Idioms: A Collection of Values, Wise Sayings and Principles

(Suitable for all English learners. Primary Sixes will find this useful for compositions and answering the vocabulary portions of their exams, Secondary students and JC can also use these in your writing to add variety into your writing and idea presentation)

Idiomatic sayings offer you insights into a society's thinking, style and culture. They utilise figurative language to present another way of explaining things. Here's a list of idioms to learn today:

A hot potato

Speak of an issue (mostly current) which many people are talking about and which is usually disputed

A penny for your thoughts

A way of asking what someone is thinking

Actions speak louder than words

People's intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.

Add insult to injury

To further a loss with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.

An arm and a leg

Very expensive or costly. A large amount of money.

At the drop of a hat

Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly.

Back to the drawing board

When an attempt fails and it's time to start all over.

Ball is in your court

It is up to you to make the next decision or step

Barking up the wrong tree

Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person

Be glad to see the back of

Be happy when a person leaves.

Beat around the bush

Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.

Best of both worlds

Meaning: All the advantages.

Best thing since sliced bread

A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan.

Bite off more than you can chew

To take on a task that is way to big.

Blessing in disguise

Something good that isn't recognized at first.

Burn the midnight oil

To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting.

Can't judge a book by its cover

Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.

Caught between two stools

When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.

Costs an arm and a leg

This idiom is used when something is very expensive.

Cross that bridge when you come to it

Deal with a problem if and when it becomes necessary, not before.

Cry over spilt milk

When you complain about a loss from the past.

Curiosity killed the cat

Being Inquisitive can lead you into an unpleasant situation.

Cut corners

When something is done badly to save money.

Cut the mustard

To succeed; to come up to expectations; adequate enough to compete or participate

Devil's Advocate

To present a counter argument

Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched

This idiom is used to express "Don't make plans for something that might not happen".

Don't give up the day job

You are not very good at something. You could definitely not do it professionally.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Do not put all your resources in one possibility.

Drastic times call for drastic measures

When you are extremely desperate you need to take drastic actions.

Elvis has left the building

The show has come to an end. It's all over.

Every cloud has a silver lining

Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Far cry from

Very different from.

Feel a bit under the weather

Meaning: Feeling slightly ill.

Give the benefit of the doubt

Believe someone's statement, without proof.

Hear it on the grapevine

This idiom means 'to hear rumors' about something or someone.

Hit the nail on the head

Do or say something exactly right

Hit the sack / sheets / hay

To go to bed.

In the heat of the moment

Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

It takes two to tango

Actions or communications need more than one person

Jump on the bandwagon

Join a popular trend or activity.

Keep something at bay

Keep something away.

Kill two birds with one stone

This idiom means, to accomplish two different things at the same time.

Last straw

The final problem in a series of problems.

Let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning - do not disturb a situation as it is - since it would result in trouble or complications.

Let the cat out of the bag

To share information that was previously concealed

Make a long story short

Come to the point - leave out details

Method to my madness

An assertion that, despite one's approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it.

Miss the boat

This idiom is used to say that someone missed his or her chance

Not a spark of decency

Meaning: No manners

Not playing with a full deck

Someone who lacks intelligence.

Off one's rocker

Crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

On the ball

When someone understands the situation well.

Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Happens very rarely.

Picture paints a thousand words

A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

Piece of cake

A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple.

Put wool over other people's eyes

This means to deceive someone into thinking well of them.

See eye to eye

This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something.

Sit on the fence

This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision.

Speak of the devil!

This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives.

Steal someone's thunder

To take the credit for something someone else did.

Take with a grain of salt

This means not to take what someone says too seriously.

Taste of your own medicine

Means that something happens to you, or is done to you, that you have done to someone else

To hear something straight from the horse's mouth

To hear something from the authoritative source.

Whole nine yards

Everything. All of it.

Wouldn't be caught dead

Would never like to do something

Your guess is as good as mine

To have no idea, do not know the answer to a question

Credits to http://www.smart-words.org/quotes-sayings/idioms-meaning.html

O Level English & JC GP: Environment, Climate Change

Obama says carbon pollution caps will 'protect health of vulnerable' – as it happened 

• EPA unveils proposal to cut carbon emissions at power plants 
• Gore: 'most important step' on climate in US history 
• Plants to cut pollution 30% from 2005 levels by 2030 
• Critics say plan too costly – or cuts not deep enough

President Barack Obama will outline new regulations to cut carbon emissions to 30% of 2005 levels by 2030. Photograph: Susan Walsh/AP

Summary of what was being said

• President Barack Obama unveiled a proposal for new limits on carbon pollution at existing power plants. It was the first regulation of its kind ever proposed by the White House.

 • Under the plan, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a goal of 30% reductions in carbon emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. Reductions would vary by state.

 • The proposal was generally welcomed by environmental groups, but decried by business and the coal industry for potentially costing jobs and money while having limited environmental benefits.

 • The EPA has tailored its emissions goals state-by-state, taking into account each state’s fuel mix, its electricity market and numerous other factors. A text of the plan is on the EPA web site here.

 • Global leaders on environmental issues welcomed the move, saying it could jump-start a stalled international conversation.

 • Obama touted the health benefits of decreased carbon pollution. “In America we don't have to choose between health of our economy and the health of our kids," he said in a conference call. "We can do both."

View the full coverage here

O Level English & JC GP: Racism

Article from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/28/racism-is-still-with-us-lying-britain-survey-racial

Racism is still with us – let's stop lying to ourselves 
Our vision of ourselves for global consumption is one of a post-racial Britain. But a survey shows that it's patently false

The 2012 Olympics, with images of Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah happily draping the union jack around their brown shoulders heralded the dawn of a post-racial Britain. Or so went the script. The image of ourselves presented for global consumption was one of a rainbow nation in which hard work and determination could overcome racial prejudice. After the heat of that summer, we strode along boasting of how much had been achieved, likening racism to an endangered species soon to be fully extinct within our progressive society. A survey of British social attitudes by NatCen, reported in this newspaper, proves otherwise: racism is on the rise.

The survey shows that three in every 10 of us describe ourselves as being "very or a little racially prejudiced". Though the number is lower than figures from 30 years ago (36%), it is higher than in 2000 and 2001 (25%). The highest recorded levels were from 2010, when 37% labelled themselves as racially prejudiced.

From such data, it's evident that merely plastering images proclaiming Britain's racial diversity as evidence of the eradication of racism rings hollow. Perhaps it is time for the government to reinvest in the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which in 2012 had its budget and staff halved. On the basis of the funding decision, the government must think racism is not that much of a problem any more; indeed, nor is discrimination based on disability, sexual orientation, age or religion.

Discussing racism as something still in existence has become hotly contested. Those who label acts as racist find themselves on the receiving end of accusations that they are overly sensitive and paranoid. We are the ones who are the real racists, we are told, breeding division where there should be cohesion with our desire to see racism everywhere. Yet when only 4% of British Pakistanis can say that they are not at all worried about being harassed because of their race or religion, and 65% of black Africans are very or slightly worried about religious or racially motivated attacks, then we need to remember that talking about racism as if it doesn't exist is in fact another instrument in the silencing of black and minority ethnic (BME) voices. It is yet another sign that we don't share in the myth of equality that is so readily served up to us. In fact, experience tells us that our reality is very different from that rendered on advertising billboards and magazines.

NatCen's research makes for especially interesting reading on racism and class. Old assumptions are seemingly affirmed. It is older men in manual work who are most likely to admit to being racially prejudiced. For women, those who work part time are more ready to admit their prejudice. Why? Dr Grace Lordan from the London School of Economics suggests it is related to the poor working conditions such women are forced to endure. Again, this is a formula for racial discrimination that we are happy to accept – it is primarily the problem of the poor, too unenlightened to understand that the nonexistent R-word is passé, to say the least.

This is another lie, an act of hypocrisy that is breathtaking when fully considered. It was the middle class and very learned historian David Starkey who espoused – unchallenged – 19th‑century ideas about the inherently violent nature of "blacks" on national news. Most recently, the multimillionaire friend of David Cameron, Jeremy Clarkson, continues to enjoy a contract funded by the public that permits him to "humorously" jabber racist rubbish at us. And of course, Ukip's public school-educated leader, Nigel Farage, believes it mere common sense to worry about Romanians moving next door. On top of that, there is always the dehumanising language of hordes and swarms.

Farage, with his German wife, proves himself to be rather pathetically predictable – there is the right type of immigrants, who don't look and act too foreign, and the wrong type, who do. It is the latter that have always proved problematic for Britain.

Our largely middle class media and political class are happy to sing variations of this tune but reluctant to claim their share of responsibility when such talk inevitably comes home to roost. It is no surprise that there is a correlation between spikes when people admit their racial prejudice and when anti-immigration rhetoric and Islamophobia are dished out as reasoned stances against impending doom.

To see racism as singularly the problem of one social class is another refusal to view it as a pernicious issue that is supported by structures within society. Though this report gives voice to the resentments of powerless individuals, it shouldn't blind us to the fact that racism is at its most damaging when institutions are at fault.

Around 50% of young black men are unemployed compared with 20% of their white counterparts. In 2010, over 50% of black seven-year-olds and nearly three-quarters of their Pakistani and Bangladeshi counterparts were living in poverty. Gypsies and Travellers have a life expectancy that is 10 to 12 years lower than that of the general population. Black pupils are three times more likely than any other groups except Gypsy and Traveller children to be permanently excluded from school. And on and on the stats go. It is not individuals but institutions that are perpetuating racial inequality. If NatCen's survey does anything, it should be to make us stop lying to ourselves. There isn't anything post about racism: it's here and now.

Essay Transitions

Too often students use the same old transitions over and over again in their essays. Firstly... Secondly... Thirdly... Anyone? 

Good transitions can form strong links between your paragraphs and show readers the relationship and logic in your points.

Try your hand at some of these words and see if it makes a difference in your essay!

Addition

• furthermore
• moreover
• too
• also
• in the second place
• again
• in addition
• even more
• next
• further
• last, lastly
• finally
• besides
• and, or, nor
• first
• second, secondly, etc.

Exemplification or Illustration

• to illustrate
• to demonstrate
• specifically
• for instance
• as an illustration
• e.g., (for example)
• for example

Comparison

• in the same way
• by the same token
• similarly
• in like manner
• likewise
• in similar fashion

Contrast

• yet
• and yet
• nevertheless
• nonetheless
• after all
• but
• however
• though
• otherwise
• on the contrary
• in contrast
• notwithstanding
• on the other hand
• at the same time

Intensification

• indeed
• to repeat
• by all means
• of course
• doubtedly
• certainly
• without doubt
• yes, no
• undoubtedly
• in fact
• surely
• in fact

Summary

• to summarize
• in sum
• in brief
• to sum up
• in short
• in summary

Credits to https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html

O Level & JC GP: Technology and Modern Life Notes

This article is suitable for O Level and A Level learners.

A great article, albeit dated (It was released in 2004). I've highlighted the learning points and key phrases that are easier to understand and suitable for use in your essays. It will be great to use for questions based on Technology and Modern Life. Some examples are:

1. Is technology a boon or a bane for mankind?
2. 'The mobile phone is more a menace than an asset to society.' What are your views?
3. World progress has brought about an increase in the quality of life. Do you agree?
4. People are increasingly self-centered in modern society. Do you agree?
5. In your opinion, what is the most important invention that has changed your life?
6. Technology divides, rather than unite. To what extent do you agree?

Feel free to contribute any similar questions to the list.

--

Life Interrupted by Richard Seven, The Seattle Times
Plugged into it all, we're stressed to distraction

DAVID LEVY, A PROFESSOR in the University of Washington's School of Information, believes he may have witnessed the first-ever interruption-by-e-mail. It happened back in the '70s, when he worked at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, a think tank at the forefront of today's computing world.

He and about 25 other technologists were watching a visiting scientist demonstrate how to make use of multiple parts of the computer screen. The visitor was typing and talking when a text popped up on one side of the screen. "Oh look," he said, "I've received a message!" He typed a response, sent it into cyberspace and went back to his presentation. But not everyone was impressed — or even pleased. "I remember a visiting senior computer scientist from another country got very angry about it," says Levy. "He said programming requires focus and shouldn't be interrupted. He basically said, 'You call this the future!' "

The future? Well, yes and no. E-mail, as it turns out, was just one drop in a dam-breaking flood of technology that has inundated our lives. Today, the constant pinging of your e-mail can be like
the drip-drip-drip of water torture. We're swimming in doodads and options — text messaging and search engines, Blackberries and blogs, Wi-fi, cell phones that try to do all of the above, and the promise that we haven't seen anything yet.

We're shooting through technological rapids that have opened doors and changed the dynamic of work, how we communicate and live, and sometimes even think. All these tools have made our lives easier in many ways. But they're also stirring deep unease. Some are concerned that the need for speed is shrinking our attention spans, prompting our search for answers to take the mile-wide-but-inch-deep route and settling us into a rhythm of constant interruption in which deadlines are relentless and tasks are never quite finished. Scientists call this phenomenon "cognitive overload," and say it encompasses the modern-day angst of stress, multitasking, distraction
and data flurries.

In fact, multitasking — a computing term that involves doing, or trying to do, more than one thing at once — has cemented itself into our daily lives and is intensely studied. Research has shown it to be consistently counterproductive, often foolish, unhealthy in the long run, and in the case of gabbing on the cell phone while driving, relatively dangerous. Yet it is also expected, encouraged and basically essential. Do you have never-ending deadlines? Job uncertainty? A dual-income
family life with kids? A do-more-with-less workplace? Then you multitask.

Today, we can do more. And do more, faster. And do more, faster, from anywhere, all the time. You can work at home or the coffee shop or even the beach. Is this a good thing? How do we navigate these rapids without eventually drowning? Are we allowing life to be the sum of tasks,
the short term always the priority? Are we so connected that we're actually disconnected? And has anyone had enough time to focus long enough to mull a question that requires a long, complicated answer — if there is one?

Click here to read the rest of the article

Model Essay: Secondary Level #5

Question: "There is no point in preserving the past. We should be looking into the future." What is your opinion? (O Level, 2003)

Introductory Paragraph
As society progresses, there is an increasing number of people who admire and yearn for advanced technology and products. More often than not, this group of people cast the past and traditions at the back of their minds. However, it is my contention that the past should hold equal, if not more importance when compared to the future. The past could be likened to a rich and fertile soil from which the present and the future can plant their roots on. We should definitely preserve the past for it teaches us important lessons, helps us develop a sense of belonging and identity and lastly, has the potential to spark off inspiration.

(Written by An An S., edited by Ms Chua)

An An is the twin sister of Ping Ping, and similarly, has been my student since her Secondary 4 N Level year. She obtained an A2 for her N Levels, and in year 2013, the first in class position for English has alternated between the sisters. She is now awaiting her O Level results.

Ms Chua

*Unless mentioned, all works and words here belong to the author and may not be reproduced online or in print without first obtaining written permission.

Interesting: 10 Words Not Available in English

Question: "To keep our roots we must be proficient in our mother tongue." Do you agree?

...

Adapted from PHD Education Guide for 1128 English O Levels

There are some instances that we simply cannot find a word in English to convey the exact meaning in its original language. More often than not, in the process of translation, some important elements are lost to the new translated language. I've scoured the web and found these interesting examples to share with you, so that you may better understand the paragraph above. If you wish, you can even use 1 of them in your essay!

1. Word: Mamihlapinatapei 

Language: Yagan (indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego)  

Meaning: “The wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.” (Altalang.com) 

2. Word: Zhaghzhagh 

Language: Persian 

Meaning: The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage.

3. Word: Mencolek 

Language: Indonesian 

Meaning: The old trick where you tap someone lightly on the opposite shoulder from behind to fool them.

4. Word: Zeg 

Language: Georgian 

Meaning: The day after tomorrow

5. Word: Koi No Yokan 

Language: Japanese 

Meaning: The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall in love.

6. Word: Greng-jai  

Language: Thai 

Meaning: That feeling you get when you don't want someone to do something for you because it would be a pain for them.

7. Word: Shemomedjamo  

Language: Georgian 

Meaning: You know when you’re really full, but your meal is just so delicious, you can’t stop eating it? This word means, “I accidentally ate the whole thing."

8. Word: Faamiti  

Language: Samoan  

Meaning: To make a squeaking sound by sucking air past the lips in order to gain the attention of a dog or child.

9. Word: Gigil  

Language: Filipino 

Meaning: The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is irresistibly cute.

10. Word: Ya’arburnee  

Language: Arabic 

Meaning: This word is the hopeful declaration that you will die before someone you love deeply, because you cannot stand to live without them. 

If you chance upon other interesting examples of such words, leave a comment! Feel free to share this blog post with your friend.

H/T to here and here.

Model Essay: Secondary Level #4

Question: What are the difficulties working mothers face in today's society?

Introductory Paragraph
In the past, women used to take on more subservient roles in the household. As our society improves and with the rise in feminism lobbying for equality, modern women in most liberal societies have found themselves in a position where they may freely choose if they wish to be home-makers or work. Although women today are likely to able to enjoy the same rights as men, their role as a mother and the society's expectations of them have caused them to face some difficulties in juggling between the two roles. Some of the difficulties they face are in areas like caring for their children, completing house chores and maintaining a healthy relationship with their spouses.

....

Concluding Paragraph
In a nutshell, in today's liberal societies, women have the right to work and enjoy many activities as they wish. However, taking care of their children, completing the house chores and maintaining their marriage are still largely seen as 'women's work'. As long as this notion still exists in society, women will have to continue to juggle, and in some cases, struggle, between work and family.

(Written by An An S., edited by Ms Chua)

An An is the twin sister of Ping Ping, and similarly, has been my student since her Secondary 4 N Level year. She obtained an A2 for her N Levels, and in year 2013, the first in class position for English has alternated between the sisters. She is now awaiting her O Level results.

Ms Chua

*Unless mentioned, all works and words here belong to the author and may not be reproduced online or in print without first obtaining written permission.

Model Essay: Secondary Level #3

Question: In the 21st century, how important is it to be able to read, write and speak in English in Singapore?

Introductory Paragraph
Since the government's implementation of the bilingual policy in 1966, it has been made mandatory for students to learn two languages should they choose to study in government schools in Singapore. Over time, Singaporeans have become more accustomed to speaking good,  standard English, with it being established as the lingua franca of the island state. This strategic move has also contributed significantly to the tremendous development in Singapore, and continues to play a crucial role in moulding Singapore's further development. With these benefits, it is obvious to see that it is important for Singaporeans to be literate in English. It allows Singaporeans to remain competent in the workforce, to communicate effectively with people of all cultures, and to keep abreast of the latest developments worldwide easily.

....

(Written by An An S., edited by Ms Chua)

An An is the twin sister of Ping Ping, and similarly, has been my student since her Secondary 4 N Level year. She obtained an A2 for her N Levels, and in year 2013, the first in class position for English has alternated between the sisters. She is now awaiting her O Level results.

Ms Chua

*Unless mentioned, all works and words here belong to the author and may not be reproduced online or in print without first obtaining written permission.

Model Essay: Secondary Level #2

Question: Only MNCs and major countries can solve the environmental problems today. Do you agree?

Introductory Paragraph:
According to data from the United States Department of Energy's Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre (CDIAC) for the United Nations in 2008, it has been revealed that China and the United States are responsible for 23.5% and 18.3% of world emissions of carbon dioxide respectively. These staggering figures have incurred the ire of environmentalists and advocates worldwide, spurring them to launch campaigns targeted at large countries and MNCs. These campaigns urge these big players to do their part in conserving the environment by reducing their carbon emission. However, whether they are the only ones who can salvage this crisis is highly debatable. There are two schools of thought when it comes to who has the responsibility and power to solve these problems. I, for one, am with the faction that believes that environmental problems are difficult issues that require a collective effort internationally. In my opinion, individual effort, government support; and regional and international organisations can also play a substantial role in the battle against environmental degradation.

....

(Written by Ping Ping S., edited by Ms Chua)

Ping Ping has been taught by me since Sec 4, when she was sitting for her N Levels. Originally from China, she has been studying in a neighbourhood school since she was in Sec 1. Ever since I started teaching her, she has improved by leaps and bounds and managed to obtain an A2 for her N Levels. She has been topping her class in English Language for her Sec 5 year (2013) and is now awaiting her O Level results.

Ms Chua

*Unless mentioned, all works and words here belong to the author and may not be reproduced online or in print without first obtaining written permission.