15 English Idioms You Will Hear Daily (with Meanings)

Idioms are phrases you cannot translate word-by-word.

15 common ones

1. Break the ice — start a conversation
2. Piece of cake — very easy
3. Hit the nail on the head — exactly right
4. Under the weather — feeling sick
5. Spill the beans — reveal a secret
6. Cost an arm and a leg — very expensive
7. Burn the midnight oil — work late
8. Call it a day — stop working
9. On the ball — alert, competent
10. Cut to the chase — get to the point
11. Miss the boat — miss the chance
12. Pull yourself together — calm down
13. Speak of the devil — person appears as named
14. Once in a blue moon — rarely
15. The ball is in your court — your turn to act

Example

"The exam was a piece of cake." "Let's call it a day."

Practice

Learn 3 idioms a week. Use one in real talk. The SpeakNow chat drill accepts idioms in context.

Idioms make you sound natural, not textbook.