Can people help me think of North American English phrases that would seem confusing to new ESL students? Such as "hot on my tail", "no strings attached", "that's the pits"....I'm making a list for my students. Mainly common
by 
freehartz
ANSWERS: 17
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Behind the eight ball.
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Over the hill, He did some Fancy footwork, beating around the bush. Climbing the walls split a gut tiger in my tank living on easy street not wrapped too tight
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Here is a really fun site that might give you some ideas. http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/meanings.htm
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Sounds like you're looking for idioms. Here's a site called, "The Idiom Connection" that lists idioms alphabetically and by subject, then gives a short explanation. "Preaching to the choir" would be under P, of course, and "Can't cut the mustard" is found with the food idioms. The site has a boatload of both popular and obscure sayings, so you and your students will probably find it helpful. Good luck! http://www.idiomconnection.com/
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Freehartz, Dave's ESL Cafe is a website which has provided my students with a great deal of help. Click on Student, then idioms, if you choose. Also, under Teacher there are some excellent resources. Good luck, you are doing a very important job.
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Cut a tree down and then cut it up.
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Three sheets to the wind...that's something always said in the area I grew up. My Indian coworkers looked at me like I'd sprouted carrots from my ears when I said it.
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I've been out of the ESL business for more than a decade, but I recall using "A Dictionary of American Idioms," by Makkai, Boatner, and Gates. Oh, here's a searchable online site for it: http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/dictionary/english/idioms/american . Damn! freeHartz hasn't been back since 2007. Oh, well, I'll post this anyway. SOMEone may benefit by it.
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'Piss up a rope' 'Farting through silk' 'Whistling by the graveyard' 'Screwed the pooch' 'you got your nuts in a ringer' 'I don't mean to piss in your cereal'
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catch the bus
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Chew the rag
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Kick the bucket
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on the same page
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Choking the chicken
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catch my drift spitting fire too many buns in the fire
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You should get a book on idioms...there are SO many of them. Book Fairs at schools usually have them, and most classroom teachers have one if you know one.
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You make me horny baby
Glenn Blaylock 
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