March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.
This is an indirect way to express the idea that the month of March often begins with harsh weather and ends in mild weather.
My kindergarten students loved this idiom. After I explained its meaning, they’d ask each morning in March, “Do you think it’s a lamb day or a lion day?” I’d choose one student to look out the window, make a decision, and add a lamb or lion picture to our calendar.
In many languages, not just English, idioms are used in writing and in speech. What’s an idiom? It’s an expression that can’t be understood from the meanings of its separate words.
In the spirit of the focus of this blog, I’ve chosen some examples of idioms related to education and health. (Did you notice the idiom I just used? “In the spirit of,” meaning “In line with.”)
Here are some common idioms:
A bitter pill to swallow—Something unpleasant that someone must accept
Fit as a fiddle—Healthy and fit
A taste of one’s own medicine—When you’re mistreated in the same way you treat others
Just what the doctor ordered—Exactly what’s needed
On the mend—Getting better
Cover a lot of ground—Complete a large amount of material
Cut class—Don’t go to class
Hit the books—Start studying hard
Pass with flying colors—To pass something with a high score
Put your thinking cap on—Begin thinking seriously
You might think idioms make your writing more interesting; however, interesting might not always be your best goal. Instead, strive for clear and straightforward writing, especially if you’re creating educational materials. When readers are able to understand your text, they’ll be engaged. Although idioms can add humor and creativity, using an abundance of them is a bad idea. It might cause your readers to disconnect, and you may lose them.
To make idiom use even more confusing, native English speakers often shorten them or add different words. For instance, “Every cloud has a silver lining” might be shortened to “Look at the silver lining.” This might confuse someone who isn’t familiar with the idiom.
It’s not a good idea to assume all your readers know these expressions. It’s like telling someone a joke, and they don’t understand it. They’ll get frustrated. Idioms are sort of like inside jokes. If you want everyone to understand, don’t use them. Instead, state what you mean using direct language. Try not to make a reader feel like an outsider.
Here’s an example of revising an idiom so the same idea is expressed directly: If you write, “Put your thinking cap on, and solve this problem,” you might instead write, “Start thinking carefully about how you might solve this problem.”
Bottom line? It’s important not to alienate your readers with language they might not understand.
Use idioms sparingly. It’s better to say exactly what you mean.
