Title: Idioms

© Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE

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Time 50 minutes

Level Upper intermediate

Materials Photocopiable worksheet and LDOCE

Lesson plan: idioms

Make sure that the students know what an idiom is before they start. This is just a warmer activity, so give thestudents a few minutes and let them use LDOCE if they cannot think of any at all.

Exercise 1

If the students look up each of the words on the left, they’ll find the idiom in LDOCE. Ask them which word theywould look at to find have time on your hands. If they say time, explain that it is at hand in LDOCE, becausethat part of the idiom is thought to be more idiomatic than time. Explain about looking up put your feet up at foot .

Answers:

Exercise 2

Get the students to use their list of idioms to complete the sentences.

Answers:1 time on my hands 2 all ears3 a leg to stand on 4 brave face 5 turned their noses up 6 put my feet up7 catch (the waiter’s) eye 8 keep my head above water

This is the chance for the students to focus on personalising the new phrases and also to consolidate whatthey’ve learnt. Give them plenty of time to exchange questions and responses. If they enjoy it, get them tochange partners.

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Students organise their vocabulary as they acquire it from LDOCE: this maximises the learning potentialhere. Encourage them to start a separate section in their vocabulary notebooks and to include any notes theyfind in the dictionary.

Exercise 5

a8) put on a brave faceface 1 n [C] put a brave face (on) to make an effortto behave in a happy cheerful way when you areupset or disappointed: He was shattered, though heput on a brave face.

b7) keep your head above waterhead 1 n keep your head above waterto only justmanage to continue to live on your income or keepyour business working in spite of money problems

c6) not have a leg to stand leg 1 n not have a leg to stand on informal to be in asituation where you cannot prove or legallysupport what you say: If you didn’t sign a contract,you won’t have a leg to stand on.

d5) be all ears ear n be all ears informal to be very keen to hearwhat someone is going to tell you: As soon as Imentioned money, Karen was all ears.

e4) turn your nose up at nose 1 n turn your nose up (at) informal to refuse toaccept something because you do not think it isgood enough for you: My children turn their noses upat home cooking.

f3) put your feet up foot 1 n plural feet [C] put your feet up informalto relax, especially by sitting with your feetsupported on something

g2) have time on your handshand 1 n have time on your hands to have a lot oftime because you have no work to do

h1) catch somebody’s eye eye 1 n [C] catch sb’s eye a) to attract someone’sattention and make them look at something: All of asudden something red caught his eye. b) to look atsomeone at the same moment that they are lookingat you: I caught Ben’s eye in the rear-view mirror andknew what he was thinking.

Aim To provide extra help with idioms

Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Title: Idioms

© Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE

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Photocopiable worksheet: idioms

Look at the following words. Can you think of anyphrases or idioms which include these words?

eg: make a face/pull a face

FACE HEAD LEG EAR

NOSE FEET HANDS EYE

Work with your partner and write a list of phrasesto check with your teacher and the rest of the class .

Exercise 1 Exercise 2

Now see if you can match each of the words with one ofthe phrases.

a) face 1) catch somebody’s _____________

b) head 2) have time on your _____________

c) leg 3) put your _____________ up

d) ears 4) turn your _____________ up at

e) nose 5) be all _____________

f) feet 6) not have a _____________ to stand on

g) hands 7) keep your _____________ above water

h) eye 8) put on a brave _____________

Look up each of the words on the left in LDOCE to findthe answers.

Use your list of phrases from exercise 2 to fill in the sentences below.

1 Now that I’ve finished decorating my house, I have much more____________________ .

2 The story was so interesting and she told it so well; I was ____________________ .

3 Their argument was very weak; they really didn’t have ____________________ .

4 When she got the news, she was totally devastated. I can’t believe she’s recovered so soon; she’s putting ona very ____________________ .

5 The children are so fussy about their food. Last night they ____________________ at the meal I cooked for them.

6 Ah, it’s so good to relax and ____________________ .

7 The restaurant was so busy, it was difficult to ____________________ the waiter’s ____________________ to get the bill.

8 I just about manage to ____________________ living in this big city; it’s so expensive!

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Speaking activity! Look at the four categories below:

HOME WORK FRIENDS AND FAMILY HOLIDAYS AND LEISURE INTERESTS

Now think about the phrases in exercise 3 and use them to make a sentence about each of the above areas ofyour life. Ask your partner questions if you like.eg: I love relaxing at home and putting my feet up in front of the TV.

Note down the new phrases in your vocabulary notebook, with a model sentence from LDOCE. If there isn’t one,write your own new example sentence, like this:

eg: be all ears As soon as I mentioned money, Karen was all ears. (LDOCE)I was all ears when John told me about his new job. (new)

Exercise 5

Source: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English