How to Learn American English Idioms (Article 15)

Learning idioms is the first step towards becoming fluent in the language.

I’ve been using idioms for a long time in my writing and I know how difficult it can be to understand them when you’re not used to them.

This post will teach you the most useful idioms for English speakers.

STEP 1: Make Sure You Understand the Meaning

Before you can learn idioms, you need to understand their meaning.

For example, let’s say you want to learn the idiom “go on a rant”. What does that mean? It means you’re saying something that’s usually not true or that you don’t mean what you say.

Try to imagine yourself saying something like that in real life.

STEP 2: Use Google Translate

Google translate is a great tool that can help you understand idioms.

For example, let’s say you want to learn the idiom “to play hard to get”. The Google translation gives you this sentence:

“He plays hard to get, but he plays hard to stay”.

You now know the meaning of this phrase.

STEP 3: Practice With Idioms

I personally like to use a tool called Flashcards.com to practice idioms with. It’s a very simple way to memorize and recall them.

You can also find many other tools online to practice and remember idioms.

STEP 4: Study the Dictionary

Idioms are common in American English, so it’s important to make sure you learn them correctly.

A good dictionary is always helpful.

STEP 5: Try to Learn Them in Context

I’m not saying you should learn idioms word by word, but try to learn them in context.

For example, let’s say you want to learn the idiom “to make a mockery of”.

What does that mean? You’re making fun of someone or something.

Try to imagine yourself using this phrase in real life.

STEP 6: Make a List of Idioms

Make a list of all the idioms you know. It’s a good way to review them.

I recommend starting with the most common idioms like “to play hard to get” and “to make a mockery of”.

STEP 7: Read Books on Idioms

This is where you really need to dive into the language.

If you’re learning English, you can read books and articles about it.

You could also join a community of native speakers and ask questions.

Thanks for reading!