Idioms
Anchor Charts, Activities & Resources
Idioms enrich communication with creative expression — but their figurative meanings can trip students up. These activities use visuals, games, and hands-on organizers to make idioms stick.
Idioms enrich communication with creative expression — but their figurative meanings can trip students up. These activities use visuals, games, and hands-on organizers to make idioms stick.
a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning — We use idioms constantly in everyday speech, often without realizing it.
The anchor chart illustrates common idioms with engaging visuals that help students understand what's really being said. Literal drawings of idioms, showing exactly what the words say rather than what they mean are one of the most memorable ways to teach figurative vs. literal meaning.
"It's raining cats and dogs."
Meaning: It's raining very heavily. (Not actual cats and dogs!)
"Don't cry over spilled milk."
Meaning: Don't worry about something that's already happened and can't be changed.
Idioms enrich language with cultural meaning and expressive phrasing. Understanding idioms improves reading comprehension because students learn to interpret phrases that cannot be understood word by word. Idioms also help students write with voice and personality.
A metaphor makes a comparison you can usually reason out ("Joe is a nut"). An idiom's figurative meaning is fixed by convention and often can't be reasoned out from the words alone.
"Break a leg" has nothing to do with legs — it just has to be learned.
Use literal drawings of idioms and have students act them out before discussing the figurative meaning.
Sort idioms by theme (feelings, mistakes, warnings) and write short explanations for each.
Have them write modern versions of classic idioms or create idioms that fit today's world.
Provide visuals and simple sentence frames ("This idiom means ___.") Use familiar contexts from daily life.
a digital self-checking activity where students identify the meaning of common idioms. Great for independent practice or centers
Play Free Deck
a printable foldable for students to record idioms, their figurative meanings, and literal illustrations. Works as a note-taking tool or interactive notebook page
Download Free PDF
a classroom-ready PowerPoint lesson introducing idioms with definitions, illustrated examples, and student practice slides. Fully editable
Download PowerPoint
a complete mini lesson on idioms available free on Teachers Pay Teachers — includes cards, activities, and a lesson framework for introducing or reviewing the concept
Get Free on TPT
The object is to collect the most matches. A match pairs an idiom on one card with its meaning on another. Meanings appear in red font; idioms appear in black with accompanying pictures.
