Transcript:

Hi everyone! I am Georgiana, founder of speakenglishpodcast.com. My mission is to help you speak English fluently.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

If you have already listened to my previous episode about asking a girl out, I hope my lesson has helped you to get a date. But if you still haven’t had the luck to put my advice into practice, don’t worry. At least now you know what to say to the girl of your dreams.

But now, let’s change the topic.

Today, I’d like to teach you some animal idioms.

I’m sure some of them will sound familiar because they are quite popular.

And with a point of view story, you’re gonna practice the expressions and compare the different grammar points. It’s the perfect way to learn grammar and new vocabulary without memorizing. The story will be romantic but with an unexpected turn of events!

Alright! Let’s talk about idioms now.

Supposing you’re talking to a friend, and he insists that you reveal him a secret.

Suddenly, he says, “come on! Let the cat out of the bag!”

And you’re wondering, “what on Earth is he talking about? I don’t have any cat in the bag!

Well, you’ve just heard an animal idiom. 

You are probably wondering what an idiom is? 

Well, it’s an expression; it’s a creative way to share an idea or a feeling. So, you shouldn’t take the meaning literally.

Idioms aren’t always easy to learn and understand. That’s why I recommend that you learn them in context. I have prepared some examples and a story to help you understand better the idioms of today’s episode.

The important question is: 

Should you use idioms when you speak English?

Of course, you can use idiomatic expressions whenever you want, but you gotta be careful. Only use them when you are sure of the meaning and context. 

I personally believe that if English is not your mother tongue, there is no reason for you to use idioms. 

(END OF THE EXTRACT).

Resources:

• Audio mp3 (right-click to save the audio)
• FULL-TEXT PDF (right-click to save the TEXT)

Recommended Material:

Fluency Course

Can you understand a conversation in English but still can’t speak? The Fluency course will help you speak English automatically. Learn how to speak English without translating mentally.