Idioms for everyday use 1: Idioms ​from Colou

 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE UNIT 1 IDIOMS FROM COLOURS & ANIMALS 
IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE 
Idioms from Colours 
Reading. IN THE RED 
 Read the story. Then discuss the questions. 
 The letter came out of the blue! I wasn't expecting it. But there it was in black and 
white, signed by the bank manager. I had no money in my checking account. I was in 
the red. 
 I couldn't believe it. So I went to see the manager. We looked at the problem together. 
The bank had made a mistake. It had put ten dollars into my account instead of one 
thousand dollars! 
 Because it was the bank's mistake, there was no delay reopening my account. The 
manager cut through all the red tape. Now I had money in my account. And I had the 
green light to write checks again. 
1. Does in the red mean to have enough money or to not have enough money? When a company 
is in the red, is it in trouble? 
2. When you learn something out of the blue, is it a surprise? 
3. If doing something takes a lot of red tape, is it easy to do? Sometimes getting papers from the 
government takes a lot of red tape. Can you think of some examples of things that take red tape? 
Meanings. 
 Each example has an idiom with a colour word. Read the example carefully to find the meaning 
of the idiom. Then look at the definitions that follow the examples. Write the idiom next to its 
definition. 
the black market - You can go to the bank to change dollars. But if you change money 
on the black market, you often get more money for each dollar. 
to feel blue - I was alone on my birthday and feeling blue. Then Anny called and 
invited me out, and I felt better. 
the green light - The bank has given us the money. Now we have the green light to 
start the project. 
green with envy - I was green with envy when I learned that Luis had won a trip to 
Europe. 
in black and white - I couldn't believe it, but there it was in black and white, as clear 
as it could be. The letter said that I had won a trip to Vietnam. 
in the black – Tam Vy earns a thousand dollars a week. She doesn’t have to worry 
about having enough money. She’s always in the black. 
in the red - I never have enough money to pay my bills. I’m always in the red. 
out of the blue - The news of the factory’s closing came out of the blue. No one was 
expecting it. 
the red carpet - When the movie star visited, our town rolled out the red carpet. There 
was a parade and a special dinner in her honour. 
red tape - Every time you want to get a new passport, you have to go through a lot of 
red tape. It’s not easy and it takes a lot of time. 
a white lie - I didn’t feel like going out. So I told a white lie, and I said I didn't feel 
well. 
1. ........................................ by surprise, unexpectedly 
2. .........................................very clear and easy to understand 
3. ........................................ owing money, in debt 
4. ........................................ complicated official procedures and forms 
5. ........................................ the okay to start something 
6. ........................................ special honors for a special or important person 
7. ........................................ the market not controlled by the government, where things 
 are sold in private and often against the law 
8. ........................................ something that is not true but that causes no harm 
9. ........................................ jealous of someone else's good fortune 
10. .......................................to feel sad 
11. .......................................having money 
PRACTICE 
A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 
1. My boss just gave me a raise in salary. Am I feeling blue? 
2. I took my drivers test and passed. Then in less than half an hour I had my drivers 
license in my hand. Was there a lot of red tape? 
3. My friend Jack asked if I liked his new purple tie. I didn't really like it, but I said that 
the tie was nice. Did I tell a white lie? 
4. I always like to keep some extra money in the bank for an emergency. Am I in the 
black? 
5. My boss said he had to talk to two other managers about my project. Did I get the 
green light? 
6. They said it was in the contract, but I never saw it. Was the contract in black and 
white? 
7. If I write this check, I won't have enough money in my account to cover it. Will I be 
in the red? 
8. We had no idea at all. He told us he was leaving the company. Was the news out of 
the blue? 
9. When the famous general came to town last year, we even had a special parade and 
fireworks show. Did the town roll out the red carpet? 
10. When I exchange foreign currency at the bank, do I get it on the black market? 
11. Sam wanted the job as manager of the store, but another employee got it. Might Sam 
be green with envy? 
B. Each example has the correct idiom, but there is one error with each idiom. 
Find the error and correct it. 
1. I got the news from the blue. 
2. The rules for the contest were in black or white. 
 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE UNIT 1 IDIOMS FROM COLOURS & ANIMALS 
3. They were green for envy when their friend won the lottery. 
4. Tony loves to shop, so he is always on the red. 
5. You must go through a lot of red tapes to get a visa in some countries. 
6. They rolled out the red carpets when he came. 
7. Yuri does not have a problem with money. He’s in black. 
8. Pam was feeling in blue because she had to stay home. 
9. I told white lie. I said I couldn't come to the party because I had other plans. 
10. The city has the green lights to build a new highway. 
11. The tourists bought some money on the black. 
Conversation 
Practise each conversation with a partner. 
SITUATION 1. Tom is talking to his friend. 
Tom: I just got a call from my brother. 
Carol: How is he? 
Tom: Out of the blue he told me he just got married. 
SITUATION 2. Jenny is feeling lonely. 
Lucia: You don’t look very happy, Jenny. 
Jenny: I'm just feeling blue. I guess I feel lonely. 
Lucia: Don't feel lonely. I'm your friend! That’s why I came to take you out. 
SITUATION 3. Nancy is talking to her husband. 
Nancy: Let’s go to a nice restaurant for supper. 
Matt: Is there something special to celebrate? 
Nancy: No, but I just finished doing our expenses for the month, and we're in the black. 
Let's spend some of our extra money. 
*** 
Idioms from Animals 
Reading. TWO VERY DIFFERENT BROTHERS 
 Read the story. Then discuss the questions. 
 At school, Randy was shy and as quiet as a mouse. He was also very clever. He had a 
twin brother, Jason. Jason loved football and had to work like a dog to make good 
grades. In school, Randy was the bookworm. He loved to read. But without his glasses 
he could not see. He was as blind as a bat. Jason ate like a horse and was two hundred 
pounds at age seventeen. Both of them were early birds and got out of bed at four every 
morning. Randy read and studied. Jason went training. Today, because they were 
pigheaded and did not give up, Jason is quarterback for the Glendale Geeks, and Randy 
is the owner of the team. 
1. If you work like a dog, do you work hard or don’t you work hard? When have you 
worked like a dog? 
2. Are you an early bird? Tell why or why not. 
3. If you are pigheaded, do you change easily? 
Meanings 
 Each example has an idiom with an animal word. Read the example carefully to find the 
meaning of the idiom. Then look at the definitions that follow the examples. Write the idiom next 
to its definition. 
as blind as a bat - I'm as blind as a bat without my glasses. 
as quiet as a mouse - When the teacher walked into the room, each student was at his 
or her desk, reading a book, as quiet as a mouse. 
a bookworm - Hoàng reads twelve books a week. He’s a real bookworm. 
a copycat My little brother Martin is a copycat. If I get black sneakers, he wants to have 
black sneakers, too. 
chicken - Richard is too chicken to try waterskiing. 
an early bird - Allan arrives at the office before everyone else. He’s an early bird. 
to eat like a horse - Every time Dad goes walking in the mountains, he comes home 
with a big appetite, and he eats like a horse. 
pigheaded - Bình is so pigheaded that he never listens to anyone. He always does what 
he has decided. 
to smell a rat - I could smell a rat. Someone stopped me on the street and offered to 
sell me a gold watch for five dollars. 
to talk turkey - Let’s stop being polite and talking around the problem. Let’s start to 
talk turkey. 
to work like a dog - Javier works two jobs and goes to college. He works like a dog 
because he wants to get a good education. 
 Thẩm Tâm Vy, September 13th, 2018 IDIOMS FOR EVERYDAY USE UNIT 1 IDIOMS FROM COLOURS & ANIMALS 
1. .........................................making almost no noise, being shy and not talking much 
2. .........................................to work very hard 
3. .........................................not taking advice, stubborn 
4. .........................................to eat a lot 
5. .........................................the first person to be somewhere, a person who gets out of 
 bed early 
6. .........................................not able to see well because of very bad eyesight 
7. .........................................someone who reads a lot 
8. .........................................afraid, scared 
9. .........................................to talk openly and. directly 
10. .......................................to think there may be something wrong 
11. ......................................a person who wants to do the same thing as other people 
PRACTICE 
A. Answer each question with yes or no. Explain your answer. 
1. Marvin stays in bed all day. Does he work like a dog? 
2. Gloria always listens to other peoples advice. Is she pigheaded? 
3. Bert is very original. He dresses in his own style. Is he a copycat? 
4. I can't see a thing without my glasses. Am I as blind as a bat? 
5. Hank eats a lot. Does he eat like a horse? 
6. Manuel never says very much. Is he as quiet as a mouse? 
7. Carlo is always late. Is he an early bird? 
8. If Stamo thinks there is something wrong or dishonest going on, does she smell a rat? 
9. Are you chicken if you go skydiving? 
10. If you won't talk openly to someone, will you talk turkey? 
11. Larisa never reads. Is she a bookworm? 
B. Complete each example with an idiom from this unit. 
1. Janos goes to school all day and then works two evening jobs. 
 He ....................................................................... 
2. At the sale, the............................will get all the bargains before anyone else arrives. 
3. Andrew never speaks at meetings. He's...................................... 
4. Reiko always wears the same clothes as her friends. She is such a.............................. 
5. Every time we invite Tony to dinner, he finishes every dish. He ............................... 
6. The store was advertising TVs for one hundred dollars. I.............................. 
7. Lets ............................................We need to solve this problem quickly. 
8. Jaime goes to the library three times a week because he’s a........................... 
9. You're just....................................... Everyone can ride a bike. 
10. Roger wont take advice from anyone. He’s just plain................................... 
11. I’m ........................................... without my glasses. 
CONVERSATION 
Practise each conversation with a partner. 
SITUATION 1. Alfred is asking Alice about her new neighbours. 
Alfred: What are your new neighbors like? 
Alice: I don’t know. I haven’t met them yet. 
Alfred: Oh, really. 
Alice: All I know is that I haven’t heard a sound from next door. They’re as quiet as 
mice. 
SITUATION 2. Liza is talking to Nathan. 
Liza: Did you hear that Louis has a new girlfriend? 
Nathan: No, what’s she like? 
Liza: I hear that she works in a library. Maybe she’s a bit of a bookworm. 
SITUATION 3. Kyle is talking to his little brother. 
Bruce: Can I ride on your bike? 
Kyle: No, you can't. And stop being such a copycat. You don’t have to do whatever I do. 
Bruce: Why not? What else are big brothers for? 
***