Đối với hầu hết người mới bắt đầu học tiếng Anh, thành ngữ trong tiếng Anh (idioms) là những câu hoặc cụm từ gây khó khăn trong các đềthi vì nó có nghĩa không rõ nếu cộng nghĩa của các từ riêng biệt. Bởi vậy, với idiom đòi hỏi người học phải gặp nhiều, học thuộc nhiều mới làm được. Cũng vì lý do đó mà những câu idioms sẽ giúp bạn đạt được điểm cao hơn và chiếm ưu thế trong kì thi.
Học idioms - thành ngữ tiếng Anh như nào cho hiệu quả?
Theo kinh nghiệm chia sẻ từ hầu hết mọi người, cách tốt nhất để học và thuộc các idiom là hãy đọc/xem trực tiếp người bản địa nói chuyện, từ đó nhặt ra những idiom mà họ hay dùng. Cách này các bạn có thể học từ các trang web xem phim có phụ đề.
Ngoài ra, việc tổng hợp các idioms quen thuộc, hay gặp và tổng hợp chúng thành các danh sác phân theo chủ đề, đặt chúng trong hoàn cảnh nhất định nào đó cũng là cách đang được nhiều bạn áp dụng và mang lại hiệu quả cao. Giúp dễ dàng hiểu được cách vận dụng các thành ngữ và ghi nhớ lâu hơn.
Tổng hợp các idioms thường gặp trong đề thi
1. RAINING CATS AND DOGS: rain heavily (Mưa nặng hạt)
Ex:–> It’s raining cats and dogs = It’s raining heavily
2. CHALK AND CHEESE: very different from each other (rất khác nhau)
Ex:–> I don’t have anything in common with my brother. We’re like chalk and cheese.
3. HERE AND THERE: everywhere
Ex:–> I have been searching here and there for the gift I bought for my girlfriend.
4. A HOT POTATO: something that is difficulut or dangerous to deal with ( vấn đề nan giải )
Ex:–> The abortion issue is a hot potato in the US
5. AT THE DROP OF A HAT: immediately, instantly ( Ngay lập tức)
Ex:–> If you need me, just call me. I can come at the drop of a hat.
6. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD: time to start from the beginning; it is time to to plan something over again (bắt đầu lại)
Ex:–> My plans to create a tiny car made of glasses were unsuccessful, so I guess it’s back to the drawing board for me.
7. BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH: avoiding the main topic, not speaking directly about the issue (nói vòng vo, lạc đề)
Ex:–> Stop beating about the bush and answer my question.
8. BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD: a good invention or innovation, a good idea or plan
Ex:–> Portable phones are marketed as the best thing since sliced bread; people think they are extremely good.
9. BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL: to stay up working, especially studying late at night (thức khuya làm việc, học bài)
Ex:–> I will have a big exam tomorrow so I’ll be burning the midnight oil tonight.
10. CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO STOOLS: when someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives (tiến thoái lưỡng nan)
11. BREAK A LEG : good luck! ( thường dùng để chúc may mắn )
Ex:–> I have heard that you’r gonna take a test tomorrow, break a leg, dude!!! (sounds funny hah???)
12. HIT THE BOOKS : to study (học)
Ex:–> I can’t go out tonight. I’ve got to hit the books. I’m having an exam tomorrow.
13. WHEN PIGS FLY : something will never happen (điều vô tưởng, không thể xảy ra, nhớ là “pigs” đừng nhầm với con vật khác nhé)
14. SCRATCH SOMEONE’S BACK: help someone out with the assumption that they will return the favor in the future (giúp đỡ người khác với hy vọng họ sẽ giúp lại mình)
Ex:–> “You scratch my back and I will scratch yours later,” the customer said when we talked about the new sales contact.
15. HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD : do or say something exactly right (nói chính xác, làm chính xác)
Ex:–> Mike hit the nail on the head when he said most people can use a computer without knowing how it works.
16. TAKE
SOMEONE/SOMETHING FOR GRANTED: coi nhẹ
Ex:–> One of the problems with relationships is that after a while you begin to take each other for granted!!
17. TAKE SOMETHING INTO ACCOUNT/ CONSIDERATION: to remember to consider something (tính đến cái gì, xem xét việc gì)
Ex:–> We will take your long year of service into account when we make our final decision.
18. PUT SOMEONE/SOMETHING AT SOMEONE’S DISPOSAL: to make someone or something available to someone (có sẵn theo ý muốn của ai)
Ex:–> I’d be glad to help you if you need me. I put myself at your disposal.
19. SPLITTING HEADACHE: a severe headache (đau đầu như búa bổ) (khi ra thi sẽ hỏi từ “Splitting”)
Ex:–> I’ve got a splitting headache. I’m going upstairs for a nap.
20. ON THE HOUSE: không phải trả tiền
Ex:–> I went to a restaurant last night. I was the ten thousandth customer, so my dinner was on the house.
21. HIT THE ROOF = GO THROUGH THE ROOF = HIT THE CEILING: to suddenly become angry (giận dữ)
Ex:–> I”m afraid he will hit the roof when he finds out our vacation is canceled
22. MAKE SOMEONE’S BLOOD BOIL: làm ai sôi máu, giận dữ
23. BRING DOWN THE HOUSE: làm cho cả khán phòng vỗ tay nhiệt liệt
Ex:–> G-Dragon brought the house down. He really brought down the house with his fantastic song.
24. PAY THROUGH THE NOSE: to pay too much for something (trả giá quá đắt)
Ex:–> If you want a decent wine in a restaurant , you to have to pay through the nose for it.
25. BY THE SKIN OF ONE’S TEETH: sát sao, rất sát
Ex:–> I got through calculus math by the skin of my teeth.
Ex:–> I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth.
26. PULL SOMEONE’S LEG: chọc ai
Ex:–> You don’t mean that. You’re just pulling my leg.
27. IT STRIKE SOMEBODY AS/THAT A STRANGE: lấy làm lạ
Ex:–> It strikes as a strange to me that he failed the exam because he is so smart and diligent a student.
28. TAKE IT AMISS: to understand as wrong or insulting, or misunderstand (hiểu lầm)
Ex:–> Would you take it amiss if I told you I thought you look lovely? I was afraid you’d take it the wrong way.
29. HIGH AND LOW = HERE AND THERE: everywhere
Ex:–> I have been searching high and low for the gift I bought for my girlfriend.
Thành ngữ tiếng Anh (idioms) hay gặp trong đề thi
30. THE MORE, THE MERRIER: càng đông càng vui
Ex:–> Can I bring some friends with me?Yeah sure, the more, the merrier.
31. SPICK AND SPAN: ngăn nắp gọn gàng
32. EVERY NOW AND THEN: sometimes
Ex:–> Every nowand then, I want to be alone.
33. PART AND PARCEL: integral, crucial ( thiết yếu, quan trọng)
34. GO TO ONE’S HEAD: khiến ai kiêu ngạo
Ex:–> Too much success will go to her head.
35. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: rất hiếm (rare)
Ex:–> Once in a blue moon, I stop thinking about her. If only she knew how much I loved her.
36. FEW AND FAR BETWEEN : rare (hiếm gặp)
Ex:–> Go and tell her that you love her! That kind of girl is really few and far between
37. ON THE SPOT:(1) immediately (ngay lập tức)
Ex:–> I expect you to be on the post when and where trouble arises
(2): in trouble; in a difficult situation (gặp rắc rối)
Ex:–> I hate to be on the spot when it’s not my fault
38. ON THE VERGE OF = ON THE BRINK OF = IN THE EDGE OF: trên bờ vực (cẩn thận với giới từ “on” và “in” nhé!)
Ex:–> Unless we take measures to protect tigers, they will be on the verge of extinction. (lưu ý: take measures: đưa ra biện pháp)
39. IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS: good or bad things do not just happen a few at a time, but in large numbers all at once (họa vô đơn chí)
Ex:–> First of allit was the car breaking down, then the fire in the kitchen and now Mike’saccident
40. BE ON THE WAGON: kiêng rượu
Ex:–> Bob’s old drinking buddies complained that he was no fun when he went on the wagon
41. LED SOMEBODY BY THE NOSE: to control someone and make them do exactly what you want them to do (nắm đầu, dắt mũi ai)
Ex:–> They simply didn’t know what they were doing and they were led by the nose by a manipulative government
42. AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR: vào phút chót
Ex:–> She always turned her term paper in at the eleventh hour.
42. SELL/GO LIKE HOT CAKES: bán đắt như tôn tươi
Ex:–> The book has only just been published andcopies are already selling like hot cakes in both Britain and America.
43. FIND FAULT WITH: chỉ trích, kiếm chuyện, bắt lỗi
Ex:–> It is very easy to find fault with the work others.
44. OFF AND ON/ ON AND OFF: không đều đặn, thỉnh thoảng
Ex:–> We don’t often go there- just off and on.
45. MAKE BELIEVE: giả bộ, giả vờ
Ex:–> I tried to make believe she was happy, but knew deep down it was not true.
46. MAKE GOOD TIME: di chuyển nhanh, đi nhanh.
Ex:–> We made good time and were at the hotel by lunch time.
47. LOOK DAGGERS AT SOMEONE: giận giữ nhìn ai đó
Ex:–> Their relationship is not free and easy but at least he is no longer looking daggers at her.
48. BE OUT OF THE QUESTION: không thể được
Ex:–> You cannot get married until you are 18, it’s out of the question.
49. ALL AT ONCE = suddenly: bất thình lình
Ex:–> All at once, there was a loud banging on the door.
50. BLOW ONE’S TRUMPET: bốc phét, khoác lác
Ex:–> Anyone will tell you she’s one of the best journalist we’ve got, although she’d never blow her trumpet.
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