Fun English Idioms and Phrases Activities Teachers Can Use in Class

Teaching English idioms and phrases can be challenging because many expressions have meanings that cannot be understood by translating each individual word. A student who hears “break the ice,” “hit the nail on the head,” or “under the weather” for the first time may try to interpret the expression literally and become confused.

For ESL teachers, the solution is to make idiom instruction more interactive. Instead of simply giving students a list of definitions to memorize, teachers can use games, storytelling, role-play, matching activities, and speaking challenges to help learners understand and use idiomatic language in context.

Idioms are an important part of natural English communication, and resources from Cambridge Dictionary and the British Council provide extensive explanations and examples for learners. Cambridge Dictionary defines an idiom as an expression whose meaning is different from the meanings of the individual words, while the British Council provides dedicated resources for learning idioms and expressions.

 

 

Why Teach English Idioms and Phrases?

English learners need more than individual vocabulary words to communicate naturally. Native and highly proficient speakers frequently use fixed expressions, phrasal expressions, and idioms in everyday conversation.

Teaching English idioms and phrases can help students:

• Understand movies, television programs, podcasts, and conversations
• Improve listening comprehension
• Expand their vocabulary
• Speak more naturally
• Understand informal English
• Recognize figurative meanings
• Develop cultural awareness

The British Council notes that vocabulary development is important for improving communication and language proficiency, while its idiom resources provide activities that encourage learners to explore meanings and usage.

However, teachers should avoid presenting dozens of idioms at once. A smaller number of useful expressions, combined with repeated practice, is generally much more manageable for learners.

1. English Idioms and Phrases Matching Game

A matching game is one of the easiest ways to introduce new idiomatic expressions.

Create two sets of cards. One set contains idioms and the other contains their meanings.

For example:

• Break the ice — Start a conversation and make people feel more comfortable.
• Piece of cake — Something that is very easy.
• Under the weather — Feeling sick or unwell.
• Once in a blue moon — Something that happens very rarely.

Mix the cards and ask students to work individually or in pairs to match each expression with its correct definition.

For stronger learners, add a third set containing example sentences. Students then have to match the idiom, meaning, and example sentence.

2. Guess the Idiom

This activity turns idiom practice into a vocabulary guessing game.

Write an idiom on a card and give it to one student. The student must describe the expression without actually saying the words.

For example, if the idiom is “cost an arm and a leg,” the student might say:

“It’s something you say when something is extremely expensive.”

The other students have to guess the expression.

This activity works particularly well for intermediate learners because students must explain meanings using other English vocabulary.

3. Idiom Charades

Charades are an excellent way to make abstract language more visual.

Give a student an idiom such as:

• Hit the books
• Break the ice
• Spill the beans
• Bite the bullet
• Let the cat out of the bag

The student acts out the expression while classmates try to guess it.

Once they identify the idiom, require them to explain its figurative meaning and create an example sentence.

For example:

• Idiom: Hit the books
• Meaning: Study seriously.
• Example: “I need to hit the books because I have an exam tomorrow.”

The physical element can make expressions much easier to remember, particularly for younger learners.

4. Idiom Hot Seat

The Hot Seat game can easily be adapted for English idioms and phrases.

One student sits in the hot seat facing away from the board. Write an idiom on the board where the rest of the class can see it.

Students then give clues until the person in the hot seat guesses the expression.

For example, the board might say:

Spill the beans

Students might provide clues such as:

• “You do this when you reveal a secret.”
• “Don’t do this if someone tells you something confidential.”

The student must guess the idiom.

You can make the activity competitive by dividing the class into teams and awarding points for correct answers.

EnglishClub also provides extensive idiom lists and quizzes that can be useful when preparing vocabulary for activities like this.

5. Idiom Pictionary

Pictionary is another fun way to introduce figurative expressions.

Students draw an image representing an idiom while classmates try to guess the expression.

For example, for “a piece of cake,” a student might literally draw a piece of cake.

Once classmates guess the expression, ask:

“What does it really mean?”

This final question is important because it distinguishes literal understanding from figurative understanding.

Idiom Pictionary works particularly well with children and visual learners.

6. Complete the Idiom

Write incomplete idioms on the board and ask students to complete them.

Examples:

• “Break the _____.”
• “Hit the _____ on the head.”
• “Once in a _____ moon.”
• “Cost an arm and a _____.”
• “The ball is in your _____.”

Students race to fill in the missing words.

For additional practice, students can then use each completed expression in an original sentence.

7. Idiom Storytelling Challenge

Storytelling is a powerful way to teach English idioms and phrases because it provides context.

Give students three or four idioms and ask them to create a short story containing all of them.

For example:

• On cloud nine
• Break the ice
• Hit the books
• Burn the midnight oil

A student might create a story about receiving good exam results, meeting classmates, studying hard, and eventually succeeding.

This activity moves students beyond recognition and toward productive language use.

It can also be adapted for writing lessons. Students first write their stories and then present them orally to the class.

8. Idiom Scenario Cards

Create cards containing everyday situations.

For example:

• Situation: Your friend tells you about a difficult exam.
• Situation: Your roommate reveals a secret.
• Situation: You bought a very expensive computer.
• Situation: You meet a group of strangers at a party.

Students must choose an appropriate idiom for each situation.

Possible answers might include:

• “Hit the books.”
• “Spill the beans.”
• “Cost an arm and a leg.”
• “Break the ice.”

This activity teaches students that idioms should be selected according to context rather than memorized independently.

9. English Idioms and Phrases Board Race

Divide the class into two teams and write categories on the board.

Possible categories include:

• Money
• Work
• Food
• Relationships
• School
• Success

Call out a category and have students race to write an appropriate idiom.

For example, under “Money,” students might write:

• “Cost an arm and a leg.”
• “Save for a rainy day.”
• “Pay through the nose.”

After each round, ask students to explain the meanings.

EnglishClub offers a variety of ESL classroom activities and games that can provide inspiration for adapting competitive activities such as board races for vocabulary review.

10. Idiom Dialogue Role-Play

Role-playing is one of the best ways to move from vocabulary knowledge to practical communication.

Give pairs of students a situation and require them to use two or three target idioms.

For example:

Situation: Two friends are discussing an upcoming exam.

Student A: “I’ve been hitting the books all week.”

Student B: “Me too. I think we’re in the same boat.”

After performing their dialogue, students can create a new conversation using different expressions.

Role-play is particularly useful for adult ESL learners because it connects idioms to real-world communication.

11. Guess the Meaning from Context

Instead of giving students definitions first, provide a short paragraph containing an unfamiliar idiom.

For example:

“Sarah had been studying for weeks. When she finally passed the exam, she was on cloud nine.”

Ask students:

“Does ‘on cloud nine’ mean she was sad, angry, or extremely happy?”

This technique encourages students to use context clues rather than depending on translation.

12. Idiom of the Day

Introduce one new idiom at the beginning of every lesson.

Write:

Idiom of the Day: Get the ball rolling

Meaning: Start something.

Then give an example:

“We need to get the ball rolling on our new project.”

Ask students to create their own examples.

A daily idiom routine works well because learners repeatedly encounter expressions without being overwhelmed by a long vocabulary list. EnglishClub specifically recommends routine activities involving expressions such as an “idiom-of-the-day” for learners, including adults.

How to Choose the Best English Idioms and Phrases

Not every idiom is equally useful for ESL learners. Teachers should prioritize expressions that students are likely to encounter in modern spoken or written English.

Good beginner and intermediate choices include:

• Break the ice
• Piece of cake
• Under the weather
• Once in a blue moon
• Hit the books
• Spill the beans
• Cost an arm and a leg
• On cloud nine
• Get the ball rolling
• In the same boat

Teachers should also consider students’ age, proficiency level, cultural background, and reason for studying English.

For more advanced learners, teachers can introduce less common expressions, workplace idioms, and expressions associated with specific topics.

Tips for Teaching Idioms Successfully

The most important principle is to teach idioms in context.

Instead of simply writing:

Break the ice = start a conversation

show students a realistic situation in which the phrase would naturally occur.

Use dialogues, stories, videos, role-plays, and pictures to reinforce meaning.

It is also useful to teach pronunciation and grammar together with the expression. Students need to understand not only what an idiom means but also how it sounds and how it fits into a sentence.

The BBC Learning English archive includes materials focused specifically on idioms and phrases, including lessons and worksheets that teachers can use for additional inspiration.

Summing Up the Idiom Lessons

Teaching English idioms and phrases doesn’t have to involve tedious memorization. With the right activities, idiom lessons can become some of the most engaging classes in an ESL course.

Matching games, Hot Seat, charades, Pictionary, storytelling, board races, role-playing, and daily idiom challenges all provide opportunities for students to understand expressions and actively use them.

The key is to move students through three stages: recognizing the idiom, understanding its meaning, and using it naturally in communication. When learners encounter an expression repeatedly in different contexts, they are much more likely to remember it and eventually use it themselves.

For teachers, the goal should not be to teach as many idioms as possible. Instead, focus on practical English idioms and phrases that your students can actually use. A small collection of well-practiced expressions can do far more for speaking confidence and fluency than a long list of definitions.

Read more on the ESL Expat Blog.