ENGLISH IDIOMS PHRASES WITH THE WORD TIME

WHAT IS AN IDIOM? An idiom is a phrase or saying that is commonly used in everyday English to express certain ideas or opinions. Understanding English idioms is important because they require a deeper familiarity of the English language to comprehend what someone means when they use them in conversation. Idioms Give You a New Way to Express Yourself in the English Language The meaning of an idiom generally depends on the specific context in which it is used. When someone in America tells you to ‘break a leg’, for example, they aren’t saying that in a literal sense, but instead are wishing you good luck, usually before a performance. Similarly, if someone asks you to ‘think outside the box’, they mean that you should use a different approach than what you might normally do.

LEARNING OUTCOMES In this lesson we will identify the appropriate meaning of the idiomatic expression of the word TIME. You will familiarize the correct meaning of each idiom from explanations and examples and create a dialogue with 3-4 simple sentences using the expressions correctly .

1. AHEAD OF ONE’S TIME = HAVING IDEAS OR ATTITUDES THAT ARE TOO ADVANCED FOR THE CULTURE/SOCIETY AT THE MOMENT My grandmother was ahead of her time – she opened her own company in an era when there were few women in the business world. 2. BEHIND THE TIMES = OLD-FASHIONED, NOT KEEPING UP WITH CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS Bob is a bit behind the times – he doesn’t know how to use a computer, much less a smartphone!

3. A RACE AGAINST TIME = A SITUATION WHEN YOU NEED TO RUSH TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE THE DEADLINE (TIME LIMIT) The last day for submitting project proposals is one week from today – so now it’s a race against time. 4. IN THE NICK OF TIME = AT THE LAST MOMENT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. We got to the airport in the nick of time – if we’d arrived 15 minutes later, we would’ve missed our flight.

5. HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE = HAVE A SUPER WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE My kids had the time of their lives at Disney World. 6. HAVE A DEVIL/HELL OF A TIME = A VERY DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE I’m having a devil of a time trying to install this software – every time I try, I get a different error message.

Related words and phrases: appreciate, be entertained, be fond of, be pleased, cotton to, delight in, dig, dote on, drink in, eat up, fancy, flip over, freak out on, get a charge out of, get a kick out of, get high on, go, have a ball, have a good time, have fun, like, live a little, live it up, love, luxuriate in, mind, paint the town, rejoice in, relish, revel in, savor, take joy in, thrill to

Two friends are talking ... Friend 1: How was Acapulco? Friend 2: Absolutely amazing. There were warm sand beaches, windsurfing, scuba diving, dancing, festivals, beautiful weather and beautiful women. And that was just the first day. I had so much fun. Friend 1: Sounds like you had the time of your life. Friend 2: It was the best experience ever.

Two parents are talking ... Father: Have you heard from our son lately? Mother: Yes. He called from summer camp to say that he is having the time of his life. Father : Glad to hear that he is enjoying himself so much. Mother: Especially after he had been so reluctant to go to camp.

7. BIDE YOUR TIME UNTIL = WAIT PATIENTLY FOR A GOOD OPPORTUNITY He was just biding his time until he got a chance to work at his dream job. 8. CATCH AT A BAD TIME = ATTEMPT TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN A MOMENT THAT IS INCONVENIENT FOR HIM/HER Hi Peter! You caught me at a bad time – I’m about to go into a meeting. Could I call you back in an hour?

9. HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS = HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME (MAYBE TOO MUCH) That guy completely covered the walls of his room with colored pencil drawings. He must have a lot of time on his hands! 10. ALL IN GOOD TIME = IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, SO BE PATIENT “Why is it taking so long for my career to take off??” “All in good time… just keep working hard and you’ll make it.”

11. ONLY A MATTER OF TIME = IT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER The company has lost money for the third year in a row; it’s only a matter of time before it goes bankrupt. 12. TIME WILL TELL = THE PASSING OF TIME WILL SHOW THE RESULT, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD “I was surprised that Bill and Jackie got married. Do you think they’ll be happy together?” “Only time will tell.“

13. STAND THE TEST OF TIME = LAST FOR A LONG TIME AND CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL This is a classic work of literature. It has stood the test of time. 14. THE TIME IS RIPE = IT IS THE BEST TIME TO DO SOMETHING Real estate prices are low, and we have a lot of money saved up – I think the time is ripe for us to buy a house.

15. TWO-TIME = DECEIVE, BETRAY, OR CHEAT SOMEONE You two-timing ! You’ve been seeing another woman for the entire time we’ve been engaged! 16. THE BIG TIME = THE HIGHEST OR MOST PROFITABLE LEVEL She made it to the big time with the launch of her latest novel – it sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the first week.

17. TIME FLIES = TIME PASSES VERY QUICKLY Your son is already 12 years old? I remember when he was a baby! How time flies… Another expression: “Time flies when you’re having fun” – Time passes more quickly when you’re doing something you enjoy. 18. TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS = THE PASSING OF TIME MAKES EMOTIONAL INJURIES GET BETTER Right now she’s very upset that her boyfriend broke up with her, but you know what they say: Time heals all wounds.

19. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE = CORRECT TIMING IS VERY IMPORTANT (OFTEN USED FOR THINGS THAT ARE URGENT) In order to meet the deadline, you need to send us the contract by Monday – time is of the essence. 20. THE THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM = THE THIRD TIME YOU TRY SOMETHING, IT WILL WORK (WHEN THE PREVIOUS TWO ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED) I’ve called her twice, but she hasn’t answered. Let me try again – the third time’s the charm.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 1. Choose the correct answer. 1. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE- a. THE HIGHEST OR MOST PROFITABLE LEVEL b. TIME PASSES VERY QUICKLY c. OFTEN USED FOR THINGS THAT ARE URGENT

2. TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS = a. IT IS THE BEST TIME TO DO SOMETHING b. THE PASSING OF TIME MAKES EMOTIONAL INJURIES GET BETTER c. THE PASSING OF TIME WILL SHOW THE RESULT, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD

3. HAVE A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR HANDS = a. IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT b. IT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER c. HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME (MAYBE TOO MUCH)

4. HAVE A DEVIL/HELL OF A TIME = a. HAVE A SUPER WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE b. A VERY DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE c. A SITUATION WHEN YOU NEED TO RUSH TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE THE DEADLINE

5. BEHIND THE TIMES = a. NOT KEEPING UP WITH CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS b. HAVING IDEAS OR ATTITUDES THAT ARE TOO ADVANCED FOR THE CULTURE c. AT THE LAST MOMENT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.

6. CATCH AT A BAD TIME = a. ATTEMPT TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN A MOMENT THAT IS INCONVENIENT FOR HIM/HER b. IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT c. LAST FOR A LONG TIME AND CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL

7 . BIDE YOUR TIME UNTIL = a. HAVE A LOT OF FREE TIME b. WAIT PATIENTLY FOR A GOOD OPPORTUNITY c. IT IS THE BEST TIME TO DO SOMETHING

8. STAND THE TEST OF TIME = a. IT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN SOONER OR LATER b. IT IS THE BEST TIME TO DO SOMETHING c. LAST FOR A LONG TIME AND CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL

9. THE BIG TIME = a. TIME PASSES VERY QUICKLY b. THE PASSING OF TIME MAKES EMOTIONAL INJURIES GET BETTER c. THE HIGHEST OR MOST PROFITABLE LEVEL

10. THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM = a. WAIT PATIENTLY FOR A GOOD OPPORTUNITY b. WHEN THE PREVIOUS TWO ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED b. THE HIGHEST OR MOST PROFITABLE LEVEL

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 2. ACTIVE LISTENING Repeat the words that you hear. The goal of active listening is to acquire information, and listen to understand people and situations before responding to them. In communication, active listening is crucial because it keeps you engaged with your conversation partner in a positive way. Active listening is a skill that anyone can develop with practice.

LESSON SUMMARY Idioms, in that sense, are the spice that you can add to your English skills as you progress . Understanding the basics of English is a good start, but idioms can help you explore the language in a deeper, more meaningful way. There are two keys to learning idioms effectively: 1) Learn idioms in context, so you can see how they are used in real situations. 2) Put them into practice yourself, so you can remember them better and make them part of your own English. You’ll gain a confident understanding of idioms, and expand your ability to express yourself in English!