Awesome English Idioms For EFL Learners – And How To Teach Them

English is full of quirky expressions that make absolutely no sense—until they do. That’s why English idioms drive us bananas (in a good way).

Say someone’s spilling the beans or hitting the sack, and a literal thinker might picture a kitchen disaster or a violent mattress attack. But of course, we know these phrases mean to reveal a secret or head to bed.

That’s the beauty of idioms: the meanings of idioms don’t come from the individual words but from how we’ve come to use them. They’re colourful, playful, and sometimes downright weird, but they’re also a key part of sounding natural in English. And let’s face it, they make conversations a lot more interesting.

In this article, we’re diving into the wild world of idioms: how to teach them and which ones every English learner should have up their sleeve.

How to teach idioms in the EFL classroom

Idioms are everywhere in English, so there are many possibilities to teach them. It also makes teaching them tricky because where do you even start? 

Considering there must be more than a million English idioms floating around and the limited time you have in the classroom, start with everyday idioms that your learners are likely to encounter in authentic texts like conversations, articles, or films.

Prioritise those used frequently in daily communication rather than obscure ones.

Now, what’s the best way to teach English idioms?

The jury is still out on this but there are a few tried-and-tested methods which we know are helpful for our learners.

Storytelling and contextualisation

Recent studies show that the most effective way to teach idioms is by embedding them in stories or real-life scenarios. Consider the context of how you will teach the idioms you’ve identified as suitable, so weave them into short narratives or dialogues. This makes idioms memorable.  

If you’re a fan of authentic texts – as you should be! – you should find idioms are naturally present. When you do come across them in your lessons using authentic texts, be sure to point them out and explain them in context.

Read more: Authentic Materials: How To Find Them And How To Use Them

Thematic grouping

Idioms lend themselves to colourful explanations and can make for very interesting lessons. Teaching related idioms by grouping them according to theme helps with organisation and recall. For example, you could teach idioms which incorporate animals:

• Killing two birds with one stone – accomplishing two tasks at once
• To let the cat out of the bag – to tell a secret
• To be pig-headed – to be stubborn
• To go cold turkey – to quit something completely, for example, smoking
• To be a bookworm – someone who loves reading
• Wouldn’t hurt a fly – used to describe someone who is not at all aggressive
• To be a guinea pig – to be a test subject for something, to be the first person to do or try something

Or body parts:

• To cost an arm and a leg – to be really expensive
• To give someone the cold shoulder – to ignore someone
• To play it by ear – to do something without planning
• To be a pain in the neck – used to describe someone who is annoying

Even though these idioms can be used in a range of contexts and situations, they are connected and can be easily remembered as a group. However, while grouping idioms by theme can support learning, it’s most effective when used alongside other strategies. So let’s look at a few more.

Etymology 

When possible, share the origin of the idiom. Knowing why we “let cats out of bags” or “go cold turkey” gives learners a cultural and historical hook to hang meaning on. This isn’t vital for learning how to use them correctly in the language, but it can be helpful for learners to remember that we do something behind someone’s back, and not behind someone’s face.

Visuals and mental imagery

Pairing idioms with visuals is effective for learners with lower proficiency. Ask students to draw, imagine, or act out idioms to reinforce the gap between literal and figurative meanings. Digital tools like memes, GIFs, and flashcards turn abstract expressions into something concrete and memorable.

Read more: Top Tips For Teaching English To Beginner EFL Students

Practice and retrieval 

Move idioms from passive recognition to active use. For long-term retention and fluency, use retrieval-based learning strategies like matching idioms with definitions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, creating short dialogues using target idioms, or storytelling challenges. 

Go digital

Boost engagement with interactive quizzes, idiom story apps, or video-based listening tasks to help bring idioms to life. This works especially well when teaching remotely or in blended learning spaces. 

How hard is it to learn idioms?

Idioms are like hidden gems in the English language—packed with meaning, but not always easy to spot. You might catch a few while binge-watching your favourite series, but you won’t hear the same ones used every day.

Some are common, but others only surface in very specific situations (like when someone’s caught red-handed or throws in the towel). But that’s part of the challenge: you can’t rely on repetition to pick them up naturally. And since idioms don’t always follow literal logic, they can be a puzzle for learners.

Don’t forget, speakers of other languages use idioms too. And while they might be similar to English idioms they’re probably not identical – which can prove to be quite entertaining in your lessons. For example, in Spanish you don’t put your foot in it, you put your leg in it!

Luckily, many idioms paint a vivid picture, which makes them stick in your memory once you do come across them. But to use them well, you’ll need more than a flashcard set. It takes time, context, and real-world examples to make them feel natural.

Here’s a list of our favourite idioms to teach. These are common in everyday language and useful.

• To be up in the air
• To be on the ball
• A piece of cake
• To hit the nail on the head
• A race against time
• Pie in the sky
• To see eye to eye with someone
• To be over the moon
• It’s a small world.
• Actions speak louder than words.
• To keep an eye on someone/something
• Practice makes perfect.
• To be over the top
• A rule of thumb
• To be the spitting image of someone
• To cost an arm and a leg
• Speak of the devil!

Wrapping it up (with a cherry on top)

Idioms might seem like nonsense at first glance, but once you get the hang of them, they’re the extra flair that takes your English from textbook to top-notch. The more you use them, the more natural they’ll sound.

So go on. Let your students spill the beans, shoot the breeze, and maybe even break the ice with a few quirky expressions of their own. Now that you’ve got the lowdown, it’s time to let those idioms do the talking.