Top 100 Idioms and Phrases for Primary 1: A Comprehensive Guide

Here is a condensed list of the idioms and their meanings:

A hot potato – a controversial issue
Beat around the bush – avoid talking about the main issue
Cry over spilled milk – worry over things from the past
Piece of cake – something easy
Break a leg – wishing good luck
Cut corners – to do something poorly or cheaply
Hit the nail on the head – do or say something exactly right
Sit tight – wait patiently
Speak of the devil – the person you’re just talking about appears
Through thick and thin – in good times and bad
Once in a blue moon – something that happens rarely
When pigs fly – something that will never happen
An apple a day keeps the doctor away – healthy eating prevents sickness
A penny for your thoughts – asking someone what they’re thinking
Biting the bullet – face a difficult situation bravely
Hit the books – to study
Kick the bucket – to die
Let the sleeping dogs lie – avoid disturbing a situation
Miss the boat – miss the opportunity
Not playing with a full deck – someone who lacks intelligence
Off the hook – no longer have to deal with a tough situation
Put something on ice – delay something
Sit on the fence – not able to decide
The last straw – the final problem in a series
Through thick and thin – in good times and bad
An arm and a leg – very expensive
Barking up the wrong tree – looking in the wrong place
Curiosity killed the cat – being too curious can lead to trouble
A dime a dozen – something very common
Every cloud has a silver lining – finding something good in every bad situation
Get a taste of your own medicine – treated the way you’ve been treating others
Hit the sack – go to sleep
In hot water – in trouble
Kill two birds with one stone – achieve two things at once
Make a long story short – tell something briefly
No pain, no gain – you have to work for what you want
Out of the frying pan and into the fire – go from a bad to a worse situation
Pull someone’s leg – to joke with someone
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – having something certain is better than the possibility of more
Bite the dust – fail or be defeated
Cross your fingers – hope for good luck
Down in the dumps – feeling sad
Get out of hand – lose control
Hang in there – don’t give up
It takes two to tango – both parties involved are responsible
Jump the gun – start something too early
Keep your chin up – stay positive
Make my day – do something to make a person feel great
Not a big deal – something that is not important
Over the moon – very happy
Pull yourself together – calm down
Quite a few – many
Read between the lines – find the hidden meaning
So far so good – things are going well so far
Take it easy – relax
Up in the air – decision not made yet
Zip your lip – stop talking
Bent out of shape – upset
Cost an arm and a leg – very expensive
Drive up the wall – annoy or frustrate
Feel like a million bucks – feel wonderful
Get your act together – behave properly
Hold your horses – be patient
In the nick of time – just in time
Keep an eye on – watch carefully
Like a piece of cake – something easy
Make a mountain out of a molehill – make a big deal out of something small
No room to swing a cat – a very small, confined space
Once in a blue moon – something happening rarely
Pull someone’s leg – to joke with someone
Quality time – time spent that is meaningful and enjoyable
Run out of steam – to lose energy
Spill the beans – reveal a secret
Time flies – time goes by quickly
Up in arms about – very upset about something
You can say that again – I agree with you
A drop in the bucket – a very small part of something big
Burn the midnight oil – to work late into the night
Close, but no cigar – just barely missing the mark
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – don’t make plans based on future events that might not happen
Go the extra mile – do more than what is needed
Head in the clouds – daydreaming
It’s a small world – meeting someone you wouldn’t expect to in certain circumstances
Keep your fingers crossed – hope for the best
Make up your mind – make a decision
Out of this world – amazing, incredible
Put your foot in your mouth – say something embarrassing or wrong
See eye to eye – to agree fully
The early bird catches the worm – being early or on time has its benefits
You’re pulling my leg – you’re joking with me
A hot potato – a controversial issue
Beat around the bush – avoid talking about the main issue
Cry over spilled milk – worry over things from the past
Piece of cake – something easy
Break a leg – wishing good luck
Cut corners – to do something poorly or cheaply
Hit the nail on the head – do or say something exactly right
Sit tight – wait patiently
Speak of the devil – the person you’re just talking about appears
Through thick and thin – in good times and bad

Learning a language goes beyond understanding its grammar and syntax. It’s about grasping the essence of the language, which is greatly defined by its idioms and phrases. For young learners in Primary 1, idioms can seem daunting due to their non-literal meanings. But fear not! This article focuses on the ‘Top 100 Idioms and Phrases for Primary 1’, and is designed to keep it simple and engaging for 7-year-old kids.

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Quick Learning Strategies

Before we dive into the top 100 idioms, here are some effective strategies to master these colourful expressions:

Use Picture Books: Visual aids can help reinforce understanding.
Storytelling: Create a story around the idiom to remember its context.
Daily Use: Incorporate the idiom into daily conversations.
Flash Cards: Write the idiom on one side, meaning and an example sentence on the other.
Online Games: Make use of interactive language games that focus on idioms.

Top 100 Idioms and Phrases for Primary 1

We’ve selected a list of idioms that are both commonly used and age-appropriate for Primary 1 students.

A piece of cake: Something that is easy to do.
Bite the bullet: To face a difficult situation bravely.
Break a leg: Wishing someone good luck.
Catch some Z’s: To go to sleep.
Cool as a cucumber: Being calm and composed.
Cry over spilled milk: Worrying about past mistakes.
Feeling under the weather: Feeling unwell or sick.
Hit the nail on the head: To get something exactly right.
In the same boat: In the same situation as others.
Let the cat out of the bag: To reveal a secret.

Let’s start training, learn this on week 1:

Here are the top 100 idioms and phrases for Primary 1, divided into 4 tables:

Idiom/Phrase	Meaning	Example
1. A piece of cake	Easy	Completing the homework was a piece of cake.
2. Bite the bullet	Face a difficult situation bravely	I have to bite the bullet and start my project.
3. Break a leg	Good luck	Break a leg at your music recital.
4. Catch some Z’s	To go to sleep	I am going to catch some Z’s early tonight.
5. Cool as a cucumber	Calm and composed	Even in the tense situation, he remained as cool as a cucumber.
6. Cry over spilled milk	Worrying about past mistakes	There’s no point crying over spilled milk. Let’s move on.
7. Feeling under the weather	Feeling sick	I’m feeling under the weather, so I can’t come to school today.
8. Hit the nail on the head	To get something exactly right	You’ve hit the nail on the head with that answer!
9. In the same boat	In the same situation	We’re all in the same boat, trying to finish the project.
10. Let the cat out of the bag	To reveal a secret	Who let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party?
11. Out of the blue	Unexpectedly	My friend showed up out of the blue.
12. Piece of mind	Calm and quiet mind	A good book gives me peace of mind.
13. Rain cats and dogs	Rain heavily	It’s raining cats and dogs, we can’t go to the park.
14. See eye to eye	Agree	We don’t always see eye to eye on everything.
15. The ball is in your court	It’s your decision now	The ball is in your court now, you need to decide.
16. Tie the knot	Get married	They decided to tie the knot next month.
17. Under the weather	Feeling ill	I’m under the weather and need to rest.
18. When pigs fly	Never	You’ll beat me at chess when pigs fly!
19. You can’t judge a book by its cover	Don’t judge something or someone by appearance	You can’t judge a book by its cover; give the new student a chance.
20. A hot potato	A controversial issue or situation	The new school rule is a hot potato among the students.
21. At the drop of a hat	Immediately	She is always ready to read a book at the drop of a hat.
22. Beat around the bush	Avoid saying what you mean	Don’t beat around the bush. Tell me the truth.
23. Bite off more than you can chew	To take on a task that is too big	I bit off more than I could chew by taking on the lead role in the play.
24. Call it a day	Stop working for the day	After practicing for hours, they decided to call it a day.
25. Cut corners	Do something the easiest or cheapest way	You won’t do well on your test if you cut corners while studying.

And now onto Week 2:

Here are the next set of idioms:

Idiom/Phrase	Meaning	Example
26. Hit the books	To study	It’s time to hit the books for my math test tomorrow.
27. Kick the bucket	To die (use this idiom carefully)	My goldfish kicked the bucket yesterday.
28. Let the sleeping dogs lie	Avoid disturbing a situation	It’s better to let sleeping dogs lie and not bring up old arguments.
29. Miss the boat	Miss the opportunity	If we don’t leave now, we will miss the boat.
30. Not playing with a full deck	Someone who lacks intelligence	He’s not playing with a full deck if he thinks he can swim across the river.
31. Off the hook	No longer have to deal with a tough situation	Now that my friend is here, I’m off the hook and can go play.
32. Put something on ice	Delay something	Let’s put our trip on ice until the weather is better.
33. Sit on the fence	Not able to decide	I’m sitting on the fence about which book to read first.
34. The last straw	The final problem in a series	Forgetting his homework was the last straw before he got detention.
35. Through thick and thin	In good times and bad	My best friend has been with me through thick and thin.
36. An arm and a leg	Very expensive	This toy costs an arm and a leg.
37. Barking up the wrong tree	Looking in the wrong place	If you think I have your toy, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
38. Curiosity killed the cat	Being too curious can lead to trouble	I know curiosity killed the cat, but I want to know what’s in the box.
39. A dime a dozen	Something very common	These toys are a dime a dozen at the fair.
40. Every cloud has a silver lining	You can find something good in every bad situation	Losing the game wasn’t fun, but every cloud has a silver lining – at least I played my best.
41. Get a taste of your own medicine	Treated the way you’ve been treating others	He got a taste of his own medicine when his prank backfired.
42. Hit the sack	Go to sleep	It’s been a long day. I think I’ll hit the sack.
43. In hot water	In trouble	If you don’t do your homework, you’ll be in hot water.
44. Kill two birds with one stone	Achieve two things at once	By reading a book while on the treadmill, I can kill two birds with one stone.
45. Make a long story short	Tell something briefly	To make a long story short, I got the lead role in the school play!
46. No pain, no gain	You have to work for what you want	I know this exercise is tough, but no pain, no gain.
47. Out of the frying pan and into the fire	Go from a bad to a worse situation	He ran from the teacher and into the principal – out of the frying pan and into the fire.
48. Pull someone’s leg	To joke with someone	I’m just pulling your leg; I didn’t really eat your candy.
49. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush	Having something certain is better than the possibility of more	I’d rather have a bird in the hand and keep my old toy than risk it for a new one.
50. Bite the dust	Fail or be defeated	If we don’t practice, our team will bite the dust at the competition.

The next Week 3:

Idiom/Phrase	Meaning	Example
51. Cross your fingers	To hope for good luck	Cross your fingers that it doesn’t rain for our field trip tomorrow.
52. Down in the dumps	Feeling sad	I felt down in the dumps after losing my favorite toy.
53. Get out of hand	To lose control	The party got out of hand when everyone started throwing cake.
54. Hang in there	Don’t give up	Hang in there, the puzzle will be completed soon.
55. It takes two to tango	Both parties involved are responsible	You both were arguing, remember, it takes two to tango.
56. Jump the gun	Start something too early	I jumped the gun and ate my dessert before dinner.
57. Keep your chin up	Stay positive	I know you didn’t win the game, but keep your chin up. There’s always next time.
58. Make my day	Do something to make a person feel great	You really made my day by giving me your extra ticket.
59. Not a big deal	Something that is not important	Don’t worry about making a mistake. It’s not a big deal.
60. Over the moon	Very happy	I was over the moon when I got a puppy for my birthday.
61. Pull yourself together	Calm down	I had to pull myself together before I could give the presentation.
62. Quite a few	Many	I’ve read quite a few books over the summer.
63. Read between the lines	Find the hidden meaning	If you read between the lines, you’ll see that the note is a clue for a treasure hunt.
64. So far so good	Things are going well so far	We’ve done half of the project. So far, so good.
65. Take it easy	Relax	After working hard on my project, I’m going to take it easy this weekend.
66. Up in the air	Decision not made yet	The date of our field trip is still up in the air.
67. Zip your lip	Stop talking	When the teacher walks in, it’s time to zip your lip.
68. Bent out of shape	Upset	She got all bent out of shape when I borrowed her book without asking.
69. Cost an arm and a leg	Very expensive	The new video game costs an arm and a leg.
70. Drive up the wall	Annoy or frustrate	My little brother drives me up the wall when he plays drums while I’m studying.
71. Feel like a million bucks	Feel wonderful	After a good night’s sleep, I feel like a million bucks.
72. Get your act together	Behave properly	You need to get your act together and start doing your homework on time.
73. Hold your horses	Be patient	Hold your horses, we’ll go to the park soon.
74. In the nick of time	Just in time	I reached the bus stop just in the nick of time.
75. Keep an eye on	Watch carefully	Keep an eye on the cookies so they don’t burn.

And finally, Week 4:

Let’s finish the list with the final set of idioms:

Idiom/Phrase	Meaning	Example
76. Like a piece of cake	Something easy	The test was like a piece of cake, I knew all the answers.
77. Make a mountain out of a molehill	To make a big deal out of something small	Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill; it’s just a tiny scratch.
78. No room to swing a cat	A very small, confined space	My old playhouse is so small, there’s no room to swing a cat.
79. Once in a blue moon	Something happening rarely	We only go to the amusement park once in a blue moon.
80. Pull someone’s leg	To joke with someone	Don’t worry, I was just pulling your leg when I said there’s a test today.
81. Quality time	Time spent that is meaningful and enjoyable	On weekends, I love spending quality time with my family.
82. Run out of steam	To lose energy	After playing all day, I ran out of steam and had to take a nap.
83. Spill the beans	Reveal a secret	My sister spilled the beans and told me about the surprise party.
84. Time flies	Time goes by quickly	I was having so much fun that time flew by.
85. Up in arms about	Very upset about something	The students were up in arms about the new homework policy.
86. You can say that again	I agree with you	“This ice cream is delicious!” “You can say that again!”
87. A drop in the bucket	A very small part of something big	My savings is just a drop in the bucket compared to what I want to buy.
88. Burn the midnight oil	To work late into the night	I had to burn the midnight oil to finish my project.
89. Close, but no cigar	Just barely missing the mark	I was close to winning the game, but no cigar.
90. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch	Don’t make plans based on future events that might not happen	You shouldn’t spend your allowance before you get it. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
91. Go the extra mile	Do more than what is needed	I’m going to go the extra mile and make a card to go with the gift.
92. Head in the clouds	Daydreaming	Stop having your head in the clouds and pay attention in class.
93. It’s a small world	Meeting someone you wouldn’t expect to in certain circumstances	I ran into my teacher at the amusement park. It’s a small world!
94. Keep your fingers crossed	Hope for the best	I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I get a bike for my birthday.
95. Make up your mind	Make a decision	You need to make up your mind about which book to read.
96. Out of this world	Amazing, incredible	The magic show was out of this world.
97. Put your foot in your mouth	Say something embarrassing or wrong	I really put my foot in my mouth when I called my teacher ‘Mom’.
98. See eye to eye	To agree fully	My best friend and I see eye to eye on most things.
99. The early bird catches the worm	Being early or on time has its benefits	Wake up early for school tomorrow – remember, the early bird catches the worm.
100. You’re pulling my leg	You’re joking with me	You say you saw a unicorn? I think you’re pulling my leg!

There you have it, 100 idioms and phrases perfect for Primary 1 students. Use these idioms to add some fun to your English learning journey. Happy studying!

Learning Idioms with Context

Learning idioms within a context makes it easier to remember and use them correctly. For instance, if a friend helps you in completing a difficult puzzle, you can say, “Solving that puzzle was a piece of cake with your help!” As the list continues, try to use each idiom in a sentence that would be relatable for a 7-year-old. In this way, it will be a fun learning exercise and not just rote memorization.

Some other awesome websites:

Online Resources for Learning Idioms and Phrases

In the age of technology, we have some excellent online resources that can supplement this list of idioms and phrases for primary 1 students. These include:

Idioms for Kids on Enchanted Learning: This is a great resource for learning idioms, complete with easy-to-understand explanations and illustrations.
BBC Learning English at BBC Learning English: Here, you can find an array of English learning resources including a section on idioms.
Fun English Games on Fun English Games: This website offers a variety of interactive language games for young learners.

Conclusion

Idioms and phrases are an integral part of the English language that adds richness and depth to our expressions. For young learners in Primary 1, understanding these idioms can go a long way in enhancing their language skills. With the help of our list of idioms and the suggested strategies, learning idioms can be a fun, enriching, and rewarding experience.

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Top 100 Idioms and Phrases for Primary 2