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| Fun Easy English Classroom January 25 |
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Classroom
Today
Introduction
to
American English
idioms |
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Today in the Fun Easy English classroom you are going to learn about American English
idioms. |
 Hey
if you cannot understand something on this page,
then use the Fun Easy English
dictionary
(opens in a new window) |
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 Idioms:
Introduction
Knowing the idioms used in American movies, television,
and popular music is very cool. You will be able to
understand native American English. |
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American English idiom definition
An idiom is an expression whose meaning does not seem to
follow logically from the combination of the meaning of its
parts and the "rules of language."
Idioms are often classified as figures of speech.
Idioms are used extensively in American TV, movies, music,
literature, and in conversations among native English
speakers. |
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American English idiom example
"hang in there"
She plans to "hang in there" even though
she is taking eight classes this semester.
The meaning of this idiom is to "continue despite
difficulties."
The words "hang in there" have completely
different meanings when separated.
hang - To fasten from above with no support
from below.
in - Within the limits, bounds, or area of.
there - At or in that place. |
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 From
YOUR Teacher: Using
Idioms
Studying idioms is important in order to understand
American TV, movies, music, literature, and
conversations among native English speakers.
International students who are studying English should
not use idioms too often in their daily conversations
with native American English speakers. Idioms are
generally an unsophisticated form of expression and can
sound very strange if overused and especially if used
incorrectly. |
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Additional Lessons |
 About These
Lessons
The following classroom lessons are great for students
who want additional conversation, listening, and reading
practice. |
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Conversation Lesson -
Beginner Level. Let's
Learn English conversation lesson
with a conversation video, a video script, audio
listening practice, video speaking practice, video
pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
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 Conversation Lesson
25 - Watch Out!
(Beginner -
Conversation, Listening, Reading)
In this lesson Anna learns about a new game, "Catch
Americana." She walks around the memorials to U.S.
Presidents and learns fun facts by playing the game. |
Lesson Video
Watch the video and then do the activities on this page. |
Video Script
Anna: Hello from Washington, DC! This city has many monuments and memorials.
Anna: Today I am visiting the ones built in memory of our Presidents:
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt.
Anna: I want to learn more about them.
Anna: Hey! Watch out!
Dan: Sorry! I didn't see you.
Anna: You were not looking. You should be more careful.
Dan: I know I should be more careful. But this game is really fun.
Anna: What kind of game?
Dan: You have to find things that aren't really there.
Anna: How can you find things that aren’t really there?
Dan: They're in your phone. See?
Anna: I see. It’s like a scavenger hunt.
Dan: That’s right!
Anna: I don’t have time for games. I want to learn about U.S. presidents.
Dan: Then you should play this game! When you find an American symbol, you win
points and a Fun Fact about a U.S. President.
Anna: I have time for this game!
Dan: Here are the symbols that I caught: the Statue of Liberty for 20 points,
Uncle Sam for 40 points and the American flag for 60 points.
Anna: What symbol are you looking for now?
Dan: I am looking for the bald eagle. That is 100 points! It should be near the
Washington Monument.
Anna: This game is awesome.
Dan: You ought to buy the app right now. It’s called “Catch Americana.”
Anna: Got it. Catch Americana.
Anna: Thanks! Good luck!
Dan: Good luck to you too!
Anna: This is the Jefferson Memorial. I know that Thomas Jefferson signed the
Declaration of Independence! Now, where is that symbol?
Anna: Here it is! My first one. It’s an American flag! I won 60 points!
Anna: An American flag works well for Thomas Jefferson*. I see lots of American
flags on Independence Day!
Anna: Where is my Jefferson Fun Fact?
Voice: In his lifetime, Thomas Jefferson wrote about 19,000 letters!
Anna: I did not know that. Where is the next symbol? |
Listening
Now practice listening to only the audio portion of the conversation. |
Speaking
In this video, you can practice saying the new words and learn how to make
recommendations using "should." |
Pronunciation
This video teaches about past tense contractions, like "didn't." |
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New Words |
- Americana -
n. things produced in the U.S. and thought to
be typical of the U.S. or its culture
- bald eagle -
n. a very large bird of North America that has
a white head and white tail feathers
- build / built -
v. to make (something) by putting together
parts or materials
- be careful! -
interjection an instruction to take care in a
particular situation
- catch / caught -
v. to capture and not allow (a person, animal,
or fish) to escape
- Declaration of Independence
- n. the statement adopted by the Second
Continental Congress meeting at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776.
It said that the thirteen American colonies would not accept British rule
- find / found -
v. to get or discover something or someone that
you are looking for
- flag -
n. a piece of cloth with a special design that
is used as a symbol of a nation or group
- Independence Day -
n. July 4 celebrated as a legal holiday in the
U.S. in honor of the day when the Declaration of Independence was signed in
1776
- memory -
n. the power or process of remembering what has
been learned
- in memory of or in someone's
memory - made or done to honor someone who has died
- ought to -
modal verb. used to say or suggest that
something is the proper, reasonable, or best thing to do. It has the same
meaning as should and is used in the same ways, but it is less common and
somewhat more formal
- point -
n. a unit that is used to score a game or
contest
- scavenger hunt -
n. a game in which players try to find
specified items within a particular period of time
- should -
v. used to say or suggest that something is the
proper, reasonable, or best thing to do
- Statue of Liberty -
n. A large sculpture given to the United States
from the people of France. It is a symbol of freedom and democracy
- symbol -
n. an action, object, event, etc., that
expresses or represents a particular idea or quality
- Uncle Sam -
n. a common symbol of the government of the
United States
- Watch out! -
phrasal verb. to be aware of something
dangerous
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 Activity
In this lesson, Anna learns about a new video game. What
games do you like to play? Write about the video games
or other games you like. Write about it in the Facebook
Comments section below. Use the Activity Sheet to play a
game that helps you practice talking about games,
sports, and leisure activities.
Click
lesson activity to get the printable PDF version. The
page opens to a new window. |
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Conversation
Lessons
Study all 52 English conversation lessons. Let's Learn
English conversation lessons each with a conversation
video, a video script, audio listening practice, video
speaking practice, video pronunciation practice, a new
words section, and a writing activity.
These
lessons are for beginners. |
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Source:
Voice of America |
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Hey Students,
Use this dictionary and reference to look up any words you do not
understand in Fun Easy English.
Note: search opens in a new tab. |
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Search Fun Easy English |
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