time to give you a bigger one.
That evening, the team had a small celebration.
Marcus, the pain in the neck, turned out to be thelife and soul of the party.
He danced on a table.
He told terrible jokes.
He made everyone laugh until they cried.
Daniel looked at him and thought.
I almost burned my bridges with this man.
I almost lost everything over one angry email.
There was one person in the corner, though.
There is always one.
Carol, from accounting.
Oh, Carol.
Carol was a wet blanket.
She stood there, saying the celebration waspremature.
The project is not finished, she said.
We should not be celebrating yet.
Everyone smiled politely.
And then, everyone ignored her completely.
Part two, the deep dive.
Twenty idioms.
Let us go through them one by one.
Meaning, usage, and one cultural note for each.
Listen carefully.
We will go slowly.
Number one.
A big fish in a small pond.
Someone who is very important, or very successful.
But only in a small or limited environment.
You might hear this about someone who is the beststudent in a small town.
And then move to a big city.
Cultural note.
British and American English use this equally.
It is never an insult.
It is just an observation.
Number two.
A cold fish.
Someone who seems unfriendly, distant, andemotionally unavailable.
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He never smiles, never says hello.
He is a bit of a cold fish.
Cultural note.
This is more common in British English.
Americans might say, he is hard to read instead.
Number three.
A rough diamond.
Someone who has great qualities, honesty, talent,kindness.
But lacks social polish.
They may not speak perfectly in formal situations.
They may not dress the part.
But their character is genuine and valuable.
Cultural note.
In British English, you might also hear diamond inthe rough.
Same meaning.
Both are warm expression in an ever negative.
Number four.
A dark horse.
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Your money should be too.
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Get the exchange rate that you'd usually see onGoogle.
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Number five.
A pain in the neck.
An annoying person.
Or an annoying situation.
This traffic is a real pain in the neck.
My neighbor plays loud music every night.
He is such a pain in the neck.
Cultural note.
This is the polite version.
There is a much more direct version.
That uses a different part of the body.
You will hear that one in informal conversation.
Number six.
Bite off more than you can chew.
To take on more responsibility.
Or more work than you can handle.
She agreed to manage three projects at the sametime.
I think she has bitten off more than she can chew.
Cultural note.
This idiom is a warning.
A gentle one.
Native speakers use it with kindness.
Not to criticize.
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But to show concern.
Number seven.
Get out of hand.
When a situation becomes difficult to control.
The party got out of hand.
20 people became 200.
The argument got out of hand.
What started as a small disagreement became aserious fight.
Cultural note.
You can also use it for children.
The kids are getting out of hand.
Every parent in the world knows this sentence.
Number eight.
Cost an arm and a leg.
Something extremely expensive.
Have you seen the prices in that restaurant?
It costs an arm and a leg.
Cultural note.
This is informal and very common in everydayspeech.
You would not use it in a formal business report.
But in conversation, you will hear it constantly.
Number nine.
In hot water.
In a difficult situation.
In trouble.
He forgot his wedding anniversary.
He is in hot water now.
She missed the deadline again.
She is seriously in hot water with the manager.
Cultural note.
The water can get hotter.
You can be in hot water.
Or in very hot water.
Chias or in seriously hot water.
The temperature tells you exactly how bad thesituation is.
Number ten.
On thin ice.
In a risky situation.
Where one wrong move could cause disaster.
He has already been late three times this month.
He is on very thin ice.
Cultural note.
The image is physical.
Walking on ice that could break.
It creates real tension when native speakers useit.
It is a quiet warning.
Number eleven.
Let the cat out of the bag.
To accidentally reveal a secret.
I let the cat out of the bag about the surpriseparty.
She knows now.
Cultural note.
The origin is fascinating.
In medieval markets.
Merchants would sometimes put a cat in a bag.
Instead of a pig.
When the buyer opened the bag.
The secret was out.
Today it always means accidental disclosure.
Never intentional.
Number twelve.
Spill the beans.
To reveal secret or private information.
Come on.
Spill the beans.
What did they say about me?
Cultural note.
Unlike let the cat out of the bag.
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Spilling the beans can be intentional oraccidental.
And it is often used in a lighter more gossipyway.
Number thirteen.
Hit the nail on the head.
To say or do exactly the right thing.
You hit the nail on the head.
That is exactly the problem.
Cultural note.
It is a compliment.
A strong one.
When someone says this to you in a meeting.
You have won the room.
Number fourteen.
Burn your bridges.
To permanently damage a relationship or situation.
So you cannot return to it.
He quit by shouting at his boss in front ofeveryone.
He really burned his bridges there.
Cultural note.
This is a serious idiom.
It implies there is no going back.
Use it carefully.
It carries real weight.
Number fifteen.
Pull someone's leg.
To tease someone.
To joke with them.
To say something untrue in a playful way.
Are you serious or are you pulling my leg?
Cultural note.
This is always lighthearted.
It is never used for serious deception.
If someone says I'm only pulling your leg.
Relax.
They are joking.
Number sixteen.
The tip of the iceberg.
The small visible part.
Of a much larger problem or situation.
The missing files were just the tip of theiceberg.
The whole system was broken.
Cultural note.
This always implies something bigger is hiddenbeneath the surface.
And usually that bigger thing is not good news.
Number seventeen.
Go back to square one.
To start again from the beginning.
After a failure.
The client rejected everything.
We have to go back to square one.
Cultural note.
This comes from board games.
Landing on square one meant starting over.
Today it is used in business, relationships, andeveryday problem solving.
Number eighteen.
Once in a blue moon.
Very rarely.
Almost never.
He calls me once in a blue moon.
I never know when to expect it.
Cultural note.
A blue moon is a second full moon in a singlecalendar month.
It happens roughly every two and a half years.
So once in a blue moon means almost never.
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Number nineteen.
The life and soul of the party.
The person who makes a social event fun andenergetic.
You have to invite Daniel.
He is the life and soul of the party.
Cultural note.
This is always a compliment.
But it can carry a hint of irony in BritishEnglish.
Sometimes the life and soul of the party is alsoexhausting.
Just a little.
Number twenty.
A wet blanket.
Someone who spoils the fun or the enthusiasm ofothers.
Don't invite Carol.
She is such a wet blanket.
Cultural note.
The image is perfect.
A wet blanket on a fire puts it out.
A wet blanket in a social situation does exactlythe same thing.
Part three.
The role play.
Now it is your turn.
I will describe a situation.
Julia will give you three idioms to choose from.
You choose the right one.
We will pause so you have time to think.
Ready?
Situation one.
Your colleague has just agreed to manage sixdifferent projects at the same time.
You are worried about him.
Which idiom do you use?
Option A. He is on thin ice.
Option B. He has bitten off more than he can chew.
Option C. He is a dark horse.
The answer is B.
He has bitten off more than he can chew.
On thin ice means the situation is risky,
but it implies his behavior might get him introuble.
A dark horse means he has hidden talent.
But bitten off more than he can chew is exactlyright here.
He has taken on too much.
You are concerned.
That is the idiom.
Situation two.
You are at a party.
One person in the corner has been complaining allevening.
The food is wrong.
The music is too loud.
It is too crowded.
Which idiom describes this person?
Option A. A cold fish.
Option B. The life and soul of the party.
Option C. A wet blanket.
The answer is C.
A wet blanket.
A cold fish means unfriendly and distant.
But this person is not distant.
They are actively ruining the atmosphere.
The life and soul of the party is the opposite.
21:00
A wet blanket puts out the energy.
That is exactly what this person is doing.
Situation three.
Your friend was supposed to keep a secret.
She told everyone.
Which two idioms could you use here?
Option A. She let the cat out of the bag.
Option B. She hit the nail on the head.
Option C. She spilled the beans.
The answers are A and C.
Both work here.
She let the cat out of the bag.
She revealed the secret, probably accidentally.
She spilled the beans.
She revealed private information.
Hit the nail on the head means saying exactly theright thing.
It has nothing to do with secrets.
Two correct answers.
Did you get both?
Situation four.
You are at a meeting.
Your manager has just described the exact problem
your team has been struggling to name for threemonths.
He found the words.
He got it exactly right.
Which idiom do you use?
Option A. He pulled our leg.
Option B. He hit the nail on the head.
Option C. He went back to square one.
The answer is B.
He hit the nail on the head.
Pulled our leg means he was joking.
The opposite of what happened.
Went back to square one means starting again.
Also not relevant.
Hit the nail on the head is the compliment yougive
when someone gets it exactly right.
Use it.
It will make you sound very natural.
Part four.
Three practice questions.
Before we close, three questions.
We will read them out loud.
Think about your answer.
Then check the episode description for theanswers.
You can also write your answers in the commentssection on YouTube.
We love reading them.
Question one.
Your friend says, don't worry, I'm only pullingyour leg.
Is your friend being serious?
Or joking?
Question two.
Your manager says, the budget problem is just thetip of the iceberg.
Does that mean the problem is small?
Or that it is much bigger than it appears?
Question three.
Which two idioms from today both mean to reveal asecret?
Think carefully.
You heard both of them in the story.
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The answers are waiting for you in thedescription.
Go and check.
And if you want to practice more, you know what todo.
If you made it this far, you are truly committedto your English.
Please head over to YouTube, search for YourEnglish Toolbox, and subscribe.
Your support there means the world to us and keepsthis podcast growing.
Thank you for being here today.
Keep listening.
Keep practicing.
And remember,
every idiom you learn today
is one more reason a native speaker will say,
you speak really natural English.
See you next time.
See you next time.
