English Idioms & Phrases

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb particle that creates a new meaning — for example 'give up' (stop trying) or 'look after' (take care of). An idiom is a broader category: any fixed expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words — for example 'it's raining cats and dogs' or 'break a leg'. All phrasal verbs are idiomatic, but not all idioms are phrasal verbs.

There are tens of thousands of English idioms, but learners rarely need more than a few hundred to communicate naturally. Focus on the most frequent idioms in everyday speech and professional contexts. The 100–200 most common idioms will cover the vast majority of situations you encounter at B2–C1 level.

Most colloquial idioms ('kick the bucket', 'under the weather') are inappropriate in formal academic or business writing. However, certain idiomatic phrases are accepted in formal contexts — particularly in business writing ('in the long run', 'break new ground'). When in doubt, choose a literal equivalent for formal writing and save idioms for spoken English and informal communication.