Idiomatik

BfS 1

Boland

12.01.2012

Food Idioms
1. I had to eat humble pie when I realised that I was wrong after all.
2. I know youve got a secret. Come on! Spill the beans!
3. In her mothers eyes, Jane is the most important person in the world. Shes the apple of her eye.
4. When I broke my brothers favourite CD, he went bananas!
5. My mother is the only one working in our home. She brings home the bacon.
6. Can you help me? Im in a jam.
7. The entrance exam for the local secondary school is intended to separate the wheat from the
chaff.
8. That test was a piece of cake! Im sure I got an A in it!
9. I know that we pay John a lot to work for us, but he really is worth his salt.
10. You must have had a good breakfast this morning; youre really full of beans today!
11. I realised that my father was in a bad mood when I got home yesterday evening. I was walking
on eggshells for the rest of the evening in the hope that it wouldnt get any worse.
1. Read the sentences above and try to guess what the idioms (in bold print) mean. Fill in your
answer in the appropriate column below. Check your answer with your neighbour and then with
the rest of the class.
2. Provide a possible German equivalent for each idiom.
Idiom

Meaning

Possible German
Equivalent

to eat humble pie

to spill the beans
the apple of somebodys
eye
to go bananas
to bring home the bacon
to be in a jam
to separate the wheat from
the chaff
a piece of cake
to be worth ones salt
to be full of beans
to walk on eggshells
3. Give an appropriate idiom for each of the following situations. Use full sentences
in your answers:
a. You forget that its your boyfriend / girlfriends birthday.
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b. Theres gossip about a certain person and your best friend thinks that you know more
than he does.

Idiomatik

BfS 1

Boland

12.01.2012

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c. Youre just back from a two-week holiday in the sun.
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d. You know that you are in the doghouse with your parents but youre not sure why and
youre trying to be in your best behaviour.
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e. You insisted that something was true and now youve found out its not after all.
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f. The school principal is talking about the entrance exams which students had to take in
order to be allowed attend her school.
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g. Sarah is talking about her mother who has to support the whole family.
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h. You think that your little sister is your parents favourite. What might you say about her?
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i. You have a problem and feel like you might not be able to find a solution.
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j. Youve just passed your driving test with flying colours.
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4. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences.

a. When I turned off the TV programme that he was watching, my little nephew _____
__________.
b. Rita is a wonderful gymnast. For her, turning cartwheels is a _______ __ _____.
c. I know that Siobhn is annoyed with me but Im not sure why. I feel like Im _________
__ ____________ these days.
d. Timothy had to ___ ________ ___ when he realised that he had been wrong after all.
e. I know that you know whats going on, so come on, ______ ___ ______.
f. Can you lend me some money? Im in a bit of __ _____.
g. I know that that photographer is very expensive, but she is really ________ ____
_____.

5. Unscramble the letters of the following words to find an a word, then match that
word with an idiom from the table above. Finally, use each idiom to create your
own sentence.

Idiomatik

BfS 1

Boland

12.01.2012

a. EENCIERGT
b. FCUAERL
c. DAM
d. EUOBTRL
e. GSDEVRENI
f. ESMILP
g. EIDOCSLS / LTEL

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