Idiomatic Expressions and Phraseological Units: English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation

Idiomatic expressions and phraseological units are essential components of natural, fluent English. Understanding and using these expressions correctly can significantly improve your language proficiency and help you achieve a higher score in the ЕГЭ English exam. This guide will help you master idiomatic expressions and phraseological units for more effective communication in English.

Theory for Exam Preparation

Idiomatic expressions and phraseological units are fixed combinations of words whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of their individual components. They are an integral part of everyday English and are frequently used by native speakers in both spoken and written communication. In the ЕГЭ English exam, knowledge of idiomatic expressions is tested in various sections, including reading comprehension, use of English, and writing. Understanding these expressions helps you interpret texts more accurately, recognize nuances in meaning, and express yourself more naturally and idiomatically. This guide will explore different types of idiomatic expressions and phraseological units, provide common examples organized by themes, and offer strategies for learning and using them correctly.

Understanding Idiomatic Expressions

Idiomatic expressions, or idioms, are phrases whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words. They have a figurative meaning that is understood through common usage.

Characteristics of Idiomatic Expressions

Fixed form: Idioms generally have a fixed form that cannot be changed without losing their idiomatic meaning.
Non-literal meaning: The meaning of an idiom cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its components.
Cultural specificity: Many idioms are culturally specific and reflect the history, customs, and values of a particular culture.
Register sensitivity: Some idioms are appropriate only in certain contexts or registers (formal, informal, slang, etc.).

Types of Idiomatic Expressions

Transparent Idioms

These idioms are relatively easy to understand because their figurative meaning is somewhat related to their literal meaning.

Examples:

Play with fire - to do something dangerous that could have bad consequences
Break the ice - to do or say something to reduce tension or make people feel more comfortable
Add fuel to the fire - to make a bad situation worse
Cross that bridge when you come to it - to deal with a problem only when it actually happens
Put all your eggs in one basket - to risk everything on a single venture

Semi-transparent Idioms

These idioms are more difficult to understand because the connection between their literal and figurative meanings is less obvious.

Examples:

Bite the bullet - to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage
Burn the midnight oil - to work or study late into the night
Spill the beans - to reveal a secret
Hit the nail on the head - to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Beat around the bush - to avoid talking about what is important

Opaque Idioms

These idioms are the most difficult to understand because there is no apparent connection between their literal and figurative meanings.

Examples:

Kick the bucket - to die
Pull someone's leg - to joke with someone by telling them something untrue
Barking up the wrong tree - to pursue a mistaken or misguided line of thought or course of action
Let the cat out of the bag - to reveal a secret accidentally
Under the weather - feeling ill

Common Idiomatic Expressions by Theme

Time and Money

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Time flies	Time passes quickly	Time flies when you're having fun.
In the nick of time	At the last possible moment	The firefighters arrived in the nick of time to save the family.
Break the bank	To be very expensive	Don't worry, buying a new phone won't break the bank.
Cost an arm and a leg	To be extremely expensive	That new car must have cost an arm and a leg.
Make ends meet	To have just enough money to pay for necessities	With the rising cost of living, many families struggle to make ends meet.

Success and Failure

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Hit the jackpot	To be very successful or lucky	She hit the jackpot when she got that job at Google.
Miss the boat	To miss an opportunity	If you don't apply for the scholarship now, you'll miss the boat.
Back to the drawing board	To start again because your first attempt failed	Our proposal was rejected, so it's back to the drawing board.
Get off to a flying start	To begin very successfully	The new business got off to a flying start with orders pouring in.
Fall flat on your face	To fail completely and embarrassingly	His attempt to impress the boss fell flat on its face.

Feelings and Emotions

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Over the moon	Extremely happy	She was over the moon when she heard she'd got the job.
Down in the dumps	Sad or depressed	He's been down in the dumps since his girlfriend left him.
Lose your cool	To become angry	The manager lost his cool when he heard about the mistake.
Get cold feet	To become nervous about something you have planned to do	She got cold feet just before the wedding and called it off.
Drive someone up the wall	To annoy someone a lot	His constant whistling is driving me up the wall.

Relationships

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Hit it off	To get along well immediately	They hit it off as soon as they met.
See eye to eye	To agree with someone	We don't always see eye to eye on political issues.
Give someone the cold shoulder	To ignore someone deliberately	She's been giving me the cold shoulder ever since our argument.
Bury the hatchet	To end a disagreement and become friends again	After years of not speaking, the brothers finally buried the hatchet.
Get on someone's nerves	To annoy someone	His constant complaining really gets on my nerves.

Work and Study

Idiom	Meaning	Example
Learn the ropes	To learn how to do a job or activity	It will take a few weeks for the new employee to learn the ropes.
Burn the midnight oil	To work or study late into the night	She's been burning the midnight oil to prepare for her exams.
Cut corners	To do something in the easiest or cheapest way	The builder cut corners and now the roof is leaking.
Think outside the box	To think creatively and unconventionally	We need to think outside the box to solve this problem.
Call it a day	To stop working on something	We've been working for hours. Let's call it a day and continue tomorrow.

Note!

Idiomatic expressions often have cultural origins and may not translate directly into other languages. It's important to learn them in context and understand their usage in different situations.

Understanding Phraseological Units

Phraseological units are stable combinations of words with a unified meaning. They include idioms, but also encompass other types of fixed expressions such as proverbs, sayings, and clichés.

Types of Phraseological Units

Proverbs

Proverbs are short, well-known sayings that express a general truth or piece of advice.

Examples:

Actions speak louder than words - What someone does means more than what they say.
Don't judge a book by its cover - Don't judge something or someone by appearance alone.
The early bird catches the worm - Those who arrive first have the best chance of success.
A stitch in time saves nine - It's better to deal with problems immediately than to wait and let them get worse.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do - When visiting another place, follow the customs of the people in that place.

Sayings

Sayings are common expressions that give advice or express a general truth, but are not as fixed or traditional as proverbs.

Examples:

All's well that ends well - A positive ending makes up for any problems that occurred along the way.
Better late than never - It's better to do something late than not at all.
Easy come, easy go - Things that are acquired easily are usually lost or spent just as easily.
The more, the merrier - More people will make an event more enjoyable.
You can't have your cake and eat it too - You can't have two incompatible things at the same time.

Clichés

Clichés are expressions that have been overused to the point of losing their original impact or meaning.

Examples:

At the end of the day - When everything is taken into consideration.
Think outside the box - Think creatively or unconventionally.
It's not rocket science - It's not complicated or difficult.
The bottom line - The final, most important point.
Last but not least - The final person or thing mentioned is not less important than those mentioned before.

Similes

Similes are expressions that compare two things using "like" or "as".

Examples:

As busy as a bee - Very busy.
As cold as ice - Very cold.
As light as a feather - Very light.
Sleep like a log - Sleep very deeply.
Eat like a horse - Eat a lot.

Metaphors

Metaphors are expressions that describe something by saying it is something else, without using "like" or "as".

Examples:

Time is money - Time is valuable and should not be wasted.
The world is a stage - Life is like a performance where everyone plays a part.
He's a night owl - He stays up late at night.
She's a ray of sunshine - She brings happiness and positivity.
Life is a journey - Life is a process of experiences and challenges.

Common Phraseological Units by Origin

From Literature and the Bible

Expression	Meaning	Origin
Achilles' heel	A weakness or vulnerable point	Greek mythology
The apple of one's eye	Someone or something very precious or cherished	The Bible
To be or not to be	A question about the value of existence	Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
A wolf in sheep's clothing	Someone who hides their true evil nature	Aesop's Fables
Turn the other cheek	To respond to an offense without retaliation	The Bible

From History and Culture

Expression	Meaning	Origin
Meet your Waterloo	To be decisively defeated	Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo
Bite the bullet	To face a difficult situation with courage	Military practice of having a patient bite on a bullet during surgery without anesthesia
White elephant	A possession that is useless and costs a lot to maintain	Thai tradition where the king would give a white elephant to a courtier he disliked
Burn the midnight oil	To work or study late into the night	Before electricity, people would burn oil in lamps to work at night
Pass with flying colors	To succeed decisively	Ships would return to port with their flags (colors) flying to show they had been victorious

From Sports and Games

Expression	Meaning	Origin
Hit a home run	To be very successful	Baseball
Move the goalposts	To change the rules or conditions unfairly	Football/Soccer
Jump the gun	To start something too soon	Track and field
Play your cards right	To act in a way that gives you an advantage	Card games
Drop the ball	To make a mistake or fail to fulfill a responsibility	Various ball sports

Note!

Phraseological units often carry cultural connotations and historical references. Understanding their origins can help you remember them and use them appropriately.

Strategies for Learning Idiomatic Expressions and Phraseological Units

Contextual Learning

Read extensively: Exposure to authentic English texts helps you encounter idioms and phraseological units in context.
Watch movies and TV shows: Pay attention to how native speakers use idiomatic expressions in different situations.
Listen to podcasts and radio: Hearing idioms used naturally helps you understand their meaning and usage.
Study example sentences: Learn idioms with example sentences that show how they are used in context.

Categorization

Group by theme: Organize idioms by themes such as time, money, success, failure, etc.
Group by key word: Learn idioms that contain the same key word (e.g., idioms with "time," "hand," "eye," etc.).
Group by origin: Learn idioms that come from the same source (literature, sports, history, etc.).
Group by function: Organize idioms by their communicative function (agreeing, disagreeing, expressing surprise, etc.).

Visualization and Association

Create mental images: Visualize the literal meaning of an idiom to help remember its figurative meaning.
Use mnemonic devices: Create memory aids to help you remember idioms.
Make personal associations: Connect idioms to your personal experiences or memories.
Draw or sketch: Create simple drawings that represent the meaning of idioms.

Active Use

Keep an idiom journal: Write down new idioms you encounter, along with their meanings and example sentences.
Practice regularly: Use idioms in your speaking and writing to reinforce your learning.
Create your own examples: Make up sentences using idioms to help remember them.
Teach others: Explaining idioms to someone else helps solidify your understanding.

Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

Literal Translation

Avoid translating idiomatic expressions directly from your native language. Idioms are often language-specific and may not have direct equivalents in other languages.

Example:

Incorrect: In English, we say "to have a wolf in the stomach" when we are very hungry. (Direct translation from some languages)
Correct: In English, we say "to be hungry as a wolf" or "to have a wolf's appetite" when we are very hungry.

Changing the Form

Avoid changing the form of idiomatic expressions. Most idioms have a fixed form that should not be altered.

Example:

Incorrect: She's always putting her nose into other people's business. (The correct idiom is "sticking her nose into")
Correct: She's always sticking her nose into other people's business.

Misunderstanding the Meaning

Make sure you understand the exact meaning of an idiom before using it. Some idioms may seem similar but have different meanings.

Example:

Incorrect: I'm feeling under the weather today, so I'm going to the beach to relax. (Misunderstanding the meaning of "under the weather," which means feeling ill)
Correct: I'm feeling under the weather today, so I'm going to stay home and rest.

Using Idioms in Inappropriate Contexts

Be aware of the register and context in which idioms are appropriate. Some idioms are informal and may not be suitable for formal writing or speech.

Example:

Inappropriate: In my academic essay, I argued that the government should kick the bucket on this issue. (Using a very informal idiom in a formal context, and also misusing it - "kick the bucket" means to die)
Appropriate: In my academic essay, I argued that the government should reconsider its position on this issue.

Practice Examples

Match each idiom with its meaning.

To be in hot water
To hit the nail on the head
To cost an arm and a leg
To be on cloud nine
To pull someone's leg

Meanings: a) To be extremely happy, b) To be in trouble, c) To joke with someone by telling them something untrue, d) To be very expensive, e) To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem

Answers:

1. To be in hot water - b) To be in trouble

2. To hit the nail on the head - e) To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem

3. To cost an arm and a leg - d) To be very expensive

4. To be on cloud nine - a) To be extremely happy

5. To pull someone's leg - c) To joke with someone by telling them something untrue

Complete each sentence with the correct idiom from the box.

break the ice, see eye to eye, miss the boat, burn the midnight oil, hit it off

If you don't apply for the scholarship now, you'll ________.
She's been ________ to prepare for her exams.
The host told a joke to ________ at the beginning of the party.
We don't always ________ on political issues.
They ________ as soon as they met and have been friends ever since.

Answers:

1. If you don't apply for the scholarship now, you'll miss the boat. (miss an opportunity)

2. She's been burning the midnight oil to prepare for her exams. (working or studying late into the night)

3. The host told a joke to break the ice at the beginning of the party. (make people feel more comfortable)

4. We don't always see eye to eye on political issues. (agree with each other)

5. They hit it off as soon as they met and have been friends ever since. (got along well immediately)

Choose the correct idiom to complete each sentence.

After working for the company for ten years, John knows the ________. (strings / ropes / wires)
The new employee is very enthusiastic and always ________ to work early. (jumps / runs / comes)
I'm afraid I have to ________ the invitation to your party. (turn down / turn off / turn away)
She's been feeling ________ since her pet died last week. (under the weather / down in the dumps / off the hook)
Let's ________ and discuss this issue again tomorrow. (call it a day / hit the road / face the music)

Answers:

1. After working for the company for ten years, John knows the ropes. ("know the ropes" means to understand how to do a job or activity)

2. The new employee is very enthusiastic and always comes to work early. (This is not an idiom, but a literal statement)

3. I'm afraid I have to turn down the invitation to your party. ("turn down" means to refuse or reject)

4. She's been feeling down in the dumps since her pet died last week. ("down in the dumps" means sad or depressed)

5. Let's call it a day and discuss this issue again tomorrow. ("call it a day" means to stop working on something)

Identify the origin of each phraseological unit.

Achilles' heel
Jump the gun
Burn the midnight oil
Turn the other cheek
Play your cards right

Origins: a) Sports, b) The Bible, c) Greek mythology, d) Historical practice, e) Card games

Answers:

1. Achilles' heel - c) Greek mythology

2. Jump the gun - a) Sports (specifically track and field)

3. Burn the midnight oil - d) Historical practice (before electricity, people would burn oil in lamps to work at night)

4. Turn the other cheek - b) The Bible

5. Play your cards right - e) Card games

Key Points to Remember

Idiomatic expressions are phrases whose meaning cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words.
Phraseological units include idioms, proverbs, sayings, clichés, similes, and metaphors.
Idiomatic expressions and phraseological units are an integral part of natural, fluent English.
Understanding the cultural and historical origins of idioms can help you remember and use them appropriately.
Learning idioms in context is more effective than memorizing lists of expressions.
Categorizing idioms by theme, key word, origin, or function can help you organize and remember them.
Avoid literal translation, changing the form, misunderstanding the meaning, or using idioms in inappropriate contexts.
Regular practice and active use are essential for mastering idiomatic expressions and phraseological units.

Exam Tip!

In the ЕГЭ English exam, you may encounter tasks requiring you to:

Identify the meaning of idiomatic expressions in a text
Choose the correct idiom to complete a sentence
Match idioms with their meanings
Use appropriate idiomatic expressions in writing tasks

Pay attention to the context in which idioms are used, and be careful not to confuse similar-sounding expressions. Remember that using idiomatic expressions correctly in your writing can help you achieve a higher score by demonstrating a more advanced level of language proficiency.