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Are These British English Idioms Difficult to Hear?
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Many students have told me that British English has many idioms that are very difficult to hear and understand.  My answer is do lots of English listening practice, expecially here at English Listening World.  

Imagination is our gift.  We can use imagination to help us study English.  For each idiom, try to make an image that is easy to remember.  

If you make an image today and cannot remember your image tomorrow, that is ok. Your image was not easy to remember; simply make a new one that is more outrageous.  

With funny or scary or intense images as your first tool, start to listen to the idioms in context in the stories on these pages.  

Make Waves

Idiom List

1. let one's hair down: to relax and enjoy oneself
2. have a fit:  to get very angry
3. go out with(someone):  to date (someone), on a regular basis
4. cross swords with: to quarrel with (someone), to have a disagreement with (someone)
5. make waves:  to cause trouble







Click on the sound bar below to hear the story slowly.




Deepa is feeling a bit more relaxed after her fight with her mother.  She wanted to go out with a boy and her mother had a fit.  They crossed swords just as Deepa was trying to quietly leave the house.  She doesn't want to make waves, but she feels she can never let her hair down. She wanted to go out for just a few hours without her mother knowing.  Now they have made up and her mother even said she could go out with the boy next week.  Now Deepa is feeling much better.

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