Idioms you will actually hear

Idioms are fixed expressions whose meaning isn't obvious from the individual words. At a proficient level, the goal isn't to collect hundreds of colorful phrases, many of which sound old-fashioned. It is to understand and use the idioms that come up again and again in real conversations, the news and TV.

Work and decisions

• on the same page: in agreement about a plan or situation. Before we present this to the client, let's make sure we're all on the same page.
• a ballpark figure: a rough estimate. I don't need exact numbers. Just give me a ballpark figure.
• back to square one: back to the beginning after a failure. The investors pulled out, so we're back to square one.
• cut corners: to do something badly or cheaply to save time or money. The builders cut corners, and now the roof is leaking.

Situations and problems

• the elephant in the room: an obvious problem that nobody wants to talk about. The budget cuts were the elephant in the room at the meeting.
• a blessing in disguise: something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good. Missing that flight was a blessing in disguise. I met my future business partner at the airport.
• the last straw: the final problem in a series that makes you lose patience. He was late again, and that was the last straw.
• a double-edged sword: something with both advantages and disadvantages. Social media is a double-edged sword for young people.

People and communication

• beat around the bush: to avoid saying something directly. Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened.
• get the ball rolling: to start an activity or process. Why don't I get the ball rolling with a quick introduction?
• take something with a grain of salt: to not completely believe something. Take online reviews with a grain of salt.
• bite off more than you can chew: to try to do more than you are able to. With two jobs and a master's degree, I think she's bitten off more than she can chew.

American and British versions

Some idioms change slightly across the Atlantic. Americans usually say beat around the bush and a grain of salt, while British speakers often say beat about the bush and a pinch of salt. Both versions are correct.

Using idioms well

• Don't change the words. Idioms are fixed: back to square one, not back to the first square.
• Watch the tone. Most idioms are informal or neutral, so avoid them in formal academic writing.
• Use one at a time. A sentence with three idioms sounds unnatural, even to native speakers.
• Skip idioms that sound dated, such as it's raining cats and dogs. Most native speakers rarely use it.