The short link for this page is
http://bit.ly/maelt_idiom_dialogues
Some years ago on BBC World Service radio, there was a series of programs that illustrated
idioms by putting them into the context of dialogues about everyday things. The BBC offered the scripts free of charge. I consider them quite natural-sounding dialogues with a great many typical English communicative phrases embedded naturally in them, and their contexts are realistic and clear.I have contacted the BBC a number of times trying to obtain the recordings that must have existed at the time of their broadcast, but to no avail. I had hoped that in the process, I would be able to discover the authors and seek permission to use the dialogues. It has not even been possible to find out if they are copyright. If anyone can give me a lead on this, please contact me.
The dialogues, as presented here, are simply the scripts that were scanned. They still need some editing. Clicking the ones which are linked (underlined) takes you to the pages here which have the interactive or hypertext versions, or the worksheets.
These dialogues are now available as a corpus in the Sketch Engine: ske.li/idiom_dialogues.
She dropped a brick
Let's hope for the best.
We'll just have to hope for the best.
To keep mum. - Mum's the word.
It runs in the blood.
Helen is very musical, just like her mother. It runs in the blood.
He's put a spanner in the works.
Trust him to put a spanner in the works.
It went like clockwork.
Pull the other one.
He really got my blood up.
Hot-blooded.
In cold blood.
He's in dire straits financially.
I really had butterflies in my tummy.
I'll leave no stone unturned.
You can't cut corners.
She's got them in the palm of her hand.
She's got them in her pocket.
He's on cloud nine.
He's in his seventh heaven.
He always plays to the gallery. - What's it like being in the limelight?
They get on well together, because they're on the same wavelength.
We're still in the red.
He's in a fine pickle.
They do it for kicks. Just for kicks.
After the teacher's long explanation it finally dawned on him.
It's his wanderlust.
The plot left a lot to be desired.
You'll have to brighten your ideas up if you want to go to university.
It was very good advice, even though it was off cuff.
He's licking his wounds.
She was terrified.
She was rooted to the spot.
She always falls on her feet.
She always lands on both feet.
He blew his top.
Helen's marriage hit him like a thunderbolt.
It cost the earth.
It cost an arm and a leg.
Borrow my car for the weekend? Not on your life!
We're on the wrong track.
To lead someone up the garden path.
He led all his colleagues up the garden path.
I won't leave a single stone unturned.
I'll leave no stone unturned.
I pulled the rug from under his feet.
She was a thorn in her brother's flesh for years.
She's forever complaining.
He's got a sharp tongue.
She's got an acid tongue.
He's building castles in the air.
His ideas are totally impractical.
Let's forget about it. Couldn't we turn a blind eye just this once?
It was going to be a surprise, but Elizabeth gave the game away.
Don't be a wet blanket. - Don't be such a wet blanket.
He was going to ask for a pay rise, but he lost his nerve.
He's got a thick skin.
It doesn't matter what you say, it won't upset him: he's got a thick skin.
He's got a skin as thick as a rhinoceros.
He's got a hide like a rhinoceros.
I can't stomach him.
I can't stand him.
I don't like him.
The new book's going like a bomb.
She poured her heart out.
She's got him under her thumb.
It really gets on my nerves. He never stops complaining.
He wouldn't lay a finger on anyone.
You can argue with Jack till you're blue in the face, but he'll never agree with you.
I'm in the pink. He's as sound as a bell. She's as fit as a fiddle.
It's in his line.
He's in his element.
He skirted around the question for too long before he got to the point.
He mended his ways.
Catherine gave her the cold shoulder.
I'd steer clear of it.