Idioms, Adages & Proverbs

Have you ever heard someone say "It's raining cats and dogs" and wondered why cats and dogs are falling from the sky? People have been using colorful phrases like this for thousands of years. These special sayings — called idioms, adages, and proverbs — are passed down from generation to generation. They make language more fun, but they can also be confusing if you've never heard them before!

Let's travel through time to see how these phrases became part of everyday English.

As you can see, people from every culture and every time period have created special phrases to share wisdom, give advice, or describe feelings in creative ways. Today, you'll learn how to recognize these phrases and explain what they really mean.

These three types of phrases are related, but each one is a little different. Let's break them down so you can tell them apart.

The trickiest thing about idioms, adages, and proverbs is that their literal meaning (what the words actually say) is different from their figurative meaning (what the phrase really means). Let's look at this visually!

Notice how the literal meaning (on the left) can be silly or confusing, while the figurative meaning (on the right) makes perfect sense in a conversation. When you hear a phrase that sounds weird if you take it word-by-word, that's your clue that it might be an idiom, adage, or proverb. Stop and think: "What is this person really trying to say?"

When you come across an idiom, adage, or proverb that you've never seen before, don't panic! Here is a four-step strategy you can use every time.

Let's see how this works with a quick example. Imagine you read: "Maria studied all night for the test. She wanted to ace it, but she was also burning the candle at both ends."

Step 1 — The context tells us Maria is studying a lot and might be tired. Step 2 — The clue words "all night" and "wanted to ace it" hint at working too hard. Step 3 — The message seems to be about doing too much at once. Step 4 — "Burning the candle at both ends" means working so hard that you're exhausting yourself. If we replace it — "She was exhausting herself" — the sentence still makes sense!

These phrases can be grouped into categories based on what topic they're about. Let's explore some of the most common ones you'll see in your reading.

As you can see, proverbs and adages usually give clear advice like "Look before you leap." Their meaning is a little easier to guess. Idioms, on the other hand, can be wild — "hitting the books" has nothing to do with actually hitting anything! That's what makes idioms the trickiest of the three.

Let's walk through a full example together, step by step, using our 4-step strategy.

Now that you know all three types, let's put them side by side so you can clearly see what makes each one special — and where they overlap.

Here's the honest truth: even adults sometimes mix up adages and proverbs! They overlap a lot. The most important thing for you to remember is that all three use figurative language, and the key skill is being able to explain what the phrase really means in your own words.

Understanding idioms, adages, and proverbs is just the beginning of learning about figurative language. As you move into middle school and beyond, you'll encounter even more types of creative language. Here's a sneak peek at what's coming!

The skill you're building right now — noticing when words don't mean exactly what they say — is one of the most important reading skills you'll ever develop. It helps you understand books, songs, movies, jokes, speeches, and conversations on a deeper level. Keep collecting phrases like a language explorer, and before long, you'll be the one explaining them to everyone else!

Time to put your skills to the test! Try each problem before clicking "Show Answer." Remember to use the 4-step strategy if you get stuck.