Grade 6 Primary English Proverbs And Idioms – Idiomatic expressions Notes

Idiomatic expressions

Topic: Proverbs and Idioms — Primary English (age 11, Kenya)

What is an idiom? An idiom is a group of words that together have a meaning different from the meanings of the individual words. Idioms are fixed phrases used often in everyday English.

Grammar points to remember about idioms

• Idioms are often fixed phrases. You cannot change the words freely. Example: "spill the beans" (correct) — *"spill beans"* (not usual).
• Verb tense changes are allowed. You can change tense or add auxiliary verbs:
  - present: "They spill the beans."
  - past: "She spilled the beans."
  - perfect: "He has spilled the beans."
• Subject–verb agreement still applies.
  - "He hit the nail on the head." (singular)
  - "They hit the nail on the head." (plural — same form for this verb)
• Pronoun substitution: Some idioms allow changing the pronoun:
  - "Mind your own business." → "Mind your own business." (you/your can change)
• Prepositions and particles are important. Many idioms include prepositions that must stay:
  e.g. "look forward to", "get rid of" — do not drop or replace them.
• Passive and negative forms are possible.
  - Active: "They spilled the beans."
  - Passive: "The beans were spilled."
  - Negative: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Common idioms with grammar notes and Kenyan examples

• "Spill the beans" (meaning: tell a secret)
  - Past: "He spilled the beans about the surprise party."
  - Negative: "Please don't spill the beans."
  Kenya example: "Juma spilled the beans about the school trip."
• "Piece of cake" (meaning: very easy)
  Use with verbs: "The test was a piece of cake." "This math question is a piece of cake."
• "Break the ice" (meaning: start a conversation)
  Common verbs: "to break the ice", "broke the ice". Example: "The teacher broke the ice with a game."
• "Hit the nail on the head" (meaning: say exactly the right thing)
  Agreement: "She hit the nail..." / "They hit the nail..."

Do's and don'ts (grammar-focused)

• Do change tense and add auxiliaries correctly: "has/have", "did", "is/was".
• Don't swap or drop words that make the idiom work (especially prepositions and particles).
• Do use correct punctuation and capitalization: idioms are not capitalized unless they start a sentence.
• Don't translate word-for-word from another language — the words together give the idiom its meaning.

Short practice — fill in the blanks

1. "Don't ______ your chickens before they hatch." (count)
2. "She ______ the beans about the surprise." (past of 'spill')
3. "The exam was a ______ of cake." (one word)
4. "He ______ the nail on the head with that answer." (past)

Final tip: When you learn an idiom, learn its usual form and how it changes with tense and pronouns. That helps you use it correctly in sentences.