10 Great Everyday English Idioms for your SPEAKING: Advanced English vocabulary

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Idioms are useful and fun to include in your active vocabulary, not only for the speaking paper of the Cambridge English exams but also for your general English. The advanced idioms and phrases I teach in this video are used in real, everyday English, so... start practising!
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Share your own examples in the comments!
Ben Gill
English Teacher
Website: ttpenglish.com
0:00 Everyday idioms
0:33 Take a leaf out of someone's book
1:37 A tall order
2:12 Days are numbered
3:16 Hare-brained
4:13 The proof of the pudding
5:15 Get the wrong end of the stick
6:33 Line one's pockets
7:14 Take the biscuit
8:26 Put someone on a pedestal
9:15 Call it a day
10:08 Watch this next!
#advancedenglish #englishidioms #advancedenglishvocabulary #c1advanced #b2first #c2proficiency #learnenglish #englishlesson

[@raffaellabarbierato8854]

Watching your videos in the night isn't the best way to make them fruitful: I might take a leaf out of my husband's book and start wathching them in the morning. But this is a really tall order for me, due to my job: I'm working on a six-month project and my days are numbered. Would it be a hare-brained idea studying English in the morning and working in the night? I guess I'll find it out in six months and that will be the proof of the pudding. I have to admit that making these sentences up is amusing, but I'm afraid I'm getting the wrong end of the stick; certainly, creating weird content is something I'm used to, but this one really takes the biscuit. In order to achieve my goal and use all the idioms, now I should think about someone I trusted and I put on a pedestal: sadly, I remember a friend (former friend) who lined his pockets with charity money. I don't like to end on a sad note but I have to, so...let's call it a day. Thanks Ben, as always!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

That's excellent, Raffaella! 👏👏👏

[@enricap4483]

Great! 😂❤

[@dra.carolinaaquevequemedic5243]

We say IN the morning/afternoon/evening, but AT night/noon.

[@laurapavone3513]

Lovely 🌹

[@victorcaballero9523]

Ive just passed the CPE Ben. You encouraged me to take it, im very grateful for that and for your unvaluable lessons. Thanks and a thousand times thanks.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Congratulations, Victor! A fantastic achievement, and I'm glad my lessons helped a little. All the best

[@davidandrade3832]

Give us some tips, please. How did you prepare for it?

[@victorcaballero9523]

​@@davidandrade3832 Watched almost every Ben´s video about the CPE + had a solid background due to watching&reading in English. Also bought the book recommended by Ben for the CPE.

[@davidandrade3832]

@@victorcaballero9523 and for the listening?

[@user-ko1sg7gm4o]

My vocabulary book is full of the useful words you taught me! Thank you ❤❤❤

[@marcoantoniomoralescruz2645]

Such a priceless lesson. I love learning new idioms, vocabulary, collocations, phrasal verbs, and so forth. I did share your video with some friends and student's of mine.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great! Thanks

[@LisaMischke]

My absolute favorite is and always will be: "The lights are on but nobody is at home." :D "The days are numbered" We have the exact same expression in my native language (German) :)

[@amirniksirat9011]

Thanks, Dear Ben, conclusively they are so hands-on idioms

[@delgerzayabatsuuri6633]

Thanks❤

[@user-iz1gu6wp1q]

Thank you!!!!!

[@NS-neversaynever]

Really amazing video.

[@margaritamagg]

Hi, Ben! Thanks ❤

[@germanmorganti9686]

Great idioms, Ben. I've found the proof of the biscuit very witty. Thanks! Best!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Glad you liked the video! (Remember, "proof of the pudding" and "take the biscuit")

[@germanmorganti9686]

Thank you, Ben. I've mixed both idioms up. Best!

[@ativkadiazberman6106]

Hi, Ben! I just wanna let you know that my CAE exam is already scheduled for June 15th and, whereas Im preparing really hard, seems like a tall order :(

[@olegbaiburin3875]

Great!!!

[@SabineHamer-mr7pm]

Hi Ben, Many thanks for these great idioms, you know I love them. I'm feeling a little bit under the weather lately so I'm not able to watch your video right away, but it's great as always, I'm a true fan of you channel and will be. Have a wonderfull upcoming week 🐕👋

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I hope you feel better soon, Sabine

[@SabineHamer-mr7pm]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Thank you Ben 💕

[@satyamkaskar1034]

Thank you 😊

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@clubdeinglescongeomonreal2551]

Great video teacher! Thanks! In expression number 8,in American English people would say: Take the cake Example: All of the poems were lovely, but yours takes the cake.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing

[@clubdeinglescongeomonreal2551]

🤗🤩🤗🤩🤗🤩

[@alexi2369]

Hi Ben! Today I had my CAE speaking exam. [VENTING ALERT] As I really enjoyed preparing for it with your videos I feel that I failed you so terribly 🥲 I used some knowledge I gained by watching your simulations, especially with Craig and Zdenek (I love his attitude), but I didn’t manage to avoid dead air (these horrible moments felt like hours) and my answer for Part 2 questions was particularly poor. I really doubt I’ll pass this exam. The only positive thing about it is probably that I’ll have more motivation to study harder and probably make use of more of your videos. Thank you for your hard work! You are truly one of a kind!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It's quite normal for students to feel that way immediately after taking the exam. You may feel frustrated because you didn't do as well as you feel you could have, but I suspect that you've done enough to pass. You can only wait for the results now. Let me know when you get them.

[@jonyer1980]

Hi there Ben. Take the biscuit means give or take something such as "la que se lleva la palma" en español. "Ya he estado en unas pocas reuniones aburridas antes, pero esta es la que se *se lleva la palma*"😅😂😂.

[@emanmahmoud9439]

Very useful

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Glad you think so!

[@FirstClassEnglish2022]

Thank you for a great video. You inspired me to start my own YT channel where I talk about English. Thank you for posting an amazing content.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great! Good luck!

[@laurapavone3513]

May i wskbwhat are the nuancees between the idiom: 'you are barking at the wrong tree' and 'you got the wrong end of the stick'?

[@aporsebestyen4509]

It's interesting, in Hungarian we have the idiom "the proof of the pudding is the eating". So it is longer than the English one and we say it in any context without pointing out what the actual "proof" in the given situation is. Thanks for this great lesson Ben!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, it's the same in English. We don't always need to specify what the "proof" is, but sometimes is necessary. Glad you liked the video 🙂

[@Crisguig]

Very useful video. Take the biscuit, could it be in Spanish...se lleva la palma?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, I think so 🙂

[@josebenito15]

A very well-crafted and helpful Video. Congratulations on your dedication.. Pity you didn't mention my all time favorite Idiom, which is : Throw the baby out with the bathwater. The first time I heard this Idiom I really thought it was the name of a short film by Chaplin but I was wrong.. It is an Idiom 🎉. Keep on posting and Greetings from Spain

[@flasabacruz]

Oh, this is just great! Apart from the ones I've learned with Ben's video, I've also learned a new one with your comment! Had never heard that idiom before! Thx for sharing! 😅

[@josebenito15]

​@@flasabacruzYou welcome.. And Happy of being helpful 🎉

[@annachizhova6603]

Hello Ben! I was wondering whether one is allowed to write their names after 'Yours faithfully' in the Part 2 writing test, or we're supposed to use fictional ones? Unfortunately, I can't find any info on it.

[@vanessadimarco158]

I like learning vocabulary and grammar, and I like video about all that concern English but idioms take the biscuits.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Nice example, Vanessa!

[@teacherjeremyford6625]

When I was growing up, "Taking a leaf out of someone's book," was either and both positive and negative. It just meant copying someone. When my brother was misbehaving, my aunt said he was taking a leaf out of my cousin's book. And, I've heard it used by others, mostly my family but still, as positive or negative.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Interesting. To me, it sounds strange to use it in that way.

[@fleurblanche7642]

God I am so contented This course of yours is what I need I have never had such à devoted and a patient teacher like you The words fail me Let me call it a day

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃 Happy yo be your teacher, Fleur!

[@fleurblanche7642]

​@@tothepointenglishwithben.Thank you You make my day It is such a horrible Sunday without sun Oh I am blasphemising,saying blasphemies sorry. Ou es it is a very good Sunday film of sunshine with your lessons

[@fleurblanche7642]

His English seems to be impeccable Nevertheless the proof of the pudding lies in in eating We will see next week in CPE trials

[@marylkap6498]

The mother is right! As always 😉

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Mothers are always right... but, studying on Saturday night?

[@peterorszagh2762]

Hello Ben, possible to read a poem from you? If I'm not mistaken, you are a poet. Are you?

[@martinjokes1610]

Your days are numbered

[@Ricardo-xg6gx]

I should take a leaf out of my colleagues' work when it comes to using properly the idioms

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Nice example, but remember it's "book", not "work"

[@martinjokes1610]

It's a tall order

[@loveOldMen2023]

I have take IELTS TEST 3 Times and I just got 5,5. I think getting 7 on my IELTS TEST Is " A TALL ORDER"

[@mahmoudmadi7746]

What is the meaning of to line Thanks

[@cyruschang1904]

to line the pocket (with money) means literally to cover the inner surface of the pocket (with money) gloves with fur linings means gloves whose inner surface is covered with fur.

[@mahmoudmadi7746]

Got it thanks a million

[@cyruschang1904]

@@mahmoudmadi7746 🙂

[@jcr1138]

Hello Ben. I think I can give an example of three of these idioms about Mexico's president's projects. The president's sons are lining their pockets with overly profits from the hare-brained project called "tren maya" (Maya railroad), which is bound to fail due to lack of environment studies of the ground, and low-quality materials used on the railways. This project really takes the biscuit over other failed or go-to-fail projects. In addition, Mexico has had bad presidents, but Lopez Obrador takes the biscuit by far.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great!

[@elbertwongledesma]

Jajajajajaja. What a pity!

[@ronbeat]

"Let's call it a night" 🌃

[@tanyaromanoff1395]

I only knew ' days are numbered', put sb on pedestal and ' call it a day' 😢

[@user-cc2ux9ew1r]

I was told that ^ take the buiscuit can only be used in negative situations Ben. Sny chance you give us an example PLEASE ? THANKS for your time. Bye for now.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It's true that "take the biscuit" is almost exclusively used in negative contexts nowadays, but it technically can be used in positive situations. Eg. "I like all the author's books, but his latest novel takes the biscuit." dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/take-the-biscuit

[@user-cc2ux9ew1r]

Thank you Ben. I'll be seeing ya mate. My favourite idiom is * the dog's bollocks * I learnt it from Gideon. Take it easy.

[@dianaivosevic1165]

Merci !

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thank you so much, Elisa! I really appreciate it 🙏 Merci beaucoup!

[@martinjokes1610]

You have to put her on a pedestal

[@user-sn7cq8qj7g]

Student`s proof of the pudding are exams

[@martinjokes1610]

You have got the wrong end of the stick

[@user-cc2ux9ew1r]

What? To take a leaf out of your brother's book and go and study at the library on Saturday night!🤔 That's a turkish at its best Ben 😮 she can't be serious, can she? That takes the biscuit gaffer

[@fleurblanche7642]

I used to do it back in my student's days I loved it so much I didn't find it encumberance No burden at all,and close quaters with all town's entertainement for youngsters.That takes the biscuit too

[@lostfoundbaby]

How much do you earn from those average 5k views +/- ?