Section 3Lesson 3~7 min read
Idioms & Expressions in Canadian English
Welcome to the lesson on idioms and everyday expressions in Canadian English. This lesson focuses on common idioms and expressions you may encounter in Canadian workplaces and daily life. Understanding these will enhance your reading and listening skills, making it easier to comprehend conversations and texts in a Canadian context, which is beneficial for the CELPIP test.
| # | Word/Phrase | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A dime a dozen | Something very common and of little value | "In this city, coffee shops are a dime a dozen." |
| 2 | Beat around the bush | Avoid saying what you mean, usually because it's uncomfortable | "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think." |
| 3 | Bite the bullet | To do something unpleasant or difficult that is unavoidable | "I'll have to bite the bullet and finish this report tonight." |
| 4 | Break the ice | To initiate conversation in a social setting | "He told a joke to break the ice at the meeting." |
| 5 | Burn the midnight oil | To work late into the night | "She burned the midnight oil to meet the project deadline." |
| 6 | Call it a day | To stop working for the day | "Let's call it a day and finish this tomorrow." |
| 7 | Catch someone off guard | To surprise someone | "The news caught me off guard." |
| 8 | Cut to the chase | To get to the point without wasting time | "Let's cut to the chase and discuss the main issue." |
| 9 | Easy as pie | Very simple or easy | "Once you know the steps, baking bread is easy as pie." |
| 10 | Face the music | To accept the consequences of one's actions | "He had to face the music after the mistake was discovered." |
| 11 | Get a kick out of | To enjoy something | "I get a kick out of watching old movies." |
| 12 | Go the extra mile | To make more effort than is expected | "She always goes the extra mile to help her customers." |
| 13 | Hit the nail on the head | To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem | "You hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the issue." |
| 14 | In the same boat | To be in the same situation as someone else | "We're all in the same boat regarding the budget cuts." |
| 15 | Keep an eye on | To watch or monitor closely | "Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the washroom?" |
| 16 | Let the cat out of the bag | To reveal a secret or surprise by accident | "I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party." |
| 17 | Make a long story short | To give a brief summary of something | "To make a long story short, we decided to move to Toronto." |
| 18 | Once in a blue moon | Very rarely | "She visits her hometown once in a blue moon." |
| 19 | On the ball | To be alert and efficient | "The new manager is really on the ball." |
| 20 | Pull someone's leg | To tease or joke with someone | "I was just pulling your leg about the new policy." |
| 21 | See eye to eye | To agree with someone | "They don't always see eye to eye on financial matters." |
| 22 | Sit on the fence | To remain neutral and not take sides | "He's sitting on the fence about the new company policy." |
| 23 | Spill the beans | To reveal a secret | "Who spilled the beans about the merger?" |
| 24 | Take it with a grain of salt | To not take something too seriously | "Take his advice with a grain of salt; he doesn't have all the facts." |
| 25 | The ball is in your court | It's your decision or responsibility to do something next | "I've done my part, now the ball is in your court." |
| 26 | Under the weather | To feel unwell | "I'm feeling a bit under the weather today." |
| 27 | Up in the air | Uncertain or undecided | "The plans for the weekend are still up in the air." |
| 28 | Wrap your head around | To understand something complicated | "It's hard to wrap your head around all the new regulations." |
| 29 | You can say that again | I completely agree | "It's been a tough week. You can say that again!" |
| 30 | Zero in on | To focus closely on something | "We need to zero in on the key issues affecting our sales." |
| 31 | A blessing in disguise | Something good that isn't recognized at first | "Losing that job was a blessing in disguise." |
| 32 | A piece of cake | Something very easy to do | "The test was a piece of cake." |
| 33 | Back to the drawing board | To start over because a plan failed | "Our proposal was rejected, so it's back to the drawing board." |
| 34 | Barking up the wrong tree | To pursue a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action | "If you think I'm responsible, you're barking up the wrong tree." |
| 35 | Bend over backwards | To make a great effort to help someone | "He bent over backwards to make them feel welcome." |
| 36 | Best of both worlds | A situation where you can enjoy the advantages of two different things | "Living in the city but working from home gives me the best of both worlds." |
| 37 | Bite off more than you can chew | To take on a task that is too big | "I think I bit off more than I can chew with this project." |
| 38 | By the skin of your teeth | Barely manage to do something | "I passed the exam by the skin of my teeth." |
| 39 | Costs an arm and a leg | Very expensive | "That new car costs an arm and a leg." |
| 40 | Don't count your chickens before they hatch | Don't assume success before it happens | "Don't count your chickens before they hatch; we haven't won yet." |
| 41 | Every cloud has a silver lining | There is something good in every bad situation | "Losing the job was hard, but every cloud has a silver lining." |
| 42 | Hit the sack | To go to bed | "I'm exhausted; I'm going to hit the sack." |
| 43 | Jump on the bandwagon | To join others in doing something popular | "Everyone's jumping on the bandwagon and buying electric cars." |
| 44 | Keep your chin up | To remain cheerful in a difficult situation | "Keep your chin up; things will get better soon." |
| 45 | Know the ropes | To be familiar with how something is done | "After a week on the job, she already knows the ropes." |
How to Use These on CELPIP
• Writing Task 1/2: Use idioms to add flair to your emails or opinion pieces. For example, "Let's cut to the chase" can make your writing more engaging.
• Speaking Tasks: Incorporate these expressions to sound more natural and fluent. Saying "I'm feeling under the weather" is more idiomatic than "I'm sick."
• Reading/Listening: Recognize these idioms to better understand the context and nuances in passages or conversations.
"The manager decided to call it a day after the long meeting."
"I had to face the music when the client complained about the service."
"She jumped on the bandwagon and started recycling at home."
"After the presentation, everyone agreed that he hit the nail on the head."
💡 Pro Tip: Use idioms sparingly and ensure they fit the context. Overusing them or using them incorrectly can make your language sound forced or unnatural.
Common Mistakes
• WRONG: "I will burn the midnight candle."
- RIGHT: "I will burn the midnight oil."
• WRONG: "She let the dog out of the bag."
- RIGHT: "She let the cat out of the bag."
• WRONG: "Don't count your eggs before they hatch."
- RIGHT: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
• WRONG: "He is in the same ship as you."
- RIGHT: "He is in the same boat as you."
• WRONG: "That costs a leg and an arm."
- RIGHT: "That costs an arm and a leg."
Mini Practice
1. I'm going to ________ and finish this project tonight.
2. Everyone was surprised when she ________ about the merger.
3. After hearing the bad news, he tried to ________.
Answers: 1) bite the bullet, 2) spilled the beans, 3) keep his chin up
🎯 Key Takeaways
✓Understanding idioms and expressions in Canadian English is crucial for enhancing reading and listening skills, particularly in the context of the CELPIP test.
✓Incorporating idioms into writing and speaking tasks can make your language more engaging and natural, but it is important to use them sparingly and appropriately.
✓Common mistakes include using incorrect words or phrases that sound similar to idioms; learning the correct forms is essential for effective communication.
✓Recognizing idioms in reading and listening tasks helps in understanding the context and nuances of the conversation or text.
📝 Quick Quiz
1. Which idiom would you use to describe a situation where someone has to accept the consequences of their actions?
2. If someone is 'burning the midnight oil', what are they doing?
3. What does the idiom 'a blessing in disguise' imply about a situation?