Hancock P., Collins C. Is that what you mean, too? 2: 50 everyday idioms and how to use them

London: Penguin Books Ltd, 1992. — 143 p.This work presents an approach to English grammar, and is the second title in the "Is That What You Mean?" series
An idiomatic expression is a group of two or more words which cannot be understood simply by knowing the meaning of each separate word - it has a special meaning which speakers of the language understand. Most learners of English want to and need to learn some idiomatic expressions because they are such an important part of the real language we speak.
There are a great many idioms in the English language, and it is difficult for non-native speakers to know which expressions are really useful. Many idioms sound quite old-fashioned as they are not really used very much by English speakers. Some expressions are so informal or colloquial that it would sound strange if a foreign speaker used them. The expressions used in this book have, therefore, been chosen because they are often used by English speakers, and can also be used quite naturally by foreign learners.
However, learning and using idioms correctly is not easy. There is the problem of getting them right. An idiomatic expression must be used absolutely correctly. If you make even the smallest mistake, the idiomatic expression no longer has its special meaning. It will actually mean just what the words say, which is sometimes very strange! The first picture of each example in this book will show you this and will help to stop you from making mistakes. Making you aware of these mistakes and correcting them will make sure that you learn the idiom in its correct form.
It's often not easy to understand exactly what an idiom means. The second picture of each example in this book will help to make the meaning clear. Some more explanation of the idiom is given under each of these pictures. When you check the correct answer, notice which word(s) is stressed when the idiom is spoken. Exercise A in each unit gives further practice in learning the idioms in their correct form. Exercise B in each unit will check that you understand which idiom is correct for each context.