Pearson
Adult Learning Centre: Tips for Writers by Brad Hyde
A
Quick Way to Improve Writing: Using Idioms
Students may write well and
produce grammatically correct prose for my classes. But, often,
something is missing, something that I can't quite put my finger on (an
idiom to indicate uncertainty). Ah yes, it's that their correct writing
lacks the fluent use of English idiom.
Be careful, however, as not all idiom is equal. For example, my
students often bring up the expression, "raining cats and dogs," as a
good example of idiom. It is, but I have never used the
expression in a real conversation nor have I ever heard it used. Well,
that's not exactly true—in France recently I heard a French speaker say
it!
So, I scoured the Internet for a couple of good sources of information
on idiom. Even so, try the idioms you learn out on a native speaker to
get their opinion before you put it in writing. The two sites provide
what look to me like "real life" idioms, ones that are used daily in
the English speaking world.
Make it a point to learn a few and, more importantly, begin to use them
in your writing (but not too many!) from time to time.
Commonly
Used American Slang
280 different and up-to-date expressions given with a sample sentence.
Self-Study
Idiom Quizzes
Think you know a lot already? Try these quizzes and prove it!
(August 1, 2006)
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