Meaning of Idiomatic expressions for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 8
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: Using idioms appropriately in sentences
Key competencies/values: Communication; ICT and Digital Competencies; Digital Competencies; Collaboration

Skills:

• define idiomatic expressions

Previous Lesson: Words Associated with Medicine Banking and Law in Registers
Topic: Idiomatic Expressions
Subject Matter: Meaning of idiomatic expressions

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define idiomatic expressions.
• State the meanings of various idiomatic expressions.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the richness and colour idioms add to the English language.
• Show interest in learning and using idiomatic expressions.

Psychomotor Domain

• Use a dictionary to find the meanings of idiomatic expressions.

Social Domain

• Collaborate effectively with peers in group activities to discover idiom meanings.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for SS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Dictionary of idioms
• Course books
• Standard English dictionary
• Online dictionaries (if internet access is available)
• Whiteboard/Chalkboard
• Markers/Chalk

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding idiomatic expressions is essential for effective communication in English, as they are frequently used in both spoken and written language. This lesson helps students grasp the non-literal meanings of these phrases, preventing misinterpretations and enhancing their overall comprehension and expression. It also enriches their vocabulary and cultural understanding of the language.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of vocabulary, sentence structure, and how to use a dictionary to find word meanings.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Idiomatic Expressions

Meaning of Idiomatic Expressions

An idiomatic expression, or idiom, is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meaning of its individual words. The meaning of an idiom is often figurative and has to be learned as a whole unit. Idioms add colour, vividness, and expressiveness to language, but they can be confusing if their non-literal meanings are not known.

Examples of Idiomatic Expressions and Their Meanings

Here are some common idiomatic expressions and their meanings:

1. Break a leg – This means “good luck.” It is often said to performers before a show.
2. Bite the bullet – This means to endure a difficult or unpleasant situation.
3. Hit the road – This means to leave or depart.
4. It’s raining cats and dogs – This means it is raining very heavily.
5. Let the cat out of the bag – This means to accidentally reveal a secret.
6. Once in a blue moon – This means very rarely.
7. Piece of cake – This means something that is very easy to do.
8. Spill the beans – This means to reveal a secret.
9. Under the weather – This means feeling unwell or sick.
10. When pigs fly – This means something that will never happen.
11. Cost an arm and a leg – This means something is very expensive.
12. Get cold feet – This means to become nervous or lose courage before doing something.
13. Keep an eye on – This means to watch or look after something or someone.
14. Turn a blind eye – This means to ignore something wrong or unpleasant.
15. A blessing in disguise – This means something that seems bad at first but turns out to be good.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Group Work, Question and Answer, Explanation, Guided Practice, Collaborative Learning

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them if they have ever heard phrases like “It’s raining cats and dogs” or “Break a leg” and what they think these phrases mean literally. The teacher then introduces the topic of idiomatic expressions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and share their initial thoughts on the phrases.

Learning Point: Introduction to idioms

Step 2: Explanation of Idiomatic Expressions

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines idiomatic expressions, explaining that their meanings cannot be understood from the literal meanings of the individual words. The teacher provides a few simple examples and explains their true meanings.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask questions for clarity, and try to guess the meanings of the examples given.

Learning Point: Meaning of idioms

Step 3: Group Activity – Identifying Idioms

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Group Facilitation/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides the students into small groups and provides each group with a list of sentences containing various idiomatic expressions (without their meanings). The teacher instructs them to identify the idiomatic expressions in each sentence.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in their groups to identify the idiomatic expressions from the provided sentences.

Learning Point: Identifying idiomatic phrases

Step 4: Group Activity – Looking up Meanings

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Resource Utilisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher instructs the groups to use dictionaries (physical or online) to look up the meanings of the idiomatic expressions they identified in the previous step. The teacher moves around to assist and guide the groups.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively use dictionaries to find the meanings of the idiomatic expressions, discussing their findings within their groups.

Learning Point: Using dictionaries for idioms

Step 5: Class Discussion and Sharing

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Feedback

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher calls upon each group to share one or two idiomatic expressions they found and their corresponding meanings. The teacher provides feedback and clarifies any misconceptions.

Pupils’ Activity: Groups present their findings to the class, and other pupils listen and compare with their own findings.

Learning Point: Shared idiom meanings

Step 6: Reinforcement and Examples

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Elaboration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reinforces the concept of idioms by providing additional examples not covered by the groups, explaining their meanings, and briefly showing how they can be used in sentences.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and make mental notes of the new examples and their meanings.

Learning Point: Further idiom understanding

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is an idiomatic expression?
2. What does “break a leg” mean?
3. If someone is “under the weather,” what does that imply?
4. Explain the meaning of “let the cat out of the bag.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding idiom meanings

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes, including the definition and examples of idiomatic expressions and their meanings, into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarises the lesson by reminding students that idioms are an important part of English and encourage them to pay attention to and learn more idiomatic expressions they encounter.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and prepare for the next lesson.

Learning Point: Consolidation of idiom concept

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Research and write down five more idiomatic expressions that were not discussed in class. For each idiom, write its meaning and use it correctly in a sentence.

1. Idiom 1: Meaning and Sentence
2. Idiom 2: Meaning and Sentence
3. Idiom 3: Meaning and Sentence
4. Idiom 4: Meaning and Sentence
5. Idiom 5: Meaning and Sentence

Lesson Keywords

• Idiom – A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
• Expression – A word or phrase.
• Figurative language – Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
• Context – The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood.

Differentiation

For students who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to create short dialogues using several idiomatic expressions. For students who are struggling, provide simpler idioms with clear visual aids or more direct guidance during dictionary use, and pair them with stronger students for support.

Suggested Lesson Videos

YouTube search for “idiomatic expressions for SS1 English Language”