some of my favourite English body idioms. English idioms probably drive you crazy!

Idioms are really common expressions and together, the meaning of these

expressions is different than the individual meaning of each words. So in

this example, we're not talking about a crazy driver. If someone or something is

driving you crazy, they're really annoying. Together, the words have a

different meaning than individually. Of course, there are hundreds and hundreds

of English idioms and actually you might recognize some of them because they

might be similar to expressions and idioms in your own language.

In English, there are really commonly used idioms and there are some that are more obscure

or less commonly used. So in this video, I'm going to be focusing on a few that

are very commonly used. Now, idioms are really creative, imaginative and fun ways

to use language. If you're studying for your IELTS or your TOEFL exam or

generally you just want to impress someone with your English, then learn to

use a few idioms. Anyway, let's get started! Remember that I've

chosen these idioms because they all are to do with the human body, somehow.

Pain in the neck. Now this idiom is similar to the first

one we spoke about, "drive you crazy". So, if something or someone is a "pain in the

neck", they're really annoying!

"They said that my car was going to be at the mechanics for over a week... It's such

a pain in the neck!" or "I hope he doesn't bring Peter, he

can be a real pain in the neck!"

"Stop it! You're being a real pain in the neck!"

Now, you can also use "pain in the butt" or "pain in the ass" and so these two options

are a little more crude, a little ruder. You probably, wouldn't - well you

definitely - wouldn't use those with your boss or someone you just met.

But you know, with your friends or when you're being quite casual you can say "pain in

the butt" or "pain in the ass". Same meaning.

So the next one, "play it by ear".

So this is when you don't have a plan and you deliberately - you choose not

to have a plan. You want to just make it up as you go. Be a bit flexible.

Do whatever you feel like at the time. For example, "We don't really have a plan for

tonight, we're just going to play it by ear." You know if you're hungry, you'll eat.

If you want to dance, you'll dance. If you want to go for a walk, you'll go for a

walk. If you decide you want to go to the movies, you go to the movies. You just

make it up and you do whatever you feel like at the time. You're playing it by ear.

Here's another. "We don't know what the weather's

going to be like this weekend for the camping trip, so we might have to

play it by ear." It's kind of like wait and see and we'll make up our plan, closer to the time.

I'm sure you've heard of this one, "to cost an arm and a leg."

So then something is really expensive if it costs an arm and a leg i it's expensive!

"Taking a family of five on a trip to Fiji.. It's going to cost an arm and a leg!"

"I love their new kitchen! But, it must have cost them an arm and a leg!"

"I want my kids to have the best education possible, but the school fees are costing

an arm and a leg! I just don't know if it's worth it."

"To get something off your chest" So, if you have a problem or something's

bothering you and you need to tell someone about it, then you're going to

get it off your chest. "Thanks for listening to me complain

about my boss, I just needed to get it off my chest."

"He's been frustrated about this for months! He just needs to talk to him

about it and get it off his chest!" "OK, I need to get something off my chest,

I've been waiting to tell you about it for weeks!"

"To keep an eye on something"

To keep an eye on something. It means to take care of something or to watch over

something and protect it. "I'll keep an eye on dinner while you're on the phone."

I'll watch dinner. I'll make sure that it doesn't burn while you're on the phone

"Oh! Sara said she'd keep an eye on the kids while we go out."

Another one, "I'm all ears" I'm all ears

It means that you're fully listening and you're paying attention.

"Give me just a minute to finish this, then I'll be all ears."

"Well, if you've got a better idea then I'm all ears!" If you think that you've

got a better idea then tell me about it! I'm listening!

Have you ever gotten cold feet?

Do you have cold feet? So this is an idiom that you use when you're feeling

really nervous right before an important event or a big event.

So if you decided you wanted to go skydiving and you put all of the gear on, the special clothing,

and you fly up into the sky in the plane and suddenly you look down and you

realise how far away the ground is and you get cold feet. You get really nervous and you think

"Maybe I don't want to do this after all!" That's a good example of getting cold feet.

"He was so nervous before his presentation, I thought he was going to get cold feet!"

"So, how did it go? Or did you get cold feet?"

Now, this last one I know you're going to love and appreciate. If something goes over your

head, it means you don't get it. You missed the meaning, you haven't quite

understood what's happening. Now, when you're learning a new language this

happens all the time! Someone says something to you and you're not quite

sure what it means. It's gone over your head. It didn't go into your head so that

you understood it, it went over your head. Now, this is a really awesome one for you

to try out when you're in an English conversation and somebody says something

that you don't quite understand, you're not sure about the meaning. You can say to them,

"Sorry! That went straight over my head! Can you say it again?"

Well, that's it for this lesson, I hope that you've learned a few new English

idioms that you can try out soon. Make sure that you subscribe to my Youtube

channel so that you find out when I release new lessons. There are plenty of

other video lessons that are already on my Youtube channel, so check them out!

You can also find me on Facebook or come and check out my website at mmmenglish.com

where you can learn a bit more about my online English courses. Bye for now!