In today’s article I’ll show you how to improve your writing skills using some popular American English idioms. Idioms are short, one-word expressions with a specific meaning that are often used in daily conversation. These phrases are usually quite familiar to people in the US. There are hundreds of common idioms, so you can use them to make your writing more interesting and more natural. They help you sound more confident when you speak, and they can also improve your writing by giving it a more informal and conversational tone. To use an idiom correctly, you must understand its exact meaning. Many idiom dictionaries are available on the internet, but a good place to start is the Oxford American Idiom Dictionary. Now let’s see how to use some popular idioms in your writing:
1. “Take a walk on the wild side” This expression means to behave in an unusual or unexpected way. Example: “I took a walk on the wild side last night and had some fun.”
2. “Bless his heart” This is a very common idiom that means something like “God forbid”. Example: “I don’t think I could ever be as happy as my mom, but bless his heart, he’s been a great dad.”
3. “It’s raining cats and dogs” This expression means that it’s raining so hard that it’s difficult to do anything outside. Example: “It’s raining cats and dogs, so we won’t be able to go out tonight.”
4. “Been there, done that” This expression means that you have done something before. It comes from the past tense of “to be”. Example: “We’ve been through this before, so let’s just get on with it.”
5. “Take a look at the bright side” This expression means that you should look at things positively, even if they aren’t going your way. Example: “I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, but I’m going to take a look at the bright side.”
6. “To play the long game” This expression means that you are going to plan your actions carefully, rather than doing something quickly. Example: “The best strategy for our company is to play the long game and keep growing slowly.”7. “That’ll be the day” This expression means that something bad is about to happen. Example: “That will be the day my boss learns how much work I’ve been doing.” Thanks for reading!