WELCOME TO OUR BLOG! It can be difficult to understand English without understanding idioms. We are here to help you. Each week we will provide you with 6 new and different idioms and 4 activities to help you better familiarize yourself with the wonderful world of idioms. Try them once or as many times as you wish and you will find yourself better understanding the English spoken around you. Good luck!

ACTIVITY 1

A CHEESY CONVERSATION-Here is a sample dialogue using the following 6 idioms- CRAM, PIECE OF CAKE, CRYSTAL CLEAR, CHEESY, DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, and FILTHY RICH. Listen to the dialogue by pressing the PLAY button and read along to the script. Then, listen and read along one more time. Try to make guesses about possible meanings to the idioms. But don't worry if you're not sure because there are more activities ahead to help you. 

                             

DIALOGUE WITH IDIOMS:

Jeremy: Man, I am so tired!

Angela: Why is that?

Jeremy: Well, I CRAMMED for my test all night long. I must have studied 10 hours straight!

Angela: Really?! Well, how did the test go? Was it easy - A PIECE OF CAKE - or was it difficult?

Jeremy: It was difficult! For starters, I didn't understand the directions at all.They weren't CRYSTAL CLEAR. Then, all of the essay questions were about CHEESY topics such as the importance of Burt Reynolds's hairpiece in modern cinema and whether or not Jean Claude VanDamme deserved an Oscar for his work in "Bloodsport". Come on! That's not serious!

Angela: Well, I agree that Burt Reynolds and Jean Claude VanDamme aren't great actors.  But, to play DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - if it were not for Burt Reynolds and his fake hair, we wouldn't have Steven Segal and Ben Affleck today.

Jeremy: Yeah, that's true. And they showed that having a good hairpiece can not only give you roles in Hollywood, but make you rich - very rich - even FILTHY RICH!

ACTIVITY 2

MICASE PRACTICE - This activity will help you become familiar with the following 6 idioms - CRAM, A PIECE OF CAKE, CRYSTAL CLEAR, CHEESY, DEVIL'S ADVOCATE, and FILTHY RICH - through a website that shows real world examples of them. You will need to click on the following website - http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/micase/

Once there, click on the SEARCH MICASE button. Next, type the first idiom "CRAM" into the SEARCH space.  

Then click on ALL for the various categories and then hit the SEARCH button. Now you will see the word "CRAM" in a transcript of an actual conversation. Can you guess the meaning? Write your guess in the COMMENT section. You are probably pretty close to the real meaning. To be sure, go to the following link - www.urbandictionary.com to see if you are correct.

ACTIVITY 3

PICTURE MATCH - For this exercise you will match the following 6 idioms - CRAM, A PIECE OF CAKE, CRYSTAL CLEAR, CHEESY, DEVIL'S ADVOCATE,  and FILTHY RICH - with the picture that describes it.  Just look at the pictures and then go to the COMMENT  section and write the idiom with a brief description of the picture.  Good luck!

ACTIVITY 4

MAKING A SENTENCE- Now, it is time to show what you have learned about these idioms.  For each of the 6 idioms - CRAM, A PIECE OF CAKE, CRYSTAL CLEAR, CHEESY, DEVIL'S ADVOCATE,  and FILTHY RICH - try to write a sentence using the idiom so that others reading it may be able to figure out its meaning.  Please write your sentences in the COMMENT section.