I’m always interested in the way words are used and the best way of expressing yourself in a clear but interesting way. So this week, I’m going to be taking a look at idioms.
So what is an idiom? It’s a phrase which means something completely different from the meanings of the individual words used. Often, if you translated it directly into another language it would make no sense.
To show you what I mean, here are a number of examples using the simple word ‘take’.
You can make a takeover bid for a company but you overtake a car when passing it.
You can take down what someone said when you are attending a lecture but you can also take down a picture that you don’t like.
You can take up your pen when you begin to write and you can take up a new job – as well as someone’s idea.
You can take in a stray cat to give it a home and you can take in a piece of information in order to remember it. You can also take in someone when you deceive them.
You can be more adventurous when you take the bit between your teeth or take the bull by the horns. Both of these mean to confront a situation boldly and are clichés. (And just in case you didn’t know, a ‘cliché’ is a common and over-used expression that you should avoid in formal writing.)
A firm grasp of idioms shows that you have a good knowledge of the language, but you should use them only when you are confident of their meaning and relevance. Otherwise you risk confusing people and making yourself look silly! Good style is all about clarity, and idioms can sometimes make your meaning obscure. So use them sparingly in your writing.
Moving away from idioms for a moment, one of the things that often lets non-native English speakers down is their use (or lack of use) of what we call ‘articles’ – the small words a, an and the.
The most common mistake I see on exam papers, is that students don’t include the where it is needed. This makes all their correspondence sound as though it is written note form, because it isn’t grammatically correct. The only way to improve is to understand the use of these little words (they may be small but they are important). Also, read as widely as possible in English so that their correct use comes naturally without even thinking about it.
If you feel you’d like to brush up on your grammar and style then our Business English with Spoken English Diploma Course is ideal. It covers topics from spelling and punctuation to the formation of words and puts this all in a business context so that you learn how to write letters, email, reports and minutes that are both clear and correct. If you worry about your English, then it’s the ideal course for you!
Author: Diana Nadin
