10.21.2014 Nadia Ilyas English Idioms, Infographics

Keywords

42 Easy to Memorize EnglishIdioms Related to School andEducation

Have you ever thought about what it means to put your thinking cap on?

How is it possible to pass with flying colours?

This blog will help you decipher some of the confusing idioms surrounding school andeducation. With regular practice, you might just be able to use them in everyday speechyourself, and not draw a blank when you hear someone else use them!

Just remember, although these idioms derive from terminology surrounding school andeducation, they can be used in everyday situations.

Search

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

KaplanInternational

English Idioms Related to School and Education

1. PUT / GET YOUR THINKING CAP ONTo engage your mind and think in a serious manner.

Right, we need to figure out how were going to solve this problem before mumand dad get back, so lets put our thinking caps on!

CoolSchoolEnglishidiomsCLICKTOTWEET

2. DRAW A BLANKTo get no response from someone when they are asked a question.

I asked him about his plans for Christmas, but I just drew a blank. He didntseem to understand what I was asking him!

3. BACK TO BASICSAn approach that uses traditional ideas and methods which have been successful in thepast.

They seem to prefer having everything back to basics in their office. They haveminimal use of advanced technology, but apparently find everything simpler andeasier to manage.

4. AS EASY AS ABCSomething that is very simple or easy.

That jigsaw puzzle is as easy as ABC, I dont understand why youve beenstruggling with it for so long.

5. COPYCATUsed to describe someone who copies another persons work.

I dont like talking to her about my wedding plans because shes such a copycat! Iknow shell steal my ideas and use them for her own wedding.

6. COVER A LOT OF GROUNDWhen a lot of work needs to be completed. If there is a lot of research to be done, ormaterial to get through.

Our team have done so well over the past two weeks, weve managed to coverso much ground that I feel this programme may be ready by the end of thismonth!

We have to complete our research within the next month. We still have a lot ofground to cover, and I fear we may not get everything done in time.

7. COUNT NOSESTo count the number of people around you (generally used on a school trip, to check formissing students).

Tweet

31

6

162

Share

COMMUNITY

My grandmother was constantly counting noses at the birthday party. I think shefelt responsible for all the children there!

8. EAGER BEAVERSomeone who works hard and is very enthusiastic.

Mary is such an eager beaver, she always the first one to do whatever the bossasks. I think shes hoping for a promotion!

9. DROP OUT OF SCHOOL (phrasal verb) / DROPOUT (noun)To stop attending school completely (leave without graduating).

She dropped out of school at the age of 14 to help her sick grandmother athome, but now she runs her own successful nursing home for the elderly!

Hes a dropout, I cant see him being anything successful with his currentreputation.

10. SHOW OF HANDSRaising hands to vote about something.

With a show of hands, who would prefer to have longer working days but ashorter working week?

11. LEARN (SOMETHING) BY HEART / OFF BY HEARTTo memorise something so well, that it can be written or recited without thinking.

I cant believe you learnt the whole Macbeth play by heart! Well done!

She learnt all the compositions by Beethoven off by heart!

12. BOOKWORMThis is used to describe someone who reads a lot, all the time.

You wont be able to convince her to come out with us, shes a real bookwormand will probably stay in to read!

13. FROM THE OLD SCHOOL / OF THE OLD SCHOOLHolding attitudes or ideas that were popular and important in the past, but which are nolonger considered relevant or in-line with modern trends.

She was a teacher of the old school and believed in strict discipline.

My grandmother is from the old school, she made her children make their ownlunches and walk to school.

14. THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKSLearning through difficult experiences in life, as opposed to a formal, classroomeducation.

I wasnt able to go to college, but I learnt a lot in the school of hard knocks, ittaught me a lot about life.

15. A FOR EFFORTGiving someone recognition for trying hard to do something even though they may notbe successful.

Jenny definitely deserves an A for effort, she put so much work into her entry forthe competition.

16. SCHOOL SOMEONE IN SOMETHINGTo train, discipline or coach someone in something.

She schooled her brother in patience.

17. CUT CLASS / PLAY HOOKY / SKIP CLASSWhen someone plays truant and does not go to their lessons.

David has beencutting classagain; I havent seen him in any of our Frenchlessons for the past week!

Theyplayed hookyat college so they could be first in line for the concert tickets.

The teacher told his parents that hed beenskipping classes! Hes not allowed togo out with us now.

18. SCHOOL OF THOUGHTA particular philosophy, or a way of thinking about something.

One school of thought holds that cats cause allergic reactions.

19. TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL / TELL TALESTo gossip or spread rumours.

I wish Gina wouldnt tell tales out of school so much, people find it hard tobelieve anything she says now, even if she is telling the truth!

20. YOU CANT TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKSThis means it is difficult to make someone change the way they do something when theyhave been doing it the same way for a very long time.

Jeremy tries so hard to show me how the computer works, but he doesntunderstand that you cant teach an old dog new tricks!

21. THE OLD SCHOOL TIE / OLDBOY NETWORKThe way in which men who have been to the same expensive private school, help eachother to find good jobs.

The old school tie still has enormous power in most City companies.

They dont make any effort to find a job for themselves, the oldboy networkdoes it all for them.

22. BRAINSTORMTo try to develop an idea or think of new ideas.

Lets all separate into groups and try to brainstorm as many suggestions aspossible for the next school play.

23. AN OLD HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERSA child or young person who thinks and talks like an older person who has more lifeexperience.

Emily doesnt fit in with the children at her school, shes definitely an old headon young shoulders. She talks to them like a parent or teacher would!

24. CALL THE ROLL / TAKE THE ROLLTo call the names of a group of people (or students) and expect them to respond to showthey are present.

Jamie called the roll on the coach before we left to make sure that everyone hadarrived.

25. CRACK A BOOKTo open a book to study (usually used in a negative sense).

I kept telling my mum I didnt need to study too hard for this exam because itseasy, she wouldnt listen to me though. She insisted I crack a book everyevening!

26. CRANK OUT A PAPERTo write a paper or essay in a mechanical way.

I had to crank out a new paper every week to pass this course. It was really hardwork!

27. FILL IN THE BLANKSTo supply missing words or information (this can be used in conversation or writing).

I wasnt here when the argument happened, so John filled in the blanks for me.

28. LEARN BY ROTETo learn something by memorising it without giving any thought to what is being learnt.

They had to learn the lyrics to two new songs by rote just before the show.

29. LEARN THE ROPESTo learn how to do a job properly, or how things work.

It took me a while to learn the ropes in this law firm, some of their proceduresare so complicated.

30. LEARN ONES LESSONTo suffer a bad experience and know not to do it again.

I thought I was being funny by mocking Peter in front of everyone, but the way hereacted was so horrible. Ive definitely learnt my lesson to not make a joke atsomeone elses expense!

31. TEACH SOMEONE A LESSONTo do something to someone in order to punish them for something theyve done.

The boys next door wouldnt stop playing pranks on the poor elderly coupleacross the road, so I played a prank on them to teach them a lesson!

32. PASS WITH FLYING COLOURSTo pass (a test) easily with a high score.

I have some exciting news:I passedmy driving testwith flying colours!

33. SCHOOLBOY ERRORA very basic or foolish mistake.

He made a schoolboy error when he passed some of the responsibilities toJonah, who took all the credit for everything theyd done.

34. A QUICK LEARNERSomeone who is able to learn a new skill or task very quickly.

Kelly is a very quick learner; she has only been here for a week so far and hasalready taken on most of the previous secretarys roles!

35. UNIVERSITY OF LIFEThe daily life and work where you learn more than you would by going to university.

My grandfather began to work on the family farm when he was fourteen andlearnt everything from the university of life.

36. SINGLE FILEA line of people with one person standing behind another.

We didnt have any issues with crowd control at all. Everyone was eager to get anautograph from the band, but they waited patiently in single file.

37. MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR/OF SOMETHINGTo fulfil the requirements for/of something.

Unfortunately, I didnt meet all their requirements for that job, so I didnt get it.

38. MAKE THE GRADETo be satisfactory and of an expected level.

I didnt make the grade for the final assignment, so I have to do it all over again!

39. HIT THE BOOKSTo begin to study hard.

I hit the books as soon as I knew the date of the exam.

40. HAVE ONES NOSE IN A BOOKTo be reading a book.

He always has his nose in a book, I wish hed be a bit more sociablesometimes!

41. GOOF OFF / GOOF AROUNDTo waste time, procrastinate.

He spent all of last week goofing around, and now hes panicking the day beforethe test!

Nadia is a British English teacher and the head writer atMyEnglishTeacher.eu. In her free time she loves mountaineering andtravelling around the world.

42. TEACHERS PETA teachersfavourite student.

She always gets really good marks, I bet its because shesteachers pet.

ONE-TO-ONE SKYPE LESSONS WITH AN AMERICAN OR BRITISH ENGLISHTEACHER

/# -.#**'./ #4*0"-((--0' .

4)"'$.# # - 0# '+.4*0/* *( *)!$ )/)"'$.#.+ & -

LET'S GET STARTED

WRITTEN BY: NADIA ILYAS

MyEnglishTeacher.eu

36,971peoplelikeMyEnglishTeacher.eu.

Facebooksocialplugin

Like

Facebooksocialplugin

AlsopostonFacebook PostingasMirlindJanuzaj Comment

Addacomment...

AnasHSalama UniversityofGaryounis,FacultyofEngineeringThankyouforyoureffortsReplyLikeFollowPostApril1at1:50am

Follow

LeenHatQwa UniversityofJordan121followersOkay..ifIwanttosaythathepassedinthetestwithoutputtinganyeffortinstudying..howcanIsayitinidioms??!!Plzhelp??ReplyLike FollowPostNovember2,2014at9:19pm

Follow

1

MyEnglishTeacher.euHithere,Youcansay'hasailedthroughthetest'or'thetestwasawalkinthepark'.

However,thesetwoidiomsaremoreaboutthetestbeingeasyandnotsomuchabouttheefforthemade.Idon'tthinkthereareanyidiomsthatmeanexactlywhatyou'relookingfor.

MelReplyLike November24,2014at10:50am1

GopinathChirakkalWorksatCBHSSAverygoodcollectionindeed.ReplyLike FollowPostOctober21,2014at4:00pm1

MyEnglishTeacher.euThankyousomuchforyourkindwords.I'mgladyoulikeNadia'spost:)

MelReplyLikeOctober21,2014at9:02pm

IhsanKhan IslamiaCollegeUniversityPeshawargreat................:)ReplyLikeFollowPostNovember8,2014at9:24am

Follow

MyEnglishTeacher.euGladyoulikeit:)Thanksforthecomment!

MelReplyLike November10,2014at1:56pm1

Featured Posts

02.20.2014 Melinda Makkos English Idioms, Infographics

50 Popular English Idioms toSound Like a Native Speaker

01.21.2013 Anastasia Koltai English Grammar, Useful Englishlearning websites

10 Websites to Learn andPractice English Grammar

01.18.2013 Anastasia Koltai English Speaking, Useful Englishlearning websites

Your Top 10 LanguageExchange Websites to SpeakEnglish Fluently

01.04.2013 Anastasia Koltai Learn English, Useful Englishlearning websites

Facebook English: 14 SuperPages to Learn and TeachEnglish

About Us

MyEnglishTeacher.eu is the world'sfriendliest online English language school.Our fantastic team is growing since we'velaunched in 2010. We want to help you tobecome proficient in English.

MyEnglishTeacher

MainPricingEnglish for companiesBlogForumAbout usContact UsOpen Positions

Free Learning Materials

BlogForumHow to learn English in a new way

Business English

English for companiesFormal and Informal Email Phrases7 Simple Examples of Business EmailWriting in EnglishEnglish For Information TechnologyProfessionals15 Business English Idioms and Phrases InUse

Copyright MyEnglishTeacher.eu - Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions

Home Blog