This time around, let’s learn some animal related English idiomatic expressions and conversational phrases.You’re more than welcome to watch the video where I’m doing a little role play portraying two people at the same time. And, in case you need it, here’s the video script in written format:
Idiom #1: What a chicken!Idiom #2: It’s a dog’s lifeIdiom #3: I’m going to pig outIdiom #4: Smells fishy to me!Idiom #5: He really rabbits on!
Man: I think he’s afraid of the boss.Friend: What a chicken!Man: Chicken? Did you mention lunch?Friend: I mean he’s scared of the boss – he’s a chicken!Man: I think you’re right – I might be a bit chicken myself!
CHICKEN: A chicken is deemed to be the animal which is scared by all other animals, and is universally used in such and similar situations when you have to describe someone who’s easily scared by others.
Man: Is your wife still giving you a hard time?Friend: It’s a dog’s life!Man: Really? You not even allowed in the house now?!Friend: I’m just saying my life isn’t easy at the moment.
IT’S A DOG’S LIFE is something that you say which means that life is hard and unpleasant!
Man in restaurant: That’s a lot of food!Friend: I’m going to pig out.Man: You’re going to put the pig out? What pig?Friend: I’m going to eat as much as possible!
TO PIG OUT refers to eating a lot and eating quickly.
Man: I think she’s lying.Friend: She stinks of fish!Man (laughing): I think you mean ‘that smells fishy!’Friend: That’s what I meant! Her story smells fishy!
IT SMELLS FISHY: if a situation or an explanation smells fishy, it causes you to think that someone is being dishonest.
Man: That guy can really talk!Friend: He really rabbits on!Man: He rabbits on what? What is this rabbiting?Friend: I mean he talks a lot about nothing!
TO RABBIT ON means to talk a lot about something for a lengthy period of time which most likely makes others bored.
Do some Practice:
- Put all the aforementioned idioms in a different context and do a little role play with yourself – just like I did in the video above;
- Take each idiom at a time and try to generate as many random sentences containing that idiom as you possibly can;
- Also make sure to use them when speaking with other people in English!