PPT: Idioms and Phrases | Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) - CAT PDF Download

 Page 1


Idioms and 
Phrases
Page 2


Idioms and 
Phrases
What is an Idiom?
Special Meaning
Idioms are 
expressions with 
meanings beyond 
their literal words, 
adding color to 
language.
Common Usage
Found in literature 
and everyday 
speech, idioms 
make 
communication 
more engaging.
Historical Origins
Idioms evolved from storytelling traditions, 
though their exact origins are often unclear.
Page 3


Idioms and 
Phrases
What is an Idiom?
Special Meaning
Idioms are 
expressions with 
meanings beyond 
their literal words, 
adding color to 
language.
Common Usage
Found in literature 
and everyday 
speech, idioms 
make 
communication 
more engaging.
Historical Origins
Idioms evolved from storytelling traditions, 
though their exact origins are often unclear.
Examples of idioms with their literal 
meaning and idiomatic meaning
Break a Leg
Literal: Actually breaking a bone in your 
leg
Idiomatic: "Do your best and good luck." 
Often used among performers before 
going on stage.
Bored to Death
Literal: Being so bored that it causes 
death
Idiomatic: Being extremely bored. Death 
represents the extreme end of the 
spectrum.
Phrases, unlike idioms, are straightforward and literal. They function as units within 
sentences but lack subjects and verbs. The main types include noun phrases, verb 
phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, appositive phrases, participial phrases, 
prepositional phrases, and absolute phrases.
Page 4


Idioms and 
Phrases
What is an Idiom?
Special Meaning
Idioms are 
expressions with 
meanings beyond 
their literal words, 
adding color to 
language.
Common Usage
Found in literature 
and everyday 
speech, idioms 
make 
communication 
more engaging.
Historical Origins
Idioms evolved from storytelling traditions, 
though their exact origins are often unclear.
Examples of idioms with their literal 
meaning and idiomatic meaning
Break a Leg
Literal: Actually breaking a bone in your 
leg
Idiomatic: "Do your best and good luck." 
Often used among performers before 
going on stage.
Bored to Death
Literal: Being so bored that it causes 
death
Idiomatic: Being extremely bored. Death 
represents the extreme end of the 
spectrum.
Phrases, unlike idioms, are straightforward and literal. They function as units within 
sentences but lack subjects and verbs. The main types include noun phrases, verb 
phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, appositive phrases, participial phrases, 
prepositional phrases, and absolute phrases.
Rules for Idioms and 
Phrases
1
Hidden Meanings
Idioms and phrases are literal terms that 
induce meanings that may be hidden 
behind the actual words, often carrying 
cultural value.
2
Metaphorical Nature
They are metaphorical4extracting the 
literal meaning of all words would often 
result in something unusual or even 
farcical.
3
Adding Flavor
They have the capacity to add flavor to 
prose or books, helping authors add 
interest or remove monotony from their 
writing.
4
Subtle Differences
While reading and answering about 
idioms and phrases, we can observe 
subtle differences between the two.
Page 5


Idioms and 
Phrases
What is an Idiom?
Special Meaning
Idioms are 
expressions with 
meanings beyond 
their literal words, 
adding color to 
language.
Common Usage
Found in literature 
and everyday 
speech, idioms 
make 
communication 
more engaging.
Historical Origins
Idioms evolved from storytelling traditions, 
though their exact origins are often unclear.
Examples of idioms with their literal 
meaning and idiomatic meaning
Break a Leg
Literal: Actually breaking a bone in your 
leg
Idiomatic: "Do your best and good luck." 
Often used among performers before 
going on stage.
Bored to Death
Literal: Being so bored that it causes 
death
Idiomatic: Being extremely bored. Death 
represents the extreme end of the 
spectrum.
Phrases, unlike idioms, are straightforward and literal. They function as units within 
sentences but lack subjects and verbs. The main types include noun phrases, verb 
phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, appositive phrases, participial phrases, 
prepositional phrases, and absolute phrases.
Rules for Idioms and 
Phrases
1
Hidden Meanings
Idioms and phrases are literal terms that 
induce meanings that may be hidden 
behind the actual words, often carrying 
cultural value.
2
Metaphorical Nature
They are metaphorical4extracting the 
literal meaning of all words would often 
result in something unusual or even 
farcical.
3
Adding Flavor
They have the capacity to add flavor to 
prose or books, helping authors add 
interest or remove monotony from their 
writing.
4
Subtle Differences
While reading and answering about 
idioms and phrases, we can observe 
subtle differences between the two.
Differences between 
Idioms and Phrases
Meaning Context
Idioms function 
independently, while 
phrases require 
sentence context to 
convey meaning.
Usage
Idioms appear mainly 
in slang and 
conversation, phrases 
in standard sentence 
structures.
Interpretation
Idioms convey 
symbolic meanings, 
while phrases are 
interpreted literally.
Structure
Idioms can be single 
words; phrases 
typically contain 
multiple words. 
Phrases with 
metaphorical 
meanings become 
idioms.