Idioms are difficult for ELLs because they express what kind of meaning?

• A. Figurative meaning beyond literal
• B. Strict dictionary meanings
• C. Universal grammar
• D. Only slang

Answer: (A)

Idioms express figurative meaning beyond the literal words. For English Language Learners, that non-literal aspect makes idioms hard because you can’t figure out the meaning just by looking at the individual words; you need to know the conventional use and the cultural context. For example, “spill the beans” means to reveal a secret, not literally tipping over beans. Recognizing this helps learners see why idioms aren’t understood by dictionary-like word-for-word translation. The other ideas—that idioms are strictly dictionary meanings, tied to universal grammar, or simply slang—don’t fit, because idioms convey meaning that isn’t the literal sense of the words, isn’t about universal language structure, and isn’t limited to slang.