It is inevitable and unavoidable. When you're an ESL student you'll sooner or later run across idiomatic expressions that will basically have you either scratching your head in puzzlement or laughing out loud. Though they may seem strange and unnatural to you, it is recommended that you try to learn some, at least a few at a time. But before you can effectively use these expressions, you must understand them and know in which contexts they're used. There are idioms with food, expressions related to sports, and then there are comparisons with "as...as". These last prove to be particularly interesting and fun to learn. Let's look at some idiomatic expressions that use the construction "as...as":

As blind as a bat: to have very bad eyesight. You can't read this? You're as blind as a bat!

As cool as a cucumber: calm and not at all nervous. The result of the negotiation depended on this meeting, but Bob was as cool as a cucumber.

As easy as pie: very easy. I'm sure I did well on the test; it was as easy as pie!

As fit as a fiddle: in good physical condition. She goes to Pilates classes and runs for an hour every day. She's as fit as a fiddle.

As free as a bird: feeling free, with no cares or worries. I remember how I felt the first day of summer vacation. I was as free as a bird.

As happy as a clam: very happy and content. I was as happy as a clam living in Hawaii; the beaches were beautiful, I played lots of outdoor sports, and the people were so nice.

As hard as nails: very tough and cruel. As a supervisor, Tom was as hard as nails; nobody wanted to work with him.

As pleased as punch: to be very happy with something. The design she had worked on for a week was finished and looking great. She was as pleased as punch.

As quiet as a mouse: very quiet. Sarah got home at 3 am and didn't want to wake up her parents, so naturally, she was as quiet as a mouse going up the stairs.

As sick as a dog: very sick. Alice went home early from school because she felt as sick as a dog. She had a fever and felt very, very weak.

As sly as a fox: very clever and smart. She was able to take advantage of a very negative situation. That's because she's as sly as a fox.

As stubborn as a mule: to be very determined not to change an opinion or decision. She's as stubborn as a mule, particularly when she's sick. There is no way to convince her to consult a doctor.

So, here you have some great comparisons to get you started. But as an ESL student you must remember this: these are hardly ever used in formal situations, business meetings, or whenever you speak to someone you don't know very well. Try practicing these in your ESL class. You'll surprise your teacher and she'll be as pleased as punch!

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Susan Thomason has written numerous articles for LCI English Center, an ESL school in Denver, Colorado. LCI offers the best English training through experienced teachers and high quality programs. Check out more ESL articles at www.englishlci.com/blog