A study on English idioms - Alina Galbeaza

A Study on English Idioms is an invitation to savoring English and American idioms presented in various contexts. We are certain that motivated learners can look forward to adding more English idioms to their ever-expanding vocabulary. Learning idioms can be “a piece of cake” or, sometimes, “impossible to make heads or tails out of”. Teaching and learning idioms can be fun and can make non-natives sound more like native speakers. Through idioms, non-natives can become more in tune with colloquial English.

Some English expressions are unusual and impossible to guess where they originate from unless we know their history. For example, the Bible, Aviation, the Navy, the Army, history, farming and animals, parts of the body, and sports and games all present a historical basis for English expressions.

Therefore, this book is addressed to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students of different levels. It is meant to support them in the communication process, and to aid language specialists and teachers. This book was designed as a tool for linguistic study and as a handbook for teachers and students.

Divided into four main sections, i. e. theoretical background, exercises, answers to exercises and glossary, this book is aimed at familiarizing the reader with the intricate issues and meanings of English and American idioms, providing, at the same time, a better understanding of the cultural particularities embedded into the English language. The theoretical background provides several definitions of English idioms, discusses and illustrates their classification criteria and points out particularities within the background of a constantly developing vocabulary. This section also deals with the importance and difficulties of teaching and learning idioms. In the broader context of EFL teaching and of the complex nature of vocabulary in general, this section focuses on several effective teaching strategies and activities. The exercises found in this book will help learners fix and deepen their acquired knowledge about the most commonly used English and American idiomatic expressions and their meanings. The answers to exercises will offer the possibility of self-assessment. The Glossary consists of a selection of the most common idioms of the English language, representing a useful source of information and supporting the learners in solving the exercises from the previous section.

Within this book, many different needs and interests are catered to. The book consists of vocabulary and grammar in context, as well as authentic material, and facilitates the acquisition of English as a foreign language. It can be used as a teaching and learning tool in formal and informal settings and has been conceived as an eye-opener for all those who enjoy learning English and are eager to brush up on their idioms.

The authors