Exercise 1: Vocabulary
1. To have a heart-to-heart
Definition: To have a sincere and honest conversation.
Example: “They sat down for a heart-to-heart discussion about their relationship.”
2. To be a square peg in a round hole
Definition: To not fit or belong in a particular situation or environment.
Example: “He’s an artist in a corporate job; he feels like a square peg in a round hole.“
3. To be on the same wavelength
Definition: To share similar thoughts, opinions, or understanding with someone.
Example: “They always finish each other’s sentences; they’re definitely on the same wavelength.“
4. To be a tough cookie
Definition: To be strong, resilient, or difficult to deal with.
Example: “Dealing with difficult customers is challenging, but she’s a tough cookie.”
5. To beat a dead horse
Definition: To waste time or effort on something that is already concluded or resolved.
Example: “We’ve already made our decision; there’s no need to beat a dead horse.”
6. To be a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Definition: To appear harmless or friendly but have hidden malicious intentions.
Example: “Be careful with him; he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
7. To go down the rabbit hole
Definition: To delve into a complex or confusing situation or topic.
Example: “I started researching a simple question and ended up going down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.”
8. To paint the town red
Definition: To go out and enjoy oneself by engaging in lively and extravagant activities.
Example: “After winning the championship, they decided to paint the town red.”
Exercise 2: Dialogue
Emily: Hey, Mark, I heard you had a heart-to-heart conversation with Alex last night. How did it go?
Mark: Yeah, we did. It was long overdue. We needed to discuss some issues in our project.
Emily: That’s important, especially when you’re working closely together. Did you on the same wavelength?
Mark: Surprisingly, yes. We both realized that our visions for the project align more than we thought. It turned out to be a productive talk.
Emily: That’s great to hear! Sometimes, it’s just a matter of communication. Speaking of which, did you hear about Lisa’s struggles at her new job?
Mark: I did. She told me she feels like a square peg in a round hole there. She’s an artist in a corporate setting.
Emily: I can imagine that must be tough. Lisa has always been unique in her approach. Maybe she’ll find a way to make it work.
Mark: True, she’s a tough cookie. She’ll find a solution, I’m sure. Anyway, have you seen Tom lately?
Emily: No, I haven’t. He’s been busy with his new project. He keeps go down the rabbit hole, studying all those technical manuals.
Mark: Ah, he’s always been the type to paint the town red when he’s deeply into something. It’s impressive how dedicated he is.
Emily: Speaking of dedication, remember the old club we used to go to every weekend?
Mark: Of course! We used to paint the town red there until the early hours.
Emily: Well, it’s reopening this Saturday, and I thought we could paint the town red like old times.
Mark: That sounds fantastic! Let’s definitely do that. It’s been too long since we had a night out.
Exercise 3: Fill in the blanks
Paul: Hey, Maria, I need to have ________ with Jessica today.
Maria: Oh, about your disagreement yesterday? It’s important to clear the air.
Paul: Exactly, I want us to ______ so we can avoid these conflicts in the future.
Maria: That’s a good approach. When people are _______, it helps to find common ground.
Paul: Speaking of challenging situations, I heard that the project deadline got pushed back again.
Maria: Yeah, it did. We had ________ trying to meet the previous one. It’s getting frustrating.
Paul: I understand. Let’s not ________, though. We’ll just have to adjust our plans accordingly.
Maria: You’re right, no use dwelling on it. On a different note, do you remember Tom?
Paul: Tom? The one who’s always __________ with conspiracy theories?
Maria: Yeah, that’s him. He’s been ________ again, and it’s driving everyone crazy.
Paul: Classic Tom. He can really _______ into the deepest, most far-fetched ideas.
Maria: Indeed, he’s known for ________, but sometimes it’s entertaining.
Paul: That’s true. By the way, there’s a new restaurant opening downtown tonight. How about we _______ and check it out?
Maria: Sounds like a plan! We could use a break. Let’s _______ for a fun evening.
Options:
1. a heart-to-heart
2. a square peg in a round hole
3. on the same wavelength
4. a tough cookie
5. beat a dead horse
6. a wolf in sheep’s clothing
7. go down the rabbit hole
8. paint the town red
Exercise 4: Discussion
- Create examples using the idioms above.
- If that is too easy, challenge yourself and create a dialogue with each idiom!
- Discuss which idioms you found interesting.
- Are any of the idioms similar or different compared to idioms in your language?
- Discuss where you think each idiom got its meaning.
