ABA Journal The digital English academy
Welcome to another vocabulary lesson!
As you know by now, idioms are expressions that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words.
Well, this English vocabulary class is all about idioms that are quite humorous.
Ready to smile?
1. The lights are on, but nobody’s home
We use this expression to describe someone not very intelligent. A similar expression is: “The wheel is still spinning, but the hamster is dead”. Both intend to describe someone who is physically active, but not mentally active.
For example:
“This waitress keeps forgetting my food! It’s like the lights are on, but nobody’s home”
2. To have Van Gogh’s ear for music
Van Gogh is a very famous post-impressionist painter. He is also very well-known for cutting off his own ear. They still do not know exactly why it happened.
The expression, therefore, is ironic since someone who has Van Gogh’s ear for music means they have no sense of music at all.
For example:
“I have Van Gogh’s ear for music… I sing so badly and never remember the melody for any songs”
3. To put a sock in it
This idiom means “to be quiet” and we say it to someone who is very loud, noisy or won’t stop talking. Maybe it means we should put a sock in their mouth?
For example:
“Her little brother is always banging on the table and shouting when I am trying to study. I wish he would put a sock in it!”
4. When pigs fly
We already explained this idiom in our Animal Idioms post, but to remind you: we use it to express that something will probably never happen. It is also used in disbelief.
For example:
“Josephine told me she will pass all of her exams but she has not studied at all! She’ll pass when pigs fly…”
5. Couch potato
To be a couch potato means to be lazy and spend all day lying on the sofa, watching TV or playing games. A couch and a sofa are the same thing.
For example:
“My boyfriend is such a couch potato! All he does all day, every day, is watch National Geographic and MTV on the television”
Which idiom did you like most?
Thank you very much for this useful idioms I like couch potato.
Very interesting!!!!!!!!!! Some of theme are also used in others languages like Spanish. 😉
Yes! Some of the expression overlap and we can find them in several languages.
It’s a great idiom, to be like a couch potato!
Hello Mrs Kate, i would like to practice my english with a native one by speaking..
Hello Ridha!
There are many ways for you to practice English with a native. You can try out our course, get in touch with someone from our community on our social networks, etc. Good luck! 🙂
thanks a lot kate it was useful,i would like ,,wken pigs fly
Glad it helped! 🙂